Mt Rigi near Lucerne • Practical tips for your visit

Mount Rigi near Lucerne is a popular day trip for both tourists and locals, with stunning views of the surrounding alps and lakes. You can easily reach the summit with a cogwheel train, a scenic ride on steep tracks. 

At the top, you can wander around the top, taking in the view from a fenced observation area, making it safe even for small children. If you feel like walking, we suggest a short and easy hike down the panorama trail. Then catch the mountain train back down to your starting point. 

In this article, we explain the various ways to get to Rigi and the best things to do there in summer and winter, and tips for planning your visit.

Where is Mount Rigi?

Mt Rigi is a mountain peak located just east of Lucerne and south of Zurich (see location on Google Maps). 

How to get to Mount Rigi

You can reach the top of Mount Rigi using a cogwheel mountain train from the villages Vitznau (red line) or Arth Goldau (blue line). We prefer riding the train from Vitznau, which has prettier views and can be accessed by boat from Lucerne. However, if you are traveling from Zurich, it is faster and more convenient by car and train to get to Arth-Goldau.

To Rigi from Lucerne

From Lucerne, the most popular route is the “Classic Round Trip“, which includes a boat ride from Lucerne, cogwheel mountain train to the top, cable car ride back down, and a boat ride back to Lucerne. This round trip can be done in about 5 hours, more if you plan to hike or eat at one of the restaurants.

The “Classic Round Trip starts at the Lucerne ferry dock (aka “Luzern Bahnhofquai”) adjacent to the Lucerne main train station – see on map. If you are arriving by car, it’s most convenient to park in Lucerne train station parking garage (P3 has slightly better hourly rates). You can purchase Classic Round Trip tickets online or at the ferry dock ticket office.

Learn more: Rigi “Classic Round Trip” from Lucerne with Boat Ride

If you prefer to skip the boat, you can drive or take a train/bus directly to cogwheel mountain train stations: Vitznau or Arth-Goldau.

By train from Lucerne: it’s fastest to take train to Arth Goldau (about 30 mins) and catch the Rigi cogwheel train there (another 41 mins to the top). Note that taking the train+bus to Vitznau takes about the same time as the boat from Lucerne and is only a little cheaper.

By car from Lucerne: you can drive to Vitznau and park in a garage at Altdorfbachweg 6, 6354 Vitznau (limited spaces, best to arrive early), a short walk from the Rigi train. 

Or you can drive to the Arth-Goldau train and park in the large metered lot at  Chräbelstrasse 12, 6410 Arth. The Rigi train picks up next to this parking lot.

To Rigi from Zürich

If you are coming from Zurich, we suggest going first to Lucerne and taking the boat to Rigi on the “Classic Round Trip,” which is the nicest way to visit Rigi. But if you are short on time or prefer to skip the boat, it’s fastest to get from Zurich to Rigi via the mountain train that leaves from Arth Goldau.

By public transportation: take a train to Arth-Goldau (about 40 mins), then transfer to the blue “Rigibahn” mountain train (shown below).

By car: drive to Chräbelstrasse 12, 6410 Arth and park in the large metered lot. The Rigi mountain train picks up next to this parking lot.

The mountain train ride from Arth-Goldau to Rigi Kulm (the top) takes about 41 mins.

If you prefer to ride the Vitznau train, you can park at Altdorfbachweg 6, 6354 Vitznau, which is short walk from the Vitznau Rigibahn station. If you come by bus, ride to the Vitznau, Station stop, which is adjacent to the Rigibahn station.

Tickets for Mt Rigi

To ride the mountain train from Vitznau or Arth-Goldau to Rigi Kulm (and back), you need a Rigi Day Pass, which costs CHF 72/adult. Book here.

In 2023. the “Classic Round Trip” from Lucerne costs CHF 123/adult, which includes the boat ride, mountain trains and cable car. Book here.

For convenience, you can book these tickets in advance. But boarding is first come, first served; there are no seat reservations on the trains, boat or cable car. Tickets do not sell out and you can always buy them on the day of your visit.

Prices updated in Feb 2023 and may change without notice. See current Rigi prices.

Discounts on Rigi tickets

Mount Rigi is free with Swiss Travel Pass, Tell Pass, GA, Saver Day Pass. Children age 15 or younger travel free with accompanying parent.

The tickets are discounted with SBB Half-fare Card and guest card for hotel guests. SBB Railaway usually has a 20% “combo” offer if you travel to Rigi by public transportation. Check SBB current offers.

Operating times

Rigi is accessible year round, with the mountain trains running daily. Both Rigi trains run every day. The Vitznau train runs about every hour from 8:15 to 19:15. The Arth-Goldau train has a more irregular schedule, starting around 7:55. See current schedule. 

The train ride from Vitznau or Arth-Goldau to Rigi Kulm is about 35-40 mins. The trains run about once an hour and are coordinated with the boat and cable car schedules. So if you have a tight schedule, check the train schedule very carefully so you don’t have to wait a long time for the next train.

If you plan to ride the cable car from Rigi Kaltbad to Weggis (part of the Classic Round Trip), note that it usually takes a maintenance break for a few weeks in March/April and end of November. If the cable car is not running, you can just ride the mountain train down to Vitznau and catch the boat back to Lucerne there instead.

Best times to visit Mt Rigi

For summer hiking, it’s best to visit from late May to October. The mountain is usually green with wildflowers from late May through early August.

For winter activities, it’s best to visit mid December to mid March, when winter sports activities like sledding are possible. Make sure to check the weather forecast and webcams before heading out. 

What to do on Mt Rigi

The main reason to visit Rigi is the spectacular views from the top. To fill out your day, you can hike, enjoy a traditional Swiss meal at a mountain restaurant, visit a cheese dairy, and even relax at mineral baths with a view. 

Riding the cogwheel train

A big part of the Rigi experience is riding the cogwheel train up the mountain. Here you can see the Rigi train at the Vitznau station and a view of Lake Lucerne as we ride up the mountain.

Looking back at the Vitznau village and the Rigi train tracks.

You have beautiful views like this for much of the ride.

The train brings you to the top at Rigi Kulm. There are toilets and a kiosk next to the train station.

Walk up the short paved path shown below to reach the restaurant and highest viewpoint.

Eat and lounge at the restaurant

Just above the train station, you’ll find the Rigi Kulm hotel, which has a self-service restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. They serve traditional Swiss food at typical Swiss prices. The kiosk near the train stop has some snacks at cheaper prices, like hot dogs, bratwurst, and ice cream.

Nice place to lounge.

Explore the viewpoints

From the Rigi Kulm station, there is a very short paved path above the hotel that visits the highest viewpoint.

To get there, follow the paved path from the hotel up the mountain. At this sign, the trail splits, with the steeper path to the left and a more mild path to the right, suitable for strollers.

Just a couple minutes until you reach this fenced viewpoint along the cliffs, looking to the east.

This picture shows the large viewing area next to the cliffs, with a fence for safety. When there are clouds in the valley, you can often escape to the mountains to get the sunshine, like on the late October day shown here.

Here is the view from that fence, looking towards Lake Zug.

You walk up a few stops on this weather tower and get a bit of a higher view.

The paved path with a fenced barrier circles the summit, giving you different perspectives on the view. This pic is from the first time we visited in 2006.

Looking down to the hotel and towards Lucerne in the distance.

Hike down Mt Rigi

If time and energy allow, I highly recommend do at least a short hike down from Rigi Kulm. A hike allows you escape the crowds and enjoy different perspectives on the view. Below I have five easy hikes ranging from 20 mins to 3 hours, to suit different needs. See the hikes.

For kids: mini golf & playground

At the Rigi Kaltbad station (see on map), near the mineral baths and cable car station, you’ll find a fun mini golf course, playground, and picnic area. You can rent the golf clubs from Hotel Rigi Kaltbad. It costs CHF 7/adult and CHF 5/child to play, discount for hotel guests. Learn more.

The playground has a slide, swings, and other fun play equipment. There is a nice covered picnic area with a table.

Relax in the mineral baths

For a special experience, you can visit the luxurious mineral baths at Rigi Kaltbad (see hotel on map). You can book a Rigi spa combo ticket that includes both your Rigi train ticket and spa entrance for a discount.

A popular photo spot is the heated outdoor pool, which has a fabulous view over Lake Lucerne. The spa facilities includes steam and sauna rooms, quiet lounge areas, and indoor and outdoor pools with whirlpools, bubble loungers, and massage jets. You can also book a massage and enjoy light snacks at the café. 

A spa day pass costs CHF 38/adults, CHF 18/child age 7-18, CHF 10/child aged 4-6. The Rigi spa combo ticket costs CHF 79/adult.

It is open daily 10:00 – 19:00. Hotel guests can access the spa facilities two hours before other visitors. Learn more.

Visit a cheese dairy

If you want to see an alpine Swiss cheese dairy in action, it’s a 20 mins walk down from Rigi Kulm to the Chäserenholz dairy (see dairy on map). With a small herd of about 50 cows that graze on Mt Rigi, the herdsman produces up to 12,000 kilos of cheese as well as cheese, butter and yogurt.

You can visit inside the dairy for a small fee or book a guided tour with the herdsman. You can eat lunch here, with cheese and sausage plates in summer and fondue in winter. Learn more.

The trail to the dairy is the opposite direction of the train train stations. So you can either hike back up to Rigi Kulm or continue hiking down the mountain to the Rigi Klösterli stop to catch the blue train down to Arth-Goldau.

Winter: sledding and winter hikes

If you visit Rigi in winter, you can still visit the Rigi Kulm viewpoint in the snow and optionally participate in winter activities like sledding and winter hikes.

Using machines, Rigi flattens the snow on the panorama trail so you can walk on it without snowshoes. But we recommend wearing warm waterproof snow boots and bringing hiking sticks for balance in case of ice. Learn more about the Rigi Kulm Winter Hike.

Rigi also has multiple sledding routes that start at Rigi Kulm. They are fast and exciting, requiring that you control your speed by digging your heels into the snow (learn about Swiss sledding). You can rent sleds on-site and use them with your Rigi Day Pass to ride back up on the train and do the sled route multiple times.

If you feel a little more adventures, you can rent snowshoes on site and explore more of the mountain on the marked snowshoe trails. We suggest the easy route down to Rigi Klösterli.

Mount Rigi Hiking Trails

There are many hiking trails on the Rigi mountains. If you are visiting Rigi Kulm, we suggest the following trails from the top down to lower train stations.

Rigi Kulm to Rigi Staffel (20 mins)

At a minimum, we suggest hiking the short 1 km path from Rigi Kulm down to the next train station, Rigi Staffel. It’s a relatively easy path (shown below) but sometimes a bit steep and lumpy, which could be difficult for someone with bad knees or mobility issues.

Here is the train station at Rigi Staffel. Make note of the train departure times from Rigi Staffel so you don’t miss your train. Remember red train to Vitznau and blue train to Arth-Goldau.

2. Rigi Kulm to Rigi Kaltbad (1 hour 10)

If you rode up from Vitznau, you can walk a little further to the Rigi Kaltbad station on the Classic Rigi Hike, about 4km and 1hr10. Just keep following the train tracks to the right (as shown below), following signs to Rigi Kaltbad.

3. Rigi Rotstock – Cliff Walk – Rigi Kaltbad (2 hours)

If you don’t mind a bit of uphill walking, I suggest my Rigi Rotstock hike that visits a second viewpoint and cliff walk before looping back to Rigi Kaltbad. From Rigi Kulm, the hike is 6 km, about 2 hours, descending 420m of elevation. See trail map.

The trail has an optional detour to the short cliff walk, built into the side of the mountain. This is my favorite part of the hike! You can walk down the cliff walk and back or loop around the mountain, making your way back to Rigi Kaltbad.

4. Rigi Panorama Trail (3 hours)

If you want a longer hike, we suggest the Rigi Panorama trail, which is 8.2 km from Rigi Kulm to the Rigi Scheidegg at the far side of the mountain range. We’ve done this trail many times in all seasons and always have a good time.

You can also do this trail in winter on groomed snow, no snowshoes required.

At the end of this trail, you ride a cable car down to the Arth-Goldau side of the mountain. So this is not a good choice if you came up the Vitznau side.

See full details for the Rigi Panorama Trail + Cliff Walk

5. Rigi Kulm to Rigi Klösterli (1 hour 45)

If you are visiting the cheese dairy, you can follow the cliffs to your right. Away from the train tracks, this trail is quieter and has a different view than the other trails, facing southeast. This trail is 4.6 km, takes about 1hr45, descending about 480 m of elevation. This trail ends at Rigi Klösterli where you can catch the blue train down to Arth-Goldau (or back up to Rigi Kulm).

I’ve also done the snowshoe trail that parallels the summer hiking trail and absolutely loved it.

Where to eat on Mt Rigi

The most convenient option for most visitors is the self-service café at Hotel Rigi Kulm, near the train station at the top. A short walk down from Rigi Kulm, there is the tiny Kessiboden café, serving light meals and drinks at outdoor tables. It’s adorable and I always want to eat there. But it’s either packed or not open. Wishing you better luck.

If you are hiking, we suggest the Chalet Schild restaurant near Rigi First (see on map). We’ve had our best Rigi meals here and we love the whole vibe in their garden and inside the cozy chalet. 

We’ve also had a good meal at the Alpina restaurant near the Rigi Kaltbad station (see on map). We ate a traditional Rösti with fried eggs. I’d go there again. 

If you want a more refined experience, make reservations at the Hotel Rigi Kaltbad, which has three restaurants. See more Rigi restaurants.

Where to stay near Mt Rigi

Since Mt Rigi is an easy day trip from both Lucerne and Zürich, we would suggest staying in one of these cities, which are good bases for exploring other parts of Switzerland. Stay in or near the city also means you have access to more restaurants at night.

Our friends suggest Hotel des Balances, which is right on the river near the famous tower bridge. We’ve also enjoyed Hotel Anker, which has a cool, funky vibe and a great breakfast. For a budget stay, you might consider Ibis Budget Hotel near the Lucerne train station.

If you want to stay on Mt Rigi, there are several hotels on the mountain and at lakeside villages. Our top choice would be Hotel Rigi Kaltbad, which has the mineral baths and excellent restaurants in addition the spectacular views.

FAQ

How long does it take to visit Mt Rigi?

The length of your visit depends on which activities you choose to do on Mt Rigi. You can visit Mt Rigi in as little as three hours if you ride up, spend a little time at the viewpoints and ride back down. If you plan to hike and/or stop at a restaurant, I would plan for 4-6 hours.

For the “Classic Round Trip” with boat ride, I suggest planning for 5-6 hours and getting an early start. See a sample schedule and itinerary.

Which is better Mt Rigi or Mt Pilatus?

Both Mt Pilatus and Mt Rigi are excellent day trips from Lucerne. But if you have limited time or budget, you may be wondering which one is better.

Mt Rigi is a better choice if you like hiking, particularly if you want an easy hike suitable for casual walkers and children. Rigi also has a more traditional Swiss alpine look, with green pastures, cows and small mountain huts.

If you are afraid of heights (e.g. cable cars and steep trains), you should go to Rigi because the cogwheel train rides are not scary steep like Pilatus. If you are visiting in winter, Rigi has sledding, winter trails and skiing, which Pilatus does not have.

Mt Pilatus is a little more exciting, with the observation deck perched between rocky peaks. The Pilatus Golden Round Trip includes both a steep cogwheel train and cable car ride, which is important to some travelers that want to experience all modes of mountain transport.

The Pilatus hikes are more dramatic, but more strenuous and scary for those not comfortable with heights. It has a summer toboggan ride and rope course, which are nice extras if those activities are important to you. Learn more about Mt. Pilatus.

See more fun day trips from Lucerne

What should I wear to Mt Rigi?

Before planning your visit, check the weather forecast for Rigi Kulm, which may be different than the city where you are staying. The weather in the mountains can change quickly and be more extreme than in the valleys.

If you are visiting in summer, wear clothes appropriate to the current weather and bring a fleece or light waterproof jacket in case of rain. The hikes I suggested above can be done with comfortable walking shoes and don’t require hiking boots.

Since the trails are extremely easy to follow so you don’t need a compass or detailed map. You can use the tourist map available for free at the ticket office. Best to bring your phone for emergencies. But since the trail is frequented by many hikers and close to hotels and other services, you can easily get help and don’t need to carry a lot of emergency supplies.

Make sure to bring a sun hat, sun glasses and sunscreen since the sun can be more intense at higher elevations. Best to bring a water bottle for each person or plan to stop at one of the restaurants for refreshments.

Learn more: What to wear for a Swiss hike