44905CH
Excursion
Spring Season KRIENS – PILATUS – KRIENS
Summer Season ALPNACHSTAD – PILATUS – KRIENS or reverse
(Whole trip takes 3 – 4 hrs)
· At Easter you will do the entire trip by gondola/ cable car departing from Kriens and returning there.
· From early May the cog-railway should be operating: you can check this online at www.pilatus.ch. The more likely route that your voucher will state is Alpnachstad – Pilatus – Kriens, but this might be reversed.
· Read all of the notes below if this is your first visit. If you’ve been before, you can refer to the section that relates to your particular route, as reflected on your voucher.
· Check the weather. Be sure the group takes warm clothes, sunglasses and sunscreen with them. On a nice day the view tends to be better in the morning. You can see the mountain from Lucerne.
· When buying the tickets, it is very important to amend and sign your voucher to reflect the correct number of pax in each category (students/adults) .
· There is the possibility of doing a summer toboggan run half way down the mountain (see below)
· It is important to do a clear “run through” with the group before getting off the bus to make sure they understand the key points of their particular route.
· If the excursion is an optional field trip, check the field trip list and don’t forget to have promissory notes signed if necessary.
· In case of bad weather, you cannot make refunds to those who have pre-paid; these will be dealt with in the USA.
· Transfer any non-participants into town if you are staying outside Lucerne.
A black and white drawing of a mountainDescription automatically generated
“KRIENS ONLY” PROCEDURE: LEAVING FROM AND RETURNING TO KRIENS
Leave for Kriens by bus. Follow the signs to Interlaken, then Kriens and Pilatusbahn. The journey is only around 15 minutes in total. The bus will drop you off at the base station (and most times can remain parked there until you return).
Before going in to exchange your voucher for tickets, run through the following points with your group:
– They will receive an individual ticket each which is required multiple times at electronic turnstiles, including back at the bottom at the very end of the excursion. Do not just put it in a pocket, as they are easily lost and will be expensive for them to replace (they pay, unless you can sweettalk an official)
– They will first take a 4 seater gondola (small cable car). These run continuously: the doors open, and they simply jump in as it is moving
– They must remain seated at the first station (Krienseregg) where the doors will open and then later close automatically again
– They should only get out at the second station (Fräkmüntegg) where they will see the gondolas turning round and heading back down the mountain
– From Fräkmüntegg, the whole group will ideally travel together on a large James Bond style cable car. It holds 50 people
– To make it more likely all of your group can fit together on this, tell them not to go through the turnstiles until everyone has reached Fräkmüntegg and gathered. There is plenty of space to wait here, including an outside terrace. When everyone is gathered proceed to
the turnstiles, but don’t let other people push in or you risk the group being split up
– You will announce the return time and make a meeting spot somewhere convenient in the main hall where you arrive at the top.
– On the way back down, once they get off the big cable car, there is no need to wait for everyone else at Fräkmüntegg – they can simply make their way down to Kriens where they will see the bus parked outside.
– However, remember not to get off in Krienseregg when the doors will open and they should all just remain seated.
The whole journey will take around 45 minutes, if you do not have to wait too long in Fräkmüntegg. The final stage in the large gondola is only around 5 minutes, despite ascending almost 2500 ft in that time.
A good hour at the top of Pilatus is needed in good weather; if the mountain is covered in fog and/or you can’t go outside because of snow/ice, then 30 minutes is plenty.
If the weather is good, encourage them to go outside. There are two summits they can climb up to, as well as a “Dragon Walk” that leaves from the main hall and takes them on a round circuit through the rock and out onto the top of the mountain. There are various places to eat as well as a café and shop inside the building they arrived at.
It is not possible to reserve a return time for the cable car / gondolas. The large cable car leaves every 15 minutes (00; 15; 30; 45).
The time you announce to meet up should be 10 minutes before the large cable car leaves that you want to take back down. This is so that you can get everyone together assembled in front of the turnstile, at the front of the queue, ready for when they allow you to pass into the “holding area” which takes precisely 50 people. Again make sure interlopers don’t mean a handful of your students have to wait for the next cable car down. If this happens it’s not the end of the world, but it will delay things. Just tell them to wait for the next cable car and you will see them at the bottom.
You can either travel in front of the group, or at the back. Make sure the GL or a good AL is doing the opposite of what you choose. If you’re at the front it has the advantage that you can set the example of not randomly jumping off at Krienseregg and catch them at Fräkmüntegg on the way up; if you’re at the back, you can deal with any ticket issues or students split up from the main group.
A TRIP THAT INVOLVES THE ALPNACHSTAD COG RAILWAY
This route – only from May onwards – involves the steepest cog railway in the world. The base station is in Alpnachstad, which is on the opposite side of the mountain from Kriens. It is a 30 minute drive around Lake Lucerne from Lucerne; or around 40 minutes when coming from Engelberg.
Check your voucher to see whether you are starting off in Alpnachstad and ending in Kriens; or starting off in Kriens and ending up in Alpnachstad.
Whichever it is, the driver must know clearly where to move the bus to collect you at the end.
It is essential to do a run through of what they need to know for the trip on the bus, before arriving.
ALPNACHSTAD – PILATUS- KRIENS
Make sure that you have read through the procedure above for the cable-car, as your return leg involves it and you need to understand it to explain it clearly. Here is a check-list of points to run through:
– Make sure they’re clear they going up one side of the mountain and coming down the other side. They can leave whatever they like on the bus; it will be meeting you in Kriens at the very end.
– They will receive an individual ticket each which is required multiple times at electronic turnstiles, including back at the bottom in Kriens. Do not just put it in a pocket, as they are easily lost and will be expensive for them to replace (they pay, unless you can sweet talk an official)
– The cog train will stop and it is likely the doors will open at a small stop called Ämsigen, half way into the journey. They should just remain seated until the very top (Pilatus). The journey takes a total of around 30 minutes.
– On arrival you will lead them into the main hall and point out a meeting spot and give them a time to meet.
– On the way down, they will first go in a large cable-car that holds 50 people. They will get out at a stop called Fräkmüntegg and transfer to smaller 4-seater gondolas. There is no need to wait for everyone else at Fräkmüntegg – they can simply make their way down to Kriens where they will see the bus parked outside.
– However, stress that they must not get off at the half way stop of Krienseregg, when the doors of the gondola will open, and they should remain seated.
– Once again, they need their ticket to get out right at the bottom!
On arrival in Alpnachstad, you should park the bus on the other side of the railway lines and then use the underpass to lead the group to the station side. Ask them to wait while you enter the group ticket office entrance.
You will have a set departure time (arrive 15 minutes before) and will exchange your voucher for individual tickets. You will be directed to a separate outside waiting area for groups and will be shown to reserved carriage compartments just before the train is ready to depart.
Pilatusbahn staff are generally extremely friendly, hands-on, and the whole procedure is very well organised. This is Switzerland, after all.
Then simply carry out what you’ve already explained to the group.
KRIENS – PILATUS – ALPNACHSTAD
You will be doing the reverse procedure of the above. The key operational point for you is that you should have a set train time reserved back down for you in advance. You need to reconfirm this immediately upon arrival at the top in Pilatus, at the information desk.
If you do not have a train reserved, it is critical that you arrange one when you collect the tickets in Kriens. If by chance you are taking the boat back to Lucerne from Alpnachstad (which is unusual) then the staff will tie you reservation time in to this. Make sure you mention it to them!
Make sure your driver knows to drive round to Alpnachstad, and your arrivial time, where they will meet you. When you come out at Alpnachstad, simply walk through the underpass under the railway lines to where the bus is parked.
Read through all of the above notes to make sure you understand the procedure for the different legs of the trip.
The complete check list of points to run through with the group before arrival in Kriens is:
– They will receive an individual ticket each which is required multiple times at electronic turnstiles, including back at the bottom at the very end of the excursion. Do not just put it in a pocket, as they are
easily lost and will be expensive for them to replace (they pay, unless you can sweet talk an official)
– They will first take a 4 seater gondola (small cable car). These run continuously: the doors open, and they simply jump in as it is moving
– They must remain seated at the first station (Krienseregg) where the doors will open and then close automatically again
– They only get out at the second station (Fräkmüntegg) where they will see the gondolas turning round and heading back down the mountain
– From Fräkmüntegg, the whole group will ideally travel together on a large James Bond style cable car. It holds 50 people
– To make it more likely all of your group can fit together on this, tell them not to go through the turnstiles until everyone has reached Fräkmüntegg. There is plenty of space to wait here, including an outside terrace. When everyone is gathered proceed to the turnstiles, but don’t let other people push in or you risk the group being split up.
– On arrival at Pilatus you will already know the time of your train down, so you can announce the meeting time before you go up. Set it for at least 15 minutes before the departure time. Tell them the meeting spot will be opposite where they arrive from the cable-car: the cog railway is clearly marked. However, they should not go through any turnstiles until you’ve counted everyone and given the go-ahead.
– You may or may not have compartments reserved for the trip down.
– The train will stop half way into the 30 minute descent at Ämsigen. The doors may open. They just remain seated. They will need their tickets once more right at the bottom. The bus will be there waiting, so they can leave anything on board that they don’t need for the excursion.
THE TOBOGGAN RIDE AT FRÄKMÜNTEGG
Switzerland’s longest summer toboggan ride is located at the Fräkmüntegg station on the Kriens side of the mountain. It is possible to include it if the group is keen, and this works particularly well on the way down if descending to Kriens. It is 1.3km long and costs CHF9 per pax (under 16s are CHF 7). There are self-service machines which take cards. They pay.
Group rates are also available for over 20 pax: CHF 7 pp, or CHF 5 for under 16s. When paying as a group, you must collect money and pay in one go.
There is a height, but no weight restriction. Backpacks must be left in lockers at the top, and videoing or taking pictures is strictly prohibited on the way down (CHF 100 fine). The toboggan is dragged back up the hill with you in it at the end.
The whole thing is enormous fun, but only runs in dry weather, from the very end of March through to late October. Make no promises about it, and be aware that if the group does this, they will cut into free time in Lucerne. You should reckon on it taking about 1.5 hours for a middle sized group, if they are all buying tickets individually and taking part.
Simply break your journey at Fräkmüntegg and follow the signs to the Rodelbahn. It is around 10 minutes walk from the cable car station. Afterwards proceed with your journey as usual.
Excursion without a touring bus? Kriens can be reached by local bus No. 1 from Lucerne (Pilatusstrasse). Get off at City Square (opp church). Single ticket costs CHF 4,10. A day pass costs CHF 8,20 and is probably the best option.
From Alpnachstad there is the possibility of returning by boat to Lucerne. The group fare is CHF 19.60 (adults), CHF 9.80 (under 17s) reserve in advance on +41 (0) 41 367 6616. Check in advance the times of the boats