So many gorgeous mountains on this classic hike over the Surenenpass south of Lucerne. This hike is Stage 7 of the long distance Via Alpina, but much less grueling than the official route (29 km, 2100m ascent) if you use the cable cars both sides like I did (14 km, 1000m ascent).
I suggest starting early, so you have plenty of time to linger and enjoy the ever changing scenery, crossing alpine meadows, walking along rivers, skirting under spiky peaks. It’s a special experience that should definitely be on your “Must Do” list.
Contents
| Region: | Lake Lucerne Region, Switzerland |
| Start point: | Attinghausen-Brüsti cable car |
| End point: | Fürenalp-Engelberg cable car |
| By car: | Stans train station (explanation below) From Lucerne 15 mins, from Zürich 50 mins |
| By public transport: | Bus stop: Attinghausen, Seilbahn From Lucerne 1hr15, from Zürich 1hr40 |
| Trail: | 14 km one way |
| Time: | about 5h30 walking time |
| Difficulty: | challenging • 1000 m up, 680 m down |
| Condition: | mountain footpath with uneven terrain and steep inclines, no exposed sections, no strollers |
| Elevation: | highest point 2255 |
| Trail: | 14 km one way |
| Open: | July to mid-October, weather dependent |
| Prices: | CHF 26/adult for cable cars + about CHF 25 public transport to connect ends of trail |
| Extras: | restaurants on both ends, hut in the middle |
| More info: | attinghausen-tourismus.ch • webcam • forecast |
Gallery
Hiking map
The hiking map below shows the trail starting at the Brüsti cable car and ending at the Fürenalp cable car. You could also do this in reverse.
View interactive trail map, download GPX, and print map on Komoot • SchweizMobil • OutdoorActive
Longer version
If you have time, I would suggest hiking down to Engelberg instead of taking the Fürenalp cable car. When you get near the Stauber waterfall (see on map), the trail forks. My map above take the trail to the right that leads to the top of the Fürenalp cable car. It’s 3.45 km, but climbs 230 m in elevation, which is quite exhausting at the end of a long hike.
As an alternative, the trail that goes down river leads to the bottom of the Fürenalp cable car, about 6 km, descending about 500m of elevation. It’s longer but less work because it’s all downhill. See hiking map.
The official Via Alpina route starts in Altdorf and ends in Engelberg, not using the cable cars on either side. This version of the trail is 29 km, 2100 m up, 1500 m down. See details.
Shorter options
On the Engelberg side, there is a beautiful hike from the Fürenalp cable car to a waterfall and back down to the valley. See details. On the Brüsti side, you can do the Brüsti Rundweg trail, which is a 3.5 km loop from the top of the cable car.
How to get there
The Surenenpass is located south of Lucerne, between the villages Altdorf and Engelberg. See on Google Maps.
This is a one way hike over a mountain pass. So it’s best done by public transportation. By car, you will still have to use public transportation to return to your car.
By public transport
Take a train to Altdorf, then Bus 403 to Attinghausen, Seilbahn, which drops directly at the first section of Brüsti cable car station (Ballweg). You ride to the middle station (Kohlplatz). Then transfer another cable car for the rest of the way to Brüsti.
The hike ends at the Fürenalp cable car, which takes you down to the valley. The bus stop is across the street from the cable car station. The bus shuttle from Fürenalp to Engelberg, Bahnhof is free and generally comes once an hour on the xx:21. From Engelberg, the train leaves on the xx:02, direction Luzern, where you can catch a train to your final destination.
By car
If you must come by car, park at the Stans train station, which is between the start and end points. There is a P+Rail parking garage next to the Stans train station at Bahnhofplatz, 6370 Stans. If you show your train/bus ticket at the SBB ticket office, they will validate your parking ticket so you pay less.
From Stans, take a bus to the Brüsti cable car then ride the cable car up to the trail. Hike over the pass to Fürenalp and ride the cable car down. Then a free shuttle to the Engelberg train station. Finally a train to Stans to pick up your car. Details:
- From Stans to the Brüsti cable car, it’s two buses: Bus 310 to Altdorf, then Bus 403 to Attinghausen, Seilbahn. About 1hr25 travel time. Bus fare costs about CHF 22.20/adult. Regular Swiss travel card discounts apply.
- The Fürenalp to Engelberg, Bahnhof shuttle is free and generally comes once an hour on the xx:21.
- From Engelberg, Bahnhof to Stans, Bahnhof, it’s a direct train , about 30 mins. Train fare costs about CHF 13/adult. Regular Swiss travel card discounts apply.
Planning your day
Ticket prices
Your costs include:
- one way ticket on Attinghausen-Brüsti cable cars
- one way ticket on Fürenalp cable car
- public transport on both ends of the hike
SBB used to offer a “Surenenpass” ticket which included all of this. But it doesn’t seem to exist anymore.
For the cable cars, expect to pay about CHF 30/adult.
Opening hours
The trail itself is usually open from late June to mid October. The trail opens depending on when the snow melts on the pass. See the Surenenpass status here.
The Attinghausen-Brüsti cable cars run year round. In summer, it runs 7:00 – 11:45 and 13:00 – 19:00. It runs every 30 minutes. There are two sections. The first section fits 6 people, the second fits 8 people. See current opening hours.
The Fürenalp cable car is open basically year round. In summer, it runs every 15 mins from 8:30 – 17:30, from 8:00 – 18:00 in July/Aug/Sept. See current operating times.
Where to eat
Near the Brüsti cable car, there is the Alp Catrina restaurant. I bought a sandwich here to take on the hike.
At about the 8.8 km mark (about 3.5 hours), there is Blackenalp Hütte (see on map). Usually during summer, they serve food and you can stay overnight. But in summer 2022, the hut was closed, only offering self-serve drinks (drop cash in box).
At the Fürenalp cable car station, there is a restaurant with a panorama terrace. Food is pretty good here. See menu.
Photo story of trail
Here is the Attinghausen-Brüsti cable car, directly across from the bus stop.
You will ride a series of two cable cars. For the first one, there is no attendant. You call the attendant on the phone in the cable car station to let them know you want to ride up. Then get in and close the door. This first orange cable car fits 6 people.
At the middle station, you pay for your cable car tickets, cash or card. Then get in the second blue cable car shown below, which fits 8 people. That one takes you to the top where you start hiking.
Here is the Brüsti cable car station where you start the hike.
The view when you get out of the cable car.
Follow signs to Surenenpass and Fürenalp Bergst.
After a few minutes on the trail, you’ll pass Alp Catrina, hotel and restaurant. I bought a sandwich here.
The trail is quite steep leading up to the ridge. After a few minutes, you’ll pass this picnic area with tables, fire pit and wood.
This ridge section has been made quite safe with well built stairs and safety railings on the side.
Gorgeous views up the valley.
Looking back at Alp Grat, an alpine dairy that sells drinks and cheese. You can also stay overnight here.
After a steep incline, the dirt trail flattens a bit.
Looking back on the trail.
The trail gets more rocky the higher you go.
Pretty reflections in this small pond.
Looking back on the trail again to see the ridge we’ve hiked along to get here.
Now you can see the pass, the dip below the peaks ahead. I read that there can be a large snow pack here that you’ll need to walk over, particularly in early summer. But in early September 2022, there was no snow on the trail, only small snow packs under the peaks. I saw a trail crossing the scree. But safer to follow the trail signs that lead below the scree field.
Follow the red/white trail markers between the boulders.
I was worried that there would be dangerous sections near the cliffs. But the trail was well built and no steep drop offs. This photo shows what the trail looked like as you crisscross the steep sections.
Arriving at the Surenenpass
The last steep climb up to the pass that you can see ahead. It doesn’t look like much, but the incline here is very steep. I needed to take a lot of breaks here.
Almost to the top of the pass.
Hooray! This is the Surenenpass at 2255 m. This is a good place to rest and eat your lunch. Best views here as you can see down the valleys on both sides of the pass.
Hiking down towards Engelberg
Trail sign at the top of the pass. Keep walking direction Fürenalp.
Looking over the west side of the pass.
The path leads straight down this valley. There was a lot of loose rock on this section.
Looking back up the trail.
Lots of cows in the fields here.
Blackenalp hut
This is the Blackenalp hut, which usually has a cafe and accepts overnight guests. But in 2022, it was closed.
They did have self-service drink in the fountain. Drop cash in the cow bank.
Hiking across to Fürenalp cable car
From Blackenalp, continue following signs to Fürenalp.
From the hut, the trail becomes a wide dirt service road.
You’ll walk along this beautiful river.
I wished I had more time to linger here, one of the most beautiful parts of the hike.
Trail split
At this sign, the trail forks. I went right, hiking across the mountain to the top of the Fürenalp cable car, which I rode down to the bus (3.75 k, 230 m ascent). Or you can hike down along the river to the bus – 6 km and 500m descent. Both trails are nice. If you have time, I would probably choose the down river trail to another uphill climb.
Here’s what the down river trail looks like. More about that in my Fürenalp hike post.
Instead, I followed the service road that continues to traverse the mountain. This picture looks back along that road towards Blackenalp.
You’ll pass a couple alpine dairies along the way where you can buy cheese.
After awhile, the trail to Fürenalp forks right onto a footpath shown in these photos. It gets quite steep here.
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Views from the mountain path to Fürenalp.
Arriving at Fürenalp
So happy to reach the end of the trail at the Fürenalp cable car. There is a restaurant and playground here.
The cable car leaves every 15 minutes and fits 8 people. So make sure to time this with the bus, which leaves hourly on the xx:21. If you miss the cable car, you can’t hike directly down from the cable car as it is a sheer cliff as shown here.
View down to Engelberg. The free bus takes you from the bottom of the Fürenalp cable car to the Engelberg village and train station. Some people choose to walk from Fürenalp to Engelberg, which is easy but takes awhile.
In Engelberg, you can ride the train back to your starting point, perhaps Stans where you left your car. The train leaves on the xx:02.
Hope you enjoy this hike!!!
4 responses
This hike was absolutely glorious! I loved every minute of it. I delayed doing it because the Attinghausen Tourismus website listed the pass as “snow covered” last fall and every time I’ve checked this summer, so I worried it may not be passable. But I contacted the Fürenalp and Obwalden tourism offices and they confirmed it was clear, and also referred me to the Engelberg page which accurately lists the current status (https://www.engelberg.ch/en/open-trails). I took your suggestion to walk down the trail to the Fürenalp valley station instead of up to the cable car, and was happy with that decision. Thank you so much for another amazing hike!
So glad you enjoyed this hike! I really want to do this again soon.
Hi Tanya, a friend and I did this hike yesterday. We decided to do the whole 29km (we ended up doing closer to 31km), which was amazing. We left my apartment in Zurich around 6am and arrived in Altdorf around 8am. Even in late July there was some snow along the scree, which were quite slippery. Once we arrived at the Surenenpass, we decided to summit the mountain on the left (not sure the name of it). It somewhat steep, but the view from up there were amazing (2500m at the top). We had lunch up there, you have to be comfortable with heights as it is kind of exposed at the top. There were Buddhist Prayer Flags which you typically see in the Himalayans, so cool! We noticed from the top there is a small alpine pond/lake which is on the right was you begin to descend from Surenenpass. We hiked to it (unmarked trail), and the water was freezing cold. One quick dunk in the water and we left. The many waterfalls that surround you as you make your way to Engelberg are beautiful. Over all it was a great hike. We made decent time considering the extras we did, around 10.5 hours total. To do the 29km, you definitely have to have experience. My friend and I are in our early 20s and it was still tuff near the end. I want to thank you for your amazing website… even as an expat who has been living in Switzerland for a couple years, your hiking map is great (I’ve used it to do about 9 hikes now).
Hi Matt. What a fun adventure you had, so many cool things I didn’t see on my hike. Glad my hiking map helped you get started on this one.