Zurich to Lucerne and Mount Pilatus day tour review (10 hours)
Verdict: the highest-rated product on this site, 4.8 across 1,182 reviews, and the right answer if you are based in Zurich and only have one day. It is a long ten hours and much of it is coach, but you get free time in Lucerne’s old town, the gondola and Dragon Ride up, the cogwheel down and the boat across the lake, then a coach home. If you are staying in Lucerne, take the 5.5-hour tour instead.
What the day looks like
The coach leaves from Sihlquai bus station next to Zurich main station, track 18, which is about 50 m across from the Starbucks. Arrive 15 minutes early with ID and the voucher QR code on your phone; the guide checks both. The first leg is the motorway to Lucerne, where you get free time in the old town: the Chapel Bridge, the Lion Monument and the lakefront are all within a short walk and the guide gives you a return time.
Then the coach continues to Kriens. Panorama gondola to Fräkmüntegg, Dragon Ride to Pilatus Kulm, time on the summit, cogwheel railway down to Alpnachstad and the boat back across Lake Lucerne. The coach picks you up on the Lucerne side and returns to Zurich. No food is included and none is allowed in the coach, so eat on the summit or in Lucerne.
Autumn and the guide
The same substitutions apply as on the Lucerne tour: from 19 October the boat becomes a lunch voucher, and from 19 October to 27 November the cableway is closed so the mountain is cogwheel both ways. The guiding is bilingual English and Spanish, which some people love and some find slows the commentary; the reviews suggest the guides handle it well. Nigel named his guide Fernando and Yusuf called his “one of the best tour guides I have ever seen”, which is not a phrase I see often in reviews of coach tours.
What works
- Door-to-mountain from Zurich with no train changes
- Free time in Lucerne built in, so you see the city too
- Highest rating of the six products at 4.8
- Guide keeps the group on schedule; Jonathan noted this specifically
- Free cancellation per GetYourGuide terms
Worth knowing
- Ten hours, of which a fair share is motorway
- Bilingual commentary means each language gets half the airtime
- Boat only until 18 October; cogwheel both ways 19 Oct – 27 Nov
- Not wheelchair accessible, no pets, no eating in the coach
- Summit time is set by the coach, not by you
What reviewers say
“An incredible mix of experiences. Every part of the journey is memorable.”
Brian, US
“Friendly, professional, and well-organized throughout the day.”
Jane, UK
“Fernando the guide was great. The scenery was incredible.”
Nigel, UK
“Extremely well laid out and planned.”
Tasneem, US
“Keeps everyone on time. You’ll also learn.”
Jonathan, US
Petr from the Czech Republic wrote that “everything was perfectly organized” and Anne from the US that it was “well organized, worth the money”. As with the Lucerne tour, the few weak scores are cloud on the summit, and one or two people who found ten hours long. Both are fair. It is a long day.
Use the Lucerne free time for the Chapel Bridge and a sandwich, not for a sit-down lunch. The guide’s return time comes round faster than you expect.
Who it is for, and who should skip it
For: visitors based in Zurich with one free day, people who do not want to work out Swiss train connections, anyone who wants Lucerne and the mountain together. Not for: anyone staying in Lucerne, who should read the Lucerne tour review; travellers with a Swiss Travel Pass, for whom the train Zurich to Lucerne is already covered and the Silver trip is the better use of it; anyone who gets restless on a coach. The from Zurich page has the do-it-yourself timings.
Alternatives
Most popularLucerne: Mt. Pilatus Cable Car, Cogwheel Train & Lake Cruise
Self-guidedLucerne: Self-Guided Round-Trip Train to Mount Pilatus
PrivateMt. Pilatus Golden Roundtrip Private Day Trip from Luzern
Frequently asked questions
Where exactly does the Zurich tour start?
Zurich Sihlquai bus station, track 18, next to Zurich HB and about 50 m across from the Starbucks. Be there 15 minutes early with ID and your voucher QR code.
How much time do you get in Lucerne?
Enough for the old town, the Chapel Bridge and a quick bite; the guide sets a return time. It is free time, not a guided city walk. Best day trip from Lucerne covers what else the city offers.
Is the tour in English?
English and Spanish, live. Commentary alternates between the two.
Can I do this cheaper by train with a Swiss Travel Pass?
The train Zurich to Lucerne is free with the pass and the mountain is 50% off, so a self-guided Silver Round Trip costs you less. You give up the guide, the coach and the boat. Swiss Travel Pass on Pilatus has the rules.