Day Trip to Mount Pilatus from Zurich
One of my favourite day trips in Switzerland has to be the one to Mount Pilatus. The outlook was not great as it was a very cloudy day in Zurich and as we looked at the Pilates webcam at around 8.30 in the morning the outlook seemed a little brighter but you couldn’t be sure if that was only because the rising sun looked glorious set gainst the fluffy, cloudy background.
Throwing caution to the wind we set off, and just about an hour after leaving Zurich we were at the foot of Pilatus right by the gondola stop. Parking was easy as there was car park close by and we purchased out return tickets to the summit (use your Halb Tax card to get half price rates in if you have one. Juniorkarten are also valid, so children under 16, if cardholders and are travelling with their parents, are free). We chose to go up via gondola and when we visited there was a choice of either returning by cog-wheel railway and then by train (20 minute train journey) or by returning by cog-wheel railway and by boat (50 – 70 minutes boat trip ) – please note these last two options are only available from May – October/November.
Arriving at the top of Pilatus, the views were stupendous. The layering of the cloud and the blue lake below just added to the atmosphere and it was all quite spectacular and it seemed to change minute by minute. There is a circular walk you can take at the top where they explain all about the myths surrounding Pilatus and the dragons and once again there are more wonderful views.
After the walk there was a choice of lunch at either the new self-service restaurant with glass windows and views over the lake below or the traditional waitress service restaurant, which in Winter often has a great fire crackling in the hearth. Sadly there was no fire in the hearth that weekend but the food was great and the service excellent.
Lunch in the waitress service restaurant.
Suitably revived we took the cog-wheel train down the mountain with more stunning views, arriving directly on the lake where we boarded the boat for the journey back to Lucerne main station. From the station we took the bus number 1 and it was a short walk back to the car park where our journey had begun.
Do take your camera and have a great day out. Wear suitable foot gear and wind proof rain-proof clothing as it can be cold at the top – and snowy! Until the end of March each year they serve a traditional Swiss cheese fondue at a height of 2132 meters above sea level at the top of the mountain.
For more information please visit the Pilatus website here.
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