Switzerland

Pilatus Railway

The steepest cogwheel railway on earth hauls itself out of Alpnachstad at a 48 per cent gradient, tilting past cliff faces and the occasional unbothered ibex to Pilatus Kulm high above Lucerne.

Best forFamilies · Photographers · Couples
In September10°C · 17 rainy days
Ideal stayA day trip from Lucerne
Approx. flying time~11h 55m from Los Angeles

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Pilatus Railway, Switzerland Open in Google Maps Powered by Geoapify · © OpenStreetMap contributors · © OpenMapTiles

CurrencyCHFSwiss franc
LanguageGerman, French, Italian and Romansh
Local time12:161h ahead of the UK
PlugsType C / JBring an adapter
Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
Dialling code+41

Why go

A cogwheel line climbs from the shore of Lake Lucerne to a ridge above 2,000 metres, and for part of the ascent the gradient reaches 48 per cent, which remains the steepest of any rack railway. The carriages are stepped so passengers stay level, the rock face passes close to the window, and the view opens abruptly at the top across the lake and out to the central Swiss Alps.

The standard way to do it is the round trip: a lake steamer from Lucerne to Alpnachstad, the cog railway up, then cable cars and a gondola down the far side to Kriens and a bus back into the city. Allow at least half a day, more if you walk on the ridge. The railway itself runs roughly from May to November only, as the line cannot be cleared of snow.

Ideal stay: A day trip from Lucerne
The vibe: Steep, precise, gloriously Swiss

From our guides

The Victorian engineering still feels faintly cheeky. Do the classic Golden Round Trip: paddle steamer across Lake Lucerne, cog railway up, cable cars down the other side to Kriens. Note the railway only runs roughly May to November — the line is simply too steep to clear of snow.

Featured in Ten mountain railways with views you won't believe

Things to do

The steepest section

At 48 per cent this is the steepest stretch of rack railway anywhere, taken slowly with the carriage floors stepped. Sit on the valley side.
Pilatus Kulm ridge walks

Short marked paths run along the summit ridge to Esel and Oberhaupt, giving the full panorama over Lake Lucerne and out to the high Alps.
The Golden Round Trip

Boat, cog railway, cable car and gondola combined into a single loop from Lucerne, which is the classic way to spend a day up here.
Dragon Ridge walkway

A gallery cut into the cliff below the summit buildings, with windows in the rock face and the old legend of the Pilatus dragons attached to it.
Ibex and chamois

Both are regularly seen on the slopes near the line and along the ridge paths, often close enough to watch comfortably from the walkways.
Lake Lucerne steamers

Historic paddle steamers still work the lake between Lucerne and Alpnachstad, and the crossing is a large part of the day's pleasure.

Getting there

Fly to
Zurich (ZRH)

Nearest airport to Railway, about 58km away as the crow flies.
Then
To Lucerne

Zurich (ZRH) is the gateway, about an hour to Lucerne by direct train; the mountain sits directly above Lucerne.
On the ground
Getting around

From Lucerne take the lake steamer or a short train to Alpnachstad for the cog railway up, and come down by cable car to Kriens, where a bus returns you to the city.

Public transport: Excellent. Trains, boats, cable cars and buses all take the same ticketing, and the Golden Round Trip is sold as one fare.

Flights

Los Angeles Railway, Switzerland

Flying from

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Roughly 11h 55m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.

Check dates and prices

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Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.

When to go

Daytime highs run from about -4°C in January to 14°C in July. Driest in January and April; wettest in June, with rain on about 23 days.

The year at a glance — pick a month for detail

September10° · rain 17 daysCold and often wet.

Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis).

Where to stay

City hotels and hostels in Lucerne, lakeside guesthouses in the villages, and two historic hotels at the summit. Swiss prices throughout, with self-catering scarce.

Best base overall
Lucerne

The obvious base, with the lake steamers, the old town and rail links to both ends of the round trip. It is expensive and its hotels fill with tour groups all summer.
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Best value
Kriens and Obernau

Lucerne's suburb at the cable car base, cheaper by a useful margin and a short bus ride into town. Suburban and unremarkable, but the gondola is on your doorstep.
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Quietest
Alpnachstad and Hergiswil

Lakeside villages at the cog railway terminus, with small hotels and morning trains before the crowd arrives. Very little happens here in the evening.
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Best for couples
Pilatus Kulm

The summit hotels, where you stay above the cloud after the last train down and watch sunrise alone. Rooms are dated in places and everything must be carried up.
Find stays in Pilatus Kulm

Worth knowing before you book: The cog railway runs roughly May to November only, so check dates before booking. Summit rooms are few and go months ahead, and Lucerne fills during summer festival weeks.

Search everything else in Lucerne by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.

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Good to know

Timing: The cog railway operates roughly May to November. The cable car from Kriens runs year-round, so the summit is still reachable in winter.
Weather: Cloud sits on the ridge frequently. Check the summit webcam in the morning, because below the cloud base there is nothing to see.
Book ahead: Timed tickets are usual in high summer, and the round trip fills with coach groups from mid-morning onwards.
Pack this: The summit is well over a thousand metres above Lucerne and considerably colder. Bring a jacket and shoes with grip for the ridge paths.
Getting there: Alpnachstad and Kriens are both short journeys from Lucerne by train, boat or bus, and Lucerne is about an hour from Zurich by rail.