Photo: Maria Feofilova (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Nature · Switzerland
Mount Pilatus and Lake Lucerne
A steamer on the lake, then the world's steepest cogwheel railway to the top of Pilatus, and back down by cable car.
Lucerne · Switzerland
The experience
The day starts at Lucerne's pier with a steamer to Alpnachstad, a calm cruise past the lake's villages and mountains.
From Alpnachstad the red Pilatus railway has climbed since 1889 at gradients of up to 48%, the steepest cogwheel railway in the world, reaching Pilatus Kulm in about 30 minutes.
From the top you see Lake Lucerne and dozens of peaks, then descend by cable car to Kriens, with a short bus back to Lucerne. This Golden Round Trip is one of Switzerland's best-known day trips.
The cogwheel railway usually runs from May to November; in winter the cable car from Kriens stays open.
Switzerland
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