Switzerland has many incredible hiking sites, and the Stoos Ridge Hike is among the most beautiful day hikes from Zurich or Luzern. During this hike, you will enjoy the amazing view over 10 lakes surrounded by the Swiss Alps.
This guide contains all the information necessary to plan your hike, including how to get there, what to bring, how long it will take, and more.
Practical
How to get to the Stoos Ridge
By car:
Drive to Stoosbahnen. There are 2 big Parking lots next to the funicular station plus plenty of paid parking spaces next to the road.
It should take around 40 minutes to get there from Luzern to Stoos and around 50 minutes from Zurich to Stoos.
By train:
From Zurich or Luzern, take a train to Schwyz and take a bus to Stoos from there. The trip is around 1h20min.
Fees
In 2025, the cost of the Peak Experience Ticket will be 56 CHF.
This ticket includes a return trip on the funicular plus a return trip on the chair lift Fronalpstock or Klingenstock (or a mix-and-match of these two, e.g., way up with the chair lift to Fronalpstock and way down with the chair lift from Klingenstock).
You can buy your tickets here.
What to bring
- Good pair of sturdy hiking shoes (there is a short, slippery part at the end)
- At least 1.5 liters of water per person on sunny days
- Sunscreen, sunglasses & hat on sunny days.
- Camera
When to go
The Stoos Ridge hiking trail is secured with chains from approximately the beginning of June until approximately the beginning of November. In winter, it is snow-covered and not passable. You can check the current accessibility information here
This is a highly popular hike, so try to get here as early as possible to avoid the buses of tourists arriving around 11 a.m. If you come to Switzerland during summer, avoid doing the hike during the weekend if possible.
Where to stay
Since Luzern and Zurich are only about one hour away from the funicular, these cities are great places to stay if you want to do the Stoos Ridge Hike.
Alternatively, you could stay overnight in the town of Schwyz if you want to get to the trail really early.
Even better, you could treat yourself and stay at the Fronalpstock Hotel, which guarantees the best view of the lake and surrounding mountains at sunset and sunrise.
Hike Overview
Option 1: Stoos Ridge Hiking Trail
Elevation: ↑ 365 m / ↓ 378 m
Distance: 4.7km
Difficulty: Medium (T3)
This route takes you from Klingenstock to Fronalpstock via the mountain's ridge. You can also do this hike in the opposite direction, starting in Fronalpstock and ending in Klingenstock. However, I would recommend doing it from Klingenstock to Fronalpstock because this way, you can always see the scenery in front of you, so you don’t have to constantly turn around to appreciate the views.
To get to the start of the trail, you will have to take the steepest funicular in the world to Stoos town. Once there, you will walk uphill for 10 - 15 minutes, following the signs to the Klingenstock chairlift that will take you to the beginning of the trail.
The Stoos Ridge hiking part should take you 2 to 3 hours to complete. Keep in mind that the whole trail has uphills and downhills, and most of it is made up of stairs.
At the end of the trail, next to the Fronalpstock Hotel, you will find the first chairlift that will take you halfway down and then change to a second chairlift (right next to where the first one left you) that takes you back to Stoos. After a 10-minute walk through the Stoos village, you will reach the funicular station that goes all the way down to the parking lot.
You should allow 4 to 6 hours for the whole activity (funiculaire, chair lifts, and Stoos Ridge hike), depending on how many pictures or technical stops you make.
Option 2: Fronalpstock Panorama Trail
Elevation: ↑ 80 m / ↓ 80 m /
Distance: 1.6 km
Difficulty: Easy
If you want to get the best view of Lucerne Lake without having to hike the whole Stoos Ridge, you can simply go to the right after you get off the funicular and take the 2 chair lifts that will get you to Frontalpstock. There, you will be able to go on a 30-minute stroll with amazing views of the Lake.
