Jungfraujoch, Titlis, Pilatus or Rigi? Choosing your mountain day from Zurich
Four classic mountain excursions compared: altitude, travel time, snow and views, and which one suits your group.
Four mountains top the list of day trips from Zurich: the Jungfraujoch in the Bernese Oberland, Mount Titlis above Engelberg, and Pilatus and Rigi on either side of Lake Lucerne. Each can fill a memorable day, but they differ a great deal in altitude, travel time and atmosphere.
Here is how they compare, so you can choose the one that suits your group, the season and the weather.
Jungfraujoch: the highest and the longest day
At 3,454 metres, the Jungfraujoch has the highest railway station in Europe, which is why it is known as the Top of Europe. From the Sphinx observation terrace you look down on the Aletsch Glacier, the longest glacier in the Alps, and across to the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
It is the most spectacular of the four and also the longest outing: the drive to Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen is followed by the mountain railways, and our Jungfraujoch tour takes around ten hours. The air is thin at this altitude, so take your time at the top; anyone with heart or breathing conditions should seek medical advice before going.
Mount Titlis: snow all year, close to Lucerne
Mount Titlis rises to 3,238 metres above the monastery village of Engelberg, less than an hour and a half from Zurich. The last stage is the Rotair, a cable car whose cabin turns slowly as it climbs. At the top you find the glacier, the Titlis Cliff Walk suspension bridge and snow in every season.
Titlis is a good choice if you want high-alpine scenery and snow in summer with less travelling than the Jungfraujoch. Our Titlis and Lucerne tour combines the mountain with time in Lucerne.
Pilatus: a steep railway and a dramatic ridge
Pilatus stands above Lucerne and rises to just over 2,100 metres. In the warmer months you can climb it on the world’s steepest cogwheel railway from Alpnachstad, with gradients of up to 48 per cent, and come down by cable car to Kriens. The paths along the rocky summit ridge look out over Lake Lucerne and, on clear days, the Alps.
Pilatus suits travellers who want a real mountain experience in a shorter day. Our Pilatus and Lucerne tour lasts about seven and a half hours.
Rigi: the gentle classic
At 1,798 metres, Rigi is lower than the others but famous for its panorama over the lakes of central Switzerland. Its railway from Vitznau, opened in 1871, was the first mountain railway in Europe. Combined with a boat trip on Lake Lucerne, it makes a relaxed and varied day.
In autumn and winter Rigi often rises above a sea of fog that covers the lowlands, one of the most beautiful sights in Switzerland. Our Rigi tour with a lake cruise includes the cogwheel railway and the boat to Lucerne.
Which one should you choose?
As a simple rule of thumb:
- For glaciers and the highest views, and if a long day suits you: the Jungfraujoch.
- For snow in summer with less travelling: Mount Titlis.
- For a shorter mountain day near Lucerne: Pilatus.
- For a relaxed day with lakes and a boat trip: Rigi.
Weather matters more than anything else. Cloud can hide the view on the higher summits while a lower one is in sunshine, or the other way round, so keep your date flexible if you can and look at the live webcams the evening before. If none of these is quite right, we can plan a custom day around what you would like to see.
