Stoos Ridge Hike (Klingenstock to Fronalpstock): Info & Tips
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Looking for information about the Stoos Ridge Hike in Switzerland (aka Crest Hike Stoos), wondering what to expect, how to get there, or if this hike is really worth your time? In this guide, we share our experience-based tips for hiking the Stoos Ridge Trail between Klingenstpck and Fronalpstock. Find out!
When researching some nicest day trips near Lucerne or the best hikes near Lucerne or Zurich, you’ll probably get overwhelmed by all the options. Switzerland is a real hiking paradise, indeed, and with thousands of kilometers of hiking trails, it’s always a tough choice where to go.
And while it’s always difficult to compare or to say that one hike is better than another, there are some hikes that are simply worth it more than others. Stoos Ridge hike won’t disappoint! The scenery is jaw-dropping AND you get to ride on the steepest funicular railroad in the world (110% gradient!).
In this guide, you can find all the practical information that you may need for doing this hike. And if you just want to see the best views without hiking, that’s possible too – more info about it further below. Take a look!
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Oeschinen Lake Panorama Hike
Why Visit
Stoos Ridge Hike – less than an hour’s drive from Lucerne or Zurich – ticks all the boxes for those looking to experience some of the most beautiful mountain scenery in central Switzerland. Because of its location, it’s also not too difficult to include this hike in any Switzerland itinerary.
Stoos Ridge Hike between Klingenstock and Fronalpstock offers phenomenal views of the Alps and 10 different mountain lakes. And it’s simply a really nice trail – not too easy, not too difficult, challenging enough for those looking for some exercise, but also doable for recreational hikers and even families with children.
In addition, you get to ride on the world’s steepest funicular railroad and experience the Swiss Alps as locals do. Yes, Stoos is very popular with the locals, but you won’t see huge tourist groups here (yet).
Stoos Ridge Hike (Klingenstock to Fronalpstock) – Overview:
- Official trail indication: Ridge Hiking Trail (Stoos Hike nr. 83). Stoos Gratwanderung Klingenstock.
- Distance: 4.7 km (2.92 miles).
- Hiking time: 2 hours.
- Difficulty: Medium.
- Elevation difference: Ascent: 402 m. Descent: 423 m.
- Parking: Parkplatz Stoosbahn in Schwyz (map below).
- Hike trailhead: Klingenstock upper cable car station (1,935 m).
- End point: Fronalpstock upper cable car station (1,922 m).
- Season: June – September, weather permitting also from mid-May and in October.
- Facilities: There are restaurants/bathrooms in Stoos and at Fronalpstock. At Klingenstock, at the start of the hike, there are only (limited) bathroom facilities.
- Equipment/clothing: Good hiking shoes, sun protection, and a bottle of water are a must.
TIP: As already mentioned, Stoos is a popular mountain destination attracting lots of locals. So if you can, avoid visiting on a summer weekend.
We didn’t have much choice since we wanted to take advantage of the one and only cloud-free day, and visited Stoos on a Saturday at the end of August. We arrived a bit after 10 AM and started the hike at about 11 AM and it was the busiest we have ever experienced on ANY hiking trail anywhere in Switzerland. Still enjoyable, but it would have been incomparably better on a weekday.
And if you come on a weekend, try to arrive as early as you can and start hiking before 10 AM at the latest. Or come in the afternoon, when most hikers already start to leave, at around 2 PM or so. This will still give you plenty of time to enjoy the hike and get back down before the cable cars stop running.
Our experience: We did this hike with kids and, including picnic, it took us 2 hours and 10 minutes. This is hiking time, not including the funicular, cable cars, or walking time in the village. All in all, you need to plan about 4 hours for this hike; more if you are planning to have lunch at the restaurant in Fronalpstock.
How to Get There
The Ridge Hiking Trail between Klingenstock and Fronalpstock starts and ends in Stoos. Stoos is a car-free mountain village in central Switzerland, about 40 minutes drive east of Lucerne, or about 1-hour drive south of Zurich.
Important! You cannot drive to Stoos itself, but it can be reached by cable car from Morschach or by funicular from Schwyz. So if you are driving, leave your car at one of the big parking areas in Schwyz (see the exact location on the maps below). Parking in Schwyz costs about 1 CHF per hour.
If you don’t have a car, you can also get here by public transport. For example, from Lucerne, you can take a train to Arth-Goldau, and from there a bus to Schwyz. Here you can find the best public transportation options to Schwyz, Stoosbahn, no matter where you are coming from.
Good to know: The Swiss Travel Pass is valid on all public transport including Stoosbahn (and gives you a discount on gondolas). You can find more information about this all-in pass via the link below.
LEARN MORE: Swiss Travel Pass (complete guide & whether it’s worth it)
We highly recommend taking the ultra-modern railway funicular from Schwyz to Stoos (vs. cable car from Morschach). Not only it arrives higher in the village and saves you some walking for this hike, but it’s also the steepest funicular railroad in the world (110% gradient!). See here for the opening hours and prices for Stoos railways.
It would be worth visiting Stoos just for a ride on this cool train, not even to mention the incredibly beautiful scenery along this ridge hike!
Once you get to Stoos, follow the signs to the Klingenstock chairlift (indicated as Sesselbahn Klingenstock Talstation). This chairlift is located a bit higher in the village, and it takes about 10 minutes to walk there from Stoos Funicular Railway.
If you feel like making a full-day hiking trip, you could also skip the cable car and hike to Klingenstock. But if you are like us and want to see the best views with minimal effort, just take the cable car and save your energy for the ridge hike!
Below, we included two maps indicating all these places and also a map of the hiking trail – see further.
READ ALSO: Best Day Trips & Excursions from Lucerne
Map
Below, you can see the map where we indicated everything you might need to know – from the car parking in Schwyz, Stoos funicular, cable cars, and the ridge hike itself.
And here is the map of the Stoos hiking area where we indicated the Stoos Ridge Hike as well.
How to use this map: Use your computer mouse (or fingers) to zoom in or out. Click on the icons to get more information about each place. Click the arrow on the top left corner for the index. Click the star next to the map’s title to add it to your Google Maps account. To view the saved map on your smartphone or PC, open Google Maps, click the menu and go to ‘Your Places’/’Maps’. If you want to print the map or see it in a bigger window, click on ‘View larger map’ in the top right corner.
Which Direction to Hike?
Stoos Ridge hike starts and ends with a cable car ride and the altitude difference between the two stations is minimal. So it’s possible to do this hike in either direction and you’ll have just as much climbing to do no matter which way you go.
The majority of people (us included) do this hike starting in Klingenstock and ending at Fronalpstock, but we also ran into a few people who were walking in the opposite direction. We also recommend hiking from Klingenstock to Fronalpstock and not the other way around. Here’s why.
The scenery is really beautiful and the views are excellent any way you look. However, walking towards Fronalpstock, you’ll have the lakes and the most impressive views in front of you most of the time.
Furthermore, if you hike in the morning, the sun will be behind you, making the hike more enjoyable.
And finally, if you end at Fronalpstock, you can stop for lunch or a drink at their beautiful restaurant with an outdoor terrace and a playground. Also, here you have the best views over the lakes – a nice reward at the end of the hike.
If you do this hike with kids, you can also motivate them by promising to spend some time at the playground or get some ice cream at the end of the hike.
Stoos Ridge Hike: Description & Photos
Just as the name suggests, Klingenstock – Fronalpstock hike follows the mountain ridge. If you are afraid of heights, this trail might not be a good idea. It’s not so narrow that it would be dangerous, but some sections might make your head spin…
The steepest fall-off and the narrowest part is actually at the very beginning – close to Klingenstock. But the scenery is also really impressive here. So don’t rush to start the hike just yet – take the time to look around and simply enjoy the views.
TIP: If you need to use a bathroom, this is your last chance for the next few hours! The bathroom is somewhat hidden out of sight, down the stairs behind the upper cable car station at Klingenstock.
In the distance, you can already see your final destination – Fronalpstock – and it looks so close that you’ll have difficulty believing the signs that indicate the hiking time of 2 hours and 10 minutes.
The ridge hike looks simple and rather flat from here, but it’s misleading. This hike involves quite some uphill and downhill hiking that you can’t see in the beginning. And the indicated hiking time is indeed about right.
About halfway through the hike, there are some picnic tables where you can rest and enjoy the views. Here, you can also take a small detour to a somewhat higher peak – Huser Stock at 1,904 m.
You’ll see a big cross in the distance – it’s about 10 minutes detour. But if you do this, you’ll have to come back to the main trail the same way, so count at least 20-30 minutes for this detour.
It was so busy at this intersection that we decided to just continue further. So I’m not sure if it’s worth climbing up to Huserstock. Further down the hike, you see the same views, I think, just a bit lower.
From here on, the hike gets a bit more varied and you get better and better views of the lakes. Soon, you’ll start going down a bit, then even more, and more… And what goes down, has to go up again… After crossing a meadow with the cows (if they are there), you’ll soon start climbing to Fronalpstock. It’s quite a steep climb, but luckily not very long.
These two sections (steep descent and an even steeper ascent) were extremely busy when we hiked here. On the way down, people were struggling with loose stones and on the way up, everyone kept stopping to catch their breath all the time. And because the trail is quite narrow, you are really stuck in the line of people, not being able to choose your own hiking pace.
This made this hike somewhat less enjoyable. As I said, we have never experienced such a busy hiking trail anywhere in Switzerland before. But if you come here on a weekday and start early, this shouldn’t be a problem.
Before you know it, you reach the top and the last part of the hike is quite flat. There are lots of trails here and people start hiking pretty much in all directions, but the nicest views are on the left side (where the lakes are), close to the cliff.
So while it’s very tempting to just take the shortest path to Fronalpstock, we recommend going as much to the left as safely possible and taking the trail by the ridge. That way, you can enjoy the best views!
At Fronalpstock, there is a viewing platform as well and the views here are spectacular too. This is really a place where you’ll want to take your time!
As already said, there’s a restaurant and a playground at Fronalpstock, so if you didn’t bring a picnic, you could stop here for lunch. We were glad that we had a picnic with us because it was crazy busy at Fronalpstock on a Saturday afternoon. All the tables outside were taken and there was a long queue to order the food…
If you walk around, you’ll see some resident goats – always fun to meet them, not just for kids. And they sit at the place with some of the best views too – check it out!
Afterwards, we took a chairlift to Stoos, where we found a small kiosk selling really good ice cream. There were also several restaurants and cafes in the village, and it was so much quieter here than at the top.
In Stoos, you can walk around the village, visit the church, or have lunch. Once you are ready to go down, you walk back to the funicular station for a ride back to the valley.
How to See the Best Scenery without Hiking – Fronalstock Panorama Walk
If you don’t feel like doing the entire hike, you can also just visit Stoos for the steep funicular and some of the best views of Lake Lucerne.
In that case, take the funicular from Schwyz to Stoos, walk to the Fronalpstock cable car station in the village, and take this cable car directly to Fronalpstock. Here, you can enjoy some of the most spectacular views without having to hike.
And if you feel like walking a bit, you can also just walk around the ridge overlooking the lakes below – the so-called Fronalpstock Panorama Walk (an easy loop walk of about 30 minutes). It’s relatively flat here at Fronalpstock and you can just decide at that moment if and how far you go. The views are amazing and some of the best scenery is actually right next to the cable car.
There is also a restaurant at Fronalpstock, a big playground for kids, and also a petting farm with some goats. It’s a popular place for families with young children and also all the hikers seem to stop here as well.
Stoos Ridge Hike with Kids
If you are wondering whether it’s a good idea to do Stoos Ridge Hike with kids, I think it can be done with kids from about 5-6 years. But a lot will depend on your children, whether they have some hiking experience, and if they don’t mind some climbing.
I wouldn’t recommend hiking with younger kids here – some sections are really steep and some parts of the ridge might also feel a bit dangerous, so you’ll want to hold on to their hand.
With younger children, simply take a cable car to Fronalpstock and walk around that area – the views are great and kids will enjoy the playground as well. I think you’ll enjoy it more than attempting the entire hike with a toddler…
Our experience: We did this hike with our three kids, ages 10-12 at that time. As usual, they were hiking faster than us and had no issues with the steeper parts either. However, one of them did complain about the last steep climb to Fronalpstock at the end of the hike.
Good to know: In summer, children with a Junior Travel Card travel free on Stoos funicular and cable cars. You can get this card in all major railway stations in Switzerland (also for foreigners). It costs just 30 CHF for the entire year and is free from the 3rd child. It’s a real bargain that will pay for itself after taking just one gondola ride. For Stoos, you’ll need to show the Junior Travel Card at the ticket desk in order to get a scannable day ticket.
Where to Stay
While there are many hotels in and around Stoos and the surrounding areas, you can easily visit Stoos for a day without staying in the region.
It’s a place that you can easily combine with a visit to Lucerne and the popular places nearby: Mt. Pilatus, Mt. Titlis, or Rigi (not all on the same day, ;)).
TIP: If you are looking for a really special experience, stay at Gipfelrestaurant Fronalpstock. This hotel is located at the top chairlift station Fronalpstock, where the hike ends. Staying here, you can have the most beautiful scenery all to yourselves AND you can enjoy some of the best sunset views in the evening. This would make your trip so much more special!
Where we stayed: We stayed in the Lucerne area for a few days and just drove to Stoos for a day. We stayed at Seeblick Höhenhotel in Emmeten – amazing views and a good location for exploring the region. It’s a great hotel for a longer vacation – with an indoor pool, family rooms, and a good restaurant. The only problem is the noise of the church bells, but you have this all over Switzerland. 🙂
So, this is our guide to the Stoos ridge hike. Hope that it inspired you to visit this beautiful area and that our tips will help you to make the most of a visit here.
TIP: After visiting Stoos, you’ll likely have some extra time to do some more sightseeing in the area. You could stop in Brunnen. This is a small lakeside town with a nice waterfront promenade, shops, cafes, and playgrounds.
Brunnen is also the birthplace of the Swiss Knife and you can visit the Swiss Knife Valley Visitor Center, where you can assemble your own knife. You can also buy Swiss knives here and have them engraved if you like.
READ ALSO: Best Things to Do in Lucerne & Mt Pilatus Golden Round Trip from Lucerne
More travel inspiration – our favorite hikes in Switzerland:
- Hiking at Schynige Platte – a lesser-known gem.
- Oeschinensee Hike – one of the best hikes ever!
- Four Lakes Hike in Engelberg – Swiss Alps at its best.
- Bachalpsee Lake – one of the most popular hikes in Switzerland.
- Gornergrat Scenic Trail & Riffelsee Lake Trail – the best short hikes in Zermatt.
- Matterhorn Glacier Trail – the best longer hike in Zermatt.
- 5 Lakes Hike in Zermatt – some of the nicest alpine scenery.
- Charles Kuonen Bridge Hike – the longest suspension bridge in the Alps.
- Best Hikes in Zermatt
If you found this post useful, don’t forget to bookmark it and share it with your friends. Are you on Pinterest? Pin these images!
Some of our favorite places in Switzerland:
- Skiing in Wengen & Skiing in Engelberg
- Jungfraujoch, Top of Europe
- Mt Titlis
- Gornergrat & Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (must-sees in Zermatt)
- Grindelwald-First
- Schynige Platte
- Interlaken
- Lucerne to Mt Pilatus
- Best of Geneva
- Best of Bern
- Best of Lucerne
- Trübsee (Engelberg)
- … for tips on how to plan a trip, see our recommended Switzerland trip itinerary. For more destinations, please see our Switzerland travel blog.
Kids …. NO. Unless ur Swiss mountain goat people. I saw two such people with children on a backpack, and their weird shirts and hoisen socks. They probably grew up there and it’s a simple road hike to them. This is a very dangerous hike. Especially the last 25% of it. Kids don’t pay attention what they’re doing and walk out in front of cars all the time. I would say this is way too dangerous. I was under the impression even if you fell they’re just nice grassy hills and you just get up and walk away. No there are numerous spots everywhere or if you fall or step in the wrong place or the ground gives away or rock slips whatever You’re going down for the count. You will die. I wouldn’t take kids on this. My wife and I were hiking a few miles a day here in Florida to be conditioned just for walking around Europe. This thing kicked our butt, scared the hell out of me and some spots, and we barely made it to the end. Took us 4 hours. Not 2 hours. And although I did it with some good Nike shoes I would definitely say with all the sharp jagged Rocky trail that official hiking boots are best for this. People that do this in 2 hours or serious hikers in good shape.
It sounds like you seriously underestimated the Stoos Ridge Hike and your ability, El Jefe. If you have read this article carefully and looked at the pictures in detail before committing to this hike, you should have known that it’s not a walk in the park! This hike (and any other ridge hikes in the Swiss mountains) is definitely not something for people who are not used to Alpine hikes, and absolutely not something to do in Nike’s. Walking around a few miles on flat pathways at home cannot compare or prepare you for this in any way. But for people (including families) who are used to hike in the mountains, this is an amazing hike. Many families – including ours – do this hike with children and in about 2 hours… But it’s not because others can do it that you can do it too. I recommend starting with shorter easier hikes if you have never hiked before, or – as we said multiple times in the article – just take the chairlift and enjoy the views without exhausting or endangering yourself.
Happy travels!
Hi! My husband and I are going to Lucerne in May and wanting to spend a day doing the Stoos Ridge Hike. Question – is it necessary to purchase the train from Lucerne to Arth-Goldau/Schywzin advance, as well as the funicular ride & chairlift? Or can all of that be purchased day of?
Hi Jenna, no, you don’t have to pre-book any of these. However, train tickets in Switzerland are sometimes a lot cheaper if booked well in advance.
That being said, I’m not sure if all the lifts in Stoos will be running in May (depends on when exactly you are traveling). So be sure to check the official website to see if they will be operating when you visit. The Fronalpstock chairlift is closed until May 17 and they are not saying yet when the Klingenstock chairlift will be open for the summer season, but it’s normally also not before late May.
Is it possible to hike this late April/early May?
Thank you
Hi Lauren, no, it’s too early in the season. As already mentioned in the article, this is a summer hike. With a bit of luck and weather permitting, they may start running chairlifts to Klingenstock around mid-late May, but it’s very unlikely earlier than that (there is usually still too much snow).
At that time of the year, you can visit places like Mt Titlis, Mt Pilatus, or Jungfraujoch, etc.
Hope this helps.
@Jurga, thank you so much!
Hello. Do you think the chair lift to Klingenstock is still open on the weekends until October 29? I was looking at the website and it says weather permitting, it’ll be open on the weekends until the 29th.
Thanks for the tips and info!
Hi Ollie, the weather forecast looks good for tomorrow and the day after, so if they say they are open weather-permitting, then I guess they will be open this weekend. The only way to find out is to ask the official source. Why not simply pick up the phone and call them?
Alternatively, you can check the official website tomorrow morning and see what’s open (they seem to update it daily – at the moment, it shows that it was updated about an hour ago, and today the Klingenstock chairlift is closed, but it’s not weekend yet and the weather should be much better tomorrow).
Good luck!
I will preface this review by admitting I am not a Spring chicken. I have been hiking in Switzerland every year for the past 42 years with only a Covid break, and I found this to be one of the most challenging hikes I have, hmmm…do I say ‘enjoyed?’ Yes, the views are “jaw-dropping” however the hundreds of irregular steps – up and down – are much more difficult than switchbacks. This is not a hike for anyone with less than perfect knees. We set off on a crystal clear 50 degree morning. There is absolutely no shade so it doesn’t take long to heat up. The final slog up to Fronalpstock was truly grueling. To enjoy this hike, I suggest the following: Suncreen, hat/visor, layers, good hiking shoes/boots (NOT sneakers), hiking sticks, oxygen tank (kidding), lots of water, and snacks.
Ha ha, oxygen tank :). Thanks for sharing your experience, Ann. It’s indeed not simple to classify the difficulty of a hike – what’s easy for one person can be really hard for someone else. Not even to mention the unpredictable elements like the weather, etc.
Glad to hear you enjoyed the views.
Happy hiking!
@Ann, from a fellow non-spring-chicken, thanks for the detailed description. I wanted to do this for my 70th birthday with my kids, but it looks like I’ll need to get my knees fixed before then.
Thank you so much for sharing valuable details about Stoos Ridge Hike. We are looking forward to visiting this place with our two kids. Have you got any information about whether it will remain open till October last week?
Once again I really appreciate the effort you put into sharing each and every aspect of this wonderful hike.
Hi Deepthi, if you would have read the comment right before yours, you’d see that the Stoos – Klingenstock chairlift stops running on October 15 this year. So no, it’s not possible to do this hike at the end of October. The chairlift to Fronalpstock runs until November 5, so you can still go up to there to enjoy the views. For up to date information and exact opening times, please see the official website.
Hope this helps.
@Jurga,
Thanks for reply. But I still hope I can do Fronalpstock Panorama trail walk.
Regards,
Deepthi
Thanks for the detailed info for the Stoos hike!
One question, we plan to do the Stoos hike on Friday October 6th, will all the trams be open to take us up to the hike?
Thanks
Hi Chris, weather permitting, the cable car to Klingenstock remains open daily until October 15 this year. So in principle, you should be able to do this hike on October 6.
Wow, thank you for this detailed experienced-based tips! We are planning for a day trip this coming Saturday and was thinking about this Stoos hike. Your blog is so detailed that I’m now excited to do this hike in a few days…. plus the weather forecast will be optimal for hiking. Thanks a million!
Glad to help, Vilma, and have a great hike! Just one thing – since you are going on Saturday, try to get there as early as you possibly can (ideally as soon as the funicular starts running). It can get really busy on this trail.
1st time here. Found your post from googling klingenstock. Thank you for including such useful information/maps/pictures. This is a goldmine!!! I’m going to go check you out on my laptop and see if I can find you on IG. I work remotely and I’m researching to see if I could manage living in Europe somewhere. So much to explore there. Thank you, again!!!
Glad to help, Chris. Enjoy your time in Europe!
As for living here, Switzerland will be extremely difficult. If you can get the documents sorted out for the EU, Portugal is amazing and not expensive. Good luck!
@Jurga, Thanks for that extra information re: living there. I really appreciate it.
Glad to help, Chris.
Hi Jurga, I’ve followed your Iceland itinerary, your Portugal itinerary and now I am so happy to see that you have an entire post dedicated to the Stoos Hike. Thank you for always helping me plan all my journeys!
Glad to help, Rosalie, and thank you for your kind feedback.
Enjoy Switzerland!
Hello, your pictures and information are wonderful. I was supposed to be doing my trip in two weeks with a friend but now going alone. Do you think this hike along with the oeschinen lake hike is doable as someone who’s not an experienced hiker? I’m an avid walker but i’ve only hiked one mountain which was bear mountain in NY. Also, are these hikes easy to navigate and stay on trail? Just curious since I will be alone but really would like to experience these two hikes.
Hi Nicole, these hikes are well indicated and easy to follow. They are also very popular so you’ll never be alone on the trails.
As for your fitness level, only you can tell what is doable to you. They are not difficult hikes, but also not exactly a walk in the park. There are some steeper sections with steep drops too. But if you are comfortable with that, are traveling in the summer season, and take your time, then it should be ok. Also, be sure to wear good hiking shoes.
Have a great trip!
HI Jurga
I appreciate your detailed webpage. I am planning to visit mid September. Initially, I was inclined to book a night at the Stoos Lodge, primarily to experience the funicular. However, while going through your content, I noticed your recommendation for the Gipfelrestaurant Fronalpstock which sounded very appealing to me. My only concern is that you mentioned it’s best to begin the hike from Klingenstock to Fronalpstock. Since I plan to start my hike early in the morning, would it be practical for me to stay the night at Gipfelrestaurant Fronalpstock, then in the morning take the chairlift down to Stoos, and then use the other chair lift to go back up to Klingenstock to commence the hike?
Thanks in advance for your assistance
Hi Darryl, you can do this hike in any direction (or even both ways). If you start very early in the morning before the gondolas even open, you’ll have the whole hike to yourself. You can then decide once you get to Klingenstock whether you want to take a chairlift down (or hike down) or walk back to Fronalpstock the same way you came.
If you want to do this hike as described here, that’s also perfectly possible. But you’ll have to wait for the gondolas to open (and with that, day trippers start to arrive). It seems to me such a waste of time to do it this way when you could start at the top and be able to enjoy this amazing scenery before all the crowds of day tourists arrive.
So if I were you, I’d just start at the hotel and go very early in the morning. Another great option is to do this hike late in the afternoon on the day you arrive. If you start at Klingenstock just before the gondolas stop for the day, you’ll have a very quiet hiking experience. And since you are spending the night at the hotel, it doesn’t matter if you get there later (just let them know you’ll be hiking so they expect you).
You can also see how the weather forecast looks like when you get there and decide based on that.
Have a great trip!
@Jurga,
Sounds good. Thank you so much
Very helpful article! One question – I am planning a trip to Stoos in the middle of May and it looks like the chairlift to Klingenstock won’t be open yet. Does that mean if I wanted to do the full hike I would have to take the chairlift up to Fronalpstock, hike across to Klingenstock and then hike back to Fronalpstock to take the chairlift down?
Hi Ankur, if that chairlift isn’t open yet, then it probably means that it’s too early to do this hike (snow on the trail = dangerous). I think you’ll just have to see what the conditions are when you get there. Even if you just take a chairlift to Fronalpstock and walk around that area a bit, the scenery is amazing. But it’s probably unlikely that you’d be able to do the entire hike at this time of the year unless it warms up significantly by then.
@Jurga, thank you for the quick response! Do you have any other suggestions for hikes that would be possible in May?
Hi Ankur, May is a bit difficult and in many smaller places the gondolas aren’t even running yet, or start just at the end of the month. So much depends on the weather. Lower elevations (I’d say 1500-1800m or less) should be fine.
It’s an ideal month for the cities and you could also visit the lakes. There are some easy hikes/walks next to the lakes too. Just one example, check out our Interlaken guide for some inspiration for what you could do at this time of the year. But there are tons of other amazing places all over Switzerland.
Have a great trip!
For the ticket to ride the funicular, do I need to book ahead of time?
Hi Katie, no, you don’t have to book anything in advance and can just get the ticket when you arrive.
Hello,
First of all a big thank you, your webpage is very useful.
I have a question, we are visiting Switzerland next September with a kid 2 year old.
I don’t plan we do the hiking with our kid, but my question is if it’s old enough to use the cable car to Fronalpstock, or it could be dangerous for her, or there is a minimum age for ride.
You put a photo from behing and I’m not sure about the safety measures.
Thanks in advance
Hi Pablo, I think that you can take these chairlifts with kids of any age and we saw lots of families with young kids at Fronalpstock. But what the rules are exactly or how you have to hold/place the child on the chair, only the people working at that specific place will be able to tell you.
If you take a look at this picture, you can see how the chairlift to Fronalpstock looks like. This is the front view, with the safety glass closed (which happens automatically when nobody is sitting in the chair). Normally, you don’t use the glass in the summer, but I see that there are two safety bars in the middle as well. So you’d probably have to put your child in such a way that each leg is on different sides of this bar, and it should be just fine (as long as you can keep them sitting quietly – something like a lollipop can help if you are really worried that he/she won’t sit still (you’ll quickly learn that ‘bribing’ the kids with something often helps in difficult situations when traveling :))).
Anyway, if you want to be 100% sure how it works, simply give them a call.
@Jurga, thank you for your quick answer.
I saw yesterday the photo but didn’t understand it well, now it’s clear that it’s a closed cabin, I think we should not have any problem 🙂
About the tip of giving some toy to keep calm, you are correct 😂😂
Thank you very much.
Fantastic description from getting to there to finishing. Curious for your opinion:
* A few photos and comments suggest steepness and fear of heights. Does it feel safer if you stick more to the “inside” part of the trail, and is that even an option or are both sides having steep dropoffs?
* We will not have hiking boots, just sneakers (tennis shoes) for the hike. Will that suffice? I suspect MOST people are not equipped with serious hiking boots. Want to confirm.
* In your opinion, is the funicular ride scary due to the incline?
* We’d be coming for the day from Zurich, so there’s the train to Schwyz, Bahnhof, then a bus to Schwyz/Stoosbahn (Talstation). Then the funicular to the Klingenstock chairlift, and finally the chairlift to the the Klingenstock trailhead. Once at Fronalpstock its a chairlift and funicular to get back down. Do I have this right?
Many thanks, William
Hi William, one side of the trail (left if you start from Klingenstock) is definitely steeper than the other. However, the path is quite narrow in some places. Be sure to take a good look at the pictures in the article – it will give you a somewhat better idea of what to expect.
I really recommend hiking boots/ hiking shoes for this hike and any other alpine hike in Switzerland, especially if it would be a bit wet. You really want a sole with some grip because there are quite some loose stones/gravel, etc.
For the funicular, we didn’t find it scary at all. One of our kids is a bit uncertain with heights (mostly suspension bridges and similar), but he didn’t have any issues on this ride or the hike itself. But everyone is different and I cannot say how someone else experiences it.
I don’t know about the public transport, but once you get to Stoosbahnen (indicated in the map in the article), from there it’s really straightforward: steep funicular to Stoos village, walk to the chairlift, take a chairlift to Klingenstock, hike to Fronalpstock, take a chairlift from there back to the village, walk to the same funicular you took to go up, and back the same way.
There is also an older gondola from Morschach (see map) to Stoos, so if you don’t want to take the modern Stoos funicular, you could probably choose this option. Or you can take this gondola on your way down and then get back to Zurich from Morschach. Since you are traveling by public transport and don’t have to return to the same place where you start, this could be a nice way to see some different scenery. But you’d have to research public transport options.
Hope this helps.
@Jurga,
Very helpful and informative responses. One more question…we are considering doing TWO hikes in the same day, this one and the Rigi Panorma rated as easy. Think this might be too much? We’re ages 64 and 56, no kids with us.
Hi William, you can easily do two short hikes like this in one day. The question is how are you going to get to all these places and still have time left to explore and enjoy the experience. Mt Rigi is quite far from Stoos and also requires a whole organization for getting to the top.
It’s already not simple to make it all work if you have a car, let alone public transport. It has nothing to do with age. But a practical aspect of planning it all and trying to make it happen can mean that you’ll feel stressed the whole day.
On the other hand, since the train at Mt Rigi runs quite late in summer, it could probably be done. If you can arrive at Stoos early in the morning and start as soon as the cable cars open, and get to Mt Rigi with enough time to spare, I guess you could make it happen. But we personally never pack our days this much so I really don’t know what to advise.
Good luck!
PS If you end up doing this, please let us know how it went. It can be very useful for other people looking for the same information. Thanks!
@Jurga, If you could only do one, Stoos Ridge or Rigi Panorama, which would you choose and why? How do they differ besides difficulty (moderate vs easy)?
Hi William, I suggest you find some pictures online for both places and decide based on what appeals to you the most.
I don’t think you can go wrong with either.
Good luck!
That’s a great blog. Massive amount of information.
As you seem to know well Lucerne Area, I have a question.
Planning a 2 or 3 nights stay in Lucerne in mid June, as part of a longer trip including Interlaken/Lauterbrunnen area, Oeschinensee and Zermatt. Lucerne is the only place I’ve not been in though.
So, what would you recommend mi to visit for a day trip and why? Mt Pilatus, Mt Rigi or Stops Ridge Hike? What I’m mostly looking for is panoramic views over the lake. Do you think is doable to combine anything, for example Rigi and Stood? Seeing the map, should be possible.
Also, wouldn’t mind any advice or opinion ot my program, what to add or eventually change.
Thanks in advance
Keep on the great work and have a lot of memorable journeys.
Kind regards, Yavor.
Hi Yavor, it’s not easy to combine a few of these places in a day, but if you have a car, plan well, and start as early as possible, you could potentially hike the Stoos ridge in the morning and visit Mt Rigi in the afternoon. The train to/from Rigi runs quite late in the evening and so it could be feasible (but rushed). It’s impossible to combine Stoos with Mt Pilatus because of the shorter hours of transportation going to the top of Pilatus Kulm. Combining Pilatus and Rigi would also be rushed, but could be done if you just take the cable car to the top and don’t spend too much time there. Also here, you’d have to start as early as possible (Mt Pilatus first). Also, keep in mind that traffic can be busy, so you need to foresee some extra time.
As for which one to visit if you just visit one, they are all totally different. You could let it depend on the weather. Often, even if it’s sunny by the lake, there might be quite some clouds on top of Pilatus; in that case, I’d skip it. Otherwise, Mt Pilatus is probably worth it the most, also because you can enjoy the most amazing scenery without hiking (much). The scenery at Fronalpstock is amazing too, so this would be my second choice.
Good luck with the planning.
Thanks Jurga for this great blog. I want to ask is the chairlift on both up and down to ridge hike covered under swisspass. If it’s not covered, how much is the fare for adult if you can remember. I understand that the funicular railway to stoos is covered under swisspass
Hi Faiz, you can find all this information on the official website. Here’s the link to their summer pricing. I’m not sure if it’s updated for this season, but it gives you an idea of how much it costs.
I think you should best get the ‘Peak Experience Ticket’ since it covers everything and it comes out cheaper that way than getting separate tickets for the chairlifts. That’s what we did, and it was about 50CHF/adult and kids were free with the Junior Card. If you have a Swiss Travel Pass, I think it’s 29 CHF at the moment.
Anyway, you can just ask all of this when you get there – there’s no need to buy tickets in advance.
Thank you. Such a great and practical description of the hike. This is just what I needed. Thank you again for all your detailed maps too. Wonderful!
Glad to hear you found it useful, Naomi.
Enjoy the hike! PS Please keep in mind that – at this moment – it’s still ski season there. (I just have to say this because I had some readers asking about doing similar hikes in March/April;))!
@Jurga, Thank you Jurga. We’re hoping to visit with our family in July! 🙂
When planning a trip in Switzerland it’s not straight forward, because without understanding how to get from A to B – be it by train, cable car etc – it’s hard to picture. Your very clear maps and explanations are so clear, and I can suddenly understand how it can all fit together!
Oh, I know exactly what you mean, Naomi. Switzerland is the country of trains, boats, and gondolas. Indeed, all the options – pretty much anywhere you go – can look very overwhelming at first. But in the end, it’s all quite straightforward, usually (as long as you don’t leave your car on one side of the mountains and by accident take a gondola or a hike to another side, that can sometimes be a few hours drive away :)).
Have a great trip!