Short answer
Engelberg is a monastery village at 1,000 metres in central Switzerland, an hour by train from Lucerne. On one side of the valley is Titlis with a glacier at 3,020 metres, a rotating cable car and a suspension bridge, and on the other side Brunni – a sunny family mountain with easy slopes and its own cheaper lift ticket. Engelberg suits families who want to travel by train all the way and split the week between the glacier and the children's slopes.
Quick facts
- Country / region
- Switzerland, Obwalden
- Ski area
- Engelberg-Titlis and Brunni
- Altitude (village – top)
- 1000 – 3020 m above sea level
- Pistes
- 82 km
- Lifts
- 29
- Season
- November – April (Titlis often longer)
- Nearest airports
- Zurich (about 2 h)
- Train
- Train via Lucerne (about 1 h from Lucerne)
- Price level
- ●●●●● (1 = cheap, 5 = expensive)
Family rating
4,3 / 5
- Beginner slopes The Brunni family mountain with easy slopes, play areas, practice lifts and its own cheaper lift ticket.
- Snow reliability The Titlis glacier reaches over 3,000 metres – but the village at 1,000 metres can have thin snow.
- Distance from accommodation to lifts The lifts start from the valley, but much of the accommodation needs a short walk or a bus.
- More than skiing A rotating cable car, a suspension bridge and a glacier cave on Titlis, the monastery in the village and Lucerne an hour away.
The rating is our overall assessment for families with children based on the criteria above – not a paid placement.
Engelberg lies in a valley in central Switzerland, an hour by train from Lucerne, and the village grew up around a monastery that has been here since the 12th century. The valley has two sides that are completely different:
- Titlis – the big mountain with a glacier at just over 3,000 metres, long slopes and views over the whole of central Switzerland.
- Brunni – the family mountain on the sunny side of the valley, with easy slopes and play areas.
For families, it is exactly this split that is the best thing about Engelberg.
Brunni – the family mountain
Brunni is made for families. Here you'll find:
- Easy slopes and practice lifts for the first turns.
- Play areas in the snow for the breaks.
- Sun – Brunni is on the sunny side of the valley.
- Its own lift ticket – much cheaper than the one for Titlis, and the children's pass costs about half.
For families with young children, Brunni is often enough for the whole week. Everything about the first week on the slopes is in the guide to the first ski trip with kids.
Titlis – the glacier
Titlis is Engelberg's big mountain, with most of the approximately 80 kilometres of pistes and 29 lifts:
| Difficulty | Kilometres | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | about 27 km | 33 % |
| Red | about 47 km | 57 % |
| Black | about 8 km | 10 % |
Even if you do not ski down from the top, the trip up is worth it:
- Rotair – a cable car whose cabin turns all the way round on the way up to the top.
- Titlis Cliff Walk – a suspension bridge high above the drop.
- The glacier cave – a passage inside the ice.
The top is at just over 3,000 metres, so the air is thin. Take it easy with young children and go down if anyone feels unwell. Engelberg is also known for steep skiing away from the pistes, but that is only for experienced adults with a guide.
The snow
The village is at only 1,000 metres, and in a mild winter the snow can be thin down in the valley. But the glacier on Titlis gives reliable snow high up all season, and it is often open longer than other resorts, from autumn to late spring.
How to get to Engelberg
- By train: Engelberg is one of the easiest resorts to reach by train. From Lucerne it takes about an hour, from Zurich around two hours with a change in Lucerne. We go through the journey from Sweden in train to the Alps.
- By air: land in Zurich and take the train onwards.
- Rest day: take the train to Lucerne for a day by the lake and in the old town.
Engelberg or other resorts in Switzerland?
Saas-Fee has an even higher glacier and a village without cars, and Laax and Flims has a bigger area with many easy slopes. Engelberg is best for families who want to travel by train all the way and split the week between Brunni and Titlis. We compare all the Swiss resorts in ski resorts in Switzerland.
Packing for Engelberg – easy things to forget
Frequently asked questions
Is Engelberg good for families with children?
Yes, especially thanks to Brunni – the family mountain on the sunny side of the valley with easy slopes, play areas and practice lifts. Titlis suits better when the children ski confidently.
How much does the lift ticket cost in Engelberg?
A day pass for Brunni alone is much cheaper than the pass for Titlis, and the children's pass costs about half the adult pass. For the youngest, Brunni is often enough for the whole week.
How do you get to Engelberg?
By train from Lucerne, about an hour. From Zurich the journey takes around two hours with a change in Lucerne.
What is at the top of Titlis?
The rotating Rotair cable car, which turns all the way round on the way up, the Titlis Cliff Walk suspension bridge and a glacier cave. The top is at just over 3,000 metres, so take it easy with young children.
Is Engelberg snow-sure?
The village is at 1,000 metres, so the snow can be thin down by the village in a mild winter. But the Titlis glacier reaches over 3,000 metres, and there the snow is reliable all season.
