Mount Pilatus Ticket

Cogwheel Railway Ride (Alpnachstad → Pilatus Kulm)

• Duration: approx. 30 minutes

Aerial Descent (Pilatus Kulm → Kriens)

• Route: Take the aerial cableway (Dragon Ride) to Fräkmüntegg, then switch to panoramic gondolas down to Kriens.
• Duration: approx. 30 minutes total

🛥️ 1. Lake Lucerne Boat Ride

• Route: Lucerne → Alpnachstad
• Duration: approx. 1 hour
• Experience: Cruise across the serene Lake Lucerne on a traditional steamboat or modern motor vessel, with beautiful views of the Swiss Alps and charming villages.

🚞 2. Cogwheel Railway Ride (Alpnachstad → Pilatus Kulm)

• Duration: approx. 30 minutes
• Highlight: This is the world’s steepest cogwheel railway, with a gradient of up to 48%.
• Scenery: Enjoy a dramatic ascent through forests, alpine meadows, tunnels, and rugged cliffs.

🏔️ 3. Pilatus Kulm – Summit Experience

• Elevation: 2,128 meters (6,982 ft)
• Activities:
• Enjoy 360° panoramic views of over 70 peaks and Lake Lucerne
• Walk to Tomlishorn, the highest point
• Visit restaurants, a hotel, and various viewing platforms
• Spot ibex and take in the myths of dragons and Roman legends
• Ideal for photos, short hikes, or just relaxing

🚡 4. Aerial Descent (Pilatus Kulm → Kriens)

• Route: Take the aerial cableway (Dragon Ride) to Fräkmüntegg, then switch to panoramic gondolas down to Kriens.
• Duration: approx. 30 minutes total
• Highlights: Spectacular open views as you "fly" down the mountain.

🚌 5. Return to Lucerne (Kriens → Lucerne)

• From Kriens, it's a short bus or walk back to Lucerne city center (about 15–20 minutes).

🚞 Cogwheel Railway (Alpnachstad ⇄ Pilatus Kulm)

• Operating period: May 12, 2025 – November 16, 2025
• Timetable: May 12 – October 25
• October 26 – November 16

🔺 Note: The cogwheel train is weather-dependent. It's the steepest in the world with a 48% gradient.

🚡 Aerial Cableway & Panorama Gondolas (Kriens ⇄ Pilatus Kulm)

Operating all year, except during maintenance closures:

• ❌ April 7–8, 2025
• ❌ October 20 – November 7, 2025

⛴️ Lake Lucerne Boat (Lucerne ⇄ Alpnachstad)

Operating period:May 12 – October 20, 2025

🌟 Golden Round Trip

Recommended season: May 12 – October 20, 2025 (when all transport options operate together)

🔭 Scenic Viewpoints & Photography

• Enjoy 360° panoramic views of the Alps and Lake Lucerne from platforms like Esel Peak and Oberhaupt.
• On clear days, you can spot over 70 mountain peaks, including the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau.
• Sunset and sunrise are especially magical for photography.

🥾 Hiking Trails

• Tomlishorn Trail: A scenic and relatively easy hike (approx. 40 minutes round-trip) to the highest point of Mount Pilatus (2,132 m).
• Well-maintained paths with breathtaking views, alpine flora, and occasional ibex sightings.

🛌 Overnight Stay on the Mountain

• Two summit hotels: Hotel Pilatus-Kulm and Hotel Bellevue offer stylish alpine accommodation.
• Stay overnight to enjoy starry skies, peaceful mountain silence, and breathtaking sunrises above the clouds.

🍽️ Dining with a View

• Bellevue Panorama Restaurant and other summit cafés serve Swiss specialties, desserts, and drinks.
• Outdoor terraces allow you to dine while soaking in the alpine panorama.

🎶 Seasonal & Cultural Events (subject to schedule)

• Alphorn performances
• Mountain folk music concerts
• Sunrise breakfast events
• Stargazing dinners
• In winter: snow hiking or special holiday events

🧒 Family-Friendly Experiences (mostly at Fräkmüntegg station, on the way down)

• Pilu Rope Park (Seilpark) – an adventure forest ropes course
• Summer Toboggan Run – the longest in Switzerland! (weather dependent)
• Mini trails and play zones for children