The Limmernsee
A mountain lake from another world.
At 1,857 m above sea level, turquoise like an aquamarine: the Limmernsee sits in a basin of rugged rock, fed by the meltwater of the Griess and Limmern glaciers. All around stand the Bifertenstock at 3,419 m, the Selbsanft ridge and the Muttenstock at 3,088 m. The reservoir has existed since 1963, and on some maps it appears as «Limmerensee».
The way there is shorter than you might think: from us to the valley station in the Tierfed (also spelt «Tierfehd») takes 20 minutes at most, then the cable car carries you up. From Braunwald a big, rewarding day out.
Stage by stage
How you reach the lake.
01
Stage 1
Down by funicular
From Braunwald down to Linthal, about a 7-minute ride.
02
Stage 2
On to the Tierfed
From Linthal about 5 km of valley road into the Tierfed, by car or taxi.
03
Stage 3
Up by cable car
From the Tierfed to the Kalktrittli, 1,053 vertical metres in about 7.5 minutes.
04
Stage 4
Through the tunnel to the lake
About 3 km through the power-station tunnel to the shore, on to the Muttseehütte.
The power station
Switzerland's biggest battery.
Beneath the lake works the Limmern pumped-storage plant, run by Axpo. It pumps water from the Limmernsee around 630 vertical metres up into the Muttsee and lets it back down to generate electricity, with an output of 1,000 megawatts. It counts as Switzerland's biggest «power battery».
A public tour takes you around 700 m into the mountain, past the machine and transformer caverns. It lasts about 2 hrs 45 min. and sets off from the Tierfed in summer. Dates and prices are booked directly with Axpo.
Six reasons
What makes the trip special.
A mountain lake, a power station and a hike you won't find quite like this anywhere else. Six things that make the way into the Tierfed worthwhile, whether you'd rather walk or look inside the mountain.
Your base · Panoramahotel Braunwald
Sleep in, set off, come back to rest.
The Limmernsee is a full-day excursion. From Braunwald you set off well rested, the Tierfed lies right below in the valley. And in the evening our 4-star hotel awaits you, quietly set in the car-free mountain village.
After the tour:
Arrive by train to Linthal, then up by funicular, no car needed.
To the room selection →Good to know
The essentials in brief.
Day trip · Limmernsee & Tierfed
The lake glows turquoise,
hidden treasures wait in the mountain.
The Limmernsee
A mountain lake from
another world.
At 1,857 m above sea level, turquoise like an aquamarine: the Limmernsee sits in a basin of rugged rock, fed by the meltwater of the Griess and Limmern glaciers. All around stand the Bifertenstock at 3,419 m, the Selbsanft ridge and the Muttenstock at 3,088 m. The reservoir has existed since 1963, and on some maps it appears as «Limmerensee».
The way there is shorter than you might think: from us to the valley station in the Tierfed (also spelt «Tierfehd») takes 20 minutes at most, then the cable car carries you up. From Braunwald a big, rewarding day out.
Stage by stage
How you reach
the lake.
Stage 1
Down by funicular
From Braunwald down to Linthal, about a 7-minute ride.
Stage 2
On to the Tierfed
From Linthal about 5 km of valley road into the Tierfed, by car or taxi.
Stage 3
Up by cable car
From the Tierfed to the Kalktrittli, 1,053 vertical metres in about 7.5 minutes.
Stage 4
Through the tunnel to the lake
About 3 km through the power-station tunnel to the shore, on to the Muttseehütte.
Stage 1
Down by funicular
From Braunwald down to Linthal, about a 7-minute ride.
Stage 2
On to the Tierfed
From Linthal about 5 km of valley road into the Tierfed, by car or taxi.
Stage 3
Up by cable car
From the Tierfed to the Kalktrittli, 1,053 vertical metres in about 7.5 minutes.
Stage 4
Through the tunnel to the lake
About 3 km through the power-station tunnel to the shore, on to the Muttseehütte.
1 / 1
The power station
Switzerland's
biggest battery.
Beneath the lake works the Limmern pumped-storage plant, run by Axpo. It pumps water from the Limmernsee around 630 vertical metres up into the Muttsee and lets it back down to generate electricity, with an output of 1,000 megawatts. It counts as Switzerland's biggest «power battery».
A public tour takes you around 700 m into the mountain, past the machine and transformer caverns. It lasts about 2 hrs 45 min. and sets off from the Tierfed in summer. Dates and prices are booked directly with Axpo.
Six reasons
What makes
the trip special.
A mountain lake, a power station and a hike you won't find quite like this anywhere else. Six things that make the way into the Tierfed worthwhile, whether you'd rather walk or look inside the mountain.
A turquoise mountain lake
Water in a turquoise you can hardly believe, fed straight from the meltwater of the glaciers.
Switzerland's highest-altitude dam
The Muttsee dam measures 1,054 m and sits at around 2,500 m above sea level, higher than any other dam in Europe, inaugurated in 2016, with roughly 6,000 solar modules across its face.
A tour deep into the mountain
On the Axpo tour you go around 700 m into the rock, to the caverns of the Limmern pumped-storage plant.
Through the tunnel to the lake
A marked path leads roughly 3 km through a power-station tunnel to the shore, cool and striking.
A hike to the Muttseehütte
From the lake further up to the Muttseehütte SAC at 2,501 m, a mountain trail graded T3.
Ibex and mountain panorama
Ibex sightings are possible along the route, surrounded by the Bifertenstock, Selbsanft and Muttenstock.
A turquoise mountain lake
Water in a turquoise you can hardly believe, fed straight from the meltwater of the glaciers.
Switzerland's highest-altitude dam
The Muttsee dam measures 1,054 m and sits at around 2,500 m above sea level, higher than any other dam in Europe, inaugurated in 2016, with roughly 6,000 solar modules across its face.
A tour deep into the mountain
On the Axpo tour you go around 700 m into the rock, to the caverns of the Limmern pumped-storage plant.
Through the tunnel to the lake
A marked path leads roughly 3 km through a power-station tunnel to the shore, cool and striking.
A hike to the Muttseehütte
From the lake further up to the Muttseehütte SAC at 2,501 m, a mountain trail graded T3.
Ibex and mountain panorama
Ibex sightings are possible along the route, surrounded by the Bifertenstock, Selbsanft and Muttenstock.
1 / 1
Your base · Panoramahotel Braunwald
Sleep in, set off,
come back to rest.
The Limmernsee is a full-day excursion. From Braunwald you set off well rested, the Tierfed lies right below in the valley. And in the evening our 4-star hotel awaits you, quietly set in the car-free mountain village.
After the tour:
- ● Recovery in the wellness area with saunas & steam bath
- ● Glarus cuisine in the restaurant, regional and seasonal
- ● An apéro on the sun terrace with mountain views
- ● A massage for tired hiking legs, by prior arrangement
Arrive by train to Linthal, then up by funicular, no car needed.
View rooms Good to know
The essentials
in brief.
- Best time
- June to October, as long as the Tierfed-Kalktrittli cable car is running (roughly mid-June to October).
- Getting there from the hotel
- Funicular Braunwald-Linthal (about 7 min.), then on into the Tierfed (5 km of valley road). The Tierfed is not reachable by public transport, so come by car or taxi.
- Cable car
- Tierfed-Kalktrittli, 1,053 vertical metres in about 7.5 min. Adults CHF 12.- one way, CHF 20.- return, children 6-16 CHF 6.- / 10.-, dogs free (as of summer 2026).
- Power-station tour
- Limmern pumped-storage plant, about 2 hrs 45 min., CHF 20.- adults, CHF 10.- children, minimum age 14. Booking and current dates with Axpo.
- The hike
- From the Kalktrittli through the tunnel to the lake (3 km), on to the Muttseehütte SAC: mountain trail T3, about 2 hrs 30 min., sure-footedness and a head for heights required.
- Good to know
- The tunnel is cool, we recommend packing a warm jacket. Sturdy shoes and decent fitness for the mountain trail.
Reserve
A day trip like no other.
A turquoise glacier lake, Switzerland's highest-altitude dam and a power station deep in the mountain, all from the Tierfed. We help with travel, cable-car times and the right timing. One short message is all it takes.
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