Mt. Titlis

Day Tripping to Switzerland’s Mt. Titlis in Early Autumn

Mt. Titlis is a mountain peak located in the Uri Alps of Switzerland about 25 miles to the southeast of Lucerne. During the winter months, Mt. Titlis is a haven for downhill skiing and other snow sports. But, it is still a huge draw in the summer and autumn months for hiking, scenic views, and other warm weather activities.

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Although there are many other great day trips from Lucerne, such as the Mt. Pilatus Golden Round Trip and Mt. Rigi, we decided to take a day tip to Mt. Titlis because the idea of walking through an ice cave and seeing the views from 3,238 meters was too amazing to pass up.

In this post, I will share details of exactly how to day trip to Mt. Titlis from Lucerne (or anywhere in Switzerland) and some helpful links so you can plan your own adventure!

How to get to Mt. Titlis
Top things to do at Mt. Titlis

How to get to Mt. Titils

Like many other remote locations and mountain peaks in Switzerland, getting to Mt. Titlis is part of the adventure. There are so many things to see and experience along the way!

To get to Mt. Titlis from Lucerne, we took a 43-minute train ride to the town of Engleberg. If you are starting out from Zurich, Bern, or elsewhere in Switzerland — the first step is to get to Lucerne because Engleberg can only be reached by train from Lucerne. Another option is to drive your own car, of course.

Above photo: Lucerne train station (left)

Engleberg is the largest winter and summer holiday destination in central Switzerland. So, there is a lot of infrastructure here to support tourists, such as hotels, places to eat, public transportation, etc. Many people like to set aside some time to explore Engleberg before or after visiting Mt. Titlis. There is a Benedictine monastery dating from 1120 where monks still live and work, along with Belle Epoque architecture to see.

Above photo: Engleberg

If you are headed directly to Mt. Titlis, as we were, the next step is to take a bus from the Engleberg train station to the gondola Valley Station. The shuttle bus is totally free and is usually waiting in front of the train station as passengers arrive. Alternatively, you can also walk to the Valley Station, roughly 10 minutes away.

Above photos: Engleberg to Valley Station shuttle bus (left)

At the Valley Station, we stood line for a few minutes as we waited our turn to load onto one of the cable cars. There is seating for up to 8 people — and they do try to fill each one up when it is busy so be prepared to make some new friends (or at least smile) during the quick 10-minute ride up to the Stand Station. The ride is incredibly scenic!

Above photos: Engleberg

Above photos: Titlis Xpress cable car from Engleberg Valley Station to Stand Station

Between the Valley Station and Stand Station there is an intermediate station for Trübsee. Passengers can optionally load/unload here to explore this area and enjoy the activities. More on Trübsee later in this post.

During the winter months (December – April), the Stand Ski Hut is a popular slope-side restaurant and gathering place for skiiers. Aside from the terrace and views, there isn’t much else to do here. We quickly made our way through the station to connect to the Titlis Rotair.

Above photos: Mt. Titlis Stand Station view towards Trübsee (left); Stand Ski Hut (right)

The Titlis Rotair is the world’s first rotating cable car. It spins 360° as it ascends and descends, giving all passengers amazing views during the ride. There is literally “no bad seat” unless you get stuck in the very center and have to look over other people’s heads.

Above photos: Titlis Rotair Rotating Cable Car

If getting from Lucerne to Mt. Titlis sounds complicated, it really isn’t. There are several legs of the journey, but you just kinda follow the signs – and the groups of people all mostly headed to the same place:)

Things to know:

Ticket pricing for Mt. Titlis is different for ski tickets vs. cable car journeys. If you are planning on visiting during the summer, be sure you are not purchasing a winter ski ticket because it will cost more.
The cable cars run continuously during operating hours from 8:30 am until 5:00 pm. Don’t miss the last descent!
The journey from Engelberg to Titlis takes around 30 minutes, but may take longer during peak periods if there are queues at the gondola stations.
Titlis Rotair closes for a couple weeks (usually in November) for annual maintenance.
A single adult return trip Engleberg-Mt. Titlis is CHF 96. The Ice Flyer is an additional CHF 12. Current pricing can be found here.
Swiss Rail Pass holders receive a 50% discount on gondola tickets.

Above photo: Titlis Rotair Rotating Cable Car

Top things to do at Mt. Titlis

First, allow me to preface this section with the acknowledgement that the top things to do at Mt. Titlis involve snow. Although Mt. Titlis is often dubbed as “Eternal Snow” due to the glacier, there are periods when snow activities are not possible. Personally, I would prefer to visit when there is snow. And, ideally, I would be there to ski. Still, we had a great non-snow visit and it was 100% worth it!

Glacier Cave

The first thing we did at Mt. Titlis was walk through the Glacier Cave. The cave is formed from 5,000 year old ice that you can actually touch as you walk through the 150-metre-long path 10 meters below the surface. The temperature inside the tunnel is below freezing, so I was glad we were bundled up and wearing boots. It was such a unique experience! Access to Glacier Cave is included with the Mt. Titlis ticket. Look for the entrance on the first level of the gondola station.

Above photos: Mt. Titlis Glacier Cave

Cliff Walk Suspension Bridge

Next, we headed over to the Cliff Walk Suspension Bridge, the highest suspension bridge in Europe at 3,041 metres above sea level. I paused for a second to consider how they even built this thing because it looks rather terrifying. But, once we were walking across it, it was just amazing. Truly the most incredulous views over mountain peaks and valleys. The Cliff Walk is also included with the Mt. Titlis ticket at no additional cost.

Above photos: Mt. Titlis Cliff Walk

Ice Flyer & Glacier Park

There is a chair lift on the other side of the Cliff Walk called the Ice Flyer that takes you over the glacier and to Glacier Park. But, the lift was closed while we were there so, sadly, I don’t know what I missed. I’m not too terribly disappointed about not being able to ride the chair lift, but I do feel we really missed out on not being able to visit Glacier Park.

During the summer months, snow tubing is available at Glacier Park. The park has snow tubes and mini bobs that you can ride down the slope – and a magic carpet to bring you back up to the top. How cool is that?? During the winter months, Glacier Park is closed and all tobogganing takes place at Trübsee Snow Park.

Above photo: Mt. Titlis Glacier

Trübsee

Trübsee is an Alpine lake that is located halfway between Engleberg and Mt. Titlis. It is a destination on its own and offers a range of summer and winter activities. During the summer, there is hiking, ziplining, boating, cycling, and the Graustock Via Ferrata. During the winter, there is tobogganing, Schmuggli’s Winterland (ski area for kids), SnowXPark for e-snowmobiling and moonbiking, and the Trübsee Alpine Lodge. So, ya, lots of stuff to do!

Above photos: Trübsee

If you are just visiting Mt. Titlis for the day, I would recommend visiting the summit first and saving your stop at Trübsee for your descent purely from a time-management point of view. The lines for the Titlis Rotair and Ice Flyer cab be long, and you won’t want the activities at the peak to feel rushed late in the day.

Above photo: View of Trübsee from the Titlis Xpress cable car

Tours and other information

If you feel a bit overwhelmed about the prospect of navigating your way to Mt. Titlis — or just don’t want to stress over it — a tour might be the way to go. Below I have provided links to some tours through Viator that are great options.

If you are visiting Mt. Titlis on your own, a few quick important things to know:

You’ll save time by purchasing your Mt. Titlis tickets online in advance, and might save a little money, too. I recommend the all-in return ticket that includes the Titlis Rotair cable car (up and back) and activities at the peak.
Once you have your ticket scanned at the Valley Station gondola, do NOT discard it! You’ll need to re-scan your tickets as you transfer gondolas on the way up and the way back.
Regardless of the weather in Engleberg, it will be chilly at the peak. It is a good idea to wear proper footwear and warm layers that you can remove if you feel a bit toasty.
The Swiss Travel Pass is a great way to get around and save on gondola tickets, which can be quite pricey.