Mount Pilatus
Pilatus
The 'Dragon Mountain' at 2,132 m, reached by the world's steepest cogwheel railway. The Golden Round Trip links a boat, cogwheel train and cable cars in one journey.
Mount Pilatus lies southwest of Lucerne, and legend says a dragon lives inside it. The summit, Pilatus Kulm, stands at 2,132 m and has trails to Esel Peak and the Dragon Path, a walkway through rock caves. On clear days you can see Lake Lucerne and the full line of Alpine snowy peaks.
The classic way up is the Golden Round Trip. From the Lucerne pier, take a boat for about 90 minutes to Alpnachstad. Then ride the cogwheel railway, opened in 1889 with a maximum gradient of 48%, the steepest in the world, for 30 minutes to the summit. Descend by the Dragon Kiss aerial cable car and the panoramic cable car to Fräkmüntegg (summer toboggan and rope park in season), then take a small cable car to Krienz (Kriens), and bus route 1 back to Lucerne. The full trip takes about 5-6 hours. The adult fare is about CHF 150, and Swiss Travel Pass holders get a 50% discount (boat free). In winter, when the cogwheel railway is closed, take the Silver Round Trip, which uses cable cars only.
Note: the summit is more than 10°C colder than the city, so bring a jacket. Before setting out, check the official webcam, since on low-cloud days the summit can be a white haze.
Opening hours
Cable car approx. 8:30–17:30; cog railway operates May–Nov (check official website)
Nearby sights
- Château Gütsch
- Spreuer Bridge
- Jesuit Church (Jesuitenkirche)
- Rosengart Collection
- Lucerne Old Town (Weinmarkt)
- Musegg Wall
- Chapel Bridge
- KKL Luzern & Kunstmuseum