Hike down South Side of Mount Rigi from Staffel Station via Felsentor

Tuesday November 4, 2025 -- A beautiful day all over the country, and it would be a shame not to get out in the sunshine, but more importantly to get up into the mountains for the views because visibility was exceptional.

I headed onto Mount Rigi again, as it doesn't take long to get there and there are still so many hiking options for me. Back in September (photos HERE) I started at Rigi Scheidegg on the eastern side of the Rigi Range and hiked down to Lake Lauerz near Goldau. This time I started with the Vitznau Cogwheel train (the oldest mountain railway line in Europe built 1871) on the southwest flank of the mountain, disembarking that train at Rigi Staffel on its way to the summit at Rigi Kulm. From there I walked back down the southern flank of the mountain, although not quite to lake level.

The walk I did would be about 2½ to 3 hours at moderate walking speed. It was quite a bit of downhill again as well, but manageable. I started at 11:45 and got to the nearest bus stop above the lake at about 3 p.m. (the hillside development here is serviced by a small bus-van used mostly by school children)

PART I: Traveling from Vitznau with the Cogwheel Train to Rigi Staffel Station. 

I took the bus via Küssnacht to the Vitznau Rigibahn station, which is next to the boat dock for the Luzern boat, which was to arrive about five minutes later. I was lucky to get on the train first with a view window on the right side of the train (this time) with the best views on the way up. Shortly after settling in my seat, I watched the sheer unending stream of people arriving from the boat... it seemed like hundreds! 

As the bus runs along the Vierwaldstättersee from Weggis to Vitznau, I can see the boat from Luzern which will dock a few minutes after the bus gets to Vitznau. It is a popular tourist excursion to take the boat from Luzern, and then the cogwheel train to Rigi Kaltbad or Rigi Kulm, so I was glad that the bus would get there first! That long mountain range is Mt.Bürgenstock. 

11:05 arrival at Vitznau, with a look up the southern flank of Mt.Rigi. 

This is the boat station at Vitznau, and the ship is just arriving. The train station is around the building on the left, and I hurried on there to make it before the hordes of folks off the ship!

A look down at the town of Vitznau now, as the cogwheel train heads up to Rigi Kaltbad. I had the perfect seat for a view (and not going to give it up for the tourists!)

View over Lake Luzern (Vierwaldstättersee) as the train heads up the Rigi on its south side. The long, dark range on the right is Mt. Bürgenstock. Behind it in the center is Mt.Buochserhorn, and to its right is Mt. Stanserhorn. 

A zoomed view to the entrance of the Engelberg Valley between Mt. Buochserhorn and Mt.Stanserhorn. In the background you can see the snow-covered peaks of the Obwalden and Bernese Alps. (Including the north face of Mt.Eiger to the right of center). 

After leaving Rigi Kaltbad station, the train continues on to Rigi Kulm, this time with views on the north side of the mountain: This is Lake Zug, and my home is on the north side of this lake!

Also from the train you can see down to the Küssnacht arm of Lake Luzern and the town fo Küssnacht. 

And a view down the Küssnacht arm of Lake Luzern to Luzern's local mountain, the very popular Mt. Pilatus. The city of Luzern is at the end of the other smaller "arm" of the lake at the foot of Mt.Pilatus. 

I got off at the Rigi Staffel Station at 11:45, after a 30-minute trip from Vitznau station. Here is where I was going to start on my hike. The train continues on to the summit of Rigi Kulm, from where you can walk up to the tele-communication tower for some great views. 

This is the view of Lake Zug from Rigi Staffel station. The view is so clear this day that you can see all the way into Germany. 

A zoomed view of Mt.Pilatus. 

A look back at the Staffel Station and summit of Rigi Kulm

Zoomed view southeast past the other summits on the Rigi Range into the Uri Alps. 

And more to the east are the Schwyzer and Glarus Alps.

Just before heading up along the flank of Rigi Rotstock, another view north to the town of Küssnacht, and the view is far to the north all the way into Germany and the Jura mountains! (There is some fog on the Central Plateau). 

And now a final look past Rigi Staffel to Rigi Kulm as I head out on my walk, heading westward. 

PART II: Three-hour Hike from Rigi Staffel to Säntisberg

I started at Rigi Staffel at 11:45, and walked along the west side of Mt. Rotstock, joined the Rigi Panorama Trail, then descended to the Romiti train station along the Vitznau train line. Then I ended up on the "Mark Twain Rigi Trail" via Felsentor and caught a little bus at 3 p.m. to Weggis at Säntiberg. 

This hike down the southern flank of Mount Rigi, above Rigi Kaltbad and via Felsentor, is a descent of over 1000 meters, and takes almost three hours at intermediate walking time. I started on my hike at 11:45 and got to the bus stop at Bodenberg/Säntiberg at 3 p.m. 

This is another hill called Rotstock, but I didn't go all the way to the summit, as we had walked up there once before in November 2021, when we then walked to the Felsentor Train Station via Rigi Kaltbad (which was the walk that inspired me to do this one this day to walk to the Felsentor). 

A fantastic view toward the Mythen Mountains and the Glärnisch Massif to the East. 

A great place to set up my tripod for a self-timed photo!

After a forested section around the Rigi Rotstock, I descended toward the Hotel Bergsonne Rigi, on the south side of Mt. Rotstock. Shortly afterwards I joined the "Rigi Panorama Trail", which we have walked several times, especially in winter. 

First of many spectacular views southward of the lake and the Obwalden and Bernese Alps. 

Mt.Pilatus is recognizable in the west. 

This stretch is part of the "Rigi Panorama Trail". The entire cliff is covered in a steel net to prevent rockfall. A sign on the cliff wall indicates that this is "Kalknagelfluh", a conglomerate of limestone and pebbles which can best be compared to concrete. 

Gorgeous view from the Panorama Trail. On this beautiful day, there were many people walking on the Panorama Trail. 

A view of Rigi Kaltbad village as I start on my descent at the junction called Rigi First. 

When I walk alone, I try to find places where I can set up my tripod for some photos of myself with great backgrounds!

Views as I descend the mountain. 

I headed southward to a farm called Oberebnet. From here the trail heads northward again toward the Felsentor/Romiti station on the Vitznau/Rigi line. 

One of the buildings at the Oberebnet Farm. 

Farm house at Oberebnet. From here the trail heads northwards toward the Romiti/Felsentor station. 

View from a clearing on the forest trail, with still some nice colours to enjoy. 

A section through sun-dappled forest. 

I got to the Felsentor/Romiti station at 1:30 p.m., just as the Vitznau train was headed through here toward Rigi Kaltbad. (Note: When we ended the November 2021 hike here, it was the old red train which still ran here. These new trains are in operation since early 2022)

As it was quite hot, I stopped in the shade of the little train station for a small break. It was here where we ended the November 2021 hike via Rigi Rotstock. Not far from here is a geological site called "Felsentor" (i.e. "Cliff Gate") which I had determined to walk past on this hike. 

A look behind me to the railway line and the forest where I descended from the Oberebnet farm, plus the cliffs of Mt.Rigi. 

Down below now you can see the town of Vitznau in the little bay, from where the Vitznau train starts its climb up the mountain. 

A nice forest road. There were a few like this on the way down. 

Such a varied landscape!

What a magical place! The Felsentor is right around the corner to the right. 

This is the Felsentor ("Doorway through the Rock Wall")

On the other side of the Felsentor is a self-serve garden café, and this lovely look-out point. 

View from the Felsentor look-out point. 

The Felsentor Foundation was established in 1999 by Zen priest Vanja Palmers and Benedictine monk Brother David Steindl-Rast as a spiritual center and consists of a self-serve garden café, a seminar house, and an animal sanctuary. This explains why I saw a man dressed in orange doing yoga on the balcony!

I did have a look at the animal sanctuary, and got a critical stare from this resident!

From here on it looks like I joined the themed trail called "With Mark Twain to the Top of the Rigi". Mark Twain wrote a humourous book called "A Tramp Abroad" about his hike up the Rigi, and stated that "No trip to Switzerland is complete without a climb up the Rigi", which was the Tourist Motto of the times. Now it's to take the Jungfrau train to the highest train station in Europe. 

Quotes by Mark Twain re: The hike up Mount Rigi and passing through the Felsentor. 

Surface of a water trough. 

This place was too pretty to pass up, so I stopped for a break here. 

A look behind me at the cliff walls that I just passed. 

Along the way is the Heilig Kreuz Kapelle ("Holy Cross Chapel"), which was locked. It was built in 1685 by the citizens of Weggis. 

Afternoon light on the Vierwaldstätter Lake. 

And another very nice view directly to the south. 

Now I've reached the Upper Säntisberg.... Mark Twain hiked up this path!

Vitznau on the lake where the cogwheel train heads up the mountain. 

Final set of steps down to the nearest bus stop. I could have walked another 30 minutes and 250 meters right to lake level, but at this point I had descended over 1000 meters and had had enough!

PART III: Ride in a small Van-Bus back down to the lakeside at Weggis

The little van-bus that runs up here in the development between Vitznau and Weggis mostly transports kids home from school! But the trip down the winding roads to Weggis Dorf was another scenic ride! Along the lakeshore I caught a regular bus back to Küssnacht. 

Views from the bus ride down to lake level. 

Views from the bus ride down to lake level. 

Views from the bus ride down to lake level. 

In Weggis at the lakeshore I had to wait another 10 minutes for the connecting bus. 

Weggis village on Lake Luzern. 

It looks almost Mediterranean here!

I love the juxtaposition of tropical palm trees with nordic snow!

What my hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps, starting at Rigi Staffel and ending in the developement between Weggis and Vitznau. The red line is the Vitznau train line. 

These are all the hikes we have done so far on Mount Rigi.