Rigi Kulm is a small summit plateau with a railway station, a transmitter mast and a hotel. The view is the reason to go: you look over the Central Swiss lakes toward the Alps in one direction and the Swiss Plateau in the other. The Weggis-Vitznau tourism page says views from Rigi Staffelhöhe widen toward the Swiss Plateau, the Jura, the Black Forest, the Vosges and Lake Zug; what you actually see depends on the weather.
Getting to the top
All fares are adult, from rigi.ch, checked November 2026. The Swiss Travel Pass covers all three; see Rigi Bahn prices.
Sunrise on the Rigi
Sunrise here has a long history (see the Queen of the Mountains). Today Rigi Bahnen sells a sunrise ride: a special cogwheel train from Arth-Goldau (boarding also at the parking lot A4) timed for the sun, with alphorn music, and the ride runs only when the weather is good. The page says the decision is made on Thursdays. The dates published when we looked were for 2025, so we cannot give 2026 dates. Another travel guide suggests the first train from Vitznau in summer is around 06:30; that disagrees with the official offer, so check the timetable on rigi.ch.
Tips for the summit
- Dress for the top. It is cooler and windier than the lake, and snowy in winter.
- Look at the webcam before you go. Clouds or fog can hide everything. In autumn and winter the lowlands often sit under a “sea of fog” while the summit is sunny; see best time to visit.
- Walk part of the way. The ridge walks from Kulm are described in our hiking guide.
- Winter: trains run to the summit on the winter timetable; see Rigi in winter.
Not sure which mountain? The Rigi vs Pilatus comparison sets the two summits side by side.
Planning to stay overnight? Compare rooms in Rigi Kulm.
Search tours on ViatorAnother option next to the GetYourGuide choices above. Availability and prices vary.
Frequently asked questions
How high is Rigi Kulm?
About 1,797 m according to Wikipedia; some tourism sources round it to 1,798 m.
How do you get to Rigi Kulm from Rigi Kaltbad?
By the Vitznau–Rigi cogwheel train, which stops at Rigi Kaltbad on its way to the summit. The Weggis cable car connects directly to the train at Kaltbad. You can also walk, which takes roughly 2.5 to 3 hours per AllTrails.
Is there a sunrise train to Rigi Kulm?
Rigi Bahnen offers a sunrise ride with a special train from Arth-Goldau, with alphorn music, in good weather only. The decision is announced on Thursdays. The dates on the page we read were for 2025, so check shop.rigi.ch for 2026 and 2027.
Some links are affiliate links: if you book through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It funds the research behind this site.
