Rigi Railways

Opened in 1871, the Rigi line was the first mountain railway in Europe. Trains climb from Vitznau and Arth-Goldau to Rigi Kulm at 1,798m, with views over Lake Lucerne. The classic approach is by paddle steamer from Lucerne to Vitznau.

The first of its kind

Everything else on this site descends from this line. When it opened in 1871 it was the first mountain railway in Europe, and it started the fashion that produced the Pilatus, Gornergrat and Jungfrau lines over the following forty years. Mark Twain climbed the Rigi — on foot, badly — and wrote about missing the sunrise he had come for.

Two railways and a boat

There are two separate lines to the summit: from Vitznau on the lake, and from Arth-Goldau on the main north-south railway. A cable car from Weggis meets the Vitznau line partway up. The pleasing way to arrive is the one Victorian visitors used — a paddle steamer from Lucerne to Vitznau, then the cogwheel train.

Practical detail

The Rigi is one of the few Swiss summits fully covered by the Swiss Travel Pass, boat included, with no supplement and no reservation. If you hold a pass, this is the cheapest big mountain day in the country — a marked contrast to the Jungfraujoch.

It runs year round, and at 1,798m it is low enough to be walkable: paths from the summit down to the intermediate stations are gentle, and you can ride up and walk part of the way back.

More pictures

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