This is first stage of the the Swiss Path (Weg der Schweiz), a multi-stage trail around the southern half of Lake Lucerne.
Your day starts with a short boat ride to Rütli meadow, the birthplace of the Switzerland, followed by a steady climb to the small village Seelisberg with panorama views across the lake.
From there, the trail levels out into an easier walk through forest and fields, gradually descending back to the lake for another boat ride.
Because of the low elevation, this hike is a reliable option for spring.
Contents
Quick info
| Region | Lake Lucerne Region |
| Start: | Boat from Brunnen to Rütli |
| End: | Bauen, then boat back to Brunnen |
| By car: | Parking at Parkstrasse 1, 6440 Brunnen SZ, the boat to trail From Zürich 45 mins, Lucerne 40 mins |
| By public transport: | Brunnen train station From Zürich 1h, Lucerne 47 mins |
| Trail: | 3h • ⬇️ trail map |
| Distance: | 9.1 km one way |
| Difficulty: | moderate • 500m up & down |
| Condition: | dirt paths with uneven terrain (no strollers), some gravel and paved roads |
| Elevation: | 435m to 800m |
| Open: | April to October • trail status |
| Cost: | boat to connect ends of hike |
| Services: | restaurants in villages |
| More info: | www.weg-der-schweiz.ch • weather • webcam |
Trail Overview
This trail is Stage 1 of the multi-stage “Weg der Schweiz” shown below. Stage 1 is the first 9.1 km of the full 35 km.
Stage 1 starts in Brunnen (1), where you ride a boat to the trailhead in Rütli (2). Then hike up to the Seelisberg village high above the lake.
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8 responses
Thank you so much- we have just completed this beautiful walk today thanks to your guidance!
We were glad we had left an hour to descend from where the steps down to Bauen began tho… now sat waiting for last boat back to Brunnen : )
Glad you had a nice time on the walk. Timing for those infrequent boats can be tricky. Hope you made it!
Thanks a lot for the detailed outline of the hike. We did it recently and enjoyed a lot!
Glad you liked the hike. It’s a great one for between seasons.
Thanks a lot for this post. I walked this beautiful trail today after reading it, and it also helped me make sure I’m on the right path during the walk.
Hooray! Glad I could help and that you had a nice hike.
So first of all, thank you for your fantastic blog and great work! I did the trail this weekend with my dog and we had lots of fun. I do want to point out though that you have one mistake, the height difference from Rütli to Seelisberg isn’t 700m, because Rütli is already at ca 450m above sea level. That means that the hike to Seelisberg you only have to climb about 300m.
Have a nice day!
Lena
Thanks so much for pointing this out! You are correct that I made a mistake here. Rütli is at 430m above sea level. Seelisberg is at about 730m, so that would be about 300m elevation gain during that first climb. The highest point of the trail is 870m above sea level, about another 140m of elevation gain. The elevation profile for the trail says a total of 500m elevation gain, with all the ups and downs along the trail. I have updated the post with the new info, which I hope others find helpful. Sounds like you had a great day! I need to get out again there soon.