Seen-Route

The Seen-Route (Lakes Route, Swiss national cycle route 9) runs from Montreux on Lake Geneva to Rorschach on Lake Constance, crossing the Swiss Prealps from west to east. SchweizMobil, which operates the national route network, divides it into 10 official stages via Bulle, Gstaad, Spiez, Meiringen, Sarnen, Zug, Einsiedeln, Ziegelbrücke and Buchs.

The route links a chain of lakes: Lake Thun, Lake Brienz, Lake Lungern, Lake Sarnen, Lake Lucerne, Lake Zug, Lake Ägeri, Lake Sihl, Lake Zurich and Lake Walen. It also crosses the valleys and passes between them. The result is a constant up and down through the Gruyère region, the Simmental, the Bernese Oberland, Central Switzerland and the Rhine Valley. It is a demanding tour, and the lake shores and the passes over Brünig and Etzel make it one of the most varied crossings of Switzerland by bike.

Seen-Route at a glance

• Duration: 10 days following the official SchweizMobil stages
• Difficulty: medium overall according to SchweizMobil; the Sarnen–Zug and Buchs–Rorschach stages are rated difficult
• Elevation profile: rolling throughout, with climbs between the lake basins; the main passes are the Brünig (Meiringen–Sarnen) and the Etzel (Einsiedeln–Ziegelbrücke)
• Surface: mostly asphalt, with unpaved sections on nine of the ten stages; Montreux–Bulle is fully paved
• Route type: a mix of cycle paths, lakeshore trails and roads shared with cars
• Direction: officially Montreux to Rorschach, signposted in both directions
• Recommended bike: touring bike or e-bike; Switzerland Tourism singles out the constant up and down as enjoyable on an e-bike
• Family suitability: no whole-route verdict; see the family notes under practical tips

How is the Seen-Route signposted?

The Seen-Route is part of the Veloland Schweiz network. Like all national cycle routes, it is waymarked with red cycle signposts carrying the route number 9, and SchweizMobil signposts it in both directions. You can therefore ride it from Lake Constance to Lake Geneva with the same waymarking.

SchweizMobil publishes detours and closures for each stage. Check them before setting off. As of September 2026, detours or closures were listed for the Sarnen–Zug stage. The GPX track for the Seen-Route is available directly in VeloPlanner, so you can load it onto your device before you go.

Which direction and when to ride the Seen-Route

The official stage order runs west to east, from Montreux to Rorschach, and all stage descriptions follow that direction. Because the route is signposted both ways, riding east to west is also possible. SchweizMobil notes that sections of the route can be closed or interrupted depending on the season and weather, so check conditions with local tourist offices before you start.

Several highlights along the way are tied to specific months:

• May–October: thousands of roses bloom throughout Rapperswil, known as the city of roses
• Mid-April to mid-August: rare wading birds nest on the gravel banks of the Rhine near Wartau
• Mid-June to July: river lilies flower in the Linth plain
• Spring: the Lake Zug region is at its most attractive during cherry blossom

Seen-Route stages from Montreux to Rorschach

SchweizMobil defines 10 official stages for the Seen-Route. Each one ends in a town with rail access, which makes it easy to ride only part of the route or to shift overnight stops.

Montreux – Bulle
The route follows Lake Geneva to Vevey, then turns inland along the Veveyse river and climbs past Corsier, home of the Chaplin's World museum. Rolling farmland leads to Châtel-Saint-Denis, and the Sionge river guides you into Bulle. The whole stage is paved.

Bulle – Gstaad
This stage crosses the Gruyère region. It passes the hilltop town of Gruyères and the Maison du Gruyère show dairy in Pringy, then follows the Sarine river past Grandvillard. Beyond the reservoir between Lessoc and Montbovon, the route skirts Château-d'Oex and continues through Rougemont and Saanen to Gstaad.

Gstaad – Spiez
A climb follows right after Gstaad, and much of the stage keeps going up and down. The route repeatedly crosses the tracks of the Montreux–Berner Oberland railway. At Zweisimmen the Kleine and Grosse Simme merge, and the route follows the Simme down the Simmental, past painted farmhouses, to Wimmis. A foot and cycle bridge over the Kander leads to Spiez on Lake Thun.

Spiez – Meiringen
The route follows Lake Thun via Leissigen to Interlaken and Bönigen, where Lake Brienz begins. The trail along Lake Brienz runs on the shaded side of the lake with very little motor traffic, through forest past the Giessbach Falls. After Brienz, the final section to Meiringen is flat.

Meiringen – Sarnen
From Meiringen the route climbs to Hasliberg and over the Brünig Pass, with views of the Wetterhorn. A brisk descent leads to Lake Lungern. From there the route continues via Giswil to Sarnen on Lake Sarnen.

Sarnen – Zug
Rated difficult by SchweizMobil, this stage follows the Sarner Aa past the protected Lake Wichel to Alpnachstad and Lake Alpnach. It passes the Hergiswil glassworks and follows the shore of Lake Lucerne into Lucerne. From Lucerne the route follows the Reuss and continues via Cham to Zug.

Zug – Einsiedeln
The route climbs through the wooded Lorzentobel ravine, past the Höllgrotten limestone caves, to Lake Ägeri and the Morgarten battle monument. It then crosses the Rothenthurm moorland and follows the Biber and Alp rivers down to the pilgrimage village of Einsiedeln.

Einsiedeln – Ziegelbrücke
The route crosses Lake Sihl on the Willerzell viaduct, then climbs to the Etzel Pass on gradients of up to 20%. After the descent via Feusisberg to Pfäffikon, the route crosses Lake Zurich to Rapperswil. It continues past the Wurmsbach convent to Schmerikon, then crosses the Linth plain along the Linth canal to Ziegelbrücke.

Ziegelbrücke – Buchs
The Escher canal leads to Lake Walen, where the route runs through cycle tunnels along the southern shore. Quinten, on the opposite shore, can only be reached on foot or by boat. The route then follows the Seez valley below the Gonzen to Sargans and climbs onto the Rhine dam, from which bridges lead across to Liechtenstein before Buchs.

Buchs – Rorschach
Also rated difficult, the final stage passes Werdenberg and crosses the Grabserriet and Saxerriet farmland to Frümsen, Rüthi and Altstätten. After returning to the Rhine between Au and St. Margrethen, the route crosses the Rhine delta nature reserve at Rohrspitz. It then follows the Old Rhine via Altenrhein and Staad to Rorschach on Lake Constance.

What to see along the Seen-Route

The Seen-Route passes castles, abbeys, museums and nature reserves in almost every stage town. Here is a selection of the sights mentioned in the official stage descriptions.

History and culture

• Chaplin's World, Corsier-sur-Vevey: museum on the life and work of Charlie Chaplin, who spent his last 25 years above Vevey
• Musée gruérien and castle, Bulle: regional heritage museum next to a castle built by the bishops of Lausanne in the late 13th century
• Gruyères: small medieval town with castle and fortress walls
• Simmental farmhouses: painted façades, the oldest dating from the 16th century
• Ballenberg open-air museum near Brienz
• Lucerne: Chapel Bridge, the KKL culture centre and the Swiss Museum of Transport
• Morgarten battle monument at Lake Ägeri, commemorating the battle of 1315
• Einsiedeln Abbey: Switzerland's leading Baroque building, with the Black Madonna in the Chapel of Grace and a stop on the Way of St. James
• Rapperswil: medieval old town and castle
• Sargans Castle, home of the Sarganserland Museum
• Werdenberg: Switzerland's smallest town, with a castle and around 60 inhabitants

Nature and landscape

• Giessbach Falls above Lake Brienz, reached by Europe's oldest funicular (1879)
• Aare Gorge, Meiringen
• Rothenthurm moorland: Switzerland's largest remaining high and low moor
• Linth plain nature reserve with herons and storks
• Rhine delta at Lake Constance: Europe's largest freshwater delta, home to over 300 bird species

Mountain railways and food

• Pilatus cogwheel railway from Alpnachstad, the world's steepest
• Steam-driven cogwheel trains up the Brienzer Rothorn from Brienz
• Maison du Gruyère in Pringy and the Cailler chocolate factory in nearby Broc
• Gonzen iron mine near Sargans, open to visitors since mining ended in 1966

Where to stay on the Seen-Route

Every official stage ends in a town with a range of accommodation. Switzerland Tourism lists hotels, bed and breakfasts, holiday rentals and group houses for stage towns such as Montreux, Gstaad, Spiez, Meiringen-Hasliberg and Sarnen. Hostels and campsites are available in several of them too, but not in every town.

• Hotels: in all stage towns; Switzerland Tourism runs a dedicated Bike Hotels category
• Camping: listed for stage towns including Montreux, Bulle, Gstaad, Spiez, Sarnen and Einsiedeln, plus a campsite near the mouth of the Linth at Lake Walen
• Hostels: listed for Montreux, Gstaad, Spiez, Sarnen and Zug, among others
• Organised trips: tour operators sell self-guided Seen-Route packages with pre-booked accommodation and luggage transfer

Getting to and from the Seen-Route

Getting there

Montreux lies on the rail line along Lake Geneva and is reached via Lausanne from Geneva or Zurich. The route starts in town, so you can ride straight from the station.

Getting back

Rorschach, on Lake Constance, has its own railway station. Every official stage town (Bulle, Gstaad, Spiez, Meiringen, Sarnen, Zug, Einsiedeln, Ziegelbrücke, Buchs) is also on the rail network. You can join or leave the route at any stage end, and you can take the train with your bike to bypass steep sections.

Practical tips for riding the Seen-Route

The climbs are only part of the challenge. Several specific spots call for attention, and one of them is safety-critical.

Willerzell viaduct (Lake Sihl): the bridge is narrow, cars move fast, and there are no passing places. Cross it without stopping and take in the view of Lake Sihl afterwards.

Lake Walen: the cycle tunnels along the shore are wet and dripping. Outside them, one ramp reaches 25%. Small stones can fall onto the route here, so wearing a helmet is recommended.

Etzel Pass: the old pilgrims' crossing has gradients of up to 20%.

Vevey and Jongny: on the first stage, the Fribourg tourist board warns of dangerous junctions at the Vevey station roundabout and at Jongny (Monts-de-Corsier).

Rhine delta: the path through the delta at Rohrspitz is busy with visitors on sunny weekends.

Riding the Seen-Route with children

The official sources don't classify traffic along the whole Seen-Route, so there's no basis for an overall family verdict. What the stage descriptions do say is that the Lake Brienz trail between Bönigen and Brienz sees very little motor traffic, and that the final approach to Meiringen is flat. Elsewhere, the route includes the Brünig and Etzel climbs, steep ramps at Lake Walen and the narrow Willerzell viaduct shared with fast car traffic.

Before you set off

The official stages are a starting point, not a requirement. Sarnen–Zug and Buchs–Rorschach are the two stages SchweizMobil rates difficult, and both end in towns with good rail links. Riders who want shorter days can split these at Lucerne or Altstätten and add a night. Open the Seen-Route in the VeloPlanner planner to set your own daily endpoints and check where the passes fall in your plan.

Check the SchweizMobil detour notices shortly before departure. Then plan at least one slow day, whether at the Giessbach Falls, in Lucerne or in Rapperswil in rose season.