Immerse yourself in the breathtaking beauty of the Swiss Alps on this self-guided trip to Mount Pilatus. Travel by bus, cable car, and the world’s steepest cogwheel train, then enjoy a scenic boat cruise across Lake Lucerne on your way back to Lucerne.
Activity Details
Ready to explore the breathtaking Swiss Alps? Your self-guided journey to Mount Pilatus begins at the bus terminal in front of the Lucerne train station, where you’ll board bus line 1 at a time that suits you best to Kriens, a beautiful alpine village whose landscapes will captivate you from the very first moment.
After a journey of just over 10 minutes, you'll arrive in Kriens, at the Zentrum Pilatus stop. From there, you can take a short walk through the streets of this fairytale-like village to the Pilatus-Bahnen AG station. Once there, you'll board a cable car that will take you to Fräkmüntegg station in just 15 minutes.
At this last point, you'll enjoy beautiful views of Mount Pilatus. You can also refuel at the panoramic restaurant. Next to this establishment, you'll have to take the Dragon Ride cable car, which in just 5 minutes will take you to the Pilatus Kulm station, located at an altitude of 2,132 metres (6,995 feet). Welcome to the top of Mount Pilatus!
Here you can enjoy the viewpoints overlooking Lake Lucerne and the Swiss Alps. You can also enjoy a drink in the restaurants of the Bellevue and Pilatus Kulm hotels.
From the top of Mount Pilatus you can take the cog railway to Alpnachstad. Did you know that this railway, which dates back to 1889, is the steepest in the world? In front of Alpnachstad Station, there is a quiet pier. From here you can enjoy an unforgettable boat trip on Lake Lucerne. Depending on which class you book, you can choose between first class, with seats on the upper deck of the boat, or second class, with seats on the lower deck.
During this 1-hour cruise on Lake Lucerne, you'll see the charming alpine villages surrounding the lake, such as Stansstad, Hergiswil and Horw, as well as the green valleys and snow-capped peaks that surround these villages.
The boat trip ends at the quay next to Lucerne railway station. Arrival at this pier is scheduled between 4.5 and 6 hours after the initial departure, depending on the timetables you choose for the different means of transport.
Maps & Timetables
At the following link, you can check out a map of the various stops along your route.
If you prefer, you can reverse the order of the itinerary. In this case, your journey will start with a boat ride from Lucerne to Alpnachstad and end with a bus ride from Kriens back to Lucerne. At this link, you’ll find a map of this reversed route.
You can also check the timetables for the different modes of transport below:
Cogwheel Railway
This activity includes access to the cogwheel railway between Pilatus Kulm and Alpnachstad. However, if you’d like to reserve a seat or ensure that your companion sits next to you, you’ll need to book a seat separately. This reservation is not included in the activity price, but don’t worry—we’ll provide instructions on how to book it in your voucher.
Prefer to Travel by Train Instead of Boat?
If you'd prefer to travel back to Lucerne by train instead of by boat, check out our Pilatus Self-Guided Day Trip + Train Ride. Please keep in mind that the dates and times of the train option may not coincide with those of the boat option.
