Zurich

Mt Rigi and Lucerne Day Trip from Zurich With Boat Ride

Name: Mt Rigi and Lucerne Day Trip from Zurich With Boat Ride
Brand: Best of Switzerland Tours
SKU: 3885SW305BS
Price: 168.89 USD
Rating: 4.5 (250 reviews)

Badge of ExcellenceZurich, Switzerland

Mount Rigi and Lucerne Summer Day Trip from Zurich

9 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Explore our promoted experiences

Zurich, Switzerland

Zurich Private Customizable Guided Walking Tour

155

from $293.23

Per group

Zurich, Switzerland

Lake Zurich boat tour for an afternoon !

from $788.33

Per group

Zurich, Switzerland

Zurich: Private Professional Photoshoot Tour at the Best Spots

from $337.21

Price varies by group size

Viator earns higher commissions on experiences featured here

Overview

Experience an Alpine adventure on an exhilarating full-day tour of Lucerne and Mount Rigi from Zurich. Enjoy an abundance of leisurely free time to explore charismatic cities and dramatic mountain scenery; see the historical highlights of Lucerne; ride an aerial cable car up the steep mountainside to absorb sweeping Alpine vistas; and take a tranquil cruise over the surface of Lake Lucerne. Climb aboard a cogwheel train to a vertiginous mountain vantage point and relish the convenience of round-trip transportation from Central Zurich.

Full-day tour from Zurich to Mount Rigi and Lake Lucerne
Ride an aerial cable car and a cogwheel train
On Mount Rigi, go for a walk or hike, enjoy a meal and admire the views of the Swiss Alps
Boat ride on Lake Lucerne
Free time to explore Lucerne at your leisure
Perfect day trip for the independent traveler!

What's Included

Aerial cable car, cogwheel train
Boat ride from Vitznau to Lucerne
Transportation by air-conditioned coach from Zurich to Weggis and from Lucerne to Zurich
Partly guided tour by professional multilingual guide as per description
Carbon-balanced operations certified by myclimate

Gratuities
Hotel pick-up and drop off
Meals and drinks
Personal expenses

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Best of Switzerland Tours AG
Sihlquai 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

Depart from a centrally located pickup point in Zurich and admire the verdant Swiss countryside as you travel along the shores of Lake Lucerne. Arrive in the enchanting summer resort town of Weggis and embark on self-guided exploration of the picturesque enclave. Ride an aerial cable car to a lofty lookout point and absorb panoramic views of Lake Lucerne and its stunning surroundings.

On arrival at the middle station, situated at an elevation of almost 4,000 feet (1,200 meters), climb aboard Europe’s first cogwheel train for the smooth ride to the mountain’s summit. Customize your independent itinerary according to your interests and spend some leisurely free time exploring Mount Rigi at your own pace. Use a sheet of recommended activities to formulate a plan, perhaps taking picturesque hiking trails or revitalizing with a traditional Swiss lunch (own expense).

Descend the mountain on another cogwheel train and disembark at the quaint lakeside village of Vitznau. Relax during an idyllic cruise to Lucerne and then set out to discover the important monuments and pretty attractions of the city; explore the Old Town, stroll across Chapel Bridge and then rejoin your group and guide for the return journey to Zurich, where the tour concludes.

Zurich (Pass By)

Weggis

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Mt. Rigi

2 hours 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Vitznau

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Lucerne

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Zurich (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 1 day of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation

Infant seats available
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
18.-22.11.2024 | 25.-29.11.2024 | 10.03-04.04.2025 | 17.11.-21.11.2025 | 24.11.-28.11.2025: the round-trip up and down Mt Rigi will be by cogwheel train due to cable car maintenance.
The tour is accompanied from Zurich to Weggis and from Lucerne to Zurich. For the individual stay in Mt Rigi and Lucerne, tickets and a written itinerary are provided.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 48 travelers

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.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

GARY_M

This was the best tour we've taken in 15 years of travel. Most of it is self guided, but the instructions are very clear and the tickets are all included. The sights were beautiful and it was a great value. I would very strongly recommend.

Reviews

4.5

250 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 250 reviews

A MUST, DO NOT MISS THIS

Cristen_E, May 2024

Phenomenal, an absolute MUST while in Switzerland. Mountain View’s plus a boat ride? Lucerne felt like a dream.

The breathtaking views...

Brent_W, May 2024

The breathtaking views that photos could not truly capture! Everything went extremely smooth with the transportation from one mode to the next. Very efficient tour and although a long tour went very quickly!

Best day of my life!

Divyam_G, Apr 2024

It is very hard to choose the favourite soot as each and every place we visited was like a dream come true!! We were lucky to find snow at Mt Rigi which was the icing on the cake. Lucerne is a must visit town in Switzerland! From cable car to boat ride, everything was absolutely perfect. Highly recommended !!

Eye candy mental therapy day excursion!!

Pross_N, Mar 2024

The views from the top of mountain Rigi is breath taking. Truly feel on 'in top of the mountain looking down on creation'. The air fresh and crisp. The boat ride to Lucerne knotted through the most beautiful sceneries. Kudos very well spent for this excursion.

Mt Rigi Rides

Florence_L, Oct 2023

Riding up partially in the sardine pack cable car was an experience and halfway along the trip change to the cog wheel train for the up mountain trip to Mt Rigi- the queen of mountain with beautiful scenery and we could see the changes in season from the leaves turning into yellow.

Great day on Rigi

Julie_S, Oct 2023

This tour is great for independent travelers. Transportation is provided to the cable car with very clear instructions and tickets to get up Rigi via cable car and train. Different return times are provided to allow you more or less time on Rigi or in Lucerne. Cruise tickets are provided and free time in Lucerne with clear pick up instructions. We loved being able to customize it and travel independently. The views up the cable car and train were gorgeous. The cruise was also beautiful. We loved Lucerne. had a great day. Note. This bus leaves with several different tours on it. We got dropped first at Rigi but others stayed on to Lucerne and to the other mountain. It appears that they pick up more people when they drop day trippers to Lucerne and then move onwards to the other mountain. But with the Rigi tour they all get off in Lucerne when we got back on the bus. So imo Rigi was the best choice to avoid that all. Plus I can't imagine better views!

Wonderful Day Trip from Zurich!

Thomas_J, Oct 2023

This was an excellent tour! Our guide was very engaging and informative during the bus trip. I chose the self guided option after that. The gondola ride was breathtaking and Mount Rigi was amazing although we did have some low clouds. I had a very filling lunch at the cafe. The boat ride on Lake Lucerne was very relaxing. Lucerne was a wonderful city to explore and I saw many of the most famous sites. A wonderful day trip from Zurich!

Perfect Day Trip from Zurich

Kaitlyn_H, Oct 2023

My friends and I had the most wonderful time on this trip. Our guide was incredibly kind, passionate, and knowledgeable. She narrated our trip to Weggis and from there we were on our own for the remainder of the day. We were provided booklets perfectly outlining the day and transportation. Overall, the trip was well-organized and so much fun.

Best day trip for a beginner

Ben_R, Sep 2023

This was a great trip taking in views of the mountains from a cable car, cogwheel train, walking and boat. And spending 2 hours exploring Lucerne. The weather was nice so the temperature in September was warm and only needed a jacket at the top of Rigi where it was a bit windy. The views down fabulous especially as the sunlight hit the mountains in the afternoon and looking down on the lake and countryside. Most of it was self-guided at your own pace with a time to be at each pick-up point. And the distance was not too far so we’ll worth it for a day out to do so much! The Tour guide was also very informative while travelling to and from Zurich.

A Wonderful Time!

Diane_D, Sep 2023

The trip up Mount Rigi was amazing. Beautiful views. Road the cable car, the train, and a boat. Great day!

great views - if weather is cooperative

Elvin_M, Sep 2023

We had a self guided option. We had Robert as our guide at Mount Rigi. Robert was knowledgeable about the area and gave us recommendations with our given conditions. The weather was our biggest adversary with the foggy day obscuring many of the views of the alps that we hoped to get a glimpse of. We wanted to stop by the nearby cheese factory in mount Rigi but many of the usual accommodations (mount Rigi hotel and cheese factory) were closed or gated off. Thankfully, the bistro was open to grab a quick bite. No comments on the boat tour. There is no narration so just take your camera for a few views and you can also a few alacarte items. We had roughly two hours to explore Lucerne. I’d stress that that amount of time is just enough to walk one round of the ‘recommended’ landmarks the tour pamphlet provides. We were told by the operator to be on time for the pickups to not miss our bus. I’d recommend arriving 5-10 min before the written departure time. The bus will leave punctually - definitely felt like a few groups got left behind.

Mount Rigi & lake Lucerne well worth visiting

Alison_C, Sep 2023

Very interesting trip which we really enjoyed but 90% of the trip we did on our own. So trip up the mountain, down again & boat trip we navigated ourselves. We rejoined the bus in Lucerne - directions could have been clearer where to pick up the bus.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Dear Alison, Thank you very much for joining our tour to Mt Rigi and Lucerne and rating your experience. Our tour is partly guided, as explicitly stated in the tour descriptions in Viator. Our guests are only accompanied from Zurich to the cable car station in Weggis and from Lucerne back to Zurich in the evening, allowing you ample flexibility throughout the day. These kind of tours are ideal for those seeking a more autonomous exploration experience, free from the constraints of a fixed schedule. To ensure our guests make the most of their visit, we provide an informative leaflet at check-in. This leaflet not only offers recommendations on must-see attractions but also contains all the essential details concerning the meeting point in Lucerne. We regret to hear that the instructions about the meeting point fell short this time. Our team is always available via phone or email in case of any doubts and gladly assist at all times. Despite the inconvenience mentioned, we hope that you still enjoyed the visit to Mt Rigi and the beautiful city of Lucerne and look forward to welcoming you on a fully guided tour on your next visit to Switzerland. Best regards, Ambika from Best of Switzerland Tours

Great day trip from Zurich

Craig_G, Aug 2023

Amazing day trip to Rigi and Lake Lucerne. We all had a great trip and bus ride. Amazing views from the top and all the way up the mountain

Not a match for us

Michael_M, Aug 2023

This trip was not for us. Intense drive on the coach bus in rainy conditions. Ended up leaving a portion of the way in and taking the train back to Zürich.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Dear Michael, Thank you very much for participating in our tour to Mt Rigi and rating your experience. We're truly sorry to hear that the tour did not meet your expectations and that the weather conditions had an impact on your journey. While we aim to provide comfortable and scenic transportation, sometimes weather conditions are beyond our control, and we apologize for any inconvenience you experienced due to this. Additionally, this tour is partly guided, as stated in the tour description in Viator. This means, our guests are only accompanied from Zurich to the cable car station in Weggis and in the evening from Lucerne back to Zurich. The time in between is unguided so that guests can explore the summit and the charming city of Lucerne at their own pace with the help of an informative booklet. Partly guided tours are ideal for those who prefer exploring destinations with more flexibility and freedom without having to follow a certain schedule. We are sorry to read that this wasn’t what you expected and regret that you didn’t address your concerns directly to your tour guide as there is always the possibility to upgrade the tour to Mt Titlis, which is fully guided. We hope that you still enjoyed a pleasant stay in Switzerland despite the weather conditions and to welcome you on one of our fully guided tours next time. Kind regards, Ambika from Best of Switzerland Tours

Go on the trip and enjoy even if you may not get the view at the top of Mount Rigi, you’ll most likely hear the cowbells

Deneen_S, Aug 2023

I’d give it 5 stars but 2 things, fog rolled in which was unavoidable as it’s common so we didn’t really have a view. The other thing is we were really sure what to do when we were dropped off in Lucerne as that was self-guided. We should have done some homework on Last Verne before going on this trip. That being said even though we didn’t have the view when we got to the top of Mount Rigi we heard the cowbells in the mist and saw 2 lamas come out of the mist. That was neat. Also in Lucerne the city was beautiful as we walked down some of the streets and by the water and we got to enjoy delicious ice cream. I still recommend the trip because all the transportation and views were wonderful and our tour guide was so nice and knowledgeable.

Love it!

YOLANDA_J, Jul 2023

This tour was excellent! We loved every step of the way and the instructions given weee very clear. There was enough time allowed at each location, and the tour guide did a good job of informing us of the landmarks on the way. Definitely recommend!!

Not sure if I’d recommend

ROSALIE_M, Jul 2023

This was not a tour but more like a transportation to Mt Rigi and Lucerne. They just give you the tickets and instructions then you’re on your own.

Response from Host, Jul 2023

Dear ROSALIE_M, Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on your Mount Rigi and Lucerne Tour experience. As officially stated in the tour program, our “Mount Rigi and Lucerne” tour is a partly guided tour. This means, our guests are accompanied by a professional multilingual guide from Zürich to Weggis and in the evening from Lucerne back to Zürich. Once our guests arrive at Weggis, they will do an individual ascent and descent at Mt. Rigi and a boat ride on Lake Lucerne. Guests can enjoy two to three hours of leisure time at the top, and then have around one or two hours to explore the beautiful city of Lucerne. For this unguided part, all guests receive a comprehensive information booklet including schedules, upgrade options as well as recommendations of sights and activities in Lucerne. Mt Rigi and Lucerne, like any other destination in Switzerland, can of course be visited individually. By public transport it would cost CHF 125.- and would involve taking a train and a bus only to reach the cable car station of Weggis. Without the Swiss Travel pass, our tour costs only CHF 15.- more which we find quite fair considering the information provided by the tour guide during the bus ride about our country and culture and having someone to ask any questions. We are very sorry to hear that your trip did not live up to your expectations and hope that you were still able to enjoy a great stay in Switzerland. Best regards, Magdalena from Best of Switzerland Tours

Breathtaking view of Mount Rigi

nadaalahaiddib, Jul 2023

The trip should start early not 9:30. The stores in Lucerne were closed around 5 pm. If the tours started around 8 am, we would have time to enjoy it. In general, Mount Rigi was breathtaking.

Panoramic Mount Rigi

Shailendra_M, Jul 2023

Memorable trip to Lucern and Mount Rigi. Enjoyed the trip throughly. Very helpful guide!! Lucern is a picture postcard city, very beautiful!!

Jorge is the best tour guide!!

Nancy_A, Jul 2023

Jorge was an excellent tour guide!! Highly recommend him and this tour!! The scenery from Mt. Rigi was spectacular!! Lucerne old t own is very charming!!

...