What is Stanserhorn?
The Stanserhorn is a mountain of 1850 m near Lucerne and close to the south-western shore of Lake Lucerne. The top is accessible by funicular and open-deck cable car (called CabriO) from mid-April to mid-November.
You can admire the amazing views from several viewpoints and a rotating restaurant. You'll see the peak of Pilatus quite close to you, Lake Lucerne and Mount Rigi in the north, and the snow-capped Central Alps and Bernese Alps in the south.
Several hiking trails start from Stanserhorn as well.
Ticket prices and boarding passes explained
Stanserhorn prices: 2024 overview
Price | More information and prices | Description |
---|---|---|
CHF 0 | more info | Return trip with a Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Travel Pass Flex |
CHF 0 | more info | Return trip with a Tell-Pass |
CHF 37 | more info | Return trip with a 50% discounted "Good Morning Ticket" (only in April, May and November), with a Swiss Half Fare Card |
CHF 41 | more info | Return trip with a normal 50% discounted ticket, with a Swiss Half Fare Card |
CHF 74 | more info | Return trip with a "Good Morning Ticket" (only in April, May and November), full fare |
CHF 82 | more info | Return trip with a normal ticket, full fare |
Stanserhorn prices with a rail pass
The Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Travel Pass Flex, and Tell-Pass provide free rides to Stanserhorn.
With a Swiss Half Fare Card, you can buy a 50% discounted ticket or a 50% discounted Saver Day Pass. A discounted Saver Day Pass can be cheaper than normal tickets, if bought well in advance.
Find a complete overview of rail pass discounts here.
Access to the open-air cable car deck
There are no extra fees to access the open roof deck of the CabriO cable car. We greatly enjoy this open-air ride and we absolutely recommend it, especially since there are no additional costs involved!
Cheaper "Good Morning Tickets" in April, May and November
In the low-season months of April, May and November you can get a cheaper "Good Morning Ticket". Your departure from Stans must be no later than 09:30 am. There's an additional discount for Swiss Half Fare Card holders.
Tickets with or without boarding pass
Most Stanserhorn tickets include a free boarding pass. This guarantees access to the funicular and cable car during a specific time slot.
You can order a separate boarding pass for CHF 2, if you've purchased a ticket without boarding pass, or if you have no ticket at all because your rail pass grants free traveling. In our view, the small additional fee is worth it to skip the queues during peak times in high season. This mostly concerns the mornings from June to September, even more so on good weather days during weekends and school holidays.
A boarding pass isn't obligatory. You just may need to wait a bit longer if it's busy and you don't have one.
Where to buy Stanserhorn tickets
You can buy tickets online, or at the valley station in Stans and the mid-station Kälti.
Get your tickets for Stanserhorn
Book your tickets with and without rail pass discounts here. Or find a tour that suits your needs.
Offered by Official SBB shop: swissrailways.com
- Official webshop of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), operated by Switzerland Travel Centre (STC)
- Instant delivery through e-mail in 5 minutes
- Free cancellation until 1 day before travel, if you choose the FLEX OPTION. No questions asked.
- Extra Support: MySwissAlps can answer most questions regarding your order as well.
Offered by Swiss Activities: www.swissactivities.com
- Easy, online, free cancellation in most cases
- Extra Support: if you buy here, MySwissAlps can also assist if you have questions about your order.
Offered by Viator: www.viator.com
- Easy, online, free cancellation in most cases
- Lowest Price Guarantee: Viator will refund the difference if you find a better price.
- Extra Support: if you buy here, MySwissAlps can also assist if you have questions about your order.
Promotions
There are currently no promotions available.
Save money with your rail pass
The below rail passes offer discounts or even free traveling to Stanserhorn.
Pass | Discount |
---|---|
Day Pass |
Free:
|
Eurail Global Pass |
Discount 25%:
|
Interrail Switzerland Pass |
Discount 25%:
|
Saver Day Pass |
Free:
|
Swiss Half Fare Card |
Discount 50%:
|
Swiss Travel Pass |
Free:
|
Swiss Travel Pass Flex |
Free:
|
Tell-Pass Summer |
Free:
|
How to reach the Stanserhorn: directions and map
Traveling to Stans
The trip starts in Stans, a village at about 20 minutes by train from Lucerne. Stans can be reached by train, bus, or car. Alternatively, you can take a boat to Stansstad and hop on a train to Stans there.
It's a 5-minute walk to the funicular valley station from the rail station of Stans. The easy route is indicated by signposts.
The trip from Stans to Kälti and Stanserhorn
You will first board a historical wooden funicular that takes you to the mid-station of Kälti, at an altitude of 710 m. From there, the double-deck cable car CabriO will take you up to 1848 m.
Standing on the open roof of the CabriO is highly recommended: the views over Lake Lucerne and toward the top are spectacular.
Map with the funicular and cableway route to Stanserhorn
Operation dates, schedules, and timetable
2024 operating dates for Stanserhorn
The funicular and cable car operate from 13 April until 24 November 2024.
2024 operation hours
The first funicular leaves Stans at 08:15. The last cable car down departs from Stanserhorn at 17:15. The funciular and cable car mostly depart with 30-minute intervals.
2024 evening rides
From early May until late October, you can make special evening rides on Thursdays, Fridays, and/or Saturdays. These allow you to enjoy a pre-booked special dinner, or to spontaneously grab a bite in the self-service restaurant.
Find exact dates through the links here.
Planning your trip in the timetable
You can use the Stanserhorn timetables (see the links here), or plan your entire trip with Swiss timetable. Use these names:
- "Stanserhorn" for the mountain destination
- "Stans" for the rail station of Stans
- "Stans (Stanserhornbahn)" for the funicular valley station
- "Kälti" for the mid-station at which you transfer from the funicular to the cable car
Best season for Stanserhorn
Stanserhorn can be reached from mid April to mid November. We think this entire period is suitable for a visit:
- Our personal favorites are late-April, May and June. During this spring season there's enough snow left on the peaks of the Central and Bernese Alps to create a beautiful contrast with the green valleys.
- July, August and September are perfect for a refreshing mountain visit. They're also the best months for high-altitude hikes in the Stanserhorn area.
- October and November are beautiful because of the autumn colours setting in. The top will usually be much quieter than in summer. Stanserhorn stands out for a visit in late October and early November: quite some mountain transport shuts down for operation breaks from mid-October, but Stanserhorn is accessible a few weeks longer than that.
Weather forecast and tips for Stanserhorn
Check the weather forecast to make sure it will be clear enough to enjoy the views from Stanserhorn. Make sure you dress appropriately: it can be cold and windy at the top. Standing on the open deck of the CabriO cable car can quickly cool you down as well.
If you plan to hike, please prepare well.
What to see and do at Stanserhorn
- A wide view unfolds at the top. You can see the Pilatus west of you, Lake Lucerne with Mount Rigi in the north, and the Bernese Alps in the south.
- The star-shaped panoramic restaurant ‘Rondorama’ has a section with a revolving floor, allowing you to view the 360° panorama in 45 minutes without leaving your seat. Regular seats directly at the windows are available too. You can choose your drinks, pastries or hot dishes from the self-service section.
- On many Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, you can enjoy dinner in the restaurant. If you prefer joining one of the special culinary offers (such as the romantic candlelight dinner), rather than using the self-service restaurant, you should book your table in advance. The last cable car ride down is around 11 pm on these nights.
- You can make a 30-minute walk to the summit, but Stanserhorn is also the starting point for much longer hikes into the valley.
- You can book a thrilling tandem paragliding or delta flight from the mountain ridge to the valley. You’ll land near Stans.
- There’s a small marmot zoo, but it’s not guaranteed you’ll actually spot these mountain animals.
- A designated “lazy zone” at the top allows you to take in the panorama from comfortable lounge chairs.
Other activities to do on the same day
If you limit your time at Stanserhorn somewhat, you’ll have plenty of time to add an additional excursion in the Lake Lucerne area. Our suggestions after you’ve traveled down to Stansstad:
- Board the boat to Lucerne.
- Board a boat to Alpnachstad and travel up to Pilatus.
- Get on the bus to Bürgenstock.
You could even add a trip to Rigi, even though the boat or train ride to one of its valley stations takes a bit longer. We feel that Titlis is a bit far off to add to a Stanserhorn trip, but it’s doable if you plan well.
Stanserhorn, Pilatus, Titlis or Rigi: how to choose
There are several mountains near Lucerne. In our opinion, these are the pros of Stanserhorn:
- The entire trip is for free with a Swiss Travel Pass. Rigi is too, but Pilatus and Titlis are discounted and not for free.
- It’s a relatively quick trip from Lucerne. You can reach the top in just 45 to 60 minutes. This means you can combine your Stanserhorn excursion with other activities within one day.
- The open-deck cable car ride of the CabriO is unique. We love the combination of wide-reaching panoramic views, and interesting glimpses of the cable engineering.
- The rotating restaurant at the top is a very nice bonus!
Other websites of interest
Schedules
- www.stanserhorn.ch: Stanserhorn timetable
Prices
- www.switzerlandtravelcentre.com: Stanserhorn ticket prices
- www.stanserhorn.ch: Stanserhorn ticket prices