Welcome to Mt. Pilatus! On a clear day, this mountain delivers views of all the peaks near Lake Lucerne, a glimpse of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau near our hometown of Interlaken, and all the way to the Black Forest in Germany. And, according to legend, the rocky peaks of Pilatus used to be the home of dragons.
First let’s show you around at the top, then we’ll explain the best way to reach Pilatus from Lucerne, and end with some super fun activities down at Fräkmüntegg.
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Views from Mt. Pilatus
Since most of you are coming up here for the view, let’s start with that. There is a big observation terrace just outside of the station. You can also climb up this set of stairs to see an even better view from above.
There’s also a Dragon Trail through the rock caves and crevices to make you really wrap your head around the fact that multiple eyewitnesses in the 1400s and 1500s say they saw dragons up here. If you spy a dragon while you’re here, we wanna hear all about it!
Speaking of dragons, of course you can paraglide from Pilatus and literally see what the dragons saw flying the skies above Lucerne.
Mt. Pilatus Flower Trail to the Tomlishorn
For even more views, consider the Flower Trail. This easy, gravel path takes you past protected alpine flowers to the Tomlishorn, which is the highest point (2129 meters/7000 feet) on Pilatus. And of course there are stunning views along the entire 40-minute walk.
By the way, Pilatus is known for often being covered in clouds, which does feel very dragon-like and mysterious, but it’s not so good for sightseeing. The first time we came up here on our honeymoon you couldn’t see a thing from the top. Our best advice is to come up here first thing in the morning for the best chance of clear skies — and of course, you can check the webcam before you come, too!
Mt. Pilatus Dragon World
There are a few restaurants up here, but we’re saving our appetite for something yummy at our next stop instead. So the last thing we want to show you at the top of Pilatus is Dragon World.
Continuing with the dragon theme, you can walk through Dragon World to learn about the legends of the Pilatus dragons through interactive games and hands-on activities. We expected this to be pretty small but fun, and we were right. There are just a few rooms but you could easily spend an hour here with kids — or adults who act like kids.
How to reach Mt. Pilatus
Mt. Pilatus is special because there are 2 very different ways to get up here. From Lucerne, you can take a train or boat to Alpnachstad, and then the world’s steepest cog railway up to Pilatus. Or you can take a bus from Lucerne to Kriens, and then ride 2 cable cars — including the Dragon Ride — up to Pilatus.
The fastest route, which takes just 55 minutes, is by train from Lucerne to Alpnachstad and then the cogwheel train up to Pilatus.
By the way, if you want help with all the details surrounding your trip to Lucerne, be sure to check out our Lucerne Travel Guides!
But now, it’s time for us to head down to our next stop, Fräkmüntegg, on the Dragon Ride cable car, which supposedly glides through the air as smoothly as a dragon. So we’ll tell you about tickets and train passes along the way!
The standard round trip ticket for a visit to Pilatus costs 80 CHF, and this covers the cable cars, the cogwheel train, or a combination of the two. You get a 50% discount with the Half Fare Card, Swiss Travel Pass, and the Eurail or Interrail Pass. But if you’re visiting a few peaks around Lucerne we definitely recommend the Tell-Pass, which allows you to reach Pilatus (and pretty much every other peak in the area) for free. Plus it covers day trips throughout a huge portion of Central Switzerland!
You’ve probably heard of the Golden Round Trip (and maybe even the Silver Round Trip), which covers your journey to and from Lucerne and allow you to take one route up to Pilatus and the other route down. And the Golden Round Trip includes the boat ride between Lucerne and Alpnachstad, too. There are special tickets and prices for these journeys and honestly, having one ticket for the whole thing might be the most convenient option. But keep in mind you can already do all of this for free if you’re traveling with a Tell-Pass.
Kids under 6 are free, which is the case everywhere in Switzerland. Kids 6-15 are half price, or free if you have the Swiss Family Card. And finally, for 14 CHF, your dog can come up to Pilatus with you too.
Tickets can be purchased online, on the SBB Mobile App, or at the station at a ticket counter or ticket machine.
Fräkmüntegg
If you’re planning to visit Pilatus, you’ll want to explore the top station, obviously, but don’t skip Fräkmüntegg. Your ticket includes a free stop here, so why not enjoy these 6 fun things to do!
1 | Summer Toboggan Run
You might be thinking, “Oh, I’ve been on a mountain coaster before. I can skip this one.” But we’re gonna invite you to think again. Because this summer toboggan run is the longest in Switzerland at 1350 meters!
Adults 16+ = 9 CHF/ride
Kids 8-16 = 7 CHF/ride
Kids 6-7 = 5 CHF/ride
Kids under 6 = free!
(Must be 8+ to ride alone)
2 | Wipfelpfad
Man, we say it all the time, but Switzerland is a great place to be a kid! The Wipfelpfad is a treetop playground where kids and adults alike can safely explore the forest surrounded by wooden walkways and nets. And of course it’s educational with signs about the plants and animals on Pilatus. Oh and we almost forgot to mention that it’s also completely free!
3 | Rope Park
Climb, balance, zip, and fly from tree to tree in the Pilatus Rope Park! Regardless of your athletic abilities, you can conquer up to 10 different courses, and each one has at least 6 obstacles. There’s a leap of faith 14 meters above the ground, a free fall experience that makes you feel like a dragon flying through the sky, and a ropes area just for kids.
3-hour admission:
Adults 16+ = 30 CHF
Kids 8-15 = 22 CHF
Powerfan Free Fall = 5 CHF/jump
4 | Dragon Glider
The Dragon Glider is yet another way to feel like you’re a true dragon on Pilatus. Fly half a kilometer from the forest at Fräkmüntegg, loop over the trees, and then glide to your landing in Drachenalp at a cool and controlled speed of just 12 kilometers per hour.
If you’ve been to Pfingstegg near Grindelwald, this is super similar to the Pfingstegg Fly Line. And honestly, if you’re afraid of heights or not one for speed, the Dragon Glider is a great alternative to some of the more adventurous activities here at Pilatus. Plus, it takes you directly to the next activity on our list…
Adults = 8 CHF
Kids = 6 CHF
5 | Drachenalp
If you’ve seen any of our other videos, then you probably caught on that we’re foodies. So we had to pay a visit to the Drachenalp Restaurant. However, this isn’t quite a typical restaurant. You grab your meat and potatoes from the kiosk and then get to grill your own food! Not to mention that the woodsy feel of this place is super cozy.
6 | Tree Tents
Ever wondered what it’s like to sleep in a dragon’s nest? Well, you can find out for yourself in the Fräkmüntegg Tree Tents! We actually really wanted to stay up here because the price includes your ascent and descent, exclusive evening access to the ropes park, a grill buffet dinner and breakfast in Restaurant Fräkmüntegg, and of course a chance to sleep in a floating “dragon’s nest.” But they have limited availability and you have to bring your own sleeping mat and sleeping bag, so keep that in mind.
But let’s move along because, believe it or not, there’s still more to see!
Krienseregg
One stop down from Fräkmüntegg is Krienseregg. If you’re a family with kids, be sure to bookmark this stop on your map! The Pilu Land playground is basically a make-believe dragon land with castles, slides, bridges, and swings.
And if you’re wondering, Pilu is the friendly red dragon mascot for Pilatus…and he gives us flashback vibes of Puff the Magic Dragon!
You know what else I’m excited about? That this is just one of the many mountain peaks surrounding Lucerne!
So read this next to learn how to plan your trip to Lucerne.
And check out our Lucerne Travel Guides for our best recommendations on where to go and what to do.
And we’ll see you in Switzerland!