A ticket
You follow the timetable yourself and stay at the top as long as you like. Pilatus-Bahnen also sells the tickets directly, and with a pass that is where to buy them.
- From
- €65
- Golden Round Trip
- €130
- Guide
- None
Mount Pilatus
Mt Pilatus rises to 2,132 m above Lucerne. How to go up, what it costs, and 15 guided trips and 4 tickets compared.
- From
- €159
- Duration
- 4 to 6 h
- Ticket alone
- From €65
- Tours compared
- 15
What is Mount Pilatus?
A mountain above Lucerne that you ride up by the steepest cogwheel railway in the world, or by gondola and cableway.
Pilatus-Bahnen, the company that runs its transport, calls it Lucerne's landmark mountain. You will also see it written Mt Pilatus, and simply Pilatus. The top station, Pilatus Kulm, stands at 2,132 m.
From there you can walk to the viewpoints: Oberhaupt in about 10 minutes, Esel in about 30, and Tomlishorn, the highest point, in about an hour and a half on the flower trail, from June to October. The Dragon path, free and about 20 minutes long, recalls the healing dragons people once believed in here.
We compare 15 guided trips and 4 tickets. All 4 tickets on GetYourGuide are sold by Pilatus-Bahnen itself, which also sells them directly.
Ticket or guided trip?
A ticket if you are happy to find your own way, a guided trip if you want the day arranged.
A guided trip
A guide or driver-guide leads the day and the transport is arranged. Your time at the top is set: 1.5 to 3 hours on the trips here.
- From Lucerne
- €159
- From Zurich
- €181
- At the top
- 1.5 to 3 hours
Which Mount Pilatus trip should you book?
For a first visit, the half-day from Lucerne: the most reviewed here, on the whole circle in summer, from €179.
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From Lucerne
7 guided trips, from €159. All of them compared.
Most reviewed
From Lucerne, by coach
Half-day from Lucerne with Best of Switzerland
For a first visit: the most reviews here, and the whole circle with a guide in half a day.
Lowest price
From Lucerne, by minibus
Glass-roof minibus from Lucerne with Keytours
For 3 hours at the top, at the lowest price of a guided trip.
15 people at most
From Lucerne, by boat
Small group from Lucerne with Tours of Switzerland
For a smaller group, with a boat crossing and 3 hours at the top.
From Zurich
7 guided days, from €181. All of them compared.
Most reviewed from Zurich
From Zurich, by coach
Day from Zurich with Best of Switzerland
For a full day from Zurich with a guide in English or Spanish, an hour in Lucerne and the whole circle.
Most time in Lucerne
From Zurich, by glass-roof bus
Glass-roof bus from Zurich, full circuit, with Keytours
For 2.5 hours in Lucerne and 2.5 hours at the top, with the boat included in its list.
Tickets
No guide. Pilatus-Bahnen also sells them directly. Official prices and the Swiss Travel Pass.
The full circle
From Lucerne, no guide
Golden Round Trip ticket, without a guide
For a day around the mountain at your own pace, by boat, cogwheel railway, cableway, gondola and bus.
Lowest price
From Kriens
Gondola and cableway from Kriens, there and back
For a shorter trip by gondola and cableway, going up and down on the same side.
Compare in detail
Prices and ratings are read from GetYourGuide. Prices are rounded up. Last checked on 4 Nov.
Every tour here is free to cancel up to 24 hours before it starts.
| Tour | Duration | Starts | Min. age | Rating | From | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From Lucerne | ||||||
Most reviewedHalf-day from Lucerne with Best of SwitzerlandBest of Switzerland ToursThe route: Coach to Kriens, gondola and cableway up, cogwheel railway down, boat back to LucerneTime at the top: 1.5 hoursGroup size: Up to 48 peopleKeep in mind: Up to 48 people. Its list has the boat until 18 October 2026, then a lunch voucher on autumn dates. Wheelchair users are listed as not suitable. What's includedIncluded
Not included
Bring
Not suitable with
| 5 h 30 | Bus parking Landenberg, Alpenquai, Lucerne | €179 | See dates: Half-day from Lucerne with Best of Switzerland | ||
Lowest priceGlass-roof minibus from Lucerne with KeytoursKeytours Switzerland SAThe route: Up and down by gondola and cableway; the cogwheel railway and the boat are summer options at extra costTime at the top: 3 hoursGroup size: Up to 20 peopleKeep in mind: That price goes up and down by gondola and cableway. The cogwheel railway and the boat are paid options, in summer only. What's includedIncluded
Not included
Bring
Not suitable with
| 6 h | Bus parking Landenberg, Alpenquai, Lucerne | €159 | See dates: Glass-roof minibus from Lucerne with Keytours | ||
Small group from Lucerne with Tours of SwitzerlandTours of SwitzerlandThe route: Boat to Alpnachstad and the full round trip from mid-May to mid-OctoberTime at the top: 3 hoursGroup size: Up to 15 peopleKeep in mind: Its round-trip ticket runs from mid-May to mid-October. Lunch is extra. What's includedIncluded
Not included
Bring
| 5 h | Zentralstrasse 1, Lucerne | €250 | See dates: Small group from Lucerne with Tours of Switzerland | ||
| From Zurich | ||||||
Most reviewed from ZurichDay from Zurich with Best of SwitzerlandBest of Switzerland ToursThe route: Coach to Lucerne, gondola and cableway up, cogwheel railway down, then a boat to Lucerne: the operator's own page lists the boat until 18 October 2026Time at the top: 1.5 hoursKeep in mind: GetYourGuide's list of inclusions does not name the boat, though its itinerary does. The operator's own page lists it until 18 October 2026. Then a lunch voucher replaces it. What's includedIncluded
Not included
Bring
Not suitable with
| 10 h | Sihlquai bus station, Limmatstrasse 2, Zurich | €200 | See dates: Day from Zurich with Best of Switzerland | ||
Glass-roof bus from Zurich, full circuit, with KeytoursKeytours Switzerland SAThe route: Bus to Lucerne, 2.5 hours free there, gondola and cableway up, cogwheel railway down, boat backTime at the top: 2.5 hoursKeep in mind: Your driver is your guide: its list includes a driver-guide and excludes a separate guide. What's includedIncluded
Not included
Bring
Not suitable with
| 10 h | Coach parking, Ausstellungsstrasse 5, Zurich | €200 | See dates: Glass-roof bus from Zurich, full circuit, with Keytours | ||
| Tickets | ||||||
Golden Round Trip ticket, without a guidePILATUS-BAHNEN AGThe route: Boat, cogwheel railway, cableway, gondola, bus, in either directionAt Pilatus-Bahnen: CHF 119.80 for an adult in 2nd class, CHF 136.80 in 1st, read on 6 November 2026Keep in mind: From May to October. A seat on the cogwheel railway is not included, and there are only 2 to 5 boats a day. What's includedIncluded
Not included
| 4 h 30 | Lucerne: bus no. 1 or the boat from pier 2, in either direction | €130 | See dates: Golden Round Trip ticket, without a guide | ||
Gondola and cableway from Kriens, there and backPILATUS-BAHNEN AGThe route: Up and down on the same side: gondola and cablewayAt Pilatus-Bahnen: CHF 84 for an adult from May to November, CHF 60 from December to April, read on 6 November 2026Keep in mind: Pilatus-Bahnen charges CHF 60 from December to April and CHF 84 from May to November, so check the price for your date. What's includedIncluded
Not included
| The valley station at Kriens: getting there is up to you | €65 | See dates: Gondola and cableway from Kriens, there and back | |||
Where do you go up from?
From Kriens by gondola and cableway, or from Alpnachstad by cogwheel railway.
Kriens
Gondola and cableway
Bus line 1 from Lucerne, then a 5- to 10-minute walk. About 30 minutes to Fräkmüntegg, then 3.5 minutes to the top.
The cable carAlpnachstad
Cogwheel railway
20 minutes from Lucerne by train, or by boat in summer. Then 27 minutes up, at up to 48%.
How to get thereLucerne
The full circle
Up one side and down the other in a day, by boat on the Golden Round Trip or by train on the Silver.
The Golden Round Trip
When can you go up Mount Pilatus?
All year by gondola and cableway, May to November by cogwheel railway, and the full circle from May to October.
Gondola and cableway
All year, apart from maintenance. In 2026 they stopped on 30 and 31 March, and from 19 October to 27 November for an overhaul done every 12 years.
Cogwheel railway
May to November. In 2026, from 11 May to 29 November.
The boat
In 2026 it ran to Alpnachstad until 18 October. The Golden Round Trip is sold from May to October.
Winter
From December to April the ticket costs less, and you go up from Kriens. There are sledging routes and snowshoe trails below Fräkmüntegg, and parts of the Dragon path can be closed.
How does a day on Mount Pilatus work?
The full circle takes about 4 h 30, and you can ride it in either direction.
Lucerne to Alpnachstad
The boat leaves from pier 2, opposite the station, and takes 47 to 92 minutes depending on the sailing. The train takes 20.
Up by cogwheel railway
27 minutes at up to 48%. Pilatus-Bahnen recommends reserving a seat.
At the top
Walk to a viewpoint, eat, look around. The guided trips here allow 1.5 to 3 hours.
Down by cableway and gondola
3.5 minutes to Fräkmüntegg, then about 30 minutes to Kriens, with stops if you want them.
Back to Lucerne
A 5- to 10-minute walk to bus line 1, and you are back at the station.
Who can go up Mount Pilatus?
You ride all the way to the top, and the walks there are optional.
Wheelchair users
Pilatus-Bahnen says the railway, the gondolas and the cableway are accessible, along with lifts, toilets and the terrace at the top. Several guided trips here still list wheelchair users as not suitable, so ask before you book. The Ämsigen stop is not suitable.
Children
Half price from 6 to 15. Free with an SBB Junior or Children's Co-Travelcard, with an adult. The Golden ticket's page says under 6 go free.
Altitude
The top is at 2,132 m. The Keytours trips list people with altitude sickness as not suitable.
Dogs
Allowed on the whole round trip, with a ticket for each kind of transport.
What should you settle before booking?
Your pass, your date and the weather.
Your pass
With a Swiss Travel Pass, boat and bus are free and the mountain is half price. The tickets on GetYourGuide mention no such discount.
Every priceYour date
Check what runs that day: the cogwheel railway stops for the winter, and the gondolas stop for maintenance. There are only 2 to 5 boats a day.
The weather
The Golden ticket's page says the trip runs in almost all weather. Everything here can be cancelled free up to 24 hours before, so you can book and watch the forecast. Pilatus-Bahnen publishes any interruptions on its site.
Is Mount Pilatus worth it?
That's yours to weigh: the steepest cogwheel railway in the world and a view from 2,132 m, for CHF 84 on your own, and the view depends on the day.
What is the cheapest way up Mount Pilatus?
With no pass, the plain ticket up and down: CHF 60 from December to April, CHF 84 from May to November. Half that with a Half Fare card or a Swiss Travel Pass.
Every priceDoes the Swiss Travel Pass include Mount Pilatus?
Not fully. Boat and bus are free, and the mountain costs half: you still need a discounted ticket for the ride up and down. Buy it from Pilatus-Bahnen, since the tickets on GetYourGuide mention no such discount.
How it worksHow much is the Golden Round Trip?
CHF 119.80 for an adult in 2nd class at Pilatus-Bahnen, from €130 on GetYourGuide.
The Golden Round TripHow long do you need?
About 4 h 30 for the full circle. The guided half-day lasts 5 h 30, and the days from Zurich last 7 to 10 h 30.
Can you visit in winter?
Yes, by gondola and cableway from Kriens, apart from maintenance. The cogwheel railway and the boat stop. Winter small group from Lucerne and Winter small group by train from Zurich are made for it.
Can you walk up?
Yes. Pilatus-Bahnen counts about 5 hours on foot, from either Kriens or Alpnachstad, and rates the route from Alpnachstad as challenging, from June to October.
Is there a toboggan run?
Yes, the Fräkigaudi at Fräkmüntegg, run by a separate company. It is not included in the tickets here.
Is this the official Pilatus site?
No. We are an independent guide. The mountain's transport is run by Pilatus-Bahnen, on pilatus.ch.
Who we areWhere to start?
Pick your way up, then your date.