This short winter hike is an easy way to enjoy spectacular mountain views and escape the valley fog. It’s a short loop on groomed snow, with a little uphill walking to get your blood flowing. Lots of benches along the way where you can lounge and soak in the sun.
If you want a longer outing, you can just keep walking, following the panorama trail as far as you like and ride the mountain train back. So close to Zürich and Lucerne, you’ve got no excuses!
| Location: | near Lucerne, central Switzerland |
| Address: | Rigi Kräbel cable car |
| Car: | Parking: Chräbelstrasse 44, 6410 Goldau (47°02’21.8″N 8°31’50.3″E) 40 mins from Zurich |
| Train: | Arth-Goldau train station (see details below) 55 mins from Zurich |
| Trail: | 3 km loop, about 1hr (longer options below) |
| Difficulty: | easy, safe, groomed snow |
| Elevation: | highest point 1640m, 100m up/down |
| Prices 2021: | cable car return: CHF 44/adult Discount for SBB GA & Half-fare. Children under 16 free with adult. |
| Open: | winter season: mid Dec to mid March cable car daily: 8:10 – 18:05 |
| Services: | restaurants |
| More info: | www.rigi.ch • webcam • winter map |
Location
Mt Rigi is located east of Lucerne in central Switzerland. The trail is accessed with the Rigi Kräbel cable car, which is easily accessed by car or public transportation. See Rigi Scheidegg on Google Maps.
Overview of ski resort
Here is the winter map of the Rigi Scheidegg area, a bit south of the more popular Rigi Kulm part of the mountain. To access the hiking trail, you ride a cable car from Kräbel to Rigi Scheidegg. The winter hiking trail is solid pink, the snowshoe trail is dashed pink. See an interactive version of this map.
Trail Map
Here is the trail map for the Rigi Scheidegg winter hike. It’s a short loop on groomed snow, so you only need hiking shoes, not snowshoes. If you walk clockwise, you have a steep but short climb at the middle of the hike. If you walk counterclockwise, the second half of the hike is a longer mild uphill walk.
See trail map on Komoot • Schweiz Mobil • OutdoorActive
Easier version: If you walk to skip the uphill climb, you can just walk back and forth on the upper part of the trail. The views are fantastic and you’re not missing anything by skipping the lower part of the loop.
Longer version: This trail is part of the Panoramaweg that goes all the way to Rigi Kulm, the top of Rigi. Then you can catch the mountain train back down to Kräbel or Goldau. See more info about the Rigi Panoramaweg Winter Hike.
Getting there
You can park next to the Kräbel cable car. If you come by public transport, you take a train to Goldau, then the Rigi mountain train to Kräbel.
By public transport: Take a train to the Arth-Goldau train station. Then walk over to the Rigi mountain train and ride about 10 mins to the Kräbel stop. Get off the train and get onto the cable car. You can purchase your tickets at the top of the cable car.
By car: From the A4 freeway, take exit 38 – Goldau and follow signs to the Rigi cable car: Chräbelstrasse 44, 6410 Goldau (47°02’21.8″N 8°31’50.3″E). From the freeway exit, you’ll drive about 2 km (5 mins) on a one lane road up the mountain, as shown on the map below. Park in the marked spots near the Kräbel cable car. Remember to pay for your parking at the meter near the cable car entrance – CHF 5 for 2hrs, then CHF 1 for each additional hour. You can pay with cash, Twint or a parking app like EasyPark.
Ticket prices
For this winter hike, you’ll need a return ticket on the Kräbel cable car. In the 2021/22 season, this cost CHF 44/adult. SBB Half-fare gets a 50% discount. GA rides free. Children under 16 ride free with an adult. See current ticket prices.
Opening times
The Kräbel-Rigi Scheidegg cable car is open year round, except for two 2-week maintenance periods usually the end of April and mid November. The cable car runs 8:10 to 18:05, about every 30 mins, but check the current schedule.
The snow on the winter trail is usually groomed from mid December to mid March, depending on snow conditions. Lifts and trails may close due to poor weather or snow conditions. Check the current lift and trail status.
What to wear & bring
For footwear, you should wear waterproof hiking shoes with good traction. You don’t need snowshoes. If you have traction cleats, bring them just in case parts of the trail are icy. I would suggest bringing hiking sticks for balance (best with snow baskets so they don’t sink into the snow). You should wear warm layers appropriate to the weather forecast and waterproof outer layers to stay dry in the snow.
It’s a short hike with restaurants along the way. So you don’t need to bring a lot of supplies. But I would bring 1L of water/person and snacks. See also What to pack & wear on a winter hike.
Where to eat
Near the Rigi Scheidegg cable car, you’ll find a Kiosk with snacks and drinks. It’s just a couple minutes walk to the Berggasthaus Rigi Scheidegg (in winter, open Sat-Wed). Berggasthaus Burggeist (open Wed-Sun) is a 5 min detour off the main trail, downhill, so you’ll need to accept the climb back up to rejoin the trail. Both have indoor and outdoor seating, serving typical Swiss mountain food.
Photo story of the trail
Ride up cable car from Kräbel to Rigi Scheidegg
The parking at the Kräbel cable car station. The meter is not near the cars but at the cable car station.
You can see the parking meter here. You buy cable car tickets at the top station, so just get into the car. I think it fits about 15 people. It runs every 30 mins.
View down to Arth Goldau from the cable car.
At the top, you’ll pay for your cable car ticket. Directly outside the cable car station, you’ll find this Kiosk, which sells snacks and drinks.
Start the trail
The trail starts to your right, if you want to walk counterclockwise, which is what I did.
There aren’t a lot of signs. But you are on the Panoramaweg.
I followed the cross country path to the right so I could more of the views.
That mountain in the distance is Rigi Kulm, the more popular part of Rigi.
Lots of benches along the way, some covered in snow. Be careful.
Just keep following the groomed snowy path.
Beautiful wide open views up here.
If you have snowshoes, you can wander around on these fields.
Hike down to lower path
Here the path descends rather quickly on switchbacks. If you want an easier walk, you can just walk back the way you came.
As you walk down, you can see the Panoramaweg that cuts across the mountain ahead of you. That path leads to Rigi First and the other stops for the mountain train, including Rigi Kulm (get more info).
Here the path forks. To your right is the snowshoe path (lelt) and Panoramaweg (right).
Loop back to Rigi Scheidegg
To walk back to Rigi Scheidegg, turn left instead and follow this lower path back to your starting point.
This lower part of the trail is sometimes in the forest.
Sometimes you get open views like this.
Take your time and take some photos.
Detour to Burggeist restaurant
At this fork, go left to return to the cable car. I took the detour to the right, which leads down to the Burggeist Restaurant, about 450 m distance, descending 30m of elevation. As I was walking down, all I could think was: I have to walk back up this hill. With little kids, you might want to skip this detour.
Here is the Berggasthaus Burggeist where you’ll find a restaurant.
You can order through a window and eat outside or sit inside 2G style.
The menu is typical Swiss mountain food. I had Gerstensuppe, barley soup.
These lounge chairs looked inviting.
Hike up to cable car
Now walking back uphill to the cable car, working off some of my lunch.
Back at the cable car, hoping that I don’t have to wait too long. I’d suggest checking the schedule so you know if you need to hurry or have a long wait till the next ride down. There’s a public toilet at the cable car station.
Well, what do you think of these views? Do you think you’ll visit Rigi in winter?
