Pilatus-Bahnen AG

Who they are

Pilatus-Bahnen AG is the company that takes you to the summit of Pilatus, the 2,132 m mountain you can see from Lucerne's Chapel Bridge. It is based in Kriens, on the outskirts of the city, and runs the two ways up: the rack railway from Alpnachstad, to the south, and the panoramic gondolas and cable car from Kriens, to the north. On the mountain it also runs two hotels, five restaurants and the largest rope park in central Switzerland.

The 1889 rack railway

The rack railway opened with steam traction on 4 June 1889. Its gradient reaches 48%, with an average of 38%: the company presents it as the steepest rack railway in the world. It climbs in 27 minutes and descends in 33. It runs from May to November; in winter you can only go up from Kriens.

What it sells

• The Golden Round Trip, from May to October: boat from Lucerne to Alpnachstad, rack railway, gondolas and cable car to Kriens and city bus to Lucerne, or the other way round. In 2026, CHF 119.80 in second class and CHF 136.80 in first, and half with a Half Fare Card or for children aged 6 to 15.
• The Silver Round Trip, the same but with a train instead of a boat to Alpnachstad: CHF 94.20 in second.
• The return trip by one side only, CHF 84 in summer from Kriens or Alpnachstad, and CHF 60 in winter from Kriens.

With the Swiss Travel Pass, the boat and bus are included and the ascent has a 50% discount: buy the reduced ticket.

Before you go

Check the status of each installation on its website. From 19 October to 27 November 2026 the gondolas and the cable car are closed for maintenance and you can only go up by rack railway from Alpnachstad. Tickets are bought online or at the ticket offices in Kriens and Alpnachstad.