Where is Engelberg Switzerland?
Engelberg is in an enclave of the canton Obwalden in central Switzerland. Enclave sounds mysterious but isn't - it is just a line on a map!
The village & ski resort of Engelberg is just 35km south of the beautiful city of Lucerne (Luzern). Zurich is the main international gateway airport, a paltry 85km north. There are no travel excuses to not get to Engelberg. A beautiful train line ends right in town a short stroll or ski bus ride from the Titlis ski lifts.
Gateway Airport - Zurich
The gateway international airport for Engelberg is Zurich (ZRH). There are regular rail connections to Engelberg with a journey time of around 2hr. Alternatively, numerous car rental options exist but be wary of hefty security deposits if hiring a car in Switzerland.
Other airports that can be linked to Engelberg without too much effort include Geneva (GVA) & Basel (BSL)(for UK & European origins only).
To search for a great deal on a flight to Zurich, Geneva, Basel or other European airport, use our preferred flight search engine.
Airport & Hotel Transfers
Due to the ease of public transport to Engelberg, we recommend booking a private transfer only if in a large group or of seriously afraid of the train! Private transfers are available from all airports & major cities to Engelberg.
Search & book all private transfers to Engelberg.
Train Travel to Engelberg
A sure way to POW (Protect Our Winters) is by taking the train to Engelberg. The Engelberg ski resort is connected to Lucerne, Zurich, and the rest of Switzerland by the wonderful Swiss railway system.
Trains to Engelberg from Lucerne take only 45min & leave every hour. From Zurich airport there are regular rail connections to Engelberg, with two changes required, one at Zurich central & Lucerne (Luzern).
See the Swiss rail map.
From Geneva airport trains take less than 4hr to Engelberg via Olten & Luzern. From Bern, trains take 2½ to 3hr depending on route & can involve 2 or 3 changes.
Search & book train tickets to Engelberg.
Driving to Engelberg
Engelberg is a major Swiss holiday destination, partly because of its proximity & ease of access. From Zurich Airport, the drive to Engelberg is around 100km & takes between 1-1½hr in winter. Compared to most ski resorts, the road to Engelberg is easy to drive in most conditions. Follow the A4, A14 & A2 via Luzern before turning off near the town of Stans for the last 20km to Engelberg. Note that there are numerous fixed speed camera sites on the road from Stans to Engelberg so watch your speed!
Unlike much of Europe, Switzerland does not have ‘pay as you go’ road tolls on its highways. A one-off annual fee of approximately 40CHF (ish) covers all the country. If you are coming from another part of Europe, it can be purchased at major border crossings or ask your car rental provider if already in Switzerland (or just don’t pay & see what happens!!).
Once in Engelberg, parking can be an issue. If your accommodation does not have its own parking (many don't), there are several overnight parking areas that come with a daily fee (not too exorbitant). Similarly for day-trippers the major carparks at the Titlis lift base all have gates & tolls payable. Suppose you should just take the train & free ski bus!
Car Rental & Hire
All the major airports & cities have car hire available. The closest rental location to Engelberg is Luzern (Lucerne), but by far the best deals & widest range of vehicles are at the highly competitive airport at Zurich.
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If renting a car in Switzerland, read the fine print carefully because some locations & companies charge exorbitant security deposits. Cars are cheaper from the Zurich city centre than at the airport. The train ride is only 12 minutes between the two, so is probably worth the savings.
Getting Around
On arrival one will note that the ski lifts are not near the town centre of Engelberg. Nothing is much more than a kilometre from the heart of town, so walking is the simple option. The Klostermatte & Brunni ski lift base is of course at the opposite end of town to the Titlis-Traubsee base. The railway station is well placed near the centre of it all. To properly get yourself orientated, see the Engelberg village map below.
Those too soft to walk, fear not. Engelberg has a regular & comprehensive free local ski bus service covering seven different routes.
See the free ski bus route map below.
Nearby Ski Resorts
Engelberg is close to the fun ‘local‘ ski hill of Klewenalp & not too far from the superb Andermatt Sedrun & amazing Jungfrau Ski Region. Both of the later are reachable by train from Lucerne, but a car is quicker.