One of the biggest highlights of Central Switzerland, Mount Titlis is an easily accessible glacier with stunning views of snow-capped mountains and beautiful Alpine landscapes. A worthy alternative to the pricey (and super crowded!) Jungfraujoch, Mt. Titlis is always our recommendation to visitors asking for a snow-capped mountain to discover in Switzerland.
At ~3200 m, Titlis is one of the highest mountains in Switzerland and is perpetually covered in snow. The landscapes from the top are absolutely breathtaking – spending a day at Mt. Titlis is a must when in Switzerland! Continue reading for the complete guide to visiting Mt. Titlis.
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Where is Mount Titlis
Mt. Titlis is located in Central Switzerland between the cantons of Obwalden & Bern. At ~3200 m, Titlis is the highest peak in this part of the Alps. It is accessed through the resort town of Engelberg, located ~35 km from Lucerne. Encircled by tall peaks, Engelberg is a beautiful town in this imposing, yet romantic valley. It is the perfect starting point for snow sports during the winter and hiking in the summer.
What is the best time to visit Mount Titlis
Mount Titlis is a year-round destination with fantastic activities both during the summer and during the winter. I prefer visiting during the summer though since I’d rather not be in sub-zero temperatures!
So, irrespective of the time of year, pick a sunny day and head to Mount Titlis! Check the Titlis webcams to ensure you’re picking the right time for a visit. Try and avoid the peak summer season if you can since those see the most no. of tour buses which could mean longer wait times for the cable cars.
How much time do you need to visit Mount Titlis
Plan for a full day for this excursion, if not more! Going through all the highlights at the top of Mount Titlis takes a couple of hours. You will also need a few hours enjoying the lower areas of Trübsee and the wonderful hikes in that area. Add to that the travel time (plus the wait time for the cable cars) and you’ve easily got a full day covered.
Do you need a tour to visit Mount Titlis
Not at all! Like most destinations in Switzerland, the transportation options are very well organized and super-efficient. It’s very easy to visit Mt. Titlis on a day trip from Lucerne or Zurich.
Continue reading below for all the details on how to visit Mount Titlis and the best things to do there.
Have limited time in Switzerland? Here’s a 5-day Switzerland itinerary to take in the best of the country!
How to get to Mount Titlis
Mt. Titlis is easily accessible both by public transportation or by your own car.
By train: Take the train to Engelberg. Once at Engelberg, walk the 5-10 min or take the bus B10 to the Mt. Titlis cable car station (Titlis Talstation).
Lucerne to Mount Titlis
There are trains every hour from Lucerne to Engelberg. More frequent connections (every 20-30 minutes) are available in the morning hours. It takes ~45min to reach Engelberg from Lucerne.
Zurich to Mount Titlis
There are trains every hour from Zurich to Engelberg, with a change at Lucerne. It takes ~1hr50min to reach Engelberg from Zurich.
By car: Take the A2/ E35 from Lucerne towards Gotthard Pass and take the exit at Stans-Sud. Follow the signs to Engelberg and then to the cable car station. The Mt. Titlis cable car station (Titlis Talstation) has a large parking lot but it does get filled up soon so try and visit early in the day.
Once at the cable car station, head to the ticket counter. If you purchased your tickets online, show those at the counter to get the physical tickets which will be required to cross all the turnstiles.
The trip up to Mt. Titlis is in 3 parts,
- Engelberg – Trübsee (10 minutes): An 8 seater gondola takes you from Engelberg to Trübsee. I’d recommend visiting Trübsee on your way down, so remain seated in the gondola till the station of Stand.
- Trübsee – Stand (10 minutes): Remain seated at the Trübsee stop till you reach Stand.
- Stand – TITLIS (5 minutes): Take the famous rotating cable car to the final station at ~3000 m above sea-level. This is a standing room only cable car so try and snag a spot near the windows to take in the fantastic views. The gondola rotates at a very very low speed so don’t worry about feeling dizzy! It makes the entire 360 degrees rotation in about 5-minutes, which is the total duration of the trip.
Check the operating times of the gondolas here.
Tickets for Mount Titlis
An Engelberg – Titlis return trip costs CHF 96 – I know, it’s pricey! But it is worth it! Visiting a glacier was never so easy, so if you’re in Switzerland, don’t miss the chance. Check the latest prices here. Any activities (such as the Ice Flyer or the Trübsee Flyer zipline) cost extra – these can be purchased with the ticket at the ticket counter.
You can buy your tickets on the SBB app or at the ticket counter.
Is Mount Titlis covered in the Swiss Pass/ Eurail Pass
You get a 50% discount with the SBB half-fare travelcard / GA travelcard / Swiss Travel Pass / Bernese Oberland Regional Pass.
With the Eurail / Interrail Pass, you get a 25% discount.
What is the weather like at Mount Titlis
At the peak of the mountain, there’s only one season – Winter! Perpetually covered in snow, Mt. Titlis is cold and windy! Even on a warm summer day when it’s 25+ deg C at Engelberg, Mt. Titlis will be at <10 deg C. Which brings me to…
What to wear to Mount Titlis
You’ll need to wear warm clothes, in layers. Carry a warm cap and gloves since it can get really cold and windy at the summit, even during the summer. You also need closed, sturdy shoes since you will be walking on snow and ice.
What to do at Mount Titlis
There are 5 levels at the summit of Mt. Titlis and here’s an outline of those:
Once you exit the rotating cable car, head straight to the top level and,
Take in the spectacular landscape from the viewing platforms
As you step out on the top floor, be prepared to drop your jaw in awe at the magnificent scenery around you – and perhaps bundle up a bit as you feel the chill of the cold air!
The breathtaking views of snow-capped mountaintops and untouched Alpine landscapes will have you braving the cold. Walk around the platform for 360-degree views of the beautiful mountains.
Walk into the snow to head towards the Cliff Walk next.
Get thrilled at Mt. Titlis Cliff Walk/ Mt. Titlis Bridge
The Cliff Walk is one of the best parts of visiting Mount Titlis! At 3000+ metres altitude, 500 metres off the ground, this suspension bridge is absolutely thrilling.
The snow-capped mountains are so much closer and the views of the glacial abyss looking down through the mesh of the bridge makes it a spectacular experience!
Feel the breeze with Mt. Titlis Ice Flyer
The Titlis Ice Flyer is a chair lift that takes you over the glacier to the Glacier Park for more up-close views. The tickets for this chair lift need to be bought separately – you can buy them together with your tickets at the ticket counter.
Do note that the Ice Flyer chair lift will remain closed in summer 2020.
Play in the snow
What could be more fun than enjoying the snow – especially during the summer! Enjoy snow tubing at the Glacier Park or a snowball flight right next to the viewing platforms!
Admire the Glacier Cave
The Glacier Cave at Mt. Titlis is an absolutely magical place with ice dating back 5000 years! The 150-metre long walkway is bathed in a dim turquoise light and descends 10 metres below the glacier.
Sub-zero temperatures inside the cave really make you feel transported to the ice age! There are several cool sculptures inside the cave which are super fun to discover since they keep changing these every few months.
You can access the glacier cave from Level 1 of the TITLIS mountain station or while descending from the cliff walk.
Hike! (or Sled/ Ski!)
During the summer, hiking is a fantastic way to take in all that the Titlis region has to offer. There are many many trails in this region ranging from easy to strenuous. Check these out here. More summer activities can be found here.
During the winter, choose from skiing, tobogganing and activities at the snow parks. Check out the winter activities at Titlis here
Have a warm meal/ Enjoy some chocolates
Pick between the Panorama Restaurant which serves regional delicacies and fantastic desserts, all with well, panoramic views of the glacier, or the self-service restaurant which has a simpler menu but the same views.
Pick up some chocolates or souvenirs from the several shops – keep in mind everything will be quite expensive here!
Make a stop at Trübsee
Trübsee is a beautiful lake located at the middle station Trübsee. Enjoy the beautiful views at the lake – rowing a boat here is a wonderful way to do that here! Or if you are feeling adventurous, take the zipline down to the lake.
Where to stay to visit Mount Titlis
You can visit Mt. Titlis on a day trip from Lucerne or Zurich. However, if you want to take in everything that the region has to offer, including the fantastic hikes, plan to spend a couple of days here – stay at Engelberg or Trübsee.
Find places to stay near Mt. Tilis here.
Mount Titlis or Mount Rigi/ Pilatus
Short answer – both!
There are very different experiences to be had at either of the mountains and both are worth a visit (though I’d recommend Rigi over Pilatus). Mt. Titlis is always covered in snow and is one of the best mountains in Switzerland to visit (cheaper than Jungfraujoch and better views!) to see glaciers and indulge in snow activities.
Mount Titlis or Jungfraujoch
Mt. Titlis is always our recommendation to visitors asking for a snow-capped mountain to discover in Switzerland. It’s cheaper than Jungfraujoch and the ride up is much more scenic, unlike Jungfraujoch where the train goes through a tunnel for the last part of the ride and it can get boring (and slightly claustrophobic!).
Titlis is also less crowded than Jungfraujoch (relatively only though since both are very popular attractions!). But it’s better to stand in the short cable car ride up to Titlis rather than the longer 1.5 hrs+ train ride to Jungfraujoch.
Don’t visit both though since the experiences would be fairly similar and both are quite expensive.
Practical tips for visiting Mount Titlis
- Make sure you check the Titlis webcams before visiting to ensure you’re picking the right time for a visit. If it’s very cloudy/ rainy there’s no point in making the trip.
- Dress warm and wear sturdy, closed shoes
- Don’t forget your sunglasses as the glare from the snow can be quite blinding
- Arrive early to avoid too many crowds and tour buses
Have you been to Mount Titlis? What was your favourite part?
Planning a visit? Let me know if you have any questions below!
If you found this useful, please share and spread the love!
More information for your trip to Switzerland:
ITINERARY GUIDE: Travel guide to Switzerland | 5 days in Switzerland | Best time to visit Switzerland
BUCKET LIST DESTINATIONS: 25 best places to visit in Switzerland
HIDDEN GEMS: 10 hidden gems in Switzerland
TRAIN RIDES: The Golden Pass train line
HIKES: Bannalpsee | Oeschinensee | Hike to Bachalpsee | Swiss Grand Canyon | Gornergrat hike | 5 lakes hike
LAKES: 7 most beautiful lakes in Switzerland | Lake Brienz | Melchsee-Frutt
MOUNTAINS: Mount Titlis | Mount Rigi | Schynige Platte
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Mount Titlus is stunning. It never fails to amaze me how absolutely breathtaking that Switzerland is in general. It is definitely high on my travel bucket list!
Lucerne and Zurich are both on my bucket list, so I’ll make sure to add Mt Titlis to our list! This is so helpful and looks like such a beautiful place!
WOW this looks amazing and that suspension bridge looks very cool for sure. I would love to visit maybe in a few years
Wow this was like revisiting our holiday again to Mount Titlis.And it brought back such wonderful memories of that summer. We loved the bus trip from Zurich as well touching Lucerne on the way for few hours. The views as we went up the rope-way, the Glacier Cave and Cliff Walk were all so very special. Loved going back again.
So beautiful! Switzerland is amazing, it never fails to impress me and want for more
How incredibly gorgeous! I can’t believe I grew up in Switzerland but never even knew about Mount Titlis! This is why I always say that we don’t even need to go to a different country to have wonderful adventures. There’s so much in our own homes that we haven’t even discovered yet. Thanks for your wonderful photos and write-up.
Oh wow, there are so many incredible views to check out! I would definitely want to walk across that bridge and visit the glacier cave, they both look like ‘must-see’ experiences if you’re going to be there. Thank you for sharing all of your pictures, I scrolled slowly through them just imagining being there myself – it was almost as good as the real thing (for now anyway, until we’re allowed to travel again lol)
It looks incredible! I’ve never been to Switzerland (except for a brief layover in the airport between planes), but always wanted to go one not just because of the chocolate. 🙂 If I can make it there, it will definitely include a trip to the Alps. Thanks for all the useful information.
The views from that mountain are simply picturesque! You look so happy in the photos and I loved to read that you can visit any time of year.
Wow!!! I love the Glacier Cave, but the Cliff Walk might be a little outside my comfort zone. There’s something for everyone, even tubing for those who don’t ski! Awesome post!
It is all so beautiful! I would love to visit one day, and just explore. The beauty of the lake was just unbelievable! Thanks for sharing, and also great photos!
This looks like a fun adventure, those views are gorgeous and that ice cave is stunning.
That Glacial cave looks amazing! I’ve been in gondolas skiing before but never a rotating one. The views are spectacular and I’m sure as beautiful as these pictures are they don’t do Mt Titlis justice.
I can not wait until we can travel again. Switzerland is one of my top favorite countries. The landscapes are just incredible. Great tips on Mount Titlis.
This is awesome, we love Switzerland and can’t wait to go back. Last time we did Pilatus and Schilthorn when we stayed in Interlaken but we’re on the lookout for others so this is ideal. I just love how accessible these incredible mountains and landscapes are over there.
Mount Titlis sounds like it deserves a spot right up there on my Bucket List. The views are just glorious and the bridge walk would be a super cool experience. I was glad to hear that there is somewhere up there to take in the views from a warm restaurant with hot food and drinks. Because, as you say, there is only one season on the peak of a mountain – winter!
We had about 10 days in Switzerland and it definitely was not enough time to see it all. We saw some snow in the distance. But it would be fascinating to visit Mt Titlis covered in snow all year round. And thus we will remember to pack some warm clothes even in the summer. Good to know we should plan for a full day to see it all. We definitely want time to do the cliff walk! And to stop to wander around Trubsee. Definitely a spot for our return visit.
This is such a useful guide and the photos are just gorgeous. I love the idea of the rotating gondola – I don’t think I’ve been on one before. I’ve added Mount Titlis to my travel wishlist.
Wow! Just wow.
I really don’t know where to start?! The mountains, the glacier cave, the lakes… perfect!
Just stunning.