Mt Pilatus and Lucerne Day Trip from Zurich With Lake Cruise
Recommended by 92% of travelers
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Zurich, Switzerland
- 10 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Exploring Mount Pilatus involves a lot of planning and logistics, but this full-day tour from Zurich covers everything for a hassle-free day out. Ascend to vertiginous vantage points by gondola and cable car and enjoy sweeping vistas of the dramatic Alps mountain range. Embark on a moderate hike down the verdant Dragon’s Path and the world’s steepest cogwheel railway before taking a short cruise on Lake Lucerne. Please note: Itinerary and inclusions vary by season.
- Perfect for travelers looking for a convenient way to visit Mt. Pilatus
- Ride an aerial cable car gondola to the top of Mt. Pilatus
- Hike to the summit and descend on the world's steepest cogwheel railway
- Soak up reflected vistas during a boat ride across Lake Lucerne
What's Included
- Panoramic gondola and aerial cable car "Dragon Ride" (except from 19 October to 27 November 2026)
- Ride on the steepest cogwheel train in the world
- 1-hour boat cruise on Lake Lucerne (until 18 October 2026)
- Lunch voucher up to 20 CHF (valid only from 19 October to 29 November 2026)
- Fully guided tour by a professional multilingual guide (English/Spanish)
- Transportation in a comfortable air-conditioned coach
- Carbon-balanced operations certified by myclimate
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Food and drinks (available for purchase in Lucerne or at Mount Pilatus summit)
- Gratuities
- Personal expenses
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Best of Switzerland Tours AGSihlquai Bus Station, Limmatstrasse 2, 8005 Zürich, Switzerland
The official departure point for all tours departing from Zurich is Sihlquai Bus Station, near Zurich’s main train station (Zürich HB). Please check in at least 15 minutes before departure at the “Best of Switzerland Tours” counter with your QR code on your voucher ready, printed or electronically.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Start time.9:00 am
Itinerary
After pickup at a centrally located spot in Zurich, admire the picturesque scenery as you travel to Lucerne in a comfortable, climate-controlled coach.
An orientation drive grounds you in the historical highlights of the city, including Lucerne Jesuit Church, Chapel Bridge, and the Town Hall. Spend some relaxed free time exploring the city at your leisure, then return to the coach to travel to your next destination.
Continue to Kriens and climb aboard a panoramic gondola and aerial cable car to travel to the summit of Mt. Pilatus, almost 7,000 feet (2,128 meters) above sea level. Appreciate breathtaking views of the surrounding snow-smothered spires and enjoy free time to absorb the views.
Follow the Dragon Path to Mt. Pilatus’ summit and then descend the mountain on the cogwheel railway: With its 48% gradient, it’s the steepest rack railway in the world. Back at sea level, climb aboard an awaiting boat for a tranquil cruise across Lake Lucerne.
Return to your vehicle and relax during the journey back to Zurich, where the tour concludes.
Please note that at the start and end of the season transportation methods will vary. If you’re traveling in early May, late October, or November, check the Additional Info section to see how your tour will be adjusted.
An orientation drive grounds you in the historical highlights of the city, including Lucerne Jesuit Church, Chapel Bridge, and the Town Hall. Spend some relaxed free time exploring the city at your leisure, then return to the coach to travel to your next destination.
Continue to Kriens and climb aboard a panoramic gondola and aerial cable car to travel to the summit of Mt. Pilatus, almost 7,000 feet (2,128 meters) above sea level. Appreciate breathtaking views of the surrounding snow-smothered spires and enjoy free time to absorb the views.
Follow the Dragon Path to Mt. Pilatus’ summit and then descend the mountain on the cogwheel railway: With its 48% gradient, it’s the steepest rack railway in the world. Back at sea level, climb aboard an awaiting boat for a tranquil cruise across Lake Lucerne.
Return to your vehicle and relax during the journey back to Zurich, where the tour concludes.
Please note that at the start and end of the season transportation methods will vary. If you’re traveling in early May, late October, or November, check the Additional Info section to see how your tour will be adjusted.
Zurich (Pass By)
1
Luzern Altstadt
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
2
Pilatus Luzern
1 hour 50 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Lake Lucerne
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
Zurich (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 12 hours of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- From 19 October to 27 November 2026: Ascent and descent by cogwheel train. The boat cruise is not available, but a lunch voucher is included.
- From 28 to 29 November 2026: Ascent by cable car and descent by cogwheel train. The boat cruise is not available, but a lunch voucher is included.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 48 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Guide Gonzalo was great. He was very knowledgeable. At the end of tour, he went out of his way to help with travel information . Mt Pilatus was beautiful. This was an amazing tour and we would highly recommend it. A highlight of our short stay in Switzerland.
Reviews
4.6
based on 772 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
The tour was fine, but i'm not sure it's worth it when you can't see anything from up top because of the weather. The day I went it was rainy and there were so many clouds you could see absolutely nothing, and I think the point of this tour are the views up top. If you just want the experience of getting to the top and of various modes of transportation, etc., then go ahead, but if you really care more about the views, make sure it's absolutely clear skies first.
Well run tour. 2 hours free time on your own in Lucerne and two hours on your own at the top of Mt. Pilatus. Basic guidance provided on sights to see in Lucerne but you may want to do a little research ahead to optimize your time. We had a gloriously clear day and views from Mt. Pilatus were spectacular. Cable car ride up and cog train ride down were fun. Lake ferry ride back to Lucerne was pleasant and relaxing with snacks and beverages available for purchase.
Angela is a terrific tour guide. She is super friendly and gave clear directions and a precise history of Mt. Pilatus in Lucerne. My husband and I enjoyed the tour. Lucerne is beautiful. I wish the weather on Pilatus were better. The weather was partly cloudy, and we couldn't see the view of Lucerne city from the top, but they can’t control it. I highly recommend the tour.
Very easy to book with Viator. Tickets sent to my email and my phone for ease of use on our trip. Great to get a discount with blue light card.
The Swiss tour guide was very helpful. The trip to Lucerne and mount Pilatus was beautiful and the weather was perfect.
It was a good trip but the bus dangerously was putting the heat on for a good 30-ish minutes instead of cool air conditioning in the summer heat. The guide Sofia and bus driver only appeared to notice after several of us complained. The guide took a long time to respond to that. She was nice enough despite some minor attitude issues (maybe she was having a bad day) but it was still a successful trip.
In a separate trip with the same company though, i met Gonzalo and Victor who were truly exceptional outstanding guides who were proactive, had a friendly and caretaking attitude and the bus air conditioning was working fine.
So maybe the bus was just having issues that day but overall it was a good trip. I hope that all guides at that company are held to the same high standards that Gonzalo and Victor hold themselves.
Great tour. Well organized. Mt. Pilatus was great. Just the right balance of information and self guiding
I enjoyed Lucerne and Mount Pilatus. I am a photographer and I found plenty of interesting architecture to photograph in Lucerne and amazing views at Mount Pilatus. The boat ride was I nice relaxing way to end the excursion. The guide was great and was very informative.
Our tour guide Alexander is the highlight of the tour. Very professional, knowledgeable, funny, and hard working. His multi-lingual guiding is pure amazing. The trip itself is totally worthy taking as well. The best tour that everyone should take at least one time in Zurich
Wow what an amazing experience
Beautiful peaceful scenery
Lucern I. Could stay a few days for sure
Loved the architecture and monuments murals and old covered bridge
Mt pilatus was foggy and or cloudy but from what we could see beautiful
The hiking their steep but not long distance
Excellent Mt. Pilatus & Lucerne Tour Review
We had an absolutely wonderful experience on the Mt. Pilatus and Lucerne day trip from Zurich! Everything was very well organized, and the entire day was enjoyable from beginning to end.
What we especially appreciated was that all of the excursions and activities were included in the price. There were no unexpected costs or surprise fees, which made the experience stress-free and allowed us to simply enjoy the beautiful scenery and the tour.
The combination of Mt. Pilatus, Lucerne, and the lake cruise was fantastic, and each part of the day offered something special. The organization was excellent, and we felt that the tour provided great value for the money.
We highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Switzerland. It was a memorable experience and one of the highlights of our trip!
This was a very well organized tour and Bernie was a great tour guide making sure that everyone felt included while managing a huge group. We truly enjoyed the combination of the cable car and the lake and we had an amazing time at all stops!
Absolutely beautiful sights worth a very well coordinated itinerary including enough leisure time and stops to enjoy all the sights + a cave. Would highly recommend for everyone!!!
Our guide Victor was very informative and kept us all on track timewise. The tour is very organized and I am so glad we did the whole day package.
The excursion was great. The tour director was wonderful. I wasn't feeling well and she kept checking up on me. Very impressed with her knowledge and skills.
The trip was so well organized. Everything was on time and ran smoothly. Olga was the best. She was so sweet and communicated great. We always knew what the plan was and she continued to ask if we were okay. She’s very knowledgeable.
Wonder views, excellent way to travel to and from the top of the mountain. Beautiful country side and boat ride
Walter was great he was knowledgable, informative and the day was so well organised. He gave clear instructions and was so helpful. Recommend this tour and Walter to anyone
We had such a wonderful experience with this tour company that we ended up joining three of their tours back-to-back. We had Olga, Bernie, and Annette as our guides, and all three were professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely kind.
The tours were exceptionally well organized, after all, it's a Swiss company, so everything ran like clockwork. The buses were comfortable, we had plenty of time at each stop, and the entire experience was stress-free. Olga even came to check on us while we were having coffee at the Metropole Hotel in Interlaken, which was such a thoughtful touch.
If you only have time for one tour, make it the Mount Pilatus tour. It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
The trip was so well organized and well communicated. Very smooth. Angela was the absolute best. If you take the tour ask for her. She did the tour both in English and Spanish and memorized everything it seemed like. Very good communicator. Well worth the money. By far.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Exceptional Tour of Mt. Pilatus with Adolfo!We had an absolutely unforgettable experience on our Mt. Pilatus tour out of Lucerne, all thanks to our incredible guide, Adolfo! From the moment the tour started, Adolfo was welcoming, highly organized, and full of energy.His deep knowledge of local history, geography, and Swiss culture turned a beautiful sightseeing trip into an educational and highly engaging adventure. He knew all the best viewpoints, timed our transitions perfectly to avoid the biggest crowds, and made sure everyone in the group felt comfortable and included.Adolfo’s passion for guiding really shines through his warm personality and great sense of humour. If you are planning a trip to Mt. Pilatus, do yourself a huge favour and request Adolfo as your guide. Thank you, Adolfo, for making our time in Lucerne so special!
It was a wonderful day!! Full of activities and great guide. Experienced so much in a short period of time.
Alex Gonzalo and Ernesto were great as tour guides, kept the group together and allowed us with free time, a slight adjustment should be made for Lucern stop because it’s so small, it can easily be finished in under 45mins so allowing 1hour 25min was way too long in my opinion
Wow, what an experience. First of all, our guide Bernie who was so energetic narrating the beauty of the swiss Alps mountains, stuck s knowledgeable person. We were lucky to have Bernie as our guide. Well organized your, definitely recommend this everyone. We had a great time and created wyvern memories. Special thanks to our driver who drove us very safely.
It was a fun filled day with great tour guiding. Bus ride, Godolas, Train and boat ride all in the same day with optional hiking atop Mt. Pilatus. It was special and I would highly recommend!
What an absolutely amazing experience! Our tour guide, Roberto, was an absolute pleasure to have as a guide. We had a great fun time with more than enough to explore at a leisurely pace. Roberto was very informative, explained our itinerary perfectly and helped us every step of the way along tgis amazing adventure of a trip. Highly recommend, ask for Roberto if you can.
Beautiful views! Excellent tour. Gondola, cogwheel and boat ride were fun ways to view the scenery. We were lucky enough to see a baby goat on the mountain and we loved the cattle.
This was an amazing experience and well worth the price. Konrad was an excellent tour guide! He took the time to help everyone get the photos they wanted.
Absolutely wonderful! Lucerne was very nice. Gondola ride was comfortable and great views. Mt Pilates - breathtaking. Rail ride down unique. Then boat ride. Highly recommend!
Excellent outing. Mt Pilatus is beautiful. Everything went smoothly. Our guide, David, was very knowledgeable.
Pros: The sites are incredible! Lucerne is delightful and the lake is spectacular. The gondola up to Pilatus is a beautiful view and once up on the mountain, it is magical. The views, the little hikes, the restaurants are all worth the trip. The cog tram down is also a great experience, cowbells and all. Then a lovely boat cruise on the lake to finish the day. I very highly recommend this trip!
Cons: if you prefer smaller, more private and accommodating busses, be aware this is a huge, double decker bus with no armrests and quite cramped. Also, from Zurich, you are on the same bus with your morning group. However, be aware that more people join the tour from Lucerne just to go up the mountain. I mention this because although you are promised that your backpacks/personals are secure and locked on the bus while you explore Lucerne, these new people were on the bus already when we returned. Anyone could have gone through my bag (thankfully not!) but just be aware. Also, morning folks lost their seats when the next group joined.
My biggest quibbles were the timing at Lucerne and the mountain. At least 30 minutes more in Lucerne and 30 minutes less on the mountain would be better. Also, the bus stop in Lucerne is waaaaayyyyy to far from the center where everyone wants to go. You lose nearly 20 minutes wasted walking round trip, whereas a drop in the center where all the action is would be ideal. Again, this lost 20 minutes made a big impact on being rushed in lovely Lucerne.
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