Introduction: Mount Pilatus Hike
Pilatus or Mount Pilatus is one of the major and most known mountains in Lake Lucerne. It’s a mountain massif made of several peaks, of which, Tomlishorn is the highest.
Mount Pilatus offers breath-taking views toward Lake Lucerne and an amazing about it is its accessibility!
To get on top of it, you can either take the steepest cog railway in the world or get on a Gondola Cable car. But if you want some more adventure you could do a 1-day Mount Pilatus hike.
Or mix all of this to have an even better experience. That is what we did.
Table of Contents
Mapping the Mount Pilatus Hike
Getting to Mount Pilatus Hike
There are many places on which you could start your day on Mount Pilatus. We tried to optimise it and loop it to avoid making too many backs and forth. To do so, we started in Alpnachstad and finished in Kriens.
To get to Alpnachstad, you can take a day trip ticket from Lucerne with all transportation included. Or simply take a ferry boat from Lucerne port to Alpnachstad port.
If not, you could just take a train from Lucerne to Alpnachstad.
Where to Stay
The best place to stay to Hike Mount Pilatus would be Lucerne:
- Budget: Young Backpackers Homestay
- Mid-Range: Hotel des Balances
- Luxurious: Penthouse by Art Deco Hotel Montana
- Luxurious Apartment: Lucerne Lake View Apartments
1-day Mount Pilatus hike – Step by Step
Alpnachstad
We took a bus and then a train (direction Hergiswil) and arrived at 8:29am in Alpnachstad, knowing that the next departure was at 8:50am. The train station is right next to the cog railway station.
Once out simply walked down and get to the ticket office to buy your tickets. Specify that you want to get out at Aemsigen and then tell the driver of the cog railway before going in.
Cog Railway to Aemsigen
The steepest railway in the world with a slope reaching 48%. One of the 48% place is right at the beginning and once again before the arrival. In our journey, we will only experience the first one.
The ride is comfortable and just so cool. The carriages are old and traditional. Making the ride unique. Plus, what a view!
We arrived at 9:05am at Aemsigen
Trail to the Matthorn/Pilatus intersection
From there pass the cow bridge and get on the other side, and then hike up. You will soon cross another intersection where you could get to Pilatus or Pilatus/Matthorn. Follow the Pilatus direction straight. It’s the shortest pass and the one following the cog railway line.
The trail is steep uphill but all right. Views are amazing on it! We made it by 10:30am to the intersection Matthorn/Pilatus.
Matthorn trail
Before going all the way straight to Pilatus, turn left and back to go to the Matthorn. Know that this trail will be the same on the way back.
The trail is not too long and quite all right as well. A small portion of it has some ropes to help you going up but no worries here.
The trail takes approx. 30min on the way up.
Trail to Pilatus
This part is most probably the less enjoyable of the day, and even though it is not that long, it is a good 30min up hill. But it feels like it will never end.
Once on top, you will on Pilatus and its huge complex with restaurants, WC, cable cars… From now on, expect more people everywhere.
Flower Trail and Tomilshorn
The flower trail is the one going to Tomilshorn, the highest summit of the Pilatus Mountains. The trail is the easiest of the day and goes flat for half of it before going a bit up.
Its name come from all the flower along it. For each of them a small board describe which one it is.
It takes 50-55min to hike it.
I (Alex) did it alone as Tina did not feel too good (Lady’s monthly issue unfortunately). I rushed it and went to the end and back in 50min or so.
Yet, it is a scenic trail to do!
Cable car to Kriens
Once back, we bough our ticket for Kriens, they can be used over 3 days on any cable cars down. There is approx. one gondola cable car every 15mins or once it’s full.
Luckily, we were the first one in it and had a stunning view down the lake!
At Fräkmüntegg, you need to exist the Gondola cable car and then hop on the regular one all the way to Kriens. From there you can get to the city transportation easily.
Itinerary of our Mount Pilatus hike
- Cog Railway: 8:50am
- Aemsigen 9:05am
- Intersection Matthorn/Pilatus: 10:30am
- Matthorn: 10:55am
- Intersection Matthorn/Pilatus: 11:37am
- Pilatus: 12:03pm
- Dragon Path: 12:10pm
- Lunch Break: 12:30pm
- Esel: 12:40pm
- Flower Trail start: 1:12pm
- Tomilshorn: 1:30pm
- Pilatus: 1:55pm
- Cable car: 2:08pm
- Kriens: 2:46pm
You could spend more time up there, we had to rush a bit because Tina had a yoga class in the evening 
Cost of Mount Pilatus hike
- Morning Bus: 2.5 CHF each
- Train: 4.1 CHF each
- Cog Railway: 25 CHF each
- Cable car to Kriens: 36 CHF each
“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” – John Muir
