Hello -

We are very new to Switzerland (Baden) and want to visit Pilatus on Sunday and I have a question. Upon arriving at the train station in Alpnachstad, how do we get to the station for the ride up on the cog wheel train? Also, can we buy golden tour tickets there the day of? Any help on the 'logistics' involved with this trip are appreciated. I will have two small kids in tow so I want to minimize the amount of logistics planning that happens on the fly.

Thanks for your help!
Amy

You're taking the train or riding a boat to Alpnachstad? Either way, once you arrive, it's very obvious how to get up Pilatus from the station - you should have no problem. Lots of signs, lot of people. And you should have no problem buying tickets the day of.

Thinking back, the trickiest thing was getting back from Kreins to Lucerne - you walk a bit from end of the cable car into town where the bus picks up to go back to Lucerne. Keep following the signs, but it takes between 5 and 10 minutes depending on your walking speed.

If you're driving to Alpnach, then you don't want to do the golden roundrip - you just want to go back down the cogwheel

This summer the signage from bottom of the gondola to the bus stop at Kriens seemed to have drastically improved.

If you have 2 little ones, you don't want to miss out the gondola down and a stop at Krienseregg (last stop before the bottom) where there is a really really great playpark and nice walks etc. If your children are a little older, there is a rodelbahn (from 3 up can travel but young ones must ride with an adult) at Frakmutegg (one stop down from the summit by cable car) and a rope park (for older ones). Infact, if I had to choose, I would always go up and down from the Kriens side. Whilst the train is fun, the boat trip to or from Luzern is an hour and a half and can be a little tedious for children - not all kids though (mine love it).

Walk out through the station building, and there's a square in front and to the right of you. You'll have the lake behind you.

On the back right hand side of the square is the building where you can buy tickets and souvenirs. On the opposite side of the square is the building where you get on to the cogwheel railway - it looks like an old fashioned station. I found the ladies in the ticket office very helpful, and I'm fairly sure they can sort out any tickets you'll require.

It's all very close together, and quite obvious when you get there. There's also a little bar if the little uns need a drink or an ice cream. There's also a tunnel under the railway line through to the lake if you have a bit of time to kill until your trip up the mountain.

Enjoy your trip!

http://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holiday...45_sommer.html

Check out this round trip special.