Part 1: Gorgeous View On World's Steepest Cogwheel Train Ride

Alpnachstad Station

Part 1: Mount Pilatus

Pilatus Railway is a mountain railway in Switzerland. The train travels up to Mount Pilatus with the steepest cogwheel railway in the world, with a gradient of 48 degrees and a length of 4,618 metres, links Alpnachstad with Pilatus Kulm at an altitude of 2,132 metres. 

Alpnachstad Station

The train ride from Lucerne railway station to Alpnachstad takes twenty minutes. You can take a boat from Lucern to Alpnachstad. Alpnachstad is at the base of Mount Pilatus. Alpnachstad station is the place where you buy tickets to take a ride on the most inclined cogwheel train in the world. Operating season is between May to December. Travel time for ascending and descending are 30 minutes and 40 minutes respectively. Adults aged 16 and over pay CHF 72.00. For a child aged 6 or older, a ticket costs CHF 36.00. We had Swiss Travel Pass that got our tickets with half price.

Pilatus Cogwheel Train

Jungfrau Railway connects the most famous Alps in the world with highest altitude of 3,454 metres, has the highest railway in Europe but maximum angle of inclination is only 25 degrees as compared to Pilatus Railway. Pilatus Railway line still uses original rack rails that are now over 100 years old. While they have worn down, it was discovered that this can be fixed by simply turning the rails over, providing a new wearing surface that would be sufficient for the next century as well.

Pilatus Cogwheel Train

You should choose the best seat either in the front seat or the back seat. Each carriage has a separate door and can fit up to 6 people. There is no walkway in the train. We came in June and surprisingly, many seats were available. We sat at the back of the train and the rear view was amazing. It moved slow and it was good to prepare for great views on the way up. 

Cogwheel Train Moving On Pilatus Railway

While very excited as Pilatus train rode higher, I was also nervous because I sat in a very steep train though I was not fainthearted of heights. As we went higher, I turned around and looked behind, I hoped the train would not topple over! 

Cogwheel Train Passing Lush Meadows

The railway was completed in 1889. The engineer Locher placed two horizontally rotating cogwheels between the two rails with the rack teeth facing each side. This was engaged by two flanged cogwheels mounted on vertical shafts underneath the car. This design eliminated the possibility of the cogwheels climbing out of the rack, and prevented the car from toppling over, even under severe crosswinds common in the area. 

Cows On Greenery Grass

The cogwheel train was very safe and I enjoyed every moment in the train. The grass in Switzerland may be greener and brighter. It looked astonishing in the photographs. At one point, I saw a herd of cattle. I was amused when I noticed that one brown cow hopped and attacked a Holstein-Friesian (black and white) dairy cow, which was shown in the photo above!!

Mount Pilatus

From the carriage windows, the bright vibrant colors of mountain nature and lush meadows was like candy to my eyes. Most coniferous trees in Mount Pilatus stayed green. I opened the window to breathe in the fresh air while admiring the rocky, lush green mountain. Mount Pilatus was quiet and serene. Weather was pleasantly cool. 

Cogwheel Train At Frakmuntegg

This was a quick ride to the station of Frakmuntegg where we transferred to gondolas for a 30 minute ride to the valley station of Kriens. This will continue in my next post. I hope that my experience that I shared here would help you when you have a chance to take a ride on Pilatus Railway. 

Location
Pilatus-Bahnen AG

Brünigstrasse 2
6053 Alpnachstad

Tel: +41 (0)41 329 1313

Website: www.pilatus.ch