This winter trail hikes up to quiet alpine slopes with beautiful mountain views. It’s an out-and-back trail on groomed snow, steady uphill ascent but not too difficult.
The hike leads you to a little cluster of mountain huts, but no services here. So you’ll find winter hikers scattered around, picnicking with a view before returning the way you came.
Although this area is popular with winter hikers and ski tourers, it feels very quiet and peaceful since there is no ski resort.
Contents
| Region: | Lake Lucerne Region • Obwalden |
| Starting point: | Lungern-Türren cable car – Wichelstrasse 2, 6078 Lungern |
| By car: | Metered parking at cable car station From Lucerne 40 mins, Zürich 1hr20, Interlaken 35 mins |
| By public transport: | Train station: Lungern. Then 20 min walk to cable car station. From Lucerne 1h10, Zürich 2hr, Interlaken 1h20 |
| Trail: | 5 km there and back |
| Time: | 1h4o |
| Difficulty: | moderate • 260m up & down |
| Condition: | marked snowshoe path |
| Elevation: | highest point 1750 |
| Open: | mid Dec through March • check trail status |
| Cost: | return ticket on cable car discount with Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Half Fare Card or GA |
| Extras: | Schönbüel mountain hut with cafe and toilets |
| More info: | turren.ch • webcam • weather • instagram |
Gallery
Trail overview
This is a groomed winter trail, starting and ending at the Lungern-Turren cable car.
Sample itinerary
- By public transport, train to Lungern, then walk 20 mins to Türren cable car. By car, drive and park at the Türren cable car.
- Get return tickets for the cable car. Ride the cable car up to Türren.
- Follow signs to Breitenfeld (about 1 hour).
- Return the way you came. Optional lunch at Turren restaurant.
At the cable car station, you can get a free trail map which is shown below. The trail is designed to avoid avalanche danger zones and restricted game reserve areas. Please stay on the marked route.
Trail map
The map below shows the groomed winter trail, starting at the top of the Lungern-Turren cable car.
See trail map on Komoot • SchweizMobil
The trail is not difficult, but it requires good fitness to manage the uphill ascent. Check the Turren website for the trail status and webcams before making plans.
Longer snowshoe trail
If you want a longer hike, you can do the snowshoe loop, which forks off this trail after about 40 mins. It visits the Tüfengrat ridge and Schönbüel mountain hut. Learn more.
How to get there
This winter hike is located near the Lungern village, about halfway between Lucerne and Interlaken. You reach the trail with the Lungern-Turren cable car.
By public transport
Take a train to Lungern. Walk about 20 mins through the village to the Lungern-Turren cable car. Unfortunately, there is no bus service from the train station to the cable car.
By car
The cable car is located at Wichelstrasse 2, 6078 Lungern. There is metered parking next to the cable car station.
Planning your day
Tickets
You’ll need a return ticket on the Turren-Lungern cable car. You can purchase tickets online or at the ticket office onsite.
In 2025, a return ticket costs CHF 36. See current prices.
Discount for children, Swiss Travel Pass, Half Fare Card, and GA. Free with Tell Pass.
Don’t skip the cable car: Although there are trails up the mountain from Lungern to Turren, in winter, these trails are not maintained and not recommended. Also you would have to hike up about 1800m of elevation, also not recommended.
Opening Times
Winter season is usually the third weekend of December through the end of March. Check trail status
The cable car runs daily from 9:00 – 16:00. In February and March, it runs a bit earlier and later. Check current opening times.
It leaves every 20 mins and the journey is 7 mins. In winter weekdays, it takes a lunchbreak and does not run at 12:40.
What to wear & bring
You’ll need comfortable hiking shoes, preferably waterproof boots. We like to bring traction cleats and hiking sticks, but it’s not absolutely necessary unless there are icy conditions.
Dress appropriate to the weather forecast. This trail is mostly open terrain without forests. So it can be very warm on sunny days. So dress in layers so you can adjust as needed. Learn more about what to wear for a winter hike.
Photo story of trail
Cable car ride
This is the Lungern-Turren cable car. It fits 40 people.
This is the top of the cable car station. Start walking on the groomed trail towards the restaurant.
Follow the pink signs to Breitenfeld.
Türren Restaurant
Just below the cable car, you’ll find this self-service restaurant. It’s a good place to stop after the hike.
They have a nice terrace with a view.
This is the view down to Lungern from their terrace.
Winter trail
Here is the start of the groomed winter trail just past the restaurant.
You are following the pink sign to Breitenfeld.
The trail climbs steadily uphill.
Great mountain views the whole time.
Rounded the corner to the big open fields.
Split in trail
After about 30 mins, you’ll reach a split in the trail at these signs and poles.
Continuing following the sign to Breitenfeld.
You’ll see the snowshoe trail forking off to the left.
Your groomed trail forks to the right.
The trail gets a bit steeper now.
The views just keep getting better the higher you go.
Looking down on the trail.
Pretty in every direction
Arriving at Breitenfeld
This is the end of the trail. It’s a bit anticlimactic as there are no services here.
Just a cluster of closed huts used in the summer by dairy farmers.
One cute little chapel at Breitenfeld.
You can see the snowshoe trail continuing past Breitenfeld up to the Schönbüel mountain hut that does have a cafe.
Return to Turren
At Breitenfeld, you’ll see these signs. For the groomed trail, return the way you came. The other signs point to snowshoe trails.
My boys were happy to have a short and relatively easy day.
Returning the way we came, facing the view.
Chilling back at the Turren restaurant with some refreshments while we waited for the cable car.
At the cable car station, climb these stairs to board the cable car (different entrance than where you arrived).
Hope you enjoy this winter hike!
➡️ See more winter hikes near Lucerne.
