Did you know that many tourists especially from Asia travel to Stoos simply because of this pioneering technical achievement?
Our tip: Hike up the Fronalpstock, from where you have a fantastic view of ten lakes and the Alps. The sunrise is beautiful. Take the first cable car and enjoy the magical colors as the sun rises over the mountains.
Stoosbahn with an absolute spectacle for technology-loving tourists
Get ready to be amazed, by the engineering feat of the Stoos Bahn, which holds the title of the worlds funicular with an impressive gradient of 110%. This thrilling ride takes you from the Schwyz valley station up to the Stoos high plateau offering an unforgettable experience full of excitement and awe.
As you journey towards the car mountain village of Stoos anticipation grows with each passing moment knowing that you are embarking on an adventure, into the heart of the Swiss Alps. The excitement doesn’t end there. Continue your exploration by taking a chairlift to either Fronalpstock or Klingenstock where breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding landscapes await.
Mountain village Stoos car-free
The Stoosbahnen (funicular from Schwyz & aerial cableway from Morschach) provide access to the car-free mountain village of Stoos – and with a world record to boot. With a maximum gradient of 110%, the funicular from Schwyz to Stoos is the steepest in the world. A technical marvel that makes even the journey there an experience. Once you arrive on Stoos, you are greeted by a panoramic and vacation paradise in both summer and winter.
Stoos is a quaint village and ski destination situated in the heart of Switzerland. Visitors can enjoy a range of pursuits including skiing, snowboarding, hiking and paragliding while taking in the breathtaking vistas of the mountains and Lake Lucerne. Families often choose Stoos as a favored day trip spot, due, to its family attractions diverse dining options and lodging facilities.
Mountain chapel with a view of the Mythen
Idyllic chapel with a view of Mythen
The hilltop chapel known as “Maria zum Schnee” in the mountain village of Stoos was constructed in 1904 showcasing Swiss architecture. This charming chapel attracts visitors seeking an atmosphere and breathtaking vistas of the nearby mountains.
Wellness with a mountain view…
The Seminar and Wellness Hotel Stoos is located at an elevation of 1300 meters, on a plateau overlooking Lake Lucerne nestled charmingly in the mountain village of Stoos. Surrounded by mountain ranges. Striking rocky peaks that stand tall against the sky.
Stoos is a spot, for nature enthusiasts seeking serenity or those looking to rejuvenate their mind and body after a day of seminars.
Stoos world record track
A technical marvel
The longest wall in the world is in China, the tallest tower in Dubai, and the steepest funicular? Where? In Switzerland, of course! The funicular is a technical marvel and has an incline of up to 110 percent. The special thing about it is that passengers are always seated horizontally thanks to automatic level compensation.
Normal funicular railroads usually use carriages with stepped compartments to compensate for the incline. As a result, the platforms in the stations are designed like steps. This was the case with the old Stoosbahn.
Thanks to the new technology, the carriages of the new funicular are completely horizontal in the stations and, despite the extreme steepness of the funicular, boarding and alighting in the stations is at ground level, even for people with baby carriages and wheelchairs.
The four passenger cabins consist of cylindrical elements with large windows and space for 34 passengers each. Each compartment rotates according to the incline being traveled on, so that the passenger level is always horizontal.
International media described the train as a triumph of engineering. The steepest funicular in the world is still a magnet for technology freaks today and even the Japanese are rubbing their eyes.
From the Schwyz valley station to the Stoos mountains
The steepest funicular railroad in the world takes you from the Schwyz valley station to the Stoos high plateau at a gradient of 110%. From there, a chairlift takes you up to the Stoos mountains – the Fronalpstock and Klingenstock.
Fronalpstock chairlift
Fronalpstock and Klingenstock are the most important panoramic mountains
The Fronalpstock has an altitude of 1,921 meters. From the summit of the Fronalpstock, you have a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains such as the Pilatus, the Rigi and the Mythen massif, as well as Lake Lucerne.
The Klingenstock has an altitude of 1,623 meters above sea level. From the summit of the Klingenstock, you have a wonderful panoramic view of the surrounding mountains and Lake Lucerne.
A breathtakingly beautiful view of the whole of Lake Lucerne and the mountains will fascinate you…
Activities in summer
View from the Fronalpstock
The mountain village high above Lake Lucerne is a destination for varied family excursions and offers a wide range of mountain sports and breathtaking views on the Fronalpstock panoramic terrace and on the ridge hike between Klingenstock and Fronalpstock. Families can discover the Teufböni moor on an adventure trail and play with water at Stoos-Seeli (little lake Stoos).
Ridge hike from the Klingenstock to the Fronalpstock
After a short walk through the idyllic mountain village of Stoos, you reach the chairlift station on the Klingenstock.
One of the most beautiful ridge trails in Switzerland with breathtaking views of the mountains and lakes of Central Switzerland now begins on the Klingenstock summit. The trail leads in a westerly direction to the Rot Turm and the Nollen. The ascent to the Huser Stock can also be made, or you can continue directly down to the Furggeli. The developed mountain trail has been partly hewn into the rock and secured with chains. However, some surefootedness and a head for heights are required.
3 km cycle track on the Stoos
From the alpine hut at Furggeli, there is one last ascent to the Fronalpstock summit, where you can relax in the highest restaurant in the canton of Schwyz and enjoy the panorama.
The hike takes about 2 hours with a 402m ascent to the summit and a 423m descent. More details about the hike in the video below.
Activities in winter
35 kilometers of fun on the slopes can be experienced in the winter sports area on the Fronalpstock and Klingenstock. Beginners and advanced skiers alike will find a piste to suit their needs, as well as a course in the snow sports school to suit their ability. Cross-country ski trails, freestyle park and winter hiking trails are groomed daily. Sledgers and airboarders whizz down the slopes on separate pistes on the Fronalpstock.
There is a toboggan run on Stoos, the so-called “Stoos toboggan run”. The toboggan run is around 3 kilometers long and leads from the mountain station of the Klingenstock lift back to the village of Stoos. The run offers beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and is suitable for children and adults. Toboggans can be hired on site.
More about Stoos-Bahnen here.
Video Switzerland’s Gravity-defying Railway | Europe From Above | National Geographic UK
The Stoos Bahn is the steepest funicular railway in the world and is paraded as a masterpiece of Swiss engineering. Despite its futuristic sci-fi look, this train is not just marvellous to look at, it is the lifeline for the villagers of Stoos in the wintertime when no other trains can connect them to the rest of Switzerland. Using expert engineering, this train hauls passengers from the valley floor up a near-vertical 110% gradient, to the beautiful village of Stoos and its famous ski resort.
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Video of the Klingenstock-Fronalpstock ridge hike
Be inspired by the beauty of the mountains…
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