Stoos, Fronalpstock and Klingenstock
The car-free mountain village of Stoos sits at 1,306 metres above Schwyz and, since 2017, has been served by the steepest funicular railway in the world. Its barrel-shaped cabins rotate during the ride to level out a gradient of up to 110 per cent. The journey up is an experience in itself.
A village without cars
Stoos lies on a high terrace far above the Schwyz basin and Lake Uri. To get up there you take a railway, because there is no road into the village. That sets the mood: no through traffic, short distances, and a village where houses, hotels and pastures run into one another. Luggage and goods travel up on the same railway as the guests.
Administratively, Stoos belongs to the municipality of Morschach. Winter sports have been practised here for generations, and the village has remained inhabited all year round over the decades, which sets it apart from some purely holiday resorts.
The steepest funicular in the world
The present Stoosbahn opened in 2017, replacing a much older railway. Over a short distance it climbs a gradient of up to 110 per cent, which makes it the steepest funicular in the world. The special feature is the barrel-shaped cabins: they rotate during the ride so that the floor always stays level.
The ride takes only a few minutes and for many visitors is already half the outing. Look back on the way up and you watch the basin sink away bit by bit. From the other side, a cable car climbs up from Morschach, a quieter and usually less crowded alternative.
The ridge walk from the Klingenstock to the Fronalpstock
The classic: by chairlift up to the Klingenstock at 1,935 metres, then along the ridge to the Fronalpstock at 1,922 metres. The path is well made but calls for a sure step. Your reward is a bird's-eye view of Lake Lucerne and the Mythen. A panorama restaurant awaits on the Fronalpstock before the chairlift takes you back down to the village.
The route runs almost entirely along or just beside the crest, with plunging views on both sides: Lake Uri and the Rütli to the left, the Muotatal and the Mythen to the right. Allow two and a half to three hours for the roughly four and a half kilometres, plus time for the views. The ridge offers no shade, so sun protection and plenty of water are essential.
If the ridge is not for you, walk the broad path down from the Fronalpstock to the top station instead, or circle Stoos on one of the gentler high-level loops.
For families
Stoos has playgrounds, a circular path around the village, the little Stoossee lake and, in winter, a family-friendly ski area with 35 kilometres of pistes and a toboggan run.
Because the village is car-free, children can move about relatively freely. The walk around the village is short, largely level and manageable with a pushchair. For a first day in the mountains with small children, the funicular ride, a picnic on the meadow and the path to the Stoossee are often quite enough.
Tip: The ridge walk is usually open from June to October. Early mornings and weekdays are noticeably quieter.
Getting there
By bus or car to Schwyz-Schlattli, then a few minutes up to the village by the Stoosbahn. Alternatively by cable car from Morschach.
There is parking at Schlattli, which fills early on fine weekends. By public transport, travel to Schwyz and continue by bus. If you are planning the ridge walk, check the operating hours of the two chairlifts beforehand, because they determine how long the loop stays open.
Public transport: Train to Schwyz, bus to Schlattli, then the funicular up to Stoos. Alternatively bus to Morschach and the cable car.
