Best of Switzerland Tours · Lucerne, Alpenquai coach park
The Pilatus Golden Round Trip with a guide and a coach from Lucerne: gondola and cableway up, the cogwheel railway down and, in the main season, an hour on the lake back to town. Someone else watches the connections, and you watch the view.
You meet the guide at the Landenberg coach park on Alpenquai in Lucerne. A coach takes about 30 minutes to Kriens, then the panorama gondolas and the Dragon Ride cableway lift you to Pilatus Kulm at 2,132 m. You get about an hour and a half up there, then ride the steepest cogwheel railway in the world down to Alpnachstad and, in the main season, take a 1-hour cruise back to Pier 2 in Lucerne. The tour is in English and takes 5.5 hours.
The season changes the day. The cruise is included only until 18 October 2026. From 19 October to 27 November 2026 the panorama gondolas and the aerial cableway are closed for maintenance, and the cogwheel railway from Alpnachstad is the only way up. Until then the tour goes up and down by cogwheel, and on 28 and 29 November 2026 it goes up by cable car and down by cogwheel. From 19 October to 29 November 2026 there is no boat, and a lunch voucher comes with the autumn option instead.
What you pay for here is the guide, the coach and a planned day. Pass holders already ride the scheduled boats, but the mountain always needs its own ticket, and this package covers it. Groups can be large. Bring a passport or ID card; pets are not allowed (assistance dogs are), and neither is food or drink on the coach. The tour is not suitable for wheelchair users.
Meet at Best of Switzerland Tours, Landenberg coach park, Alpenquai, and ride the coach to the valley station in Kriens.
Panorama gondolas to Fräkmüntegg, then the Dragon Ride aerial cableway to the top. Off-season the route changes, see above.
Walk up to a summit, follow the Dragon Trail, sit on the terrace or have lunch at a summit restaurant (at your own expense).
The steepest cogwheel railway in the world takes you through rock faces down to the lake.
In the main season, the boat crosses the lake and you finish at Pier 2 by Lucerne station.
★★★★★Nothing really could be improved, the views were spectacular. I enjoyed all the means of transportation it took to get there and back down the mountain. The boat ride back was the perfect way to relax to end the day.
★★★★★We loved everything about this trip. The guide Carola was great. The cable car, gondola ride, the hiking, the cogwheel train and the steam boat cruise were all fantastic. The views and scenery was just amazing.
★★★★★We had a great trip and beautiful weather. The views and activities from Mount Pilatus and the boat ride exceeded our expectations. We had plenty of time to walk the area and the summits.
★★★★★Our guide, Milton, was great! He's very professional, helpful, organized and super informative! [...] Worth every penny! Our bus driver was great too!
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At Best of Switzerland Tours, Landenberg coach park on Alpenquai in Lucerne. In the main season it ends at Pier 2 by Lucerne station after the cruise.
Until 18 October 2026, yes: a 1-hour cruise from Alpnachstad to Lucerne. From 19 October to 29 November 2026 there is no boat, and the autumn option includes a lunch voucher instead.
From 19 October to 27 November 2026 the ascent and descent are both by cogwheel railway. On 28 and 29 November 2026 you go up by cable car and down by cogwheel.
5.5 hours, with about an hour and a half of free time on Pilatus Kulm.
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Pilatus with a guide from Lucerne in 5.5 hours: gondola and cableway up, cogwheel down, and a cruise in the main season.
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