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Activity Pilatus, Lucerne

Mount Pilatus

An activity in Pilatus, Lucerne, a splurge ($$$$) and worth most of a day (about 6 hours). Best time to go: Clear day.

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Mount Pilatus in Pilatus, Lucerne
Photo: Artur · Google

Why go

Golden Round Trip: boat, the world's steepest cogwheel railway up, and cable cars down.

It is one of 10 curated places we feature in Lucerne, alongside 5 sights, 2 places to eat and 1 activity. The closest of our other picks is Wirtshaus Galliker, 8.7 km away as the crow flies. Set aside most of a day (about 6 hours) here; it works best as the anchor of a day rather than a quick stop.

Type
Activity · Adventure
Neighborhood
Pilatus
Price
$$$$
Time needed
6 hr
Best time
Clear day

Nearby

The 6 closest curated picks in Lucerne, measured as straight-line distance.

  1. 1
    Wirtshaus Galliker

    Old-school inn serving Lucerne's Chügelipastete and Swiss classics.

    Food · 8.7 km straight-line
  2. 2
    Lake Lucerne Navigation Company

    Historic paddle-steamer and motor boats across Lake Lucerne.

    Activity · 8.9 km straight-line
  3. 3
    Rathaus Brauerei

    Brewpub under arcades on the river, with house beers and Swiss food.

    Drinks · 9.0 km straight-line
  4. 4
    Chapel Bridge

    14th-century covered wooden bridge with painted panels and a water tower.

    Sight · 9.0 km straight-line
  5. 5
    KKL Luzern

    Jean Nouvel's concert hall with a huge overhanging roof over the lake.

    Sight · 9.0 km straight-line
  6. 6
    Musegg Wall

    Medieval city wall with towers you can climb for rooftop views.

    Sight · 9.2 km straight-line

On these curated routes

Mount Pilatus is a stop on our Swiss Lakes by Rail route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More to do in Lucerne

Mount Pilatus is our only activity pick in Lucerne; here is what else we recommend there. See the full Lucerne guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in Lucerne run from 5°C in January to 25°C in July; August is usually the wettest month. For Mount Pilatus itself, we suggest: Clear day.

Modelled monthly averages for Lucerne from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full Lucerne weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Mount Pilatus, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
Mount Pilatus, 6010 Alpnach, Switzerland
Coordinates
46.97947, 8.25480
Destination
Lucerne, Switzerland
Website
pilatus.ch

Mount Pilatus: quick answers

How much time do you need at Mount Pilatus?

Plan on most of a day (about 6 hours) at Mount Pilatus. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Mount Pilatus?

Our pick: Clear day. Insider tip: Cogwheel runs only May–Nov.

Where is Mount Pilatus?

Mount Pilatus is at Mount Pilatus, 6010 Alpnach, Switzerland. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include Mount Pilatus?

Mount Pilatus appears on Swiss Lakes by Rail, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Mount Pilatus to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Lucerne.

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Also in Lucerne

Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.