Buy tickets for Mount Pilatus now or wait?

Is the Golden Roundtrip a Viator tour?
My first thought is that it's easy to get to Mt Pilatus , ( or Mt Rigi,) on your own, you don't need a tour group. Just follow the directions in the RS Guide Book. Swiss public transportation is very user- friendly.
Clear weather is essential, and once you're in town, you can go online and check the webcams placed on the summits. Usually the weather is clearer in the mornings.
Viator is a third-party vendor. They contract with local guides. If you really want to book a tour, book directly with a local company with a flexible cancelation policy.
Have a wonderful trip in this beautiful country. Safe travels!

Thanks Pat...the Golden Roundtrip is Get Your Guide...we read through the information too quickly. I guess you can go to the boat dock and buy those separately...I'd just as soon not be on a timetable for this particular activity... can you take the boat trip from Lucerne? It appears their website is rather confusing.

Wait to buy your tix once you’re in Luzern. Check out the Mt. Pilatus live webcam views that you can see online at www.Pilatus.ch. during each morning after you arrive. Morning is your best chance for a clear sky. If the camera views around 7am are clear— then buy your ticket and take the cogwheel train to the top!
www.Pilatus.ch

You're both awesome! Thanks Kenko!

Ken

Will you have a STP or Half-Fare card for Swiss transportation? I ask, because Mt Rigi is completely covered by the STP. Mt Pilatus is discounted. The SBB app is a practical resource for transportation. How many days will you be traveling around this beautiful country? Again, the RS Guide Book is a wealth of info .
Enjoy!

Golden Roundtrip is actually run by the Pilatus transport company and promoted by them and Luzern. Here's everything about it: https://www.pilatus.ch/en/discover/golden-round-trip

I would never buy a weather dependent mountain trip a day in advance, let alone 5 months ahead. Plenty of tickets on the day.

Thanks so much to all of you!

I bought my round trip ticket from the T.I. office in the Lucerne station, and didn't see any reason to buy in advance. I started with the boat trip to Alpnachstad and then to the top via the Pilatusbahn. For the trip down I used the cable cars to Kriens and then the bus back to Lucerne. It was a very enjoyable trip!

And to all the Ken’s who shared thoughts on this thread— your folks did a great job when they named you. Happy New Year everyone!
-Ken(ko)

Tickets are easy to purchase the day you travel. If you are staying in Lucerne, you can go to the cable car station and purchase what you want. They will help explain the options.

Depending on the day, Pilatus can get busy. Starting early and getting a reservation on the train down will make for a better day.

Enjoy, Pilatus has some unique things to experience.

Do not buy ticket for excursions in Switzerland via Viator or Get Your Guide. You will end up paying more than you should. All transportation tickets can be purchased at the station, or on line via www.sbb.ch, ot the SBB app.

Just to give you a quick crash course in transport in Switzerland: The country has a nationwide mass transit network, and SBB is the one stop shop. The SBB app is terrific.
You do not need to buy anything in advance. All transport us just a matter of buying a ticket, hopping on and finding a seat. And it is common to have more than one train (or bus) on the same tickets. Tickets are for a route, not a train.

If you are planning non trivial amounts of travel get the Half FAre Card. Especially if you are travelling with kids, as these then go for free everywhere. Even on expensive trips like the Pilatus.

WOW...as a retired history teacher(my wife taught elementary), I'm not surprised by the WEALTH of information and help by all of you. Rick Steves is great, and has set a good model for all of us to share experiences and information just like he does...but I don't take everything you have all done for granted. I really appreciate all of you for sharing your expertise.