Mt Pilatus Day Trip Highlights
The ‘Haute Route’ of Lucerne
At 7,000 ft / 2,200 m, you definitely feel you are in the Alps.
Before you get to the top you hike on signposted trails and see the jagged limestone conglomerate rocks that much of the Alps is made of. Along the way you see pastures and hear the sounds of the Swiss cowbells
- Incredible Alpine views
- 40 minute scenic bus ride through the Lucerne countryside
- 1-1/2 hours hike through the Eigenthal valley
- 20 minutes panorama gondolas and “Dragon Ride” cableway to the top of Mt. Pilatus
- 1 hour round trip hike on the Flower Trail on top of the Mount Pilatus
- Safe, signposted trails
- Lunch stop with a choice of picnic (bring your own) or at a rustic mountain restaurant (not included in rate)
- Option to include a Rope Park & Rodelbahn (summer luge) for an additional “Adrenaline Rush” experience. Your Guide can review the various Mt. Pilatus tour options with you in the morning when you meet to determine your preference
- 40-minute ride on worlds steepest cogwheel train
- One hour boat cruise to Lucerne train station
- This is a private tour where you can relax and learn about the Lucerne area and Switzerland
The Hike
This is an easy to moderate 2 to 2,5 hour hike on mountain contour path and rocky summit trail (with safety railings)
Season
June to October (also possible from mid-May but check with us first before booking)
- Meet: 08:45 am – Under the arch in front of the Lucerne train station
- We depart at 09:10 am
- We return: 17:40 pm
Rates
Rates
Adult Standard: US $415 per person, based on 2 or more
Adult Standard: US $540 for one person
Adult with Half-Tax Card Swiss: Standard Rate less US $52 per person
Adult with Swiss/Tell-Pass/GA: Standard Rate less US $105 per person
Child (Standard ages 6 to 15): US $207 per child
Child with Half-Tax Card Swiss: Standard Child Rate less US $26 per child
Child with Swiss/Tell-Pass/GA: Standard Child Rate less US $52 per child
Children 0-5 years are free
Included
Includes
All transportation mentioned in the itinerary.
Private tour with English-speaking guide with extensive knowledge and experience of living in Switzerland
Not Included
Not Included
Food and beverages – can purchase picnic items or eat at summit restaurant
Items of personal nature.
What to Bring & Wear
What to wear/bring
Water / water bottle
Comfortable footwear with a sturdy sole; good quality trainers with a strong sole can also be used
Wind and waterproof outer clothing (it gets cold on the mountain!)
Warm layered clothing
Cancellation & Changes
Cancellation policy
The tour departs rain or shine.
Full refund up to 24 hours prior to the tour departure.
50% refund if cancelled by 6.00 p.m. the day before departure.
No refund on the day of departure.
Changes?
When in Switzerland, just dial 079-813-36-10 to reach our office
Booking within 5 days of your tour date?
Please contact us directly in Lucerne.
Calling outside of Switzerland: 41-79-813-36-10.
Calling within Switzerland: 079-813-36-10
or e-mail: office@echo-trails.com
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Mt. Pilatus Day Hike Details
This is a beautiful scenic hike combined with a full tour of the mountain. Besides walking you will use five different modes of transportation: postal bus, gondola, aerial trams, cogwheel train, and a lake steamer.
- An easy to moderate 2 1/2 to 3 hour hike from the alpine village of Eigenthal, Talboden to the foot of Mount Pilatus
- A gondola ride to the Frankmuentegg station, with cable car to the top of Pilatus
- A summit hike on top of Mt. Pilatus
- A descent down Mt. Pilatus to Alpnachstad on the world’s steepest cog wheel train
- A relaxing lake cruise back to Lucerne.
The highlight of the tour is at the top of Mt. Pilatus, viewing the incredible alpine panoramic scenery.
Our challenge is to get you to the top so you have the view you have come to experience.
Because of Mt. Pilatus’s 7000 ft. height, this mountain attracts clouds and often the clouds appear in the afternoon and sometimes in the mornings. On the day of your tour we will share our schedule so you are on top at the right time to get the view.
This means we may flip flop the schedule to get you to the top as early as we can and then in the afternoon take the cable car and gondola down to do our hike through the forest and postal bus back to Lucerne.
Interested in seeing both Mt. Pilatus and Mt Rigi in a single day tour? The Echo Trails day tour Mt Pilatus & Mt Rigi offers both fantastic mountain peaks in a single day tour.
About the Hike
This is all on a mostly very level, wide, dirt, some paved, gravel, signposted paths. The stone path is carved out of the rock and is relatively level with some ups and downs.
For this hike, we recommend sturdy hiking shoes as the narrow roped path consists of uneven granite rocks.
Towards the top the path ascends and narrows. There is a wire fence along the path so it is very safe to do. There are a number benches along the way for rest and picture stops. The alpine scenery is truly magnificent.
Before ascending to the top of Pilatus, we stop to rest with time for lunch.
If you decide to bring a picnic along, you can enjoy it at the picnic tables (even grills are available for your use), or eat at the alpine restaurant with a great view.
Afternoon Details - Pilatus Gondola - Flower Trail Hike
After lunch we board the Pilatus gondola to the Frakmüntegg station where we transfer to the aerial tram that whisks us up to 2,032m / 7,000ft to the top of Lucerne’s home mountain, the Mt. Pilatus.
Once on top we hike the Flower Trail to the top of Tomlishorn (the highest peak of Pilatus at 2128mm) where on a clear day you see the roof tops of the Swiss Alps and even see the famous peaks of Eiger, Moench and Jungfrau in the distance. If we are lucky, we may even encounter a few wild Capricorns along the way.
After we return to the main area there is time left for more picture taking and souvenir shopping at the Pilatus Kulm visitor center.
Our return trip to Lucerne begins with a descent to Alpnachstad on the world’s steepest cog wheel train with the Swiss Alps and the Lake Lucerne in front of us.
Mt Pilatus Day Tour
In Alpnachstad we board a lake steamer for a relaxing cruise to Lucerne disembarking by the Lucerne train station at 17:40.
Mt. Pilatus geological aspect
Mt. Pilatus geological aspect
Mount Pilatus is the northernmost branch of the Alps. The geological edge of the Alps stretches right through Lake Lucerne.
Along this border run the sedimentary layers, which traverse the whole of Switzerland and, with the lakes in the Alpine foothills, create some of Switzerland’s most stunning scenery.
No mountain in the long northern arc of the Alpine foothills shows such a marked upwards thrust as Mount Pilatus on Lake Lucerne. Its rock consists of cretaceous sediment and Tertiary deposits.
The calcerous rocks of Mount Pilatus were formed in the sea which stretched between the Aare and the Gotthard massif. Mussel, oyster, ammonite, echinite and sea snail fossils today discovered in the Mount Pilatus rock provide valuable documentation and evidence of when and where the fairly dense cliffs and fine slate layers of the mountain were created.