Mt Rigi winter hike • Panorama trail from Rigi Kulm

If you’re looking for big views in winter, but don’t ski, the panorama trail at Mt Rigi is a great choice. In winter, the snow on this trail is groomed with machine, so you can walk on it with waterproof hiking shoes, no snowshoes required. 

This winter walk is easy and suitable for families with children of any age. The length of trail can be easily adjusted from 1 to 9 km, to meet the needs of your group. 

Location

Mt Rigi is located in central Switzerland, east of Lucerne. See Rigi on Google Maps.

Rigi winter map

Here is the Rigi winter map, showing just the winter hiking trails (pink lines) and mountain trains (green lines). I’ve marked the panorama trail with sample distances.

Trail map

In this post, I’ll talk about the 4.2 km route we did from the top at Rigi Kulm to Rotstock, then down to Rigi Klösterei. This route works for those using the Rigi train from Arth Goldau (see this trail map).

If you are taking the train from Vitznau, you follow the same trail but at Rigi First, you turn right and head to Rigi Kaltbad instead of Rigi Klösterli (see this trail map instead).

We were staying the weekend with a big group of friend in this tiny village of Rigi Klösterei. So various people in our group did skiing, sledding, snowshoeing and winter walks, which all ended at Rigi Klösterei – very convenient.

Shorter version: You could shorten this trail by starting or ending at Rigi Staffel instead, where you can catch the train down to Arth-Goldau or Vitznau.

Longer version: You could extend it to 9km by walking all the way to Rigi Scheidegg and catch a cable car back down to the valley (see my summer panorama trail post for more details about that).

Trail conditions

The winter trails are groomed, which means the snow is flattened enough to walk on with regular hiking shoes. I’ve seen people with strollers on this trail, but that assumes no fresh snow. Probably better to carry your child. I recommend walking sticks in case of ice or other tricky conditions.

Getting There

You can reach the top of Rigi Kulm with a mountain train from Arth Goldau on the east side or Vitznau on the west side. We prefer Arth Goldau because it’s easier both by car and train. So I’ll provide those directions below.

By car: I suggest parking at the large metered car park at Chräbelstrasse 12, 6410 Arth. To reach this parking lot, you drive to Goldau, taking exit 38 from the freeway and follow signs to Rigi parking. The lot is directly next to the freeway as shown in the map. If there is no attendant at the train station, you can buy your ticket on the train with cash or card.

In winter, the train picks up from this parking (labeled A4 on the timeline) at 7:57, 9:10, 10:10. 11:10. 12:10, 13:10, and so on. See current timetable.

By train: Take a train to Arth-Goldau, then walk over to the Arth-Goldau Rigi Bahnen station, just a couple minutes away, following the signs. Catch the mountain train here to Rigi Kulm. 

In winter, the train leaves from Arth-Goldau at 7:55, 9:08, 10:08, 11:08, 12:08, 13:08 and so on. See current timetable.

FYI, one day we were there, the train came 15 minutes earlier than the posted schedule and we saw more than one train go by in an hour. I asked the train workers why the train came early and they said “Do you want to go up or not?” I tripled checked the schedule and the clocks. It was early by all accounts; I can’t explain it. I think they run trains more frequently from Rigi Klösterli for skiers, but it’s not on the timetable.

Ticket prices

You’ll need a day pass to do this hike (cheaper than two one way tickets). This means you can ride the trains as often as you like before or after your hike.

In 2023, this day pass cost CHF 72/adult. It’s free with SBB GA and children up to 15 with a parent. SBB Half-fare cards gets 50% discount. If you have a hotel guest card from the region, you get a 20% discount. See current ticket prices.

What to wear and bring

You should wear warm waterproof clothing, suitable for the forecasted temperatures and conditions. This should include a warm winter jacket, gloves and hat. If you have sunny conditions, you may get warm while you hike, so best to have layers on top so you can take off or add a layer as needed.

For shoes, best to wear waterproof ankle boots to prevent snow from getting into your shoes. I suggest bring hiking sticks with snow baskets to help your balance while hiking.

If you expect slightly icy conditions, you may consider bringing traction cleats. For more tips, see What to pack & wear on a winter hike.

Photo story of the trail

Let’s enjoy some pictures for a bit. Here is the start of the trail at Rigi Kulm. At first, the path parallels the train tracks.

You’ll pass several restaurants along the way.

Popular place for winter walking.

Great views all around, this one of Lake Zug.

We saw a few people carrying babies on their backs, other with younger kids walking.

Entering the village at Staffel.

You can catch the train here in Staffel or keep walking.

We kept walking.

Looking back to the top at Rigi Kulm.

Looking south to the ski slopes, just a couple T-bars but our kids had fun on it. Good for beginners.

You can take a flatter trail, but I wanted the view from the top of Rotstock, so I took the trail up right next to the ski slope. It was tough but short.

Great views up there!!!

Looking back on the trail I came up.

I continued down to First, then down to Rigi Klösterei.

Video of trail