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.
Pilatus Golden Round Trip
One ticket for a day around the mountain, by boat, cogwheel railway, cableway, gondola and bus, from May to October.
- From
- €130
- Duration
- 4 h 30
- Best season
- May to Oct
- At Pilatus-Bahnen
- CHF 119.80
What is the Pilatus Golden Round Trip?
A one-day circle from Lucerne, up one side of Pilatus and down the other, on one ticket.
The ticket covers the cogwheel railway, the gondolas and the cableway, the bus between Kriens and Lucerne, and the boat between Lucerne and Alpnachstad. It is a product of Pilatus-Bahnen, the company that runs the mountain.
Your first choice is the direction, your second is whether to go alone or with a guide. On the Silver Round Trip, a train replaces the boat.
What is the route of the Golden Round Trip?
Lucerne, Alpnachstad, Pilatus Kulm, Fräkmüntegg, Kriens and back to Lucerne, or the same in reverse.
- LucerneBoat from pier 2
- Alpnachstad47 to 92 minutes by boat
- Pilatus Kulm27 minutes by cogwheel railway
- Fräkmüntegg3.5 minutes by cableway
- KriensAbout 30 minutes by gondola
- LucerneBus line 1
Clockwise
Boat first
The boat leaves from pier 2, opposite Lucerne station, and takes 47 to 92 minutes depending on the sailing. At Alpnachstad, an underground path leads to the railway. You come down by cableway and gondola, then walk 5 to 10 minutes to the bus.
Counter-clockwise
Bus first
Bus line 1 to Kriens, gondola and cableway up, cogwheel railway down, and the boat back to Lucerne. Pilatus-Bahnen sells both directions on one ticket and does not favour either.
Which one?
Start from the boat
There are only 2 to 5 boats a day, so choose your boat in the timetable first, then let it set your direction.
Where can you buy the Golden Round Trip?
On GetYourGuide, from €130, or directly from Pilatus-Bahnen, which sells on both.
We earn a commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you.
The ticket
No guide. Your seat on the cogwheel railway is not included.
Pilatus-Bahnen, the company that runs the mountain, also sells this ticket on its own site: CHF 119.80 for an adult in 2nd class (read 6 Nov 2026). The GetYourGuide listing we link to is sold by Pilatus-Bahnen too, from €130 (read 4 Nov 2026). At the ECB rate of 5 Nov, the two are within a euro. GetYourGuide lets you cancel free up to 24 hours before.
With a Swiss Travel Pass you don't need the round-trip ticket: boat and bus are free, and the mountain costs half, CHF 42 instead of CHF 84. GetYourGuide's ticket pages mention no such discount, so buy that part from Pilatus-Bahnen.
With a guide
The same mountain, with the day arranged for you.
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.
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.
All tickets included
From Lucerne, by boat and train
Small group by boat and train, from Lucerne
For a small group in German or English, with the whole circle from June to October.
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.
The Silver
The train replaces the boat, from €103.
By train, not by boat
From Lucerne, no guide
Silver Round Trip ticket, by train, without a guide
For the same circle with the train in place of the boat: quicker and cheaper.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The ticket | ||||||
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 | ||
| With a guide | ||||||
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 | ||
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 | ||
Small group by boat and train, from LucerneSwissTravelGuideThe route: From June to October, the full round trip by boat, cogwheel railway and cableway; from November to May, local bus and cableway, with a lake cruise in LucerneKeep in mind: From November to May it goes up by cableway instead, with a lake cruise in Lucerne. Only 7 reviews so far. What's includedIncluded
Not included
| 6 h | Tourist Information, Zentralstrasse 5, Lucerne | €361 | See dates: Small group by boat and train, from Lucerne | ||
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 | ||
| The Silver | ||||||
Silver Round Trip ticket, by train, without a guidePILATUS-BAHNEN AGThe route: Train, cogwheel railway, cableway, gondola, bus, in either directionAt Pilatus-Bahnen: CHF 94.20 for an adult in 2nd class, CHF 98 in 1st, read on 6 November 2026Keep in mind: Pilatus-Bahnen gives two seasons on one page: May to October, and mid-May to mid-November. A seat on the cogwheel railway is not included. What's includedIncluded
Not included
| Lucerne: bus no. 1 or the train to Alpnachstad, in either direction | €103 | See dates: Silver Round Trip ticket, by train, without a guide | |||
Golden or Silver Round Trip?
Golden if you want the boat, Silver if you prefer the quicker and cheaper train.
From Pilatus-Bahnen, read on 6 November 2026, in Swiss francs. Prices can change.
| Golden | Silver | |
|---|---|---|
| To Alpnachstad | By boat, 47 to 92 min | By train, 20 min |
| Adult, 2nd class | CHF 119.80 | CHF 94.20 |
| Adult, 1st class | CHF 136.80 | CHF 98 |
| Half Fare, child | CHF 59.90 | CHF 47.10 |
| On GetYourGuide | From €130 | From €103 |
| Season | May to October | May to October, or mid-May to mid-November: the page says both |
What should you know before you go?
Reserve your seat, check the boat, and keep it to one day.
Your seat
Pilatus-Bahnen recommends reserving a seat on the cogwheel railway, to avoid waiting. It cannot be cancelled, but its time can be moved until 30 minutes before departure.
The boat
In 2026 the boat ran until 18 October. 1st class is the upper deck and 2nd class the main deck, and only the boat has classes.
One day
The ticket for boat, bus and train is valid for one day only, so a night at the top means separate tickets.
Is the Golden Round Trip worth it?
That's yours to weigh: you pay CHF 35.80 more than the mountain ticket alone for the boat and the bus, and you cross the mountain instead of going up and down one side.
How long does it take?
GetYourGuide gives 4 h 30. Allow more if you want to walk to a viewpoint.
Can you do it from Zurich?
Yes, with a guide: Day from Zurich with Best of Switzerland does it in a day, from €200.
All days from ZurichIs it included in the Swiss Travel Pass?
Boat and bus are free with the pass. You only need a discounted ticket for the mountain.
How it worksCan you do it in winter?
No: it is sold from May to October. In winter you go up and down from Kriens.
The cable carWhere is the timetable?
On pilatus.ch, for the boat, the train, the railway and the gondolas. Check it before you book, especially the boat.
Can dogs come?
Yes, with a ticket for each kind of transport.
Not sure about the circle?
A plain ticket or a guided trip may suit you better.