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Mt Pilatus and Lucerne Day Trip from Zurich With Lake Cruise
Badge of ExcellenceZurich, Switzerland
- 9 hours 30 minutes
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Immerse yourself in the mountainous majesty of Mount Pilatus on a full-day excursion from Zurich. Ascend to vertiginous vantage points on a gondola, aerial cable car and enjoy sweeping vistas of the dramatic Alps mountain range. Embark on a moderate hike down the verdant Dragon’s Path and the world’s steepest cogwheel railway before taking a short cruise on Lake Lucerne. Relish the convenience of round-trip transportation from Zurich on this enriching full-day tour.
- Summer day trip from Zurich to Mount Pilatus
- Ride an aerial cable car gondola to the top of Mount Pilatus
- Hike to the summit and descend on the world's steepest cogwheel railway
- A boat ride across Lake Lucerne is included
What's Included
- Panoramic gondola and aerial cable car "Dragon Ride" (except from 21.10. - 08.11.2024)
- Steepest cogwheel train in the world (from 17.05.2024 onwards)
- 1-hour boat ride on Lake Lucerne (until 20.10.2024)
- Gratuities
- Hotel pick-up and drop off
- Food and drinks, unless specified
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Best of Switzerland Tours AGSihlquai Coach Parking, Limmatstrasse 4, 8005 Zürich, Switzerland
The official departure point for all tours departing from Zürich is Sihlquai Coach Terminal, close to Zurich’s main train station (Zürich HB). Please check in at least 15 minutes prior to departure at the white ticket office marked with “Best of Switzerland Tours” or “City Tours & Excursions”.
Start time
09:30 AM
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
After pickup at a centrally located spot in Zurich, admire the picturesque scenery as you travel to Lucerne in a comfortable, air-conditioned coach. Disembark for a leisurely stroll around the historical highlights of the city, visiting monuments like Jesuit Church and Chapel Bridge. Stop for a scenic photo stop en route at Lake Lucerne. Spend some relaxed free time exploring the city at your leisure, and then return to the coach to travel to your next destination.
Continue to Kriens and climb aboard a panoramic gondola and aerial cable car traveling to the 7,000-foot (2,132-meter) summit of Mount Pilatus. Appreciate breathtaking views of the surrounding snow-smothered spires and enjoy some relaxed free time to absorb the views.
Follow the Dragon’s Path to Mount Pilatus’ summit and then descend the mountain’s steep side on the cogwheel railway, which with its 48% gradient is the steepest railway in the world. Back at sea level, climb aboard an awaiting boat for a tranquil cruise across Lake Lucerne.
Return to your vehicle and relax during the journey back to Zurich, where the tour concludes.
Please see the Itinerary section from seasonal service times of each transport method.
Continue to Kriens and climb aboard a panoramic gondola and aerial cable car traveling to the 7,000-foot (2,132-meter) summit of Mount Pilatus. Appreciate breathtaking views of the surrounding snow-smothered spires and enjoy some relaxed free time to absorb the views.
Follow the Dragon’s Path to Mount Pilatus’ summit and then descend the mountain’s steep side on the cogwheel railway, which with its 48% gradient is the steepest railway in the world. Back at sea level, climb aboard an awaiting boat for a tranquil cruise across Lake Lucerne.
Return to your vehicle and relax during the journey back to Zurich, where the tour concludes.
Please see the Itinerary section from seasonal service times of each transport method.
Zurich (Pass By)
Lake Lucerne
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Old Town Lucerne
50 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Pilatus Luzern
1 hour 50 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Lake Lucerne
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
Zurich (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 12 hours of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- 09.-16.05.2024: Ascent and descent by cable car, boat ride and voucher for a soft drink included
- 21.10. - 08.11.2024: Ascent and descent by cogwheel train, no boat ride but lunch voucher included.
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
Traveler Photos
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Featured review
Agnes_C
It’s an amazing, relaxing tour. Anna, our tour guide is friendly, organised and experienced. Got to experiences cable cars, cogwheel and lake cruise with breath taking view. Would highly recommend others to join this tour. ☺️
Reviews
4.5
431 reviews
Peter_H, Nov 2023
It was ok....due to snow the cog wheel train and the Dragon's Walk were both closed. While the tour guide was good, the $190 fee for the trip was very expensive and not worth it because we missed half the things the tour promised.
Lisa_K, Oct 2023
I was traveling solo to Zurich for work and decided to take this day trip to Mount Pilatus & Lake Lucerne. I wanted something easy so I would not have to stress about trains and admission tickets etc whilst being jet lagged. This tri was perfect! The pickup spot is super easy to find across from Zurich HB. The tour bus was clean and comfy. Our driver did an amazing job. Our tour guide Vladimir was amaizng!! He was super friendly, informative, and fluent in a lot of languages so everyone could get the info they needed! We had enough time in Lucerne to wander, get a coffee, take some photos. Mount Pilatus was absolutely gorgeouos. I managed to take all the trails to get good views of both peaks, and hiked down toward this random church. It was great. I would absolutely recommend this day trip.
flc754, Oct 2023
Lars our tour guide was amazing and very knowledgeable. The driver was Mimo who was also excellent. We had a detour and he was able to maneuver in a very tiny road and made it on time. The bus was clean and comfortable.
The tour started in Zurich. Lars gave us an overview of Zurich. Our first stop was Rigi which was beautiful. We went to Luzern and had adequate time for pictures and to walk along chapel bridge. We continued to Pilatus by cable car. Had a great time there. Amazing views. Make sure you have comfortable shoes and layers. There is some part which is a little chilly. We went went down thru a train then completed the golden triangle with a boat ride to Luzern. Drove back to Zurich. Everyone was in time. We met new friends. This is a must if you are visiting Switzerland. We have some trips with Tour of Switzerland. Staff also gave great tips where to go. They were not just selling.
Margaret_H, Oct 2023
The scenery and itinerary were wonderful.
Gives a great overview of the area surrounding Zurich.
Our guide Monica was very good and gave lots of information. Also kept the tour group organized and on time.
A very good day trip for anyone visiting Zurich.
Sharmi_C, Sep 2023
Anna was a very friendly and warm guide. She answered questions patiently, very energetic and easy to talk to. You
Elizabeth_S, Sep 2023
Excellent tour with so much to see! Monica did a great job keeping the large group of us together and where we were suppose to be, so everything went smoothly. The sites were absolutely stunning and should not be missed!
Agnes_C, Sep 2023
It’s an amazing, relaxing tour. Anna, our tour guide is friendly, organised and experienced. Got to experiences cable cars, cogwheel and lake cruise with breath taking view. Would highly recommend others to join this tour. ☺️
Samantha_K, Sep 2023
Great experience!!! Mount Pilatus and Lucerne were spectacular. Thankfully Viator has an unheard of “5 minute” wait rule before the bus leaves for the tour. We are usually never “those people” to be late but unfortunately our night jet train was over an hour late getting in. We ran to the tour desk (which is about 8 min from the train station) and made it!!!
We are so happy that we did. The mountains were incredible. The tour gave us ample time to walk around the paths on the top of Mt Pilatus and get a bite to eat. We took the funicular up and the cogwheel down the mountain. Both were cool rides.
Our time in Lucerne was quicker and just okay. It was definitely more of a business and industrial feel vs. a cute Switzerland town. Overall, it was a good time. We recommend it!
Alice_C, Sep 2023
Misty and cloudy, could not see any view from top of mountain. Very disappointing. Tour Guide only present to give instructions and did not interact with group.
Response from Host, Sep 2023
Dear Alice,
Thank you very much for participating in our Mt Pilatus tour and sharing your feedback with us. We're truly sorry to hear that the foggy weather impacted your experience on the day of your tour.
Regrettably, weather conditions are beyond our control and especially in the mountains, the weather is even more unpredictable. While it might seem cloudy or foggy at one moment, the situation can change rapidly with some wind, thus improving visibility. Also, this kind of weather is very popular in Switzerland. Thus, we run all our tours regardless of the weather as long as the cable cars and cogwheel trains are operating and our guests' safety is guaranteed.
Additionally, our cancellation policy allows booking modifications/cancellations free of charge if requested up to 24 hours prior to the indicated departure time. We believe that this offers our guests great flexibility to check the weather forecast a day before the tour and to make any necessary changes to their plans.
As for the tour guide, we regret to read that she didn’t interact much with the group. This surprises us as we always have received positive comments about her guidance and attitude. Yet there is always room for improvement and will definitely share your feedback with her to help her enhance her services.
We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the boat cruise on Lake Lucerne and look forward to welcoming you on one of our other mountain tours (hopefully on a sunny day).
Best regards,
Ambika from Best of Switzerland Tours
Bill_S, Sep 2023
Excellent tour and tour guide was very good. The views from the cable cars and cog railroad were awesome. Only wish we had more time in Lacerne…
...
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Mt Pilatus and Lucerne Day Trip from Zurich With Lake Cruise
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