The Rigi was an early symbol of Alpine tourism. Its summit view, reachable in a few hours, made it a stop on the 19th-century grand tour, and the first rack railway made it easy to reach.
The railways
The Vitznau–Rigi line opened on 21 May 1871 as Europe’s first mountain railway, and the Arth–Rigi line from the other side followed on 4 June 1875 (Wikipedia). The Weggis-Vitznau tourism page describes historic cars from 1871 to 1911 and steam locomotives built in 1923 and 1925 on the Vitznau line. The Panorama Trail to Scheidegg follows the track bed of a former railway that ran from 1875 to 1931 (Schwyz Tourismus). The Weggis–Rigi Kaltbad cable car opened in 1968 (Wikipedia).
Mark Twain on the Rigi
Mark Twain visited the Rigi on his tour of Central Europe in the late 1870s and wrote about it in A Tramp Abroad. The chapters cover the walk up, the hotel and the sunrise. A 1980 Christian Science Monitor article says he and his companion looked for the sunrise in the wrong direction. If you want the full account, the book is on Project Gutenberg.
Sunrise tradition
Waking for sunrise on the Kulm is an old habit; the Monitor article mentions that guests were once woken by an alphorn blast. Today the sunrise is offered as a special train; see Rigi Kulm.
Why it matters today
The old railway line is a hiking route, the historic trains still run in summer, and the mountain is a short ride from Lucerne. Start with how to get there or the prices.
Combine history and a hike. Walk the old railway line from Kaltbad to Scheidegg; see hiking.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Rigi called the Queen of the Mountains?
It is the traditional nickname for the massif, which rises between Lake Lucerne, Lake Zug and Lake Lauerz. Rigi Bahnen and tourism sources use it.
What was Europe's first mountain railway?
The Vitznau–Rigi Bahn, which opened on 21 May 1871 (Wikipedia). The Weggis-Vitznau tourism page also calls it Europe's first mountain railway.
What did Mark Twain write about the Rigi?
In A Tramp Abroad he describes climbing to the Rigi-Kulm hotel and waiting for the sunrise. A 1980 Christian Science Monitor retrospective says he looked west and missed it. Read the book chapters for yourself.
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