Wirtshaus Galliker
What to order: the Lozärner Chügelipastetli, the Lucerne vol-au-vent, and the rösti with pork sausage and onion sauce; the pot-au-feu, if it is a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday.
Book by phone; the house strongly recommends it.
geocalia
Day itinerary · 47.05° N · 8.30° E
Pilatus in a day, by boat, cog railway and gondola without repeating a stretch.
The Chapel Bridge early, a boat to Alpnachstad, the cog railway to Pilatus Kulm, a gondola ride down to Kriens, a Lucerne lunch at the Galliker and the Lion Monument in the afternoon.
Leaving from
Direct flight to Zúrich fromBarcelona 1 h 45Bilbao 2 hPalma de Mallorca 2 hAlicante 2 h 15Madrid 2 h 15Valencia 2 h 15Málaga 2 h 45Sevilla 2 h 45Fuerteventura 4 h 30Lanzarote 4 h 30
Add to my trip
Total time10 h
By car45 min each way
From ZurichTrain, about 50 min
From SpainDirect flight to Zurich
Golden Round TripCHF 119.80; CHF 59.90 with Half Fare and for ages 6 to 15
SeasonMay – October
DifficultyEasy
DaysTuesday to Saturday, because of the Galliker
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Zurich 45 min by train
from Zurich HB; there is a direct flight from Spain to Zurich
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1
Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke) and Water Tower
free; almost empty at this hour
- 1 h 15 by boat
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2
Golden Round Trip to Pilatus by Boat, Cogwheel Railway and Gondola
boat to Alpnachstad and a 27-minute rack railway to Pilatus Kulm; Golden Round Trip CHF 119.80; check the boat timetable
+41 41 329 11 11
- 45 min by cable car
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3
Wirtshaus Galliker
cable car and gondolas to Kriens and bus to the centre, included; book by phone, lunch kitchen open until 14:30
Schützenstrasse 1, 6003 Luzern · +41 41 240 10 02
Restaurant €€Book - 15 min on foot
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4
Lion Monument (Löwendenkmal)
free; cross the Reuss by the Spreuerbrücke
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Back home 45 min by train
train to Zurich HB
Approximate cost
About €140–160 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke) and Water Tower
Pilatus is the mountain you see from every bridge in Lucerne, and the Golden Round Trip is the way up that never repeats a single stretch: a boat across the lake to Alpnachstad, the world's steepest cog railway according to the operator, with gradients of 48%, and back down the other side by cable car and gondolas to Kriens, where a city bus returns you to the centre. A single ticket covers it all. Before it, the Chapel Bridge when it is empty; afterwards, an old-fashioned Lucerne lunch at the Wirtshaus Galliker and the Lion Monument.
It only runs from May to October, and works best from Tuesday to Saturday, when the Galliker is open.
The day, hour by hour
7:15 · Train to Lucerne. About 50 minutes from Zurich HB. If you are coming from Spain, there is a direct flight to Zurich: arrive the evening before.
8:15 · Chapel Bridge. At this hour you cross it almost alone. Look at the painted panels in the roof and the Water Tower.
8:50 · Boat to Alpnachstad and the cog railway. From the quay by the station. If you have a first-class ticket, go up to the upper deck. At Alpnachstad, the cog railway climbs in 27 minutes to Pilatus Kulm, at 2,132 m. At the top, viewpoints and short paths between the rocks.
13:15 · Lunch at the Wirtshaus Galliker. You come down by cable car and gondolas to Kriens and return by bus, all included in the ticket. The Galliker is on the Schützenstrasse, beside the Reuss: order the Chügelipastetli, the Lucerne vol-au-vent, or the rösti with sausage. Book by phone; the midday kitchen closes at 14:30.
15:15 · Lion Monument. Cross the Reuss and head north, a quarter of an hour's walk. Next door is the Old Swiss House, if you fancy coming back for dinner.
16:30 · Return. Train to Zurich HB.
What it costs
The Golden Round Trip costs CHF 119.80 in second class and CHF 136.80 in first. With a Half Fare card, and for children aged 6 to 15, it is CHF 59.90. With the Swiss Travel Pass, the boat and bus are included and the mountain section is half price. Lunch at the Galliker is CHF 30 to 50 per person.
Time20 min
Change the route
On a Sunday or Monday, when the Galliker is closed: open every day with the kitchen open all afternoon:
Rathaus Brauerei
From November to April, with no rack railway up Pilatus: the Rigi runs all year:
Mount Rigi by boat and rack railway from Vitznau
In the rain or with the summit in cloud:
Swiss Museum of Transport (Verkehrshaus)
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Rathaus Brauerei
What to order: a house beer with the Rathaus Bier Würstli, CHF 24, or the Lucerne cheese tart, CHF 15, or the Graubünden barley soup.
The terrace cannot be booked; the dining room can, by phone for up to four people.
Old Swiss House
What to order: the house Wiener Schnitzel, prepared in front of you on the trolley, CHF 66; it is served with ribbon noodles, crisp crumbs and cranberry compote.
Hot food at lunchtime until 13:30 and in the evening until 21:00.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Lucerne
From May to October, which is when Pilatus-Bahnen sells the Golden Round Trip and the cog railway runs. Do it Tuesday to Saturday, because the Wirtshaus Galliker is closed on Sunday and Monday; on those days, eat at the Rathaus Brauerei. From 19 October to 27 November 2026 the gondolas are being serviced.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Check the webcams before you set off
With the summit in cloud, swap the plan for the Rigi or the Swiss Museum of Transport.
- 2If you go in the afternoon, do it the other way round
Go up via Kriens and come down by cog railway and boat, in the low light over the lake.
- 3Book the Galliker the day before
The restaurant recommends it even on weekdays.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Golden Round Trip take?
Allow four or five hours including time at the top; the operator does not publish a total duration.
Can it be done in winter?
No. The cog railway and the Golden Round Trip run from May to October; in winter you can only go up via Kriens.
What do I do if it falls on a Sunday?
Eat at the Rathaus Brauerei, which is open every day.
Is it worth it with children?
Yes. Children aged 6 to 15 pay half, and the day is mostly boat and train.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/switzerland/lucerne/itineraries/pilatus-and-golden-round-trip
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.