Vitznau – the village of mountain railway pioneers

Vitznau lies on the shores of Lake Lucerne and at the southern foot of the Rigi. Thanks to its sheltered situation, the village benefits from an exceptionally mild climate that allows palm trees and grapes to thrive.

Vitznau is the ideal starting point for exploring the Lake Lucerne region on foot, by bicycle or boat or by aerial cableway and cogwheel railway.

Engineering history was written in Vitznau in 1871: the steam-powered Vitznau-Rigi Railway was the first cogwheel railway ever to be built in Europe. Today, the Rigi is a Mecca for fans of cogwheel railways and aerial cableways, with the added advantage of breathtaking views of the imposing mountainscape.