Stoos Ridge Hike: Klingenstock to Fronalpstock in Switzerland

The Stoos Ridge Hike is a breathtaking point-to-point trail from Klingenstock to Fronalpstock, both accessible via chairlifts from the mountain village of Stoos.

One of the best hikes to do when visiting Switzerland in the summer months is to spend the day hiking the Stoos Ridge trail. This hike is absolutely stunning, as you initially access the hike by taking the steepest funicular in the world, and then hike along the ridge of a mountain with insane views of the valley below and Lake Lucerne. I did this hike during my two week trip to Switzerland and I 100% recommend it.

You’ll want to plan this for a sunny day, as you won’t have obstructed views of the valley below. I’ve seen photos of hikers who have done this during cloudy or rainy days and to me, it wouldn’t be worth making the trek out here to do the hike.

Stoos Ridge Hike: Overview

• Trail Length: The Stoos Ridge Trail is about 2.9 miles from Klingenstock chairlift station to Fronalpstock station. This is a point-to-point hike. So essentially, you’ll be going up one chairlift and down another.
• Difficulty Level: I’d say this is moderate. Stoos Ridge is a well-marked trail follows a mountain ridgeline. You are constantly going up and down – even though it’s only a 900 feet of elevation gain, this trail will give you a workout — especially at the end.
• Elevation Gain: 900 feet.
• Fees: Hiking the trail itself is free, but you’ll need tickets for both the Stoosbahn funicular and chairlift to access the trailhead. If you’re driving, parking at the Stoosbahn station also requires a fee. The funicular is included with a Swiss Travel pass. You can also get a discount on the chairlift prices with a Swiss Travel Pass as well.
• Hiking Time: Plan for 3-4 hours to complete the hike. You’ll be stopping for lots of photos and you’ll probably want a picnic or stop for a snack along the way.
• Dog-Friendly: Yes, dogs are welcome. Personally, I wouldn’t bring a dog on this hike as it is exposed on both sides and at many points, is a very steep, long way down. I’d be nervous the whole time.
• Seasonal Access: The trail is open from mid-May to late October. It’s closed during winter months for safety reasons.

READ MORE: Access all of my hiking reviews here!

How to get to Stoos

The easiest and quickest way to get here is to drive. The drive is a little over an hour one way from Zurich.

However, many visitors to Switzerland chose to use their amazing public transportation system — like we did — and thankfully, like most places in Switzerland, you can get to Stoos easily without a car.

We did the Stoos Ridge hike as a day trip from Zurich. From Zurich, using public transportation, it took about 1h 30 minutes one way to reach the Stoos funicular.

To get here, take a train to the Schwyz Bahn station. From there, catch bus 501 which will take you to the Stoos Funicular station. The bus bays are right at the train station, and chances are, there will be a lot of people doing the same thing as you — waiting for the 501 to get to Stoos! In Switzerland, public transportation is impeccably timed, and the bus was waiting for us when we got off the train.

I’ll admit, I don’t like taking buses! I’d much rather take a train, but during our two weeks in Switzerland, we found ourselves using buses more than I expected. The buses were always extremely crowded (often times we were standing the entire time) and very very hot. I can’t say I had a very pleasant experience taking buses here, but sometimes, a bus is the only way to go.

Stoosbahn Funicular

One you reach Stoos, either via bus or by driving, you’ll be at the Stoos Funicular station. From here, you can purchase funicular tickets. As of 2024, tickets are 23.20CHF per person, round trip.

You can also purchase your chairlift tickets here. We didn’t do that — we didn’t know you could. Because we had Swiss Travel Passes, we skipped the ticket line, scanned our passes, and jumped on the next car. But don’t worry – you can buy tickets for the chairlift at the chairlift station.

Stoosbahn Funicular: Quick Facts

• Ride Details: The one-mile track climbs about 2,440 feet in elevation in approximately 7 minutes. Enjoy stunning valley views as the train passes through three tunnels.
• Operating Hours: Trains run continuously from 7:10 am to 9:40 pm (Sunday–Thursday) and 7:10 am to 11:40 pm (Friday–Saturday). Check the current timetable online.
• Capacity: Each train has 4 cabins, with each cabin accommodating up to 34 passengers. With a total capacity of 136 passengers per train, wait times are minimal.
• Cost: 23.20 CHF per person, round trip. Free with the Swiss Travel Pass. Half price with a Half Fare card.

At the end of the ride, you’ll be dropped off in the small village of Stoos, which has a handful of homes, chalets, a gift shop, restrooms, a few restaurants and a small church.

READ MORE: All my Switzerland posts in one place, right here!

Getting to the Klingenstock Chairlift

At this point, you reached the Stoos village, but you still have further to go to get to the trailhead to start your hike. From the funicular station at the village, you’ll want to make your way to the Klingenstock chairlift. This is about a 1.3km hike and it’s a bit steep. It’ll take about 15-20 minutes to walk there. Look for the signposts to your left when at the village – you want the one that says, “Sesselbahn Klingenstock, Talstation.”

If you don’t want to spend the money on a chairlift, you could technically hike up to the trailhead, but damn. Bro, save your legs; it’s steep, there’s no shade, and it would take hours. Your vacation time is limited, take the chairlift; it is WELL WORTH the price.

Tickets & Pricing

When grabbing your Stoosbahn funcilar ticket, don’t forget you’ll need an additional ticket for the chairlift. You can buy them both at the funicular station or you can purchase it from the chairlift operator. The price was 33CHF, with discounts given if you have a Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare card. Check the official website for updated pricing.

Start at Klingenstock for the best experience

You could hike the Stoos Ridge from either point — you could start from Klingenstock and end at Fronalpstock or vice versa. I highly recommend starting your hike at Klingenstock. This route is the more popular choice because it has slightly less elevation gain, and you’ll have those jaw-dropping panoramic views stretched out in front of you the entire way, rather than having to turn around and look back at them.

The Chairlift Ride

The chairlift ride from Stoos to Klingenstock takes around 7 minutes, and every second is amazing! You’ll pass through alpine meadows with the sounds of cowbells clanging and banging — it’s wonderful! You’ll want to snap lots of photos but be careful not to drop your phone or your camera!

Hiking the Stoos Ridge Trail

Finally! After a short chairlift ride, you’ve reached the start of the Stoos Ridge trail. At the top of the chairlift station, there are restrooms, so if you need to go, go! When you’re out on the trail, there is absolutely ZERO cover. From here, the Stoos Ridge Trail is 2.9 miles from Klingenstock to Fronalpstock. This hike will take you about 3-4 hours to complete, depending on how many photo ops and snack breaks you squeeze in. We were stopping constantly for photos – it’s that amazing!

The trail itself is extremely easy to follow; you cannot get lost! You’ll walk along a narrow ridge, enjoying panoramic 360-degree views of the Alps, tons of colorful wildflowers, the teal waters of Lake Lucerne, and cute Swiss villages across the countryside. This was one of the best hikes of the trip!

READ MORE: Tips for Visiting Switzerland on a Budget

For the best experience, you’ll want to go on a clear, sunny day. Once those clouds roll in, your epic views disappear under a blanket of gray and you won’t be able to see anything.

The hike isn’t exactly a casual stroll—expect plenty of ups and downs that will have your lungs working overtime. You will definitely get a workout on this trail. Hiking poles and sturdy hiking shoes are a must!

READ MORE: Tips for Visiting Switzerland on a Budget

The Stoos Ridge hike was the first hike we did on our 14 day adventure in Switzerland. We didn’t pack hiking poles because we typically don’t need them, even when hiking in the Sierras and Rockies; they’re more of a nice-to-have, so we left them at home to save space in our bags. Big mistake! After this hike, we were kicking ourselves for not bringing them, so we purchased hiking poles when we got to Grindelwald. We absolutely needed them for every hike we did in Switzerland. Don’t leave hiking poles at home!

The trail is well-marked, with stairs and handrails on the steeper sections, and it felt secure without any terrifying sheer drop-offs. That said, it can get crowded, and some narrow sections only allow single-file passage. Arriving early on a weekday will make your experience much smoother. We hiked Stoos Ridge on a Thursday.

The final push to Fronalpstock is BRUTAL. I swear, I wanted to cry when looking up at the hill we’d have to climb to reach the top.

READ MORE: The Ultimate Guide to Hiking Bachalpsee from Grindelwald First – Switzerland

Fronalpstock Back to Stoos Village

Congrats! You’ve reached Fronalpstock! From here, you can enjoy some absolutely STUNNING views, so we spent a decent amount of time wandering around taking photos. There’s also a restaurant if you want a snack and a small (and free) petting zoo. It’s not just for kids; we wandered in and checked it out. Oh, and there’s a playground too. I had to check that out. Playgrounds in Switzerland are next-level!

Once you’ve had your fill, head back down on the chairlift to Stoos. Back at Stoos, you can wander around the village – you’ll have about a 10 minute walk to the funicular station. Don’t miss the cute alpine church! It’s a great photo op.

We didn’t spend much time wandering around Stoos. Frankly, I didn’t think the village was all that interesting or cute (except for the church). It’s basically what you’d expect for a ski resort in the summer, even though people do live there year round. We just wanted to get back to the hotel — we hiked this on a very warm day (even up on the ridge) and we were pretty beat by the end!

Have you hiked Stoos Ridge? Any questions for me? I’m happy to answer in the comments!