Mt. Pilatus Private Tour from Zurich: Lake Lucerne Cruise and Aerial Cable Car Ride
3.5
2 Ratings
Zurich
Embark on a private tour from Zurich to Mt. Pilatus and experience the breathtaking beauty of the Swiss wilderness. Enjoy a Lake Lucerne cruise, explore the Pilatus summit, and ride the iconic dragon aerial cable cars.
Duration: 6 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Zurich - Your guide will greet you at your hotel, before whisking you away on a whistle-stop tour of the city.
  • Lake Lucerne - From May to October, we will take the boat from Lucerne to Alpnachstad instead. While from November to April we will do a round cruise on the lake of Lucerne then board the train to Alpnachstad.

Arrived in Alpnachstad, take the cogwheel train where the engine will climb the foothills of Pilatus, taking you to the end of the steepest rack railway in the world. Admire the views over the Alps from 2,073 meters high, as your guide reveals the history, culture, and culinary delights of each area.

  • Pilatus Luzern - At the top, you will have the option to keep soaking up the stunning valley views from the restaurant or enjoy a leisurely hike to the summit of Mt. Pilatus. The top of this famous peak offers a bird’s eye view of historic Lucerne and panoramic vistas of the surrounding countryside. Enjoy the clean mountain air from the viewing platform as you gaze out over an expanse of crystal clear lakes, lush green meadows, and rolling peaks and valleys.

Learn how Pilatus came to be haunted by legends of dragons and why many believe the body of Pontius Pilate was laid to rest within its foothills.

  • Pilatus Luzern - Our descent from Mount Pilatus will take us aboard the iconic “dragon ride” aerial cable cart, where we will float back to earth suspended in a giant glass cabin. The windowed walls provide 360 views of the Lucerne region, and many compare the experience to flying. Enjoy an ever-changing perspective of the Alpine landscape, as historic Lucerne pulls back into focus as we approach the end of the line. The ride is a highlight of any trip to Mount Pilatus.
  • Zurich - After a full day of adventure, your guide will return you safely to your hotel in Zurich.
What's Included
  • Mt. Pilatus golden route pass (from June 2023)
  • Private local expert guide
  • Standard rail ticket (1st class ticket provided upon request)
  • Lake of Lucerne cruise ticket
What's Not Included
  • Lunch
Additional Information

Dominating the Lucerne skyline and embodying the raw beauty of Swiss wilderness, Mt. Pilatus is an essential visit for any nature enthusiast. This majestic mountain range features several awe-inspiring peaks placed within a landscape made up of towering rock formations, verdant sloping valleys, and a complex assembly of winding shimmering lakes. The highest peak, Mt. Pilatus, scales an impressive 2,132 meters above sea level, and captures the hearts of visitors with its breathtaking regional panoramas. We’ll guide you through the most beautiful sights, with chances to discover the Lake of Lucerne, the Pilatus summit, and experience the celebrated Dragon aerial cable cars.

Location
Zurich
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
3.5
(2 Ratings)
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Car0lep00le
Nov 6, 2023
Spectacular tour and guide - Our guide, Jonas, was fantastic! He made sure we understood the historical significance of every site we visited. When in train stations, he slowed his pace so we could keep up, and made sure we didn’t miss any of the best spots for photos. At the end of the tour he walked us how to get from our hotel to the airport via tram and train, saving us about 50 Swiss Francs compared to taking a taxi. Jonas went above and beyond to ensure we had a positive experience. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Terrifields86
May 3, 2023
Disappointing - We got a text saying that our tour was cancelled at the last minute (as we were arriving in Lucerne to meet the tour guide). We were told he had covid and that we could just go to Pilatus on our own. We have no issues with the guide not showing after a covid diagnosis. We understand that & are thankful they didn't. But, we felt that a tour company should have a back up plan or another tour we could have joined so we weren't left on our own last minute to figure out how to get there (in the pouring rain). They advised us to go ahead on our own, so we took the train and the bus to the Pilatus office only to discover that the mountain was closed. It was all over the website, but the tour company had no idea. They advised we could go to Mt Titlis instead & they did book our tickets for us. It took the better part of our day going back and forth on trains, buses, etc... but we finally made it to Titlis. Looking at the prices for admission and gondolas online, we paid a high price just to have them book our tickets for us without a tour guide. If we had known our well planned out day was going to turn into a stressful, last minute mess, we would have done a little research in advance and just gone on our own.
Review provided by Tripadvisor