Stanserhorn

The Stanserhorn is the local mountain of Stans and lies at just under 1900 m above sea level.

11 reasons why you should visit the Stanserhorn

• The approach to the Stanserhorn is a double experience: first you ride the nostalgic funicular dating back to 1893, then you transfer to the ultra-modern convertible cable car with an open-air upper deck.
• In the revolving restaurant Rondorama up to 80 people can experience the panorama around the Stanserhorn with a 360° rotation during 45 min
• The Stanserhorn is a recognized power place of natural energy zones.
• From the viewing platform you can see about 100 km of the alpine chain with countless mountain peaks of the Alps
• The Stanserhorn offers a wide view of Mount Pilatus and the nearby lake district. These include Lake Lucerne, Lake Sempach, Lake Baldegg, Lake Hallwil and 6 other lakes in the area.
• 16 professional rangers are employed on the Stanserhorn. Every day, at least one of them is out and about to provide hikers with advice and assistance.
• The half-hour summit circuit is an easy hike with panoramic views.
• The Stanserhorn is an ideal starting point for mountain hikes of several hours with difficult climbs. Here, too, you will be rewarded with wonderful views along the way.
• On the Stanserhorn you can visit the cute marmots in their spacious enclosure just a few minutes' walk from the mountain station
• The revolving restaurant at the mountain station is famous for its delicious Älplermagronen.
• From the Stanserhorn you can do numerous activities such as hiking, paragliding and delta flying.

Sights on the Stanserhorn

The Stanserhorn has a nickname. In 2006, the "Club of Leading Lazy People" declared the Stanserhorn a lazy mountain. Since then, there has been the official "lazy zone" at the very top with a panoramic view. The view is explained by tape announcement.

The most beautiful sights on the Stanserhorn are indeed the 360° views. Even the ride on the CabriO cable car is an experience you can only take on the Stanserhorn. In addition, technology freaks can visit a part of the old railroad facilities in a museum.

• Bus trip to the Stanserhorn from Zurich

Sights on the Stanserhorn include:

• Viewing platform
• Stanserberg place of power
• Technical museum of the old railroad facilities
• Murmeli Park

Stanserhorn viewing platform

The viewing platform is located not far from the top station. From here you have a view of a whole 10 Swiss lakes:

• Lake Lucerne
• Lake Sarnen
• Lake Sempach
• Lake Baldegg
• Lake Hallwil
• Lake Zug
• Lake Wichel
• Lake Bannalp (reservoir)
• Lake Gerzen
• Lake Alpnachersee

Stanserhorn place of power

At its highest point at 1898 meters above sea level, the Stanserhorn unites the basic rays bundled from three sides, which together produce a value of 22,000 Bovis units. Therefore, the Stanserhorn is considered a place of special power. Its power potential is said to be about the same as that of the Mexican moon pyramid of Teotihuacán. This is also considered to be the reason why altitude dizziness and malaise can occur at the Stanserhorn already at about 2000 meters altitude.

Such places of power are sources of lines of force that cover the entire world. Often already in former times cult places, monasteries and churches were built at these places. On the Stanserhorn, one feels this power effect most strongly at the fireplace, which is located in a southeasterly direction.

Technical museum of the old railroad facilities

On the Stanserhorn, in a kind of museum, you can still admire the monumental gear train that belonged to the old drive station of the old funicular railroad on the mountain and was in operation for about 80 years.

The 3rd section of the old funicular went from Bluematt to the top of the Stanserhorn and stopped in the basement of the Hotel Stanserhorn. in 1970, a devastating fire broke out, destroying both the hotel and the top station. The cause at that time was a lightning strike in the Bluematt station, which reached the mountain station under the wooden shingles of the hotel via the 1276 m long exposed telephone line.

The two cars were rescued by the machinist, who allowed them to travel to the switch. When the ropes melted at the top station, the old caliper brakes reliably held the cars. The layout of the railroad was restored for the coming season and at the same time planning for modernization began. Until 1974, the railroad was still running in the two upper sections.

Since 1975, an aerial cableway has been running from the Chälti directly to the Stanserhorn. The Restaurant Rondorama was built on the foundation walls of the hotel.

Murmeli on the Stanserhorn

The cuddly marmots can be found in a marmot enclosure on the Stanserhorn. It is located very close to the Deltaflieger take-off area.

The best way to discover the marmot park is on the way from the summit to the middle station. The marmot enclosure has existed since 1912. It belongs to the Stanserhornbahn and is looked after by the rangers on the Stanserhorn. A total of up to six animals can live here. Especially for a family trip a visit to the marmot park is definitely recommended.

Mountain railroads Stanserhorn

The mountain railroads to the Stanserhorn could hardly be more different. First you climb one of the oldest funicular railroads in Switzerland. The second part of the journey is with one of the most modern cable cars.

The season on the Stanserhorn runs from April to November.

Offer at Swiss Activities:

• Stanserhorn ticket funicular and convertible

Ride on the nostalgic funicular railway

The first section of the journey to the Stanserhorn is via a nostalgic funicular dating back to 1893. The technology with automatically acting rail brakes was unique at the time and was considered high-tech.

Until 1974, the funicular ran in three sections up to the Stanserhorn. It took 45 minutes and could carry up to 40 passengers. The gradient reached up to 63%. The old railroad cars of the first section were restored in 2009 and 2010 and are still in operation today.

Over a length of 1556 m, the railroad runs from Stans (450 m above sea level) to the Chälti (Kälti) transfer station, which is located at 714 m above sea level. The maximum gradient on this line is 27.5%, on average it is 17%. The line is single track (with Abt's switch) and has only a few curves. It crosses two bridges and passes through a tunnel. For this first stage, the nostalgia train takes 9 min. On busy days, the train runs every ten minutes.

Ride on the modern double-decker CabriO aerial tramway

The aerial cableway runs in the second stage of the Stanserhornbahn from the Chälti transfer station (714 m above sea level) to the top station at 1850 m above sea level. On request, the cable car stops at the former Bluematt station (1222 m above sea level).

The pure travel time for covering the 2320 m length (1139 m altitude difference) is also 9 min. Including the transfer time, the train takes just under 25 min for both stages. Up to 60 passengers can be accommodated in a double-decker gondola.

The aerial tramway moves on two pairs of suspension cables, which are 5 m apart. The upper deck is accessible from the lower cabin via a central spiral staircase. Operation is by means of two haul rope loops that are endlessly spliced. An upper loop runs between the two cabins, which travel alternately, and the top station. The second runs over the bottom station. This means that in the event of technical defects, cabins can be taken to the next station before repairs are carried out.

The average gradient of the aerial tramway to the Stanserhorn is 56.38%, but reaches a maximum of 73%. For the cabins suspended between the trolleys, rapid pendulum movements are prevented by hydraulic cylinders.

Activities on the Stanserhorn

Although the Standerhorn is called "lazy mountain", there are popular activities on the mountain that have absolutely nothing to do with lazing around. First and foremost, these include hiking. On a 30-minute summit walk, you'll see marmots in an enclosure and meet rangers who can name the mountains around you or explain the plants along the way. The path starts next to the mountain restaurant and leads to the Adlerfluh. The view goes far into the Obwaldnerland and towards Brünig. The further path runs gently to the summit and offers a view of up to 100 km of alpine chain and the ten lakes.

The Stanserhorn is also very well known as a launching site for hang gliders and paragliders. The Deltaclub Stans has been active here since the 1970s.

Among the most popular activities on the Stanserhorn are:

• hang gliding and delta flying
• Paragliding
• Hiking

Hang gliding and delta flying

The oldest delta flying club in Switzerland is active on the Stanserhorn. Deltaflieger, hang gliders or hang gliders are motorized aerial sports equipment carried by the pilot during take-off and landing. During flight, the pilot hangs in a harness sitting or belly-down under the wing.

The altitude difference during a take-off from the Stanserhorn is about 1300 m. The three landing sites Wolfenschiessen, Ennetmoos and Oberdorf/Büren are located at just over 500 m above sea level.

The delta gliders are set up on an area next to the hiking trail below the summit. There is a wind indicator at the launch site. The takeoff is next to the trail in southern direction. A second take-off point towards the north is slightly elevated directly next to the set-up area.

Typically, delta gliders consist of a wing with about 11 m span. The wing is covered with fabric and held in shape by a sturdy frame. For ground transportation, the glider can be folded and carried in a long bag.

The transport of the deltas is taken over by the Stanserbahn for an extra charge up to the middle station and from there it continues on the deck of the gondola every second trip. On busy days, transports are taken over by the railroad only before ten o'clock and after two o'clock. Tandem flights from the Stanserhorn are offered by surrounding flight schools.

Paragliding

Paragliding on the Stanserhorn is becoming increasingly popular. Above the Rinderalp, to the east of the restaurant, is the official paragliding launch site. It is reached after about 10 min of descent via a hiking trail.

The starting altitude is on the alpine meadow at about 1650 m above sea level (coordinates: 669.570/198.320). Exceptionally, paraglider pilots also use the south launch site of the Delta pilots. In the mornings the takeoff is to the south in the steep grassy slopes, otherwise the normal takeoff orientation is to the north.

The landing site is in Stans, usually above the cantonal hospital on a mowed meadow (the windsock gives a hint). You can book tandem flights at nearby flight schools

Hikes on the Stanserhorn

On the Stanserhorn there are both easy hiking trails and more challenging mountain trails. On the ridge at an altitude of 1226 m lies the popular little vacation resort of Wirzweli.

Special round trip rates are offered by the Stanserbahn for short and easy round trips. In this flyer of the Stanserhornbahn, further hikes are described and supplemented with an overview map.

These are the two hikes:

Stans - Stanserhorn - Wirzweli - Dallenwil - Stans

The hike starts with the ascent from Stans to the Stanserhorn. The hike from the top of the mountain to Wirzweli takes about 2.5 hours. At Wirzweli, take the cable car for the descent to Dallenwil and from there take the S4 train back to Stans.

Stans - Stanserhorn - Wiesenberg - Dallenwil - Stans

After the ascent to the Stanserhorn, a two-hour hike leads to Wiesenberg. The cable car to Dallenwil departs from Wiesenberg. The return journey from Dallenwil to Stans is by train S4.

Steep and longer mountain hikes

A rather difficult hike starts at the middle station in Chälti and takes at least 4.5 hours. The trail is marked white-red-white and involves an ascent of about 1300 meters in altitude

The longer hikes on the Stanserhorn are always panoramic hikes. A huge alpine panorama and ten lakes, including the large Lake Lucerne, impress every mountain hiker

These hiking routes are especially popular:

• Stanserhorn - Ächerlipass - Arvigrat - Gräfimattnollen - Schluchberg - Storeggpass
• Wirzweli - Stanserhorn
• Stanserhorn - Ächerli - Arvigrat - Gummen (Wirzweli)

Events on the Stanserhorn and Stanserhorn Ranger

Individual events on the mountain are for example events of the yodel club Wiesenberg or hikes from the lake to the mountain. These hikes start as a day or night hike in Lucerne and end at the Stanserhorn. The day hike starts in Lucerne at 8:00 in the morning. Arrival at the Stanserhorn is 22:00. The night session starts at 19:00 in Lucerne and ends around 7:00 at the Stanserhorn. The Stanserhorn mountain run is also a regular event on the mountain.

A special feature on the Stanserhorn are the 16 rangers. The Stanserhorn rangers are available to visitors. Every day, a ranger is on the move between the revolving restaurant and the summit between 10:00 and 16:00. He shows special features about flora and fauna or tells anecdotes. You can also book a ranger for a group tour.

Some of the recurring events:

• May 1st Day of Lounging: Bring your own deck chair
• End of June: Mountain service with musical entertainment
• Beginning of July: Stanserhorn Mountain Run and Nordic Walk
• Middle of July: OldtimAIR air parade on the Stanserhorn
• End of July: Mountain service with musical entertainment
• August 1: Swiss national holiday: bonfire
• End of August: Mountain service with musical entertainment
• End of September: Mountain service with musical entertainment

Restaurants and overnight accommodations on the Stanserhorn

On the Stanserhorn itself, overnight stays have not been possible since 1970. The Hotel Stanserhorn was completely destroyed by a lightning strike as early as 1970. The revolving restaurant Rondorama at the summit lets up to 80 people turn once around 360 degrees in 43 min.

Hotels in Stans are:

• Hotel Engel
• Stanserhof
• Stans South

Revolving Restaurant Rondorama Stanserhorn

The revolving restaurant at the summit has a five-star layout and rotates on its own axis inside with up to 80 guests. We have compiled some figures on the Rondorama for you here.

• 200 people can be seated in the Rondorama, of which the revolving table holds 80 guests.
• 50 persons in the Bucher & Durrer Stubli
• 40 persons in the Stanserhorn Stubli, directly accessible via a spiral staircase from the entrance of the Rondorama or via a ramp near the terrace
• 100 persons in the exhibition room
• 400 persons on the sun terrace

Open daily on days when the railroads are also running. Groups of 20 people or more are served at the table at lunchtime, and 50 people or more in the evening.

The self-service restaurant offers Älplermagronen as a speciality. They are served in the Edelweiss pot. The restaurant uses only ingredients from Switzerland and the wider Alpine region. On fine weather days, a self-service outdoor kiosk is also open.

Thursday evening trips:

On these evenings, in addition to the self-service restaurant, table service is available from 18:00. Hot a la carte cuisine is available until 21:00. You can pick up a delicious cheese fondue in the self-service restaurant. We recommend you to make a reservation on these evenings

The cable car runs every 30 min. The last descent is at 23:00. From 17:00 o'clock a reduced evening tariff is valid.

Romantic Candle Light Dinner on the Stanserhorn

On Fridays and Saturdays, dinner is served in the revolving restaurant from 18:00. Train ride and dinner can be booked as a complete package. Last descent is at 23:00. A reservation in the restaurant is important.

Breakfast on the Stanserhorn

On weekends and holidays a tray is prepared between 9:00 and 10:30 a.m. with Birchermüsli, mountain cheese, apricot juice and other ingredients. In addition, a selection of bread and croissants is available. During the week there is self-service breakfast. Combined Zmorge-Bahn tickets are offered.

Climate on the Stanserhorn

The Stanserhorn is located at almost 2000 m above sea level and therefore often affected by rapid changes in weather. The months of October and April often even have sub-zero temperatures. You should therefore always have warm clothing with you, especially when hiking. Windproof rain jackets are just as important as good mountain boots. The warmest temperatures are measured in July with an average of 16 degrees Celsius.

Stanserhorn: location and approach

The Stanserhorn is the local mountain of Stans, the cantonal capital of Nidwalden. Stans is reached within fifteen minutes from Lucerne by car or train. The bottom station of the mountain railroad is a five-minute walk from Stans train station. The journey from the valley station to the Stanserhorn by funicular and from the middle station by CabriObahn takes a total of 24 min.

By train you take the Zentralbahn from Lucerne to Stans. By car you take the A2 to exit 32-Stans-Nord to Stans. There is a parking lot at the Stanserhornbahn. However, there are 24 other parking lots in Stans. Be careful, the parking lots A1-A17 have a limited parking time of maximum two hours.