From Zurich to Mount Titlis: Ways to Get There

Written by Diana Bocco
Updated Jun 17, 2025
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Whether you're visiting the mountain for some active snow fun or for the amazing Alpine views, Mount Titlis is one of the best high-altitude destinations in the country all year.

For independent travelers, the train offers great views and a chance to experience a different side of Switzerland. By car is another alternative.

If you just want to go to Mount Titles for a day, the easiest thing to do is hop on a guided tour, as these usually combine all the major activities in the area into a full day — tickets and fees — where you can skip the lines and get right into the action.

To help you plan your trip — no matter how you choose to reach your destination — here are the best ways to travel from Zurich to Mount Titlis.

From Zurich to Mount Titlis By Train

Engelberg valley and Mount Titlis
Engelberg valley and Mount Titlis

If you're traveling on your own, the best way to reach Mount Titlis is by train. The journey takes just under two hours and offers some stunning views along the way — lakes and waterways, snow-kissed mountain peaks, and charming little mountain villages all make for great photo opportunities.

Trains depart from Zürich Hauptbahnhof station every hour starting at 6am. You'll need to catch the Zentralbahn train and get off at the Lucerne station 45 minutes later. Here, find the train to Engelberg, which leaves every hour on the hour.

The one-hour journey from here to Mount Titlis offers awe-inspiring landscapes of vast mountain ranges, picturesque flowering valleys, and some of the country's most dramatic scenery.

Once you arrive at the station, you can catch the

, that will bring you right to TITLIS valley station, at the foot of the mountain. On a nice day, walking the route is a better option — it's just 10 minutes away on foot, and you'll get to breathe the clean mountain air and snap some shots along the way.

Tip: Leave from Zurich early in the morning to enjoy a full day on Mount Titlis. With so many things to see and do on the mountain and almost four hours spent just on transportation, an early morning train is the only way to truly make the most of your visit to Mount Titlis.

Another reason to allow several hours on the mountain is that foggy, cloudy days don't allow for great visibility of the stunning surroundings — and the longer you spend on the mountain, the higher the chances the weather will clear up even on an overcast day.

You may want to consider a Swiss Travel Pass, which is an all-in-one pass that covers the entire train journey from Zurich to Engelberg, and offers half off the cable car ticket price from Engelberg up Mount Titlis. This can be a good way to save money.

From Zurich to Mount Titlis by Car

Titlis Cliff Walk, Europe's highest suspension bridge
Titlis Cliff Walk, Europe's highest suspension bridge

If you're up for the adventure of exploring completely on your own, you can rent a car at Zurich airport and find your way to Engelberg and then to Mount Titlis.

The fastest route between the two points is via highway A4/A2. There's 91 kilometers between Zurich and Mount Titlis – about one hour and 15 minutes driving in good traffic conditions. You will need a GPS for this route, as there are plenty of name changes, half exits, and turns along the way, and it's not very clear which one gets you to your destination.

On the way, you'll cross Lake Lucerne, which has plenty of public parking spaces available — including a large one at the railway station — so you can stop at any point for some great photo opportunities. This is also a great stop for an early lunch or dinner on your way back to the car.

The pleasant drive gets a little tricky in the second half, as winding, icy mountain roads can be difficult to maneuver in winter. The breathtaking views along the way more than make up for it — but the roads are often narrow once you're driving up the mountains, so no stopping for pics here. If you're arriving in winter, make sure you have some experience driving in icy winter conditions before renting a car.

Once you reach Engelberg, you must park your car at the TITLIS valley station (parking is a flat rate per day, not per hour) and continue the rest of the way up the mountain using a cable lift — cars are not allowed at the foot of the mountain, and much of the center of town is pedestrian-only, so be ready to explore on foot.

From Zurich to Mount Titlis by Tour Bus

TITLIS Rotair cable car on Mount Titlis
TITLIS Rotair cable car on Mount Titlis

There are no public buses you can take to get you to Mount Titlis, so if you want to reach the mountain on a bus, you'll have to find a tour one. A good option is the Mount Titlis and Lucerne Day Trip from Zurich tour, which lets you experience the best of the mountain and spend a day experiencing the snow before heading back to Zurich.

The tour departs at 9:30 from the Sihlquai Bus Terminal in Zurich, where an air-conditioned coach will pick you up for a nine to 10-hour adventure.

The trip includes a stop in Old Town Lucerne and then on to Mount Titlis. Here, a series of cable cars, including the TITLIS Rotair, the world's first revolving cable car (a 360-degree rotation during the five-minute ascent), will take you to the top, where you can experience Europe's highest suspension bridge, known as the Cliff Walk. The summit station is over 3,000 meters above sea level. You can also take a ride on the Ice Flyer and even try snow tubing.

After this, your driver will take you back to the original departure point in Zurich.

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