THE
AXALP
GUIDE
Axalp Fliegerschiessen is without a doubt one of the most aspiring airshows in the world. And it is not even an airshow! Axalp Fliegerschiessen is a demo event where the Swiss Air Force show their target practice skills by firing live ammunition with their board cannons on ground targets. Combined with the amazing alpine environment, and some serious workout needed to get there, Axalp has all the ingredients for an experience never to forget.
This guide has all the information about Axalp 2024 and 2025. I will share all the hints and tips that have proven useful to me over the past 15 years. There will be no Axalp 2024 Airshow. But if you plan to visit Axalp Fliegerschiessen in 2025, make sure to read this Axalp guide from A to Z.
THE
AXALP
GUIDE
Content
Information about Axalp 2024 and 2025
When is Axalp Fliegerschiessen 2024?
No Axalp Airshow in 2024
In 2024 there will not be an Axalp Airshow. The reason for this is that Axalp Fliegerschiessen traditionally has run in sequences of 9 years, with the 10th year reserved for an official airshow hosted by the Swiss Air Force at one of the Air Force Bases. The previous edition AIR14 (2014) and AIR04 (2004) were held at Payerne Air Force Base. AIR94 (1994) was held at Buochs Air Force Base.
Airspirit 24 Airshow in Emmen has been cancelled
Up until January 2024 the Swiss Army planned to host the airshow Airspirit 24 at Emmen Air Force Base. However on 26 January they announced that AirSpirit 24 will not take place. The Air Force has cancelled all big events in 2024 and 2025, due to necessary cost reductions. The Swiss Air Force airshow of 2024 (AIR24) was supposed to to take place at Emmen Air Force Base near Luzern on 30 and 31 August 2024. You can find the announcement here.
Will Axalp Fliegerschiessen be back in 2025?
No Axalp Fliegerschiessen in 2025
Axalp 2024 was never supposed to take place due to the Airspirit 24 airshow in Emmen. However Axalp Fliegerschiessen was planned to return in October 2025. But two days after the cancellation of Airspirit 24, the Swiss Defense Ministry (VBS) confirmed to Swiss television station SRF, that due to the same cost reductions Axalp Fliegerschiessen 2025 has been cancelled as well.
I have not seen any other confirmation apart from the news item on Television, but SRF is a reliable news source. Therefore, until anything changes you should definitely assume that the Axalp Airshow 2025 will not take place.
Below you will find the originally communicated dates for Axalp 2025.
Axalp Fliegerschiessen 2025 Airshow Dates
Originally planned dates
Tuesday 14 October 2025
Axalp Fliegerschiessen 2025 Training Day (cancelled)
Wednesday 15 October 2025
Axalp Fliegerschiessen 2025 Official Day (cancelled)
Thursday 16 October 2025
Axalp Fliegerschiessen 2025 Official Day (cancelled)
When can I buy tickets for Axalp Fliegerschiessen 2025?
Axalp Airshow 2025 tickets
2023 marked the first year in my experience that tickets were sold out a few weeks before the event. Although it is certainly not necessary to buy tickets on the first day that they are available, but make sure to buy them in time if you are planning to go to Axalp Fliegerschiessen in 2025.
Tickets for Axalp Fligerschieessen 2025 will probably sell under roughly the same conditions and prices as those from 2023. Tickets for Axalp Fliegerschiessen 2025 will probably go on sale from the first week of September 2025.
When was Axalp 2023?
Up until 2019 the Swiss Air Force scheduled the Axalp air power demonstration in the second week of October. But since 2021 the event was moved to one week later.
In 2023 the Swiss Air Force organised Axalp Fliegerschiessen in the third week of October. The program on the training day is the same as on the official days.
Axalp 2023 Airshow Dates
Tuesday 17 October 2023
Axalp Fliegerschiessen Training Day
Wednesday 18 October 2023
Axalp Fliegerschiessen Official Day
Thursday 19 October 2023
Axalp Fliegerschiessen Official Day
How should I prepare for Axalp?
Axalp and your physical condition
Cimbing towards the Axalp Airshow is definitely doable if you are in good phyisical condition. Do however check the following points before you consider doing it.
Age
The Swiss Army advises not to make the climb with children under the age of eight years. If your children did not grow up in the mountains, I would tend to agree with this advice.
Physical shape
You should be in general good condition to make the climb and take into account that you have to walk for several hours during the day at high altitude in terrain that can be tricky. So if you are not sure footed, have a heart condition or have other health issues, I would advise against making the climb. Finally, and unfortunately, if you are in a wheelchair the shooting range is surely off limits. On this page you can find advice on proper clothing and shoes for the Axalp Airshow.
Pets
Given the loud noises of the jets, but also the steep drops on Ebenflüh and Tshingel, for the well being of your pet and yourself, I would keep pets at home.
More information
Especially if you go to Axalp for the first time reads this separate page where you will find tips how to prepare best for your Axalp visit. From clothing to tips for photography.
How do I find out if Axalp Fliegerschiessen will take place?
Be prepared for bad news
In 2023 the Axalp Flight demonstration took place under good weather conditions on Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday the event was cancelled due to strong Föhn wind predictions.
If you go to Axalp you should learn to live with the fact that the event may be cancelled without any prior notice. There are many factors that can contribute to cancellation. From necessary deployment of planes or helicopters, to bad weather forecasts. This can happen in the week(s) before but also just before the event. Please bear this in mind, and try not to complain if this happens. The Swiss Air Force do not take these decisions lightly, and will priotitize a safe proceeding of events above everything.
Website of the Swiss Air Force
I will keep this page as up to date as I can, but you can also find the latest info on the website of the Swiss Air Force.
Follow me on Instagram to keep up to date
Before and during the Axalp week I will post impressions and updates on the Axalp Airshow 2025. Follow me on Instagram to stay up to date.
Buying tickets for the Axalp Airshow
The Axalp Airshow is very popular
Axalp has grown massively in popularity over the past two decades. To cope with the constantly growing flood of visitors the organisation have decided in 2010 to completely close down the road to Axalp during all display days. Visitors can only go up with the shuttle bus service. If you arrive by train you can get the bus from Brienz railway station. If you arrive by car you can take the bus from the P+R parking at the start of the Axalpstrasse in Brienz.
Important note
It is 100% necessary to have a shuttle bus ticket if you do not have accommodation in Axalp village. Walking from Brienz to the range will take you at least 5 1/2 hours (one way), which is way too long to make your day worthwhile.
Axalp 2023 tickets
A 2023 ticket for parking, bus and chairlift up to Windegg cost CHF 60.- Children under 16 paid CHF 20,-. You could also buy passe partout tickets for all three days for CHF 100.- (2023 price). If you have accommodation in Axalp there is a limited number of Chairlift only tickets available for CHF 15.-
Tickets for Axalp Fliegerschiessen 2023 went on sale since 1 September 2023. You can buy your tickets online at Ticketino.ch. Tickets will only be sold online and not at the venue itself.
As of 2022 tickets may be refunded up to 85% if the event is cancelled before it has started. Once one of the services have started (for example, you are sitting in the bus or the chairlift) no refund is given if the event is cancelled at that point.
CURRENT STATUS OF AXALP FLIEGERSCHIESSEN 2023
AXALP FLIEGERSCHIESSEN 2023 IS CANCELLED
Where should I stay at Axalp?
Accomodation in the village of Axalp is very limited and usually booked well in advance. Luckily the Haslital region, with the two biggest villages of Brienz and Meiringen offer more than enough hotels and holiday homes to accomodate any group. Below you will find a map with hotels in the Haslital.
I spend a lot of time and money in my efforts to create aviation content and writing guides like these. As a Booking.com associate, I earn from stays that you book on Booking.com, but you do not pay extra for this. If you are making a booking, please consider using this link or the widget above to enable me continue sharing with you what I love.
If you want to read more, please have a look at my separate page, with more tips on how to travel to Axalp and finding accomodation.
CURRENT STATUS OF AXALP FLIEGERSCHIESSEN 2023
⊗ AXALP FLIEGERSCHIESSEN IS CANCELLED
From which places can I watch the Axalp Airshow?
On the shooting range there are three offical spectator areas, of which Tschingel and Ebenflüh are the most attractive. I have made a separate page with an overview of the three Axalp spectator zones Brau, Tschingel and Ebenflüh. Including all the routes how to get there.
Flying Program for the Axalp Airshow
What is the flying program of the Axalp Fliegerschiessen demo?
The program is usually the same
The program of the Axalp airshow is relatively predictable. However minor changes do take place, and almost every year you can expect to see one or two surprise displays.
For example in 2012 the Saab Gripen that Switzerland had on order at that time performed full displays including target shooting. And in 2021 we were treated to the last appearance of the Hawker “Tiger” Hunter in 2021 before it was put out of service.
The F-35 at Axalp
The biggest surprise was in 2022 when two Italian F-35’s made a much anticipated appearance on the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. In 2023 a planned visit was cancelled unfrtonately. I have no information if the F-35 will fly at the Axalp 2025 Airshow.
The daily flying program
The Swiss being Swiss every year the official program starts exactly at 14:00 and will finish around 15:30. From Tuesday until Thursday the flying program is exactly the same. In the mornings you may see live firing as well and some practice display by the Hornet and/or the PC-21.
Next you can see many Cougar helicopters bringing the press and VIP’s up. The morning program has become more quiet compared to when the F-5’s were still around. Summing up, there is no guarantee that anything flies in the morning, Still, I would always advice to be there early. You can see an extensive report on the Axalp Fliegerschiessen demo here.
Below you will find a detailed overview of the expected show elements of the Axalp Airshow.
Target shooting with board cannons
Boeing F/A-18 Hornet
Points for getting fire out of the gun nozzles. Double points for doing that while catching one of the bullets in your photo.
Do not miss the “sneak pass” and the flare drops at the start and the end of live shooting.
Firefighting demo
2* Aerospatiale As532 Cougar
Two Cougars will drop water from Lake Brienz to put out a simulated fire. Camera’s in portrait mode! This demo was not performed in 2022.
Helicopter Flying demo
Aerospatiale As532 Cougar
Most classic part of this display is the flare drop with 128 flares. Contrary what you would normally do with a helo, take a slightly faster shutter speed than normal: the firework of the flares will come out better. Your rotor blur will suffer though! Rest of the display is very photogenic as well, especially when the Cougar is flying around with the gear retracted. All against that beautiful backdrop.
Air policing
Citation 560 XL & 2* F/A-18
Simulation of an air policing mission, Photographically speaking less interesting as most of it takes place from a far distance. Nice formation shots of two F/A-18 Hornets and Citation 560 XL are possible though. This demo also took place in the past with the Pilatus PC-24. But this plane has been sold.
Special forces operations
PC-7
In 2021 we saw a new program item where a group of six special forces are dropped to secure an area. When they start shooting be sure to catch the mortar firing and the pick up of the soldiers at the end! Very spectacular!
Paratroopers
PC-7
Try to nail the moment that the paras jump out of the plane. The para carrying the big Swiss flag is also photogenic. Further it is wise to keep your eyes open after the drop has taken place. This year as a novelty, the PC-7’s flew straight at the audience from the mountain ridge in the south.
Swiss Hornet Display team
Boeing F/A-18 Hornet
The best place in the world to watch the F/A-18 do a display. The program has evolved over the years to suit the Axalp arena even better.
PC-21 Demo
Pilatus PC-21
Don’t underestimate this little red turboprop trainer against the mountain backdrop. One of the highlights always. Especially if it comes flying straight at the KP tower at Ebenflüh or the Tschingel hill.
Patrouille Suisse
Northrop F-5E Tiger
Traditionally the closing of the show. The flying is adapted to the terrain, making this display one of a kind. Best at the start of the show when they fly with all six ships.
