Hello lovelies, as you all already know, we're a little family of adventurers. And for an adventure you don't always have to travel far – luckily, plenty of them are practically right on our doorstep. In collaboration with SBB RailAway* we got to test one of their combo packages and had a truly wonderful family day!! I can tell you this much already: we had an incredibly wonderful day. We picked Mount Pilatus as our destination, so we took the train and bus from Affoltern am Albis, via Zug and Lucerne to Kriens. The journey with the SBB was as smooth as ever. By now I'm a big train fan – especially with the kids it's uncomplicated and relaxed, and the family fun starts right on the way to the destination.
From Kriens we rode up in the Pilatus panorama gondola, because our actual destination lay at the Fräkmüntegg station: the Pilatus ropes course. With the RailAway combo package "Fun & Action am Pilatus", not only the journey by train and gondola is included, but also admission to the Pilatus ropes course.
The girls go first – since the two of them are 6, they're allowed into the PILU ropes course and can learn to fly. But of course the gear has to fit first! The park for the little ones (ages 4–8) is lovingly designed, and thanks to the safety clip they attach themselves, they can master the course quite independently and start over from the beginning again and again on their own.
After a short introduction from the super friendly staff, they were ready and the adventure could begin. Initial nerves were quickly overcome and they got the hang of it in no time. There was lots of climbing and flying practice – such fun! We were really proud of how well they did. And while the kids climb, mom and dad get to enjoy the dreamy view, before it got serious for us too!
Of course we parents didn't pass up the chance either and tried out the Pilatus ropes course with its various trails. In all there are 10 courses with around 100 elements and different difficulty levels, and even the "grown-ups" get a thorough briefing before they can set off. From age 8 you're allowed into the big ropes course, though not on every trail – you can find more detailed info on the homepage here. I'm really not afraid of heights, but it does take a little courage the first time, especially on the slides. But it's so much fun, and the scenery and the view from up top are an absolute dream. Where else can you enjoy something like this?!
We really spent several hours in the park and everyone had a great time. Right below the PILU ropes course there are picnic tables and a fire pit, so you can have a wonderful picnic there too. We only had an ice cream, though, and then decided to walk back down to the mid-station and visit the great playground there. The path is so lovely, with a dreamy view of Lake Lucerne. It's not too difficult and easy to walk with slightly older children (not suitable for strollers, though). Once at the mid-station, the big PILU-Land playground is really another highlight, and you can grill and picnic there as well. The girls could have stayed forever, but eventually we did have to catch the last gondola.
The way back by cable car and train was as easy as the way there – thanks to the SBB app you can check the exact times and the best connections. And so there was enough time to let the lovely day pass in review, enjoy the view, discuss who had been the bravest in the ropes course, and of course cuddle and rest. Because an adventure like that definitely makes you tired too.
We truly had such a wonderful family time, and once again it struck me how beautiful Switzerland is and what great things there are to discover with kids. Thanks to the incredibly good infrastructure, everything is so easy to reach, and combo packages like SBB RailAway don't just make trips like this affordable – you also broaden your horizons and try new things. If you are after more ideas: Mount Pilatus is Lucerne’s local mountain and pairs perfectly with a weekend in Lucerne with kids. For more Swiss family adventures, see our family weekend in Ticino and our trip to Locarno.
Have I got you in the mood too? I hope so, because the RailAway combo package "Fun & Action am Pilatus" makes for a wonderful day out for the whole family. It includes the journey and admission to the Pilatus rope park. (The giveaway we ran alongside this post at the time has long since ended.) Do tell me in the comments who would be the bravest in the rope park in your family!
Love, Verena
**This blog post was created in collaboration with SBB RailAway, but reflects my own opinion. *
