This is one of those Switzerland travel hacks that almost no one talks about — and it is genuinely free. The Grand Train Tour Switzerland app gives away a real Pilatus cap as a souvenir to anyone who rides up Mount Pilatus on either the cable car or the cog railway. Total cost: zero (other than the cable car ticket you were already buying).
The five steps inside the app are not obvious, and there is a 30-minute timer that catches a lot of travellers off guard. So here is the full walkthrough — what to download before you leave, every stop on the way to Mount Pilatus, and the exact app screens to tap.
Before you leave: download the app
Install Grand Train Tour Switzerland from the Play Store (it is on the App Store too). It is free, official, and run by Switzerland Tourism — not a sketchy third-party app.
- Why download it before the trip? The mountain has patchy cellular signal. Download the app and open it once over hotel Wi-Fi so the coupon list is cached.
- No login or signup needed to claim the cap.
Getting to Mount Pilatus from Lucerne
There are two routes up the mountain, and both qualify for the free cap. Pick whichever is open and convenient — I recommend doing the full Golden Round Trip (up one side, down the other) if the season allows.
Route A — From Kriens (open all year)
This is the side I describe in my 7-Day Switzerland Itinerary. It uses the panoramic gondola.
- Lucerne train station (Bahnhof) → take Bus 1 in the direction Kriens, Obernau.
- Get off at the Kriens, Zentrum Pilatus stop (about a 15-minute ride).
- Walk 5 minutes to the Kriens valley station.
- Take the panoramic gondola: Kriens → Krienseregg → Fräkmüntegg.
- From Fräkmüntegg, switch to the “Dragon Ride” aerial cableway up to the summit, Pilatus Kulm (2,132 m).
Stops on Route A: Lucerne Bahnhof → Kriens Zentrum Pilatus → Kriens valley station → Krienseregg → Fräkmüntegg → Pilatus Kulm.
Route B — From Alpnachstad (May to November only)
This is the famous one — the steepest cog railway in the world, with a maximum gradient of 48%.
- Lucerne ferry pier 2 (right opposite the train station) → boat across Lake Lucerne to Alpnachstad (about 90 minutes, a short journey through the lake itself).
- Or, if you skip the boat: take a regular train from Lucerne to Alpnachstad (around 17 minutes, free with the Swiss Travel Pass).
- From Alpnachstad train station, walk a few minutes through the underpass to the Alpnachstad cog railway station.
- Board the red cog train. The 30-minute climb is the steepest part of the trip — properly thrilling.
- The train arrives directly at Pilatus Kulm.
Stops on Route B: Lucerne pier 2 (or Lucerne Bahnhof) → Alpnachstad → Pilatus Kulm.
The Golden Round Trip
If the cog railway is in season (typically May to November), the smartest plan is the full loop:
Lucerne → boat to Alpnachstad → cog railway up → Pilatus Kulm (lunch + viewpoints) → Dragon Ride down to Fräkmüntegg → gondola down to Kriens → Bus 1 back to Lucerne Bahnhof.
You see two completely different sides of the mountain in one day, and you only redeem the cap once at any counter on the way.
How much does it cost?
| Ticket | Without pass | With Swiss Travel Pass |
|---|---|---|
| Round trip via Kriens (gondola only, to Fräkmüntegg) | ≈ CHF 47 | ≈ CHF 23 |
| Round trip to Pilatus Kulm summit | ≈ CHF 78 | ≈ CHF 39 |
| Golden Round Trip (boat + cog + cable + bus) | ≈ CHF 117 | ≈ CHF 58 |
Tip: Swiss Travel Pass gives you 50 percent off every Pilatus segment, plus the bus from Lucerne to Kriens and the boat across Lake Lucerne are completely free. Prices update each season — check pilatus.ch/en/railway-cableways/prices before you go.
The 5-step app walkthrough — claiming your free cap
Once you have travelled up the mountain (either route), open the Grand Train Tour app. Here is exactly what to tap, in order. I screenshotted every screen.
What each step actually does
- Tap the hamburger menu (top-right corner with the three lines). This opens the side navigation. The app does not show coupons on the home screen by default, which is why so many travellers miss this.
- Tap “Coupons” in the side menu. You will see a list of free gifts and discounts the app offers across Switzerland — Chur history pass, Lugano dining discount, Lucerne casino entry, and so on.
- Find the “Pilatus — Free Pilatus cap” entry in the list. The cards are not in alphabetical order, so scroll patiently. The Pilatus one shows a small photo of the gondola with Lake Lucerne in the background.
- Tap “Redeem coupon” at the bottom of the Pilatus screen. The page itself confirms the offer: “When travelling up Mount Pilatus on the panoramic gondola lift or the world’s steepest cog railway, you will receive a free Pilatus cap.”
- Confirm the 30-minute timer. The popup is the most important screen in this whole flow — as soon as you press REDEEM, you have 30 minutes to claim the cap. If you wander off for lunch first and the timer runs out, you cannot redeem again on this trip.
The most important tip in this guide: Do not press REDEEM until you are physically standing in the queue at the Pilatus ticket counter. The timer is the trap.
Where to actually pick up the cap
After you tap REDEEM, walk straight to a Pilatus ticket counter or the info desk at Pilatus Kulm summit (next to the souvenir shop). Show the active coupon screen to the staff member. They scan it, hand you a real navy blue Pilatus cap, and the coupon is marked redeemed in the app. Done.
- At Pilatus Kulm (the summit): ticket office near the cog-railway platform or the souvenir shop. Easiest if you take Route B (cog railway up).
- At Kriens valley station: the ticket counter just inside the entrance. Easiest if you take Route A (gondola).
- At Alpnachstad cog railway station: at the ticket window near the platform. Useful if you do the Golden Round Trip and end up at Alpnachstad.
If the first counter you ask is busy, just walk to the next one — the app coupon is valid at any Pilatus-branded counter, not just at one specific spot.
Quick tips from my own trip
- Time the redemption. Open the app while still on the gondola or cog train, navigate to step 4, but do not tap REDEEM yet. Press it as you step into the counter queue.
- Check the date on the coupon. Promotions change. The day I tested this it was a navy blue cap, but the gift can change seasonally. The app always shows the current offer.
- Vegetarian food at the summit is limited but exists — the self-service restaurant has a salad bar and a vegetable curry that is honestly decent. Carry snacks if you are picky.
- Best time to go up: start before 9 AM in summer. Cloud often rolls in by midday, and the panoramic views are the whole reason you came.
- Combine it with the Alpine Coaster on Day 3 of my Switzerland itinerary if you want to get the most out of one ticket.
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