Switzerland – Titlis, our most expensive adventure

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We thought for a long time whether to go to Titlis or not. On the one hand, to be in Switzerland and not look at its mountainous face from a height? On the other hand, these astronomical prices…. here everything is expensive, but I guess that was to be expected?

More days in Switzerland passed, and we kept admiring the Alps from the valleys. Our dream was to see the Matterhorn, but when that dream lay in ruins we wanted at least a substitute for the snow-capped mountain peaks. And so the idea of driving up Titlis was born.

Titlis is the name of both the peak and the glacier. Of course, it is not the highest peak in Switzerland, and with its “measly” 3238 meters above sea level it lags far, far behind dozens of higher peaks. For us, however, for a moment, it became the pinnacle of dreams ;-)

For a long time we wondered whether to take the train to Titlis. We can list quite a few pluses and benefits, yet on the other side of the scales stood a rather important factor – money. Entry to Titlis is cosmically expensive…. Seriously, a two-way ticket costs 92 francs, which in zlotys is about 350 zlotys! Per person! Do you already know why we took a long time to think about it? ;) And that’s the price for the entrance of the railroad alone, plus the train ride to Engelberg, some food and there’s a chance we’ll close in a thousand.

When going to a country like Switzerland, you have to expect big costs on the spot. The camper allowed us to save a lot on accommodations, and thanks to our food supplies, we didn’t have to spend a fortune in stores and restaurants. We decided not to economize on attractions and once again jumped the francs. So we took Olive in a carrier and set off on a day trip to once again stand at over 3,000 meters. Was it worth it? You’re about to find out :)

Table of contents

Getting to Engelberg

It is in the village of Engelberg that the lower station of the cable car is located, which we will start climbing high. But before the entrance itself, a few words about getting to the village itself.

Having in the back of our minds our previous experience with finding places for an RV, moving through narrow streets, we decided this time to look for an RV for two nights, and get around by bicycle, public transportation and trains. We stopped in the town of Horw, near Lucerne, where we found a very good campsite, located on a lake.

We set off for Titlis first thing in the morning, reaching the nearest train station on foot. On the platform, we bought tickets for CHF 9 per person one way to the station in Engelberg from a machine. The trip took about an hour, with a change in Stans.

During the trip, we admired the views from behind the train windows and couldn’t wait to get to the top of the mountain. What surprised us very positively were the specially prepared compartments for families with children: full of colors with books and coloring books. Unfortunately, we were not given the opportunity to use them, as they were filled to the brim. A special ticket for Olive from the conductor was also a cool touch. The pro-family approach is immediately apparent.

Upon arriving in Engelberg, we went straight to the free bus that takes passengers directly to the train station. There is a large parking lot on site, where we would easily stop by camper ;-)

Ascent to Titlis

The train ride itself is several stages and you have to change trains twice in total. First, you frolic on two traditional gondolas, with the first change at Trübsee Lake in between. Here you can leave the station, walk around the area, eat at a restaurant.

The walk is recommended, but… On the way back. If the weather is good it is worth going to the mountain itself, take advantage of the good clarity, because after all, that is what you come here for, and later, on the way back you can go to the lake. It is beautifully located, which can be seen perfectly, if only from the railroad.

After riding two sections, he transfers to the biggest attraction (besides the Titlis itself), which is a revolving cabin that takes you to the very top (ok, almost to the very top, but about that below :-)).

The revolving cabin is rather crowded and, of course, it’s best to have a standing place by the window. During the tour, the cabin rotates very slowly, but it makes a full turn, so you’re in for a 360-degree view. The ride takes about 5 minutes.

At the top

After leaving the cabin, we entered the several-story building, where there are, among other things. restaurant and stores. We just took a look at what was here and quickly headed toward the exit. We preferred to go straight to the outside, to the viewing platforms and walk on the glacier.

Contrary to appearances, it’s not that cold at the top. We, of course, prepared for the trip, dressed in onions and wore trekking shoes, but nevertheless many people approached quite unwisely, and so we could observe a lot of competition for the famous flip-flops in the Polish Tatra Mountains. But let’s return to the sights, and leave the peculiarities aside.

What we saw at the top made us swoon. Snow-capped peaks, picturesque valleys and beautiful blue skies – just the kind of views we dreamed of! We couldn’t get enough of it and flew around a bit like people who had never seen snow, because even that made us happy ;)

We looked around, looked in every direction and learned about the various nearer and farther peaks, with Titlis itself at the top, since the station is not on the mountain itself. However, let’s leave the entrance there to the professionals (two such even found each other).

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Fortunately, it’s not just the views themselves and the rotating cabin that are the attractions here, because, however, paying that much money you want to take maximum advantage of everything. Here there is a special platform(Titlis cliff walk), on which you can walk while having a 500-meter deep abyss below you!

In windy weather (which is probably always), you have to hold onto the handrail quite tightly, which only increases the experience. This steel structure is the highest suspension bridge in Europe (the height is 3041 meters above sea level) and, fortunately, there is no extra charge. We recommend it, because crossing this suspension bridge is an unforgettable experience. The first few steps are taken in fear and uncertainty, but with each successive step it gets easier and smoother. Nevertheless, increased caution and vigilance should be exercised, as the aforementioned wind can knock you off your feet.

Another interesting experience is to look deep into the glacier – there are special tunnels carved here. Not very long, and we honestly don’t know if we just happened to close one of them, or if that’s the way it is here permanently, but at one point there is simply a sign forbidding entry, even though the tunnel continues hen far. These caves are located 10 meters below the surface of the ice, and the blue illumination here makes you feel like you are on another planet.

Importantly, these caves can be accessed by an elevator located in the station building! It is definitely colder here than on the glacier itself, so be sure to dress warmly.

For those who do not have enough views and attractions, and still have some money to spend, there is an additional train, the so-called Ice Flyer, which transports those willing to go to Glacier Park, a place where you can, for example, ride on pontoons (we did not belong to any of these groups, so we do not comment on this attraction ;) ). ).

It is also interesting that whole pilgrimages of Hindus come here! There are also 1:1 scale cardboard figures waiting at the top for you to take a photo with – from what we figured out, some Bollywood movies were shot here….

However, we counted ourselves among the group of people who wanted to eat in a restaurant overlooking the peaks of the Alps, which are still untouched by man. The restaurant located here has two sections: self-service and table service, of course the latter is more expensive, but has a nicer view. Everyone will choose what they feel like :)

As a reminder, 10 CHF is about 37 PLN :)

At the top we passed about 2 hours, but we were in no hurry to go anywhere. We planned this day only for this one place. Once more and more clouds began to appear in the sky, and we had looked at everything we could, we decided to descend to the lower station and walk some more to the aforementioned lake. We spent about an hour here, walking around and taking photos in peace and quiet which was a good break from the noise on the mountain.

Summary

So it’s time to write, was it worth it? Definitely these experiences were our #1 of the entire trip to Switzerland! We hit beautiful weather, ideal conditions, and saw what we dreamed of.

Fact, it is cosmically expensive, but we do not regret the money spent, because the memories will remain forever!