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Things to do in Canton Nidwalden

Our most recommended things to do in Canton Nidwalden

Lucerne: Mt. Pilatus Cable Car, Cogwheel Train & Lake Cruise

1. Lucerne: Mt. Pilatus Cable Car, Cogwheel Train & Lake Cruise

Embark on a day trip from Lucerne and ascend Mount Pilatus by cable car. Go on a hike and kick pack on the panorama terrace, descended the mountain by cogwheel railway, and complete your experience with a return journey by boat. Depart Lucerne and relax aboard a comfortable coach on the drive to Kriens. Then, climb aboard the panoramic gondolas and journey to Fräkmüntegg to board the aerial Dragon Ride cable car up the mountain. Get magnificent views of the snow-capped peaks from the panoramic windows. Arrive at the top of Mt. Pilatus, 2,132 meters above sea level and feel like a bird as you survey your surroundings. Hike to the summit or venture down the Dragon Trail where dragons with healing powers were thought to live in the Middle Ages. Relax on the panoramic terrace and take in the magnificent vistas of the mountains and lakes. Eat at one of the restaurants to enjoy lunch on top of the world. Get ready for the ride of a lifetime as you descend the mountain on the world's steepest cogwheel railway. Arrive in Alpnachstad to embark on a one-hour cruise back to Lucerne on the beautiful "Lake of the 4 Cantons" (only during summer).

From Lucerne: Mt. Pilatus Self-Guided Golden Round Trip

2. From Lucerne: Mt. Pilatus Self-Guided Golden Round Trip

See the Lake Lucerne area from the clear, blue waters of the lake and from the famous mountains above. Cruise the lake, ride along the world’s oldest cogwheel railway, an aerial cableway, and a gondola at your own pace.  Start your roundtrip excursion on the number 1 bus in Lucerne in the direction of Kriens/Obernau. Get off at the Kriens, Zentrum Pilatus stop and reach the gondola station in Kriens after a short walk. Enjoy a 15-minute ride to the Krienseregg station. Get back on the gondola and hop off at Fräkmüntegg. Board the aerial cableway, the Dragon Ride, and reach the top of Pilatus Kulmafter after an exhilarating 5-minute ride. With its spacious interior, cockpit-like design, and large windows the Dragon Ride feels just like a helicopter. From the top you can enjoy the panoramic views of Lake Lucerne and the Swiss Alps. Take your time and decide if you want to stay inside the panoramic gallery, relax on the terrace, climb one of the peaks, or enjoy a local specialty in one of the nearby restaurants. The world's steepest cogwheel railway, built in 1889, will bring you from Pilatus Kulm past jagged rock faces, sparkling mountain streams, and lush fields of alpine flowers down to Alpnachstad. From there, take a breathtaking one-hour boat trip on Lake Lucerne and arrive where you started.

Swiss Travel Pass: Swiss All-in-One Pass on Train, Bus, Boat

3. Swiss Travel Pass: Swiss All-in-One Pass on Train, Bus, Boat

Explore the beauty of Switzerland as you travel with a Swiss Rail pass, valid all over the country. Have the benefit of unlimited usage of public transport and free entrance to over 500 museums across the country.  This ticket offers hassle-free and unlimited travel throughout Switzerland on the Swiss Train Network, buses, and public boats. This pass includes the Glacier Express, Golden Pass Line, Bernina Express, and others. This pass includes museum admission, boat rides, and discounts on many mountain excursions. Choose between a 3-, 4-, 6-, 8-, or 15-day pass and discover the beauty of Switzerland in your own way. 

From Basel: Mt. Pilatus Golden Round Trip Small Group Tour

4. From Basel: Mt. Pilatus Golden Round Trip Small Group Tour

Discover the highlights of Lucerne's natural spaces on this excursion that takes you to the top of Mount Pilatus. Ride on cogwheel train, boat and cableway to arrive at the peak and enjoy panoramic views. Enjoy a unique and unforgettable panoramic view at Mt. Pilatus which is located outside Lucerne. The typical Golden Round Trip (Jun-Oct) offers a wonderful excursion: First travel by lake boat on Lake Lucerne to Alpnachstad. From there, mount the world's steepest cogwheel train to Mt. Pilatus. On the return travel by panoramic aerial cableway via Kriens and by local bus back to Lucerne. You can also enjoy the various attractions on Mount Pilatus, including Switzerland's largest rope park. Or simply enjoy the views. The cogwheel railway and the scheduled lake boat are closed from November to May. During this time you reach Mt. Pilatus by cableway and will take a one-hour scenic lake cruise in Lucerne instead.

Mt.Pilatus Golden Round Trip Small Group Tour from Zürich

5. Mt.Pilatus Golden Round Trip Small Group Tour from Zürich

Travel from Zürich to Mount Pilatus on a circuit that includes a lake cruise, cogwheel train, and an aerial cableway. Let your guide show you the stunning landscape and answer your questions about the country and its people. Head to the massive multi-peaked Mount Pilatus which looms over Lucerne. Take a lake boat from Luzern across to Alpnachstad. Next, hop aboard the Pilatus Railway, the world's steepest cogwheel railway which is in operation from May to November. Go back down on the aerial cableways from Kriens which operate all year round. Snap pictures of the panoramic views from the cableways. Return to Luzern by bus.

Mount Pilatus Golden Round Trip Small Group Tour from Luzern

6. Mount Pilatus Golden Round Trip Small Group Tour from Luzern

Travel from Lucerne to Mount Pilatus on a view-laden circuit that includes a lake cruise, cogwheel train, and an aerial cableway. Let your guide show you the changing landscape and answer your questions about the country and its people. Head to the massive multi-peaked Mount Pilatus which looms over Lucerne. Take a lake boat from Lucerne across to Alpnachstad. Next, hop aboard the Pilatus Railway, the world's steepest cogwheel railway which is in operation from May to November. Go back down on the aerial cableways from Kriens which operate all year round. Snap pictures of the panoramic views from the cableways. Return to Lucerne by bus.

Mt. Pilatus: Private Tour with Lake Cruise from Zürich

7. Mt. Pilatus: Private Tour with Lake Cruise from Zürich

Mount Pilatus is a mountain massif with several peaks, overlooking Lucerne. The top can be reached with the Pilatus Railway, the world's steepest cogwheel railway, from Alpnachstad, operating from May to November (depending on snow conditions) and the whole year with the aerial panorama gondolas and aerial cableways from Kriens. The classical "Golden Round Trip" involves taking the lake boat from Luzern across to Alpnachstad, going up by the cogwheel railway, and returning down on the aerial cableways and panorama gondolas to Kriens, from where the bus takes you back to Luzern. Your tour guide leads you on this round trip through varied landscapes and wonderful views and shows you a few places away from the tourist flow

From Zurich: Mt. Pilatus Golden Round Trip Small Group Tour

8. From Zurich: Mt. Pilatus Golden Round Trip Small Group Tour

Experience unique and unforgettable all-round views at Mt. Pilatus with 73 Alpine peaks and countless lakes. Located outside Luzern, the typical Golden Round Trip (Jun-Oct) offers a wonderful excursion: first by lake boat on Lake Lucerne to Alpnachstad. From there, travel by the world's steepest cogwheel train to Mt. Pilatus. On the return, travel by panoramic aerial cableway via Kriens and by local bus back to Luzern. Families and adventure seekers are also very welcome on the Pilatus. Central Switzerland's largest rope park is on the Fräkmüntegg. Numerous attractions await you on Mount Pilatus. Or enjoy the time on the large viewing terrace. Cogwheel railway and the scheduled lake boat are closed from Nov-May. During this time you reach Mt. Pilatus by cableway and you'll take a one-hour scenic lake cruise in Luzern instead.

Stans: Tandem Paragliding Experience

9. Stans: Tandem Paragliding Experience

Experience the breathtaking landscapes of the Swiss Alps from an aerial perspective on a tandem paraglide flight from Stans. After meeting your pilot at the train station, take a quick cable-car ride to reach the launch site and listen to a brief safety briefing before you take to the skies.  Then, feel the adrenaline pumping through your veins as you take in breathtaking views of the Alps. Soar like a bird, surrounded by stunning views of Lucerne, Engelberg, and Emmetten. Feel the freedom of the wind as your pilot takes you on an experience like never before. After landing in the valley, head back to the train station after an unforgettable day in the skies.

Mount Pilatus with Lake Cruise Private Tour from Basel

10. Mount Pilatus with Lake Cruise Private Tour from Basel

Start your tour with pickup at your accommodation and make your way to the train station in Basel. An intercity train will take you in 1 hour to central Lucerne, where you'll board a boat for a 1-hour cruise on Lake Lucerne. Enjoy the view of the surrounding mountains and and the waterfront of the city.  Arrive in Alpnachstad, where you'll switch to the cogwheel railway. The Pilatus railway operates between May and October and is the world's steepest cogwheel railway. The 35-minute journey takes you from 464 meters above sea level to the top of Mount Pilatus, at 2128 meters above sea level. At the top, your tour guide will show you some hidden military objects. Alternatively, you can climb up the stairs to the panoramic platform and enjoy the vast scenery. Your tour guide will take you through the gallery of dragons and tell you a myth about Mount Pilatus.  After the sightseeing tour, enjoy lunch in one of the two restaurants, where your tour guide will happily join you. Afterwards, take some free time to spend as you wish before you begin your descent. A panoramic gondola will take you down to Fräkmüntegg, where you will change to the 4-seat gondola. This section takes you above trees and meadows and down to the suburb Kriens. Head back to central Lucerne for your return trip back to Basel on an intercity train. Once back in Basel, your tour guide will accompany you to your accommodation. 

Other Sightseeing Options in Canton Nidwalden

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What people are saying about Canton Nidwalden

Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 1,091 reviews

We had our passes sent by SBB after purchasing but it does sometimes take a few days. We printed them, took them with us, and it was so easy to just hop on transportation and not have to worry. We never had a single issue and the SBB ticket checkers we're all lovely. We probably would have saved 100-200 ish CAD$ if we bought tickets separately, but to be able to have the flexibility of missing a train or hopping off when we wanted to at a different station was worth the extra cost to us.

Used this to board a ferry from the transport museum to the Lucerne train station and a bus ride. Most of the train travel was covered by Eurrail. This works with the glacier express too but we tried to book a little too late so there were no reservations. Yet used regular trains running the same route for that visual experience.

It works to connect almost with every city, I do recommend to download the app " Swiss Travel" to know all the benefits and map of the trains, boats and buses.

A good option if you are going to travel through cities in Switzerland, you do not have to worry about which train, bus or tram you are going to take.

Trains and busses on time - what a wonderful experience!