Mt Pilatus and Lucerne Day Trip from Zurich With Lake Cruise

Recommended by 92% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Zurich, Switzerland

High interest

Booked 5+ times today.

10 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.6

· Barbara_E ·

Oct 2025

It’s a long day, but worth it. Our guide Rodolpho was excellent. Would definitely do it again. Going up the mountain in the gondola was crazy good.

· Ebony_J ·

May 2026

Wonderful experience. Our guides were very nice, professional, knowledgeable. The towns were picturesque and the food was amazing. The whole experience was an unforgettable experience.

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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 19.10. - 27.11.2026)
Ride on the steepest cogwheel train in the world
1-hour boat cruise on Lake Lucerne (until 18.10.2026)
Lunch voucher up to 20 CHF (from 19.10. - 29.11.2026)
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 AG
Sihlquai 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.

Operating hours
.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.

Zurich (Pass By)

Luzern Altstadt

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Pilatus Luzern

1 hour 50 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

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
19.10.-27.11.2026: Ascent and descent by cogwheel train, no boat ride but lunch voucher included
28.-29.11.2026: Ascent by cable car, descent by cogwheel train, no boat ride but lunch voucher 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

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Beverly_H

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 705 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Loved it

Lori_H, May 2026

Fantastic experience Highly recommend and Bernie was great. Lots of information and gorgeous scenery.

Switzerland in all its glory

Marsha_R, May 2026

Really a perfect day. We explored the charming city of Lucerne,n then traveled to Mt Pilatus. Experienced two different cable cars getting to the top. Explored fabulous views of the Alps, had a delicious lunch, walked to the summit and followed the dragon trail. Then we descended via the steepest cog railway in the world. An hour cruise on lake Lucerne. Everything managed like clockwork. It was an amazing full day that gave us a true taste of Switzerland.

Double check the language

Scott_D, May 2026

Our experience was not so good. They tried to do the tour in both English and Spanish. It was horrible. I feel like they should only charge half the price. It was not fair to Spanish speaking only or English speaking only. We only got half what a normal tour would be because he kept trying to repeat himself in both languages. It was a bad experience. Please…provide Spanish only or English only tours. It may be less expensive to hire a bi-lingual guide, but it is a bad experience for your patrons.

Mt Pilatus

Ebony_J, May 2026

Wonderful experience. Our guides were very nice, professional, knowledgeable. The towns were picturesque and the food was amazing. The whole experience was an unforgettable experience.

A Seamless and Scenic Day Trip to Mt Pilatus and Lucerne

Jesus_S, Nov 2025

We had a wonderful experience on our day trip to Mt Pilatus and Lucerne. Our tour guide, Adolfo, was exceptional—very knowledgeable, organised, and always accommodating. His friendly nature and willingness to help made the day run smoothly and added a personal touch to the journey. We also want to highlight Ernesto, our bus driver, who was very professional throughout the trip. His safe and smooth driving made us feel comfortable and well taken care of. The views from Mt Pilatus were absolutely stunning and truly unforgettable. Although the tour did not include a lake cruise (something we were aware of beforehand), the meal voucher provided was a thoughtful and pleasant replacement that we appreciated. Overall, this trip was a fantastic way to experience the beauty of Switzerland, and the professionalism of both Adolfo and Ernesto made it even more enjoyable. Highly recommended!

The service was...

BernardJohn_G, Nov 2025

The service was outstanding! Big thanks to Ernesto for the safe and comfortable drive, and especially to Adolfo — highly recommended! He’s incredibly knowledgeable, efficient, and attentive, making sure everyone’s needs are perfectly taken care of. Mount Pilatus is absolutely magnificent! No photo can truly capture how breathtaking this place is. 💯

Disappointing

colleen_t, Nov 2025

Disappointing tour. It seemed the tour company bundled three different tour groups going to different places on one bus, resulting in our tour being a lot of waiting and needless stops. We had almost no time in Lucern, but ample time at Pilatus even though there was little to do since much of it was closed due to weather.

Response from Host, Nov 2025

Dear Colleen, Thank you very much for choosing our tour to Mount Pilatus and for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We are truly sorry to hear that the logistics of the tour did not meet your expectations. It is correct that occasionally, we combine groups from different tours for logistical and environmental reasons. This helps us keep our tours efficient and allows us to offer a wider variety of destinations, including both popular spots like Mount Pilatus and smaller, equally beautiful locations with fewer guests. The brief stop on the way to Rigi is usually a chance to stretch, take a photo, or use the restroom, and we try to keep this as quick and convenient as possible. As confirmed by your tour guide, you arrived in Lucerne by around 11:15 a.m., and you had 1 hour of free time to explore the city at your own pace, which is the amount of time that we normally allocate for the stop there. We understand that you may have wanted more time in Lucerne, but we focus on giving our guests more time at the Pilatus summit since it is the highlight of the tour. We do try to balance the itinerary, but we appreciate your feedback on this matter. Regarding your time at Mount Pilatus, we are sorry that some attractions were closed due to snow from the previous day. We were not made aware of this closure beforehand, as we had confirmed with Mount Pilatus that the route was accessible. We regret that the limited availability of certain activities affected your experience. Despite this, we hope you were still able to enjoy the breathtaking views that Mount Pilatus offers, especially given the exceptional weather during your visit. We hope that despite the challenges, you were able to enjoy the breathtaking views that Mount Pilatus offers, especially given the exceptional weather during your visit, and we hope to have the opportunity of welcoming you on another tour in the future. Best regards, Clara from Best of Switzerland Tours

This was an amazing trip....

Stephanie_K, Oct 2025

This was an amazing trip. Our tour guide was Jean, and bus driver Victoria. They were amazing. We also lucked out with beautiful weather.

Amazing views

krishnachaita_k, Oct 2025

excellent views and great guided tour from Adolfe. He is so professional and very informative. Gave clear guidance to follow.

The itenary was a bit...

DIANA_B, Oct 2025

The itenary was a bit tight. We had very little time in Lucerne & a long expanse to walk. I could not walk the distance to see the chapel Bridge in the time alotted. The bus could not get us close enough to the town. We did enjoy the trip up to the mountain. That was very exciting!!! We had 2 different language groups so the guide had to keep explaining things twice. One language group would have been better. Our guide did not carry a flag and at times it was difficult to see where he was. On two different occasions we lost tract of the group. Our guide very knowledgeable.

Must see Mount Pilatus

Mary_T, Oct 2025

Great tour from Zurich if you want to see Lucerne and Mount Pilatus. We do wish we would have had a little more info from our guide in regards to Lucerne but enjoyed the city on our own. Mount Pilatus was amazing.

Excellent value

Diane_M, Oct 2025

Adolfo was an incredibly knowledgeable guide. The tour included so much and was a great value. We rode a small gondola, larger gondola, a train, a boat and a bus. We saw so much beauty. Thank you.

A great day in the Swiss Alps!

Barbara_E, Oct 2025

It’s a long day, but worth it. Our guide Rodolpho was excellent. Would definitely do it again. Going up the mountain in the gondola was crazy good.

Amazing views of Alps...

Manu_C, Oct 2025

Amazing views of Alps from Cable car and cogwheel train. Mt Pilatus is must see, make sure you get breakfast done before starting in the morning, you will hardly have any time before you reach the summit. There are restaurants at the summit but limited dining options.

Tick all of natures beauty and many man made transportation

Ken_W, Oct 2025

Bus, train and cable car this tour has it all. Along with beautiful mountains, lakes and views all seen with very informative commentary from an experienced guide. A day well spent in nature with lovely professional people.

Wonderful tour!

Camille_D, Oct 2025

It was a lovely day! I was disappointed by the amount of time we had in Lucerne. I wish the bus could drop us off closer to downtown - as walking to and back to it takes about 20 mins. If anyone gets motion sickness they definitely need to take medication before this tour. It was an incredibly experience and a beautiful way to see Lucerne and Mt. Pilatus! It was a long day but one filled with excellent memories.

Mt. Pilatus and Lucerne

Joseph_S, Sep 2025

Great experience requires all day. Should not be afraid of heights. Amazing scenery that looks unreal.

Cloudy mountain

Michelle_W, Sep 2025

While we found the guide very nice , not very informative like we are used to on Viator tours. There was a lot of time on the bus where we could have learned a lot more about the history of Switzerland. For the tour, sure it would have been great with decent weather. We saw nothing once we went up the mountain. We were totally clouded in. Honestly, I sent an email the night before questioning the weather with a non response. We spent a lot of money on this tour and feel strongly that when you know the weather is going to greatly impair the tour, the option should be offered to reschedule or move it. I know you have a business but not fair to your guests.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Dear Michelle, Thank you for joining our tour and for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re truly sorry that the weather affected your experience. As with many mountain destinations, the weather at Mount Pilatus can be highly unpredictable. We operate tours as long as the cable cars and cogwheel trains are running safely. Unfortunately, canceling every tour due to rain or snowfall in a country like Switzerland would not be feasible. To provide flexibility, we offer a generous 24-hour cancellation policy so guests can review the forecast and adjust their plans if needed. We were also surprised to hear that you didn’t receive a response from us. We strive to reply to all inquiries within one hour during our office hours (7:00 to 21:00). Messages received outside these hours are answered the following morning. Please note that, as stated in our policy, cancellations with refunds must be requested at least 24 hours before the tour’s departure. Your cancellation request fell outside this window, which was agreed upon at the time of booking. While clear weather certainly enhances the experience at Mount Pilatus, many guests still find the cogwheel train and cable car journey enjoyable, even when views are limited. We understand that enjoyment is personal, and we’re sorry the weather impacted your visit. We hope that despite this, you found some moments to enjoy and we look forward to welcoming you on another tour in the future, hopefully on a sunny summer day. Best regards, Magdalena from Best of Switzerland Tours

Great experience

gusinMama, Sep 2025

It’s extremely short time in Lucerne. Spend it wisely or plan to visit again. Nice visit of mout Pilatus.

Great tour

Yogesh_M, Sep 2025

Nice guide. Great tour and lots of sightseeing. Excellent transportation and very comfortable bus ride

Just gorgeous!

Curtis_B, Sep 2025

Had a fabulous time with Victoria and Roberto on this tour! The views at the top of Mount Pilatus were stunning and the trip itself was very well organized. Switzerland can be complicated to navigate outside of the major cities and this tour made the best work of the little time we had in such a beautiful country.

The Switzerland Experience

BrianJ_M, Sep 2025

Well organized and friendly hosts and smooth travel and felt safe. Loved the idea of train, boat and gondola. Thanks from Canada…

Spectacular views!

Cassandra_A, Sep 2025

The alps were beautiful and all of the fun ways to travel around Pilatus were spectacular. We loved the gondola and the train down the mountain. Our guide, Milton, was very friendly and on top of things! We loved his humor and enjoyed the whole tour!

Nothing negative - it was...

Jeff_T, Sep 2025

Nothing negative - it was a very good excursion, Vincenzo was an excellent guide and Jose drove very professionally

Very well organised tour...

vukoslav_c, Sep 2025

Very well organised tour beautiful view from Mt Pilates.Must see if you are in Zurich ir Luzern. Rafael tour guide is very well organised and helpfull

Best tour of activities ever!!!!

Deb_H, Sep 2025

An amazing grouping of very high end activities! Adolfo was the best guide in our 10 days of travel! Going up Pilatus in gondolas and down on a train and then straight to a boat back to Lucerne was amazing!! Lots of free time to meander on our own as well!! Highly recommend!

Rafael was an amazing...

Sheila_H, Aug 2025

Rafael was an amazing guide. Knowledgable and personable. The guide makes the tour! Loved the variety on the day

Beautiful scenery

keith_k, Aug 2025

Fantastic well informed hard working tour guide. Wonderful landscapes. Unfortunately fellow travellers arrived back late holding everyone up. Also surrounded by people constantly coughing impacting others.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

Dear Keith, Thank you very much for choosing our tour to Mount Pilatus and for taking the time to share your experience on tour with us. We are sorry to read that your experience was hindered by the behaviour of other guests. While our tours are always punctual, we do allow for a short 5-minute grace period for latecomers. Please rest assured that this is already factored into the overall schedule and does not reduce the time allocated for each attraction. That said, we are truly happy to hear that you enjoyed the stunning landscapes and found your tour guide to be informative, dedicated, and professional. We hope you had a wonderful stay in Switzerland and hope to have the opportunity of welcoming you on another excursion during your next trip. Best regards, Clara from Best of Switzerland Tours

See the whole of Lucerne

Pamela_S, Aug 2025

THis is a complete day to see everything this area has to offer. Be ready to keep an eye on the time. If you have more time, you should do each item in a whole day, but if not, this covers it all.

Great experience

Clarissa_P, Aug 2025

Very organized, punctual & informative. Our tour guide was amazing made the tour that much better. I wish I had remembered her name to give credit to a great day!