A day in the Apls of Lucern Switzerland

This was perhaps one of the dreamiest days of my life. I’m not kidding when I say I’ll remember it perfectly in 50 years! Mt. Pilatus in Lucern, Switzerland is as authentic as you can get as far as Swiss adventures. From being in the Apls, to riding a red gondola, and drinking hot chocolate with a view like this… there is just not much in life that can top this. So get ready for your best adventure yet ↓

So what is Mt. Pilatus?

This magical slice of Lucern is your spot for a perfect day in Switzerland. They say it best themselves - “offering 2,132 opportunities above sea level!” It is a mountain apart of the Emmental Alps overlooking lake Luzern and the Swiss Alps. It proudly sits at 6,982 feet elevation!

what can you do here?

Lucky for us, this Mountain is full of hidden gems. First there are multiple levels to this mountain and a handful of gondola stops, I explain more about this below. Here at the second stop from the top, there is a wonderful restaurant and cafe. We sipped on the most delicious Swiss Hot Chocolate, took in the amazing views, and noticed the ropes course! It is only open May to October - but it looked EPIC. Here is the full times and details on it! Finally if you are ready to spend the big bucks and live like no one else - then book a stay at the Pilatus Kulm Hotels at the very very very top of the mountain. You can also hike here, paraglide, alpine slide, take a boat ride, snow shoe - and SO much more. Check out all the details here.

Gondala 101

Here at Mt. Pilatus there are many modes of transportation and ways to experience the Mountain. We opted in for the Gondola because it was an affordable option, open, and just sounded like a dream! Plus Rashawn had never been in a Gondola before, so why not experience it for the first time in the Swiss Alps! So like I mentioned above, there are multiple stops. Choose your spot depending on what you want to do and how much you want to spend! Here is the full pricing list. We went round trip to Frankmntegg where we stopped for the breath taking views and hot chocolate. You can only go to the assigned stops on your ticket and will have to scan it each time you get on or off!

have the swiss rail pass?

Lucky you! You can score a round the way trip to the top and back for just $36! The Swiss rail pass is absolutely worth it if you are staying in the country longer than 2 weeks because you get access to all the trains, but also so many amazing discounts! In fact you can use it to take the Bernina Express train all the way to Italy!

where is it at?

Tucked away in the beauty of Luzern sits Mt. Pilatus. You will have to most likely arrive in by bus. Once you walk off the bus there are plenty of signs leading you here - and chances are most of the passengers are walking that way too! You get to walk through the town just a bit, we stopped in and admired one of the churches. From here you will arrive at the Mt. Piltus base.

Address: Mount Pilatus 6010 Alpnach, Switzerland
Website: https://www.pilatus.ch/en/
Hours of Operation: 9:00am - 4:00pm *

*times change so check daily schedule

As I mentioned there is so much to see and do here! The gondola is also not the only mode of transportation up the mountain. You can also take the boat through lake Luzern, ride the steepest cogwheel railway in the world (!!), or hop on the dragon ride! So many amazing ways to experience this beautiful slice of the world - I can’t wait to come back one day!

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