scenic viewpoint
Mount Pilatus
A jagged mountain above Lucerne reachable by the world's steepest cogwheel railway, steeped in dragon legends and offering 73-peak panoramas.
9 km · about 15 min drive
EuropeSwitzerlandObwalden
Sarnen
Obwalden, Switzerland · Europe
About Sarnen
Sarnen works well as a base: 10 minutes from Alpnach, 20km from Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee).
Sarnen is in Obwalden, Switzerland, with about 10,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Alpnach, about 6 km away.
Sarnen (Swiss Standard German pronunciation: [ˈzarnən] ) is a small historic town, a municipality, and the capital of the canton of Obwalden situated on the northern shores of Lake Sarnen (German: Sarnersee) in Switzerland. It has a population of just over 10,000 and is surrounded by countryside and mountains. SarnenRead more
is located 20 km south of Lucerne.
Where to Stay in Sarnen
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Sarnen?
Within an hour or so of Sarnen: Mount Pilatus (9 km), Glaubenbielen Pass (14 km), Brünig Pass (17 km), Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke) (18 km).
Are there any good drives near Sarnen?
The nearest famous roads are Glaubenbielen Pass, Brünig Pass and Susten Pass.
Where is Sarnen?
Sarnen is in Obwalden, Switzerland, about 6 km from Alpnach.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 10,368
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Switzerland
- Region
- Obwalden
- Timezone
- Europe/Zurich
- Coordinates
- 46.8961, 8.2453
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Switzerland
Motorway vignette (toll sticker) required: buy at the border or online. Roadside assistance (TCS): 140.
Full driving guide for SwitzerlandTags
Worth the detour from Sarnen
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
mountain pass
Glaubenbielen Pass
A quiet pass over the Obwalden ridge between Giswil and Sörenberg, with wide views over the Entlebuch biosphere.
14 km · about 25 min drive
mountain pass
Brünig Pass
The year-round link between Interlaken and Lucerne, low enough to stay open and scenic enough to enjoy.
17 km · about 20 min drive
landmark
Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke)
Europe's oldest covered wooden bridge, built in 1333 across the Reuss River in Lucerne with 17th-century painted panels inside.
18 km · about 20 min drive
landmark
Lion Monument
Mark Twain called it the most mournful piece of stone in the world: a dying lion carved into a cliff face commemorating Swiss Guards killed in the French Revolution.
19 km · about 20 min drive
museum
Swiss Museum of Transport
Switzerland's most-visited museum featuring an extensive automobile collection alongside trains, planes, and spacecraft.
19 km · about 20 min drive
natural wonder
Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee)
A stunningly shaped lake surrounded by mountains where Switzerland was founded, with paddle steamers and the Rütli meadow.
20 km · about 25 min drive
waterfall
Reichenbach Falls
The dramatic cascade where Sherlock Holmes fell, climbed by a vintage funicular above Meiringen.
20 km · about 25 min drive
Driving roads near Sarnen
18 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 60km.
- Right hereMount PilatusA jagged mountain above Lucerne reachable by the world's steepest cogwheel railway, steeped in dragon legends and offering 73-peak panoramas.
- Right hereGlaubenbielen PassA quiet pass over the Obwalden ridge between Giswil and Sörenberg, with wide views over the Entlebuch biosphere.
- 17 kmBrünig PassThe year-round link between Interlaken and Lucerne, low enough to stay open and scenic enough to enjoy.
- 24 kmSusten Pass ViewpointA pull-off on one of Switzerland's most beautiful passes with views of the Steingletscher glacier tumbling into a turquoise lake.
- 24 kmSusten PassOne of Switzerland's finest driving roads, engineered in the 1940s, arcing over 2,224 m with a flowing surface, stone bridges, and close-up views of the Stein Glacier.
- 25 kmMount RigiThe 'Queen of the Mountains' above Lake Lucerne, site of Europe's first mountain railway and offering sunrise panoramas over the Alps.
Driving in Switzerland
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.82/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
- Vignette
- Required, around €42 for a short-stay sticker
When to drive here
April to October
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