Rigi Seebodenalp Chugelbahnen (Marble Rolling) Hike - Family Guide
- Joanna Rogowska
- May 6
- 5 min read
A medium, 6.9 km circular hike with marble rolling stations along the way. No strollers.
Rigi Seebodenalp | Canton of Lucerne (Switzerland)
The "it" factor
What makes it special:
🎢 Marble rolling stations along the trail – fun and motivating for kids
🥾 Three route options to suit different hiking abilities
🌄 Stunning panoramic views
🔥 Five barbecue spots with wood provided – perfect for a family picnic
What needs to be considered:
🚫 The main loop is not stroller-friendly (we tried and ended up carrying ours!)
🚠 You can park at the valley station and take the gondola, or drive up – but top parking is smaller and more expensive
🛝 There are no large alpine playgrounds, just a couple of smaller play areas near restaurants on the detour
Don't feel like reading? Watch a video instead!
Rigi Seebodenalp Chugelbahnen Walk-Through Video
The fun factor
Rigi—often called the Queen of the Mountains—is one of Switzerland’s most iconic peaks. With panoramic views over Lake Lucerne and the surrounding Alps, it’s long been a favorite for day-trippers, hikers, and families. And now, since 2024, Rigi has added a fun, family-friendly twist: its very own themed marble run trail!
The Rigi Seebodenalp Chugelbahn is a 6.9 km hiking loop that features 11 wooden marble rolling stations tucked into a scenic mountain trail. It’s the perfect way to add some excitement to a day in the outdoors—especially if you have little ones who sometimes need a bit of extra motivation to keep going.
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Here are our top 4 Fun Factors of Rigi Seebodenalp Chugelbahnen
Roll the marbles
When we discovered marble rolling hikes for the first time, we were genuinely fascinated. It’s such a simple concept—wooden tracks where marbles (or wooden balls) roll along—but it works like magic for most kids. There are many of these trails across Switzerland, and now you can find one here on Rigi too. This trail features 11 marble stations, each one a bit different from the last. You can buy a wooden ball at the ticket counter, also as part of a combo deal with gondola tickets. They recommend using their official balls, as other types can sometimes block the tracks.
We’ve found that marble rolling stations are a great way to keep kids motivated—walking, exploring, and excited to find the next one.
2. Hit the playgrounds
If you’re looking for a hike with a big alpine playground—this isn’t the one. What it does offer is beautiful nature, great barbecue spots, and fun marble rolling stations. But in terms of play areas, there’s only one small playground, located next to the first restaurant on the side detour - Rüdisegg, and a small play area near the second restaurant, Alpwirtschaft Räbalp, which requires a short uphill climb.
The fitness factor
The path is split into three sections, offering flexibility for families with kids of different ages or walking abilities:
700-meter mini loop
Flat, stroller-friendly, and ideal if you’re short on time or just want to soak up the mountain air without a big effort. You’ll still catch three marble stations (two just next to the gondola station and one half way along the loop), two barbecue spots and some gorgeous views.
4.7 km main loop – Not stroller-friendly (trust us, we tried and ended up carrying the stroller for much of the way), with some ups and downs (about 104 meters of elevation change), but perfect for kids who can manage a moderate hike. This section offers five marble run stations—but note that they are spaced out, so there are longer stretches without action.
🔁 2.2 km back-and-forth detour – This optional extension includes two more marble stations and restaurants with playgrounds. The first stop is easy to reach, c. 400 meters in with a great playground. The second requires a bit of a climb (c. 100 meters up and down) and features a smaller play area, but it also ends with another restaurant—perfect for a break.
The food factor
There are five great barbecue spots along the route, all with wood provided. You’ll find two on the small loop and three more towards the end of the big loop. We chose to stop at the last one on the big loop, which had a lovely view of a small pond and a marble rolling station right next to it—perfect for letting the kids play while you get the food ready.
Restaurants
There are also four restaurants along the trail. The Hotel Restaurant Rigi-Seebodenalp, right next to the gondola station, is a self-service spot—we only grabbed coffees, so can’t comment on the food, but the terrace view is incredible.
Just a few steps into the large loop, you’ll find Grod-Beizli, a small restaurant with great reviews—a nice option if you're looking for something early in the hike.
The other two are located along the side detour path, each with a marble rolling station nearby:
Rüdisegg, just 400 meters in, has a small playground and a marble rolling station.
Alpwirtschaft Räbalp requires a short uphill walk but rewards you with a beautiful view and a quiet atmosphere—plus a small play area and a marble rolling station.
The value factor
🎫 Family packages (gondola + balls) are available at the Küssnacht–Seebodenalp cable car station, starting at CHF 20 with a Half-Fare Card or CHF 30 without.
➡️ One ball per child is included.
The Seebodenalp wooden marble balls cost CHF 10, are reusable, and crafted from European wood in a workshop for people with disabilities.
⚠️ To keep the tracks running smoothly, it is recommended to use only the official Seebodenalp balls, as others can cause blockages.
Seebodenalp Chugelbahnen | Practical Info
Arrival by car: Official recommendation is to park just next to the bottom (valley) Luftseilbahn Seebodenalp gondola station (Grepperstrasse 43, 6403 Küssnacht) and take the gondola up. There’s also a small parking lot at the top, right at the start of the hike (Seebodenalp, 6403 Küssnacht). You can skip the gondola if you park there, but it’s more expensive and has limited space.
Arrival by public transport: Take the bus no. 2 with connections from Schwyz, Brunnen, Gersau, Weggis and Küssnacht.
Step by step directions:
Buy the official Chugelbahnen marble at the bottom (valley) Seebodenalp gondola station
Take the gondola to Seebodenalp
Length: c. 6.9 km - mini loop (700 m), large loop (4.7 km) and a small detour (2.2 km)
Opened from 1st May
Recommended age: Officially recommended from age 2, but since some parts of the trail have roots and about 100 meters of elevation change, we’d personally recommend it for kids who are confident walkers—around 4 years and up.
Stroller friendly: Small loop: yes | Large loop & detour: no
Elevation change
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