Pilatus · getting thereFrom Lucerne to the mountain: three ways

Two valley stations, three ways from Lucerne

Every route starts at Lucerne railway station: the bus leaves from outside the building, the S-Bahn from inside it, the boat from across the road. Kriens is the suburb with the gondola and the aerial cableway, open all year. Alpnachstad is the village on the lake with the cogwheel railway, which runs only from May to November. The operator documents both valley stations with prices, journey times and departure points – here is the overview:

Rule of thumb: With a Swiss Travel Pass or GA, bus, S-Bahn and boat are already paid for. Then all three routes cost the same: CHF 42 for the mountain railways, whether Golden, Silver or Kriens only.

The gondola from Kriens without the bus costs CHF 84, in winter CHF 60. The CHF 93.60 in the table is the operator's ticket from Lucerne, which includes the bus to Kriens and back. Both round trips go up via Alpnachstad and down via Kriens, with the bus back to Lucerne. All fares, discounts and what the pass really saves are on the main Pilatus page.

By S5 to Alpnachstad: the fastest way to the cogwheel railway

The Zentralbahn's S5 runs from Lucerne station to Alpnachstad in 17 minutes, all year round. From Alpnachstad station a railway underpass leads straight to the cogwheel railway's valley station. The operator calls this combination the Silver Round Trip: train out, cogwheel up, Dragon Ride and gondola down to Kriens, bus 1 back to Lucerne. It costs CHF 94.20 in 2nd class and can be booked from May to November – as long as the cogwheel railway runs.

S5 Lucerne – Alpnachstad

17 min

Cogwheel up

30 min, around

First ascent

08:10 to 24 Oct, else 08:45

Last ascent

17:30

Interval

35 min

The cogwheel railway runs every 35 minutes. In fine weather the operator recommends a seat reservation, otherwise you may wait. If you book the Silver Round Trip the train is already paid for; if you only take the cogwheel railway you buy the S5 ride from SBB separately.

Honestly: The train is a transfer, the boat is part of the day out. If you want the mountain, take the S5 and gain up to an hour at the top; if you want the lake, pay CHF 25 more for the Golden Round Trip.

By boat: timetable Lucerne – Alpnachstad

The boat to Alpnachstad leaves from pier 2, opposite the railway station. The crossing takes 50 to 90 minutes depending on the sailing, because some boats go via Hergiswil and Stansstad and others call at Kehrsiten-Bürgenstock. This is the Golden Round Trip for CHF 119.80: boat, cogwheel railway, Dragon Ride, gondola, bus. In the autumn timetable, valid until 18 October 2026, there are seven sailings:

Boats back leave Alpnachstad at 09:30, 10:55, 12:22, 14:07, 15:17, 16:27 and 17:38. According to the timetable every sailing except the last connects with the cogwheel railway at Alpnachstad: sailing 69 arrives at 17:35, and the last ascent left at 17:30.

Rule of thumb: Sailing 51 at 08:38 is the fastest. If you want time at the top, take it and ride the cogwheel up at 09:55 or 10:30. Boats to Alpnachstad stop for 2026 on 18 October – after that there is no Golden Round Trip, while the Silver one runs until the end of November.

Honestly: This is the operator's Golden Round Trip at the converted price, not a discount. The advantage is booking in euros with a fixed departure; if you hold a Swiss Travel Pass, buy on the spot for CHF 42 instead.

Honestly: Matches the operator's CHF 94.20. From May to October the Golden Round Trip is the nicer choice for CHF 25 more; in November, once the boat has stopped, the Silver one is the only round trip left.

By bus 1 to Kriens: all year, winter included

Outside Lucerne station, bus 1 towards Obernau Dorf leaves from stop A. After around 15 minutes you get off at “Kriens, Zentrum Pilatus” and follow the red signposts for five minutes to the valley station. From there the panorama gondola takes you to Fräkmüntegg and the Dragon Ride to the summit, around 40 minutes in all. In winter this is the only way up, because the cogwheel railway does not run from late November to early May.

Bus 1 from Lucerne

15 min, around

Walk

5 min

Kriens – Kulm

40 min, around

Ascents from Kriens

08:30–17:00 to 18 Oct

Descents from Kulm

until 17:30

The ticket from Lucerne including the bus costs CHF 93.60 in summer and CHF 69.60 in winter; from Kriens without the bus CHF 84 or 60. At Krienseregg and Fräkmüntegg you may get off and continue on a later gondola. From 19 October to 27 November 2026 the gondola and the Dragon Ride are closed for maintenance – then only the cogwheel railway from Alpnachstad runs.

Honestly: Kriens is the route for half a day and for winter. If you go up and down via Kriens only in summer, you miss the cogwheel railway – and that is why most people come.

By car: parking at the valley station

Both valley stations have car parks at the same rate: up to 30 minutes free, up to 1 hour CHF 2, up to 4 hours CHF 5, up to 9 hours CHF 8, up to 24 hours CHF 10. For Kriens take the A2, exit Luzern Süd/Kriens, to the valley station at Schlossweg 1; there are four charging points for electric cars. For Alpnachstad take the A8 towards Sarnen/Interlaken, exit Alpnachstad, to the valley station at Brünigstrasse 2; the charging points are at the railway station.

With a car there is no round trip: you have to get back to it, so you ride the same railway up and down, for CHF 84. No road leads to the summit or the middle stations, and driving on the mountain is prohibited.

Rule of thumb: A full day on the mountain costs CHF 8 to 10 in parking, and it ties you to one valley station. By train or boat you get the round trip for the same mountain-railway price. The car pays off only if you are coming from further afield anyway.

Back to Lucerne: the last connections

Descents from Pilatus Kulm to Kriens end at 17:30 until 18 October, and at 16:30 from late November to December. The last boat from Alpnachstad in the autumn timetable leaves at 17:38; if you miss it, take the S5. If you lose track of time at the top, ride down on whichever railway is still running and take bus 1 from Kriens – the round-trip tickets are valid in both directions.

What awaits at the top, how steep the cogwheel railway really is and when you are better off staying down are on the main Pilatus page. If you are weighing it against the neighbouring mountain: Rigi is also reached from Lucerne by boat, and it is the next page to come.