Lucerne (Luzern in German, Lozärn in Swiss-German) is a beautiful small city which sits on the shores of Lake Lucerne in the heartland of Switzerland. Lucerne is a popular destination for the city itself and the accessible outings around the lake and local Alps that it offers.

Chapel bridge (Kapellbrücke) and Water Tower on the river Reuss

Understand

The first city to join the Swiss Confederation, today Lucerne is a lovely city of 82,000 people (2018) with a thriving tourism industry, owing mainly to its status as a gateway to Central Switzerland. The city is a centre of Swiss history and legend.

Tourism in Lucerne has a distinguished history dating from the mid-19th century, with Mark Twain among them. In A Tramp Abroad he recalls the nascent souvenir business, and other budding examples of the tourism trade.

"The commerce of Lucerne consists mainly in gimcrackery of the souvenir sort; the shops are packed with Alpine crystals, photographs of scenery, and wooden and ivory carvings. I will not conceal the fact that miniature figures of the Lion of Lucerne are to be had in them. Millions of them." — Mark Twain

Climate

Lucerne has cold, dry winters and warm/hot summers.

Lucerne
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       59     2 −3       52     5 −2       66     10 2       88     14 4       116     19 7       158     24 12       156     25 14       149     24 13       109     20 11       78     15 6       65     7 2       59     3 −2 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       2.3     36 27       2     41 28       2.6     50 36       3.5     57 39       4.6     66 45       6.2     75 54       6.1     77 57       5.9     75 55       4.3     68 52       3.1     59 43       2.6     45 36       2.3     37 28 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches

View to the Alps and Lake Lucerne from Park Dreilinden in Lucerne

Tourist information

• Lucerne Tourism website

Get in

Lucerne at night

By train

Thanks to its central location 1 Lucerne railway station (Bahnhof Luzern) can be reached easily from nearly every other city in Switzerland using the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS)). There are hourly trains from Olten and Zürich Airport and half-hourly trains from Zürich, and a direct train every hour from Berne. There is an hourly service from Bellinzona in Ticino, and Pfäffikon and St. Gallen in the North East.

The "Zentralbahn" branch of the Swiss Federal Railways also provides hourly trains between Interlaken and Lucerne during daytime.

By bus

There are no intercity buses in Switzerland as the train system provides ample connections to many destinations in Switzerland. To make trips to the countryside in the mountains where there are no trains, refer to postauto.ch buses are available from some nearby places, such as Rotkreuz.

By boat

Lucerne sits at the northwest end of Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee), one of the most beautiful waterways in Switzerland. Schifffahrtsgesellschaft Vierwaldstättersee operates roughly hourly scheduled ferries to Schwyz, Flüelen, Weggis (for Rigi), and runs various themed dinner cruises etc all year around.

Get around

Able-bodied travellers will find Lucerne a complete joy to get around in on foot. The Old-Town is rather small, and most other interesting sites are within 20 minutes or so walk, there is also a city bus system, as well as assistance for disabled visitors on request from Mobility International Switzerland. The Lido beach and the Swiss Transport Museum are a bit further out but can be reached with a lakeside walk in 30-40 minutes, otherwise they can be reached by bus or by one of several boats per hour from just in front of the central railway station.

Visitors staying overnight in Lucerne get a Visitor Card which gives free bus and train travel in Zone 10 for the duration of their stay. All of the points of interest in Lucerne including the Transport Museum and lower cable-car station for Pilatus are within this zone.

Lucerne also makes a very good base for discovering the rest of Central Switzerland, using the Swiss Federal Railway, the Schifffahrtsgesellschaft Vierwaldstättersee, or any one of several private rail or boat companies. Visitors using Lucerne as a base to explore the region might consider the Tell Pass which covers a large number of trains, buses, boats, and cable-cars in the region around Lucerne.

Bicycles are available for rent at the central railway station, at ticket window 21 on the lower level. For Fr. 31 per day, you can rent a 24-speed, sturdily-built bike with a baggage clamp. Electric bikes are also available. Bike pick-up and drop-off are around the left side of the train station, at a kiosk across the street from the Swiss Post building. Bike lanes are present on most secondary streets, and Lucerne drivers are generally aware of and polite towards bicyclists.

By bus

Lucerne has an efficient bus network: Verkehrsbetriebe Luzern (VBL) (German only). It covers the city and its suburbs.

See

The Lion Monument of Lucerne is always busy with tourists - no matter the weather or time of year.

• 1 The Chapel Bridge (updated Dec 2019)
• 2 The Spreuer Bridge (updated Feb 2020)
• 3 The Lion Monument  
• 4 The old city wall (updated Dec 2019)
• 5 Alpineum  
• 6 Bourbaki Panorama  
• 7 Glacier Garden  
• 8 Lucerne Culture and Congress Centre  

Museums

• 9 Swiss Museum of Transport  
• 10 Lucerne Art Museum  
• 11 The Rosengart Collection (updated May 2024)
• 12 The Richard Wagner Museum  

Do

Lucerne Carnival - a marching band parading to exactly where they feel like parading

A café in one of the many small old town squares in Lucerne

• 1 Explore the Old Town. One of the main reasons that Lucerne attracts so many travelers is its small but remarkably preserved old town. You can get lost (for a few minutes anyhow) in its maze of streets, passages, and squares, admiring the many and varied murals painted on what seems like every other building. A nice short walk on the Museggmauer starts at the Schirmer-Turm, walk up the road near Jazzkantine, open only at daytime. 
• 2 Take a boat tour. Take a boat tour on the lake Lucerne with the traditional steamboats. A ride along the full length of the lake (Lucerne – Flüelen) takes approximately 3 hours. The lake has several tight bends and the landscape changes dramatically during the ride from the high mountains around Flüelen to the gentler hills around Lucerne. The villages and towns along the lake are generally very nice places to take a relaxed day with a walk/swim and food at the lakefront - Weggis and Brunnen for example. Flüelen and Brunnen at the far end of the lake can also be reached by direct train from Lucerne. 
• Take a guided tour. (updated Jan 2017)
• 3 Rent a bicycle. Lucerne has an excellent bicycle Network. Rent a bicycle at the train station in lucerne and explore the city and the suburbs or make a day trip on the national bicycle network (http://www.veloland.ch/en/veloland.html). 
• Football: FC Luzen play soccer in Super League, the Swiss top tier. Their home ground is Swissporarena (capacity 17,000) at 91 Horwerstrasse, 1 km south of city centre next to the Trade Centre. In 2025 it hosts games in the UEFA Women's Euro Finals.

Mountains

A number of villages and mountains in the Alps can easily be reached from Lucerne by boat or train as day trips.

• 4 Mount Pilatus. A famous mountain overlooking the city of Lucerne. Pilatus is definitely a must and gives you a good impression of a wild and rocky peak with a marvelous view to the "real" Alps. Its peak can be reached by the world's steepest cogwheel railway from Alpnachstad (not operating in wintertime) and all-year-round by cable-car in three sections from Kriens (10 minutes by trolley bus no. 1 from Lucerne as far as 'Linde'). Going up from Alpanachstad and down to Kriens, combined with a boat ride from Lucerne, is called the Golden Round Trip and is over €100. A pleasant, and cheaper, option is to take the train from Lucerne to Alpnachstad (roughly €8), then take the cogwheel railway to Pilatus's peak and then the first cable-car down towards Kriens (roughly €52, or €26 with a rail card), and then hike the rest of the way down to Kriens (free, approximately 2 hours). Of course you can walk the entire way to the top on foot, which takes at least 4 hours from Kriens. In addition to hiking, there are several other activities, including a suspension rope park and a 1,350 m long toboggan (both at the second stop of the cable-car from Kriens). Even if you don't plan to hike, allow for at least three hours to spend on Pilatus. (updated Jul 2022)
• 5 Mount Rigi. A famous mountain overlooking the city of Lucerne. Its peak at Rigi Kulm can be reached by a cogwheel railway from Vitznau and Arth-Goldau, a cable-car from Weggis takes you to Rigi Kaltbad where you can join the cogwheel railway or walk the rest of the way. Vitznau and Weggis can easily be reached by boat. The boat ride and cogwheel trains are covered by the GA/Swiss Travel Pass. The peak can be reached by foot in around 4-5 hours from the base of the mountain on either side. 
• 6 Mount Titlis. The mountain Mount Titlis has a glacier on the top and a splendid view. 
• Other mountains. In addition to the popular Pilatus, Rigi, and Titlis there are a number of other mountains in the region which are easy to reach by public transport and are serviced by cable-cars. Stoos and Stanserhorn are included in the Swiss Travel Pass for 2022. The cable car to the Brienzer Rothorn at Sörenberg can be reached in an hour by car or public transport. 
• 7 Go Trekking or Mountain Biking around Engelberg. (updated Jan 2017)
• 8 Felsenweg Buergerstock. Get a beautiful view over the Mittelland and its lakes on this 2-hour walk. Go there by boat (Lucerne-Kehrsiten) and funiculaire or by train and bus (Lucerne-Stansstad-Bürgenstock). There are some luxury resorts at Buergerstock. It's also possible to go by mountain bike to the top. 
• Paraglide from Pilatus and Rigi. Paragliding down from the majestic mountains surrounding Lake Lucerne is a unique experience. Tandem paragliding is possible all year round with pilots certified by the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) of Switzerland. 

Events

• Fasnacht. Some cities of Switzerland including Lucerne and Basel celebrate a rousing carnival just before Lent each year. The version celebrated here is famous for its chaotic "march any direction you like" street parades of the so-called Guugemusig (band of wind instruments and drummer, typical to the carnival of Central Switzerland) and elaborate masks. The carnival week of Lucerne starts at the end of February on Fat Tuesday and ends at Ash Wednesday. The programme in short: Fat Tuesday, Urknall (big bang) at 05:00 is the official beginning, music on the streets all the day in the city, mask parade from 14:00 along the lake, music on the streets in the evening; Friday to Sunday music and mask parades in all the towns and villages of the region; Güdis Monday, second Urknall at 06:00, rest ditto Fat Tuesday; Thursday, big street concert in the whole old town and surroundings, end of the official carnival at midnight, but it continues in the bars until the morning of Ash Wednesday. As with carnival elsewhere, the exact date on the calendar is variable according to the phase of the moon. You find the date of the next Fat Tuesday (SchuDo, Schmutziger Donnerstag) here. If you don't want to be recognised as a tourist, put on some colorful clothes. Most of the locals dress in colors or in masks. The cities of Zürich and Berne have started to copy Central Switzerland's carnival. 
• Blue Balls. Music festival in July. 
• Lucerne Festival. Classical music festival 
• Luzerner Fest. Music festival in June-July 

Theatre

• 9 Luzerner Theater. Top end theater and musicals 
• 10 Theaterpavillon. Nice theater with a bar. A place for art work and to meet people. Inexpensive. 
• 11 Kleintheater. 

Buy

The shopping in Lucerne has improved somewhat since Mark Twain's visit. You'll find several good department stores with acceptable prices for most items, as well as pricey speciality shops.

• Lucerne's old town is full of shops - especially clothing
• Lucerne's station hosts several stores which have longer opening hours than most other shops.
• 1 Bucherer, Schwanenplatz 5, toll-free: +41 41 369 77 00, [email protected]. M-Sa 09:00-18:30, Su 15:00-18:30. The flagship store of Switzerland's best-known watch and high-end jewellery dealer. (updated Jan 2017)
• 2 Weekly Market. Every Th and Sa, 06:00–13:00 along the Reuss river. The market has many local products and specialities. 

Eat

Lucerne's Old Town is full of tourist trap restaurants serving wildly overpriced fondue in the middle of summer. This being Switzerland, eating out isn't cheap anywhere, but you'll get much better value for money even a block or two off the beaten track.

Budget

• Migros or Coop. Huge supermarket chains with a lot of budget products. There is a small Migros and a bigger Coop at the train station, near the tourist office. There are other Migros around, ask the people. Farther there are Migros and Coop Restaurants self-service restaurants.

City centre

• 1 Parterre, Mythenstrasse 7. Good, friendly atmosphere. They have different menus every day. (updated Aug 2022)
• 2 Fass, Obergrundstrasse 19. Good food, good charisma and very friendly staff. (updated Aug 2022)
• 3 Café La Suisse - Doorzögli, Gerbergasse 11. The best cordon bleu. Amazing experience. Friendly service (updated Aug 2022)
• 4 Twiny Station, Rössligasse 13. The absolute best sandwich in town. Excellent vegan options, very accommodating, and the bread is perfect. The vegan schnitzel is highly recommended. (updated Aug 2022)
• 5 Coop Restaurant Luzern City, Rössligasse 18. Quiet atmosphere and fine schnitzel. Very cosy. Clean, nice and good food. (updated Aug 2022)
• 6 Erdem Kebap, Zentralstrasse 45. Said to serve the best kepabs in town. Cheap. (updated Aug 2022)

Theaterpavillon

• 7 Treibhaus Luzern, Spelteriniweg 4. They have fine food. 2 menus each day (menu Fr. 13, students Fr. 7), snacks, donuts and very fine coffee. There are concerts at night. 

Mid-range

• 8 Mövenpick Restaurant, Grendelstr. 19, ☏ +41 41 410 52 22, fax: +41 41 410 44 37. International dishes and English menu on request. (updated Aug 2022)
• 9 Bistro du Théatre, Theaterstrasse 5, ☏ +41 41 2101274. Centrally located yet under the tourist radar, this remarkable facsimile of a Parisian bistro serves up seasonal French fare like entrecôte, bouillabaisse and mussels with a quirky sideline in enormous "XXL" burgers, salad bowls and Thai curries -- but absolutely no fondue or rosti. Very popular, so book ahead. Mains around Fr. 30. (updated Aug 2022)
• 10 Rathaus Brauerei, Unter der Egg 2, ☏ +41 414106111. Lurking in the medieval halls below Lucerne's 1600s-vintage riverside town hall, the Rathaus serves up a range of half a dozen of their own tasty brews plus all the locally made sausages and sauerkraut you can handle. Their most popular dish, though, is the Güggeli chickens you can see roasting by the entrance. Book ahead and don't be surprised to see a neighboring table burst out into a lusty drinking song. Mains around Fr. 25. (updated Aug 2022)

Splurge

• 11 Brasserie Bodu, Kornmarkt 5, ☏ +41 41 410 01 77. Exquisite French cuisine. (updated Aug 2022)
• 12 Restaurant Old Swiss House, Löwenpl. 4. Famous for their Schnitzel which they prepare directly next to the table. (updated Aug 2022)
• 13 Bellini Locanda, Murbacherstrasse 4 (at Cascada Hotel). Open Tu-Su. Modern, upscale eatery specializing in the cuisine of Ticino, Switzerland's sole Italian canton, with dishes like polenta, burrata, carpaccio and homemade gelato. Good vegetarian and gluten-free selections too. Tasting menu (dégustation) Fr. 85. (updated Aug 2022)
• 14 Restaurant Schwan, Schwanenpl. 4. (updated Aug 2022)

Drink

Bars

• 1 Jazzkantine. Quite small but comfortable bar. They have a stage in the basement. Sometimes there are jazz and folk musicians playing (4 to 6 times a month). 
• 2 Metzgerhalle, Baselstrasse 1. Old Swiss restaurant made into a cool bar, usually full on weekends. 
• 3 Shamrock Irish Pub (formerly Gracie Kelly's) (in the old-town, 5 minutes walk from the train station). A great selection of Irish and Swiss drinks, home-made food, sports on display. 
• 4 Treibhaus Luzern. Small but cool alternative club, sometimes concerts, cheap food with 2 menus each day. 
• 5 Schüür. Popular concert place with an outdoor bar in summer. 
• 6 Sedel. The place where punk rock goes on. In the 1980s it was the place for the youth rebellion. Unfortunately it has lost a bit of its idealism, nevertheless it's still the club mothers don't want to let their kids go to. Today there are a lot of concerts from Ska to Britpop to Postrock to Gothic. The building was a jail for women and was converted to music practice rooms for bands in the 1980s. There are about 60 bands rocking and practising their sets. So, if you hear some noise somewhere in the building, just knock at the door and come for a jam session. There's a shuttle running from central Lucerne up to the club. Look it up on their website. 
• 7 Bar 58. Nice neighbourhood bar on Klosterstrasse. 
• 8 Bar 59. Opened by the former owners of Bar 58, larger and has live music venues as well but still has a neighbourhood bar feel - on Industriestrasse, hidden in the basement of a warehouse looking building. 
• 9 Bar Berlin, Lädelistrasse 6 (on a small sidestreet from Baselstrasse), [email protected]. F Sa 18:00–03:30. Small bar with good sound and good drinks, nice and cozy. (updated Jan 2016)

Clubs

Lucerne has lots of clubs for lots of different tastes. Baselstrasse is a nightlife strip emerging out of a redlight district. There are also raves in industrial buildings that require you to join their "club" as they're not legally allowed to sell alcohol to the public.

• 10 Casineum (Grand Casino Luzern), Haldenstrasse 6. Fancy club in a casino, mainstream music 
• 11 Roadhouse, Pilatusstrasse 1, ☏ +41 41 220 27 27, fax: +41 41 220 27 28. Bar and disco that is always packed, lots of people go there for their afterwork beers because it's beside the train station next to McDonald's. 
• 12 Das Schwarze Schaf, Frankenstrasse 2 (behind McDonalds at the train station), ☏ +41 41 227 00 33. Mainstream bar/club. 
• 13 Das Weisse Schaf, Frankenstrasse 2 (behind McDonald's at the train station), ☏ +41 41 227 00 33. 
• 14 The Loft, Haldenstrasse 21 (at the Casino), ☏ +41 41 410 92 44, fax: +41 41 410 27 28, [email protected]. price=. From RnB to Reggaeton to Urban, gay-friendly, and hosts monthly Frigay nights. 
• 15 Penthouse, Pilatusstrasse 29, ☏ +41 41 226 88 88, [email protected]. 17:00 to late night. Fancy rooftop bar. 
• 16 ROK, Seidenhofstrasse 5, ☏ +41 41 410 41 90, [email protected]. House, electro, minimal, mash-up, tech-house, dub. 
• 17 Madeleine, Baselstrasse 15 (at the beginning of Baselstrasse). Concerts, open mics, chillout, soul, funk, disco, alternative crowd. 
• 18 Gewerbehalle, Baselstrasse 46. Cool bar to hang out with a nice downstairs club. 
• 19 Klub Kegelbahn, Baselstrasse 24, [email protected]. F Sa from 23:00. A small basement club with good electronic music, from techno to more experimental stuff, check their website. 

Cafés

The three bakery chains, Hug, Heini and Bachmann, have several good cafés spread all over the city.

Sleep

For its size, there are quite a few places to stay in Lucerne, in all price ranges. If you stay overnight, your accommodation should give you a free Visitor Card Lucerne which grants various discounts, most notably free travel within zone 10 (Lucerne city) on all public transport except ferries. This includes transport to your lodgings, just show your reservation if asked.

Budget

• Lion Lodge Luzern, Zürichstrasse 57, ☏ +41 41 410 01 44, [email protected]. Next to Lion Monument, Old Town and shopping centre. Free kitchen facilities and bed sheets. 3 large verandas. Dorm/shared rooms from Fr. 32. 
• Backpackers Lucerne, Alpenquai 42, ☏ +41 41 360 04 20, fax: +41 41 360 04 42, [email protected]. Dormitory: no curfew, no lockout, no membership, Phone them as they don't accept e-mail booking. Free kitchen facilities. It's a very nice place, clean, close to the lake and the old town. A lot of clubs (Treibhaus, Schüür) are just around. Fr. 32/person/night; Double Room: Fr. 36/person/night (sheets included). 
• Youthhostel Lucerne, Am Rotsee, Sedelstrasse 12, [email protected]. Dorm rooms only, from Fr. 30 
• Private rooms, ☏ +41 41 227 17 17. Ask for them at the tourist information. 

Mid-range

• Hotel des Alpes, Rathausquai 5, ☏ +41 41 410 58 25, fax: +41 41 410 74 51, [email protected]. Facing the lake, and overlooking the chapel bridge, this clean well-run establishment offers excellent views including Mount Pilatus. Some of the rooms have balconies, with very large, but semi-private, balconies on the first floor which might be just the thing if you are with a group. Single room starts at Fr. 128 per night including breakfast. 
• Hotel Pickwick, Rathausquai 6, ☏ +41 41 410 59 27, fax: +41 41 410 51 08, [email protected]. 
• The Bed + Breakfast, Taubenhausstrasse 34, ☏ +41 41 310 15 14, fax: +41 41 310 15 40, [email protected]. A nice bed & breakfast about a 15-minute walk from the train station or quick ride on bus #1. Single starts at Fr. 80. Friendly and helpful staff. 
• NH Luzern, Friedenstrasse, 8, ☏ +41 41 418 33 33. Ten minutes from the Exit A2 Luzern Zentrum or Luzern Süd. After the exit, follow the direction Vehrkehrshaus/Ebikon. The train station is 10 minutes by foot from the hotel and 5 minutes by bus (bus number 1). 
• Cascada, Bundesplatz 18, fax: +41 41 226 80 00, [email protected]. 500 m from the train station. Single room from Fr. 197, double room from Fr. 324 (as of 2009).. 
• Monopol, Pilatusstrasse 1, fax: +41 41 226 43 44, [email protected]. Housed in a splendid Baroque building, Monopol has a fabulous location right outside the train station, only two minutes away from the Chapel Bridge on foot. However, the non-aircon regular rooms are in dire need of a makeover, stuffy in summer, and noisy if you open the windows, so paying extra for the renovated "Deluxe Design" rooms may be worth it. Single room from Fr. 230, double room from Fr. 270 (low season 2009). (updated Nov 2021)
• Waldstätterhof, Zentralstrasse 4, fax: +41 41 227 12 72, [email protected]. 100 m from the railway station directly in the city center. Single room from Fr. 129, double room from Fr. 184 (low season 2009).. 
• 1 Hotel Central Luzern, Morgartenstrasse 4, ☏ +41 41 210 50 60. True to the name, this hotel is very centrally located, only one block from both the Chapel Bridge and the train station. Fully renovated in 2019, with airy white rooms and impeccable service. Breakfast is included, and the lounge it's served in is open 24 hours with free coffee, tea, cutlery for eating takeaway meals, etc. The "Cozy" rooms, though, are quite cramped, so fork out the extra 10-20 francs for a "Noble" if you can. From Fr. 150. (updated Dec 2021)

Splurge

• 2 Grand Hotel National  
• 3 Hotel Schweizerhof  
• 4 Palace Luzern  
• 5 The Hotel, Sempacherstrasse 14, ☏ +41 41 226 86 86, fax: +41 41 226 86 90, [email protected]. Billing itself as a boutique hotel, with interior design by the French architect Jean Nouvele, "The Hotel" is as posh as it gets just about anywhere. The theme is classic French with an Indochinese touch which suggests an easy-beats/spy film soundtrack. 
• 6 Art-Deco Hotel Montana  

Camping

• 7 Camping International Lido. 

Connect

As of June 2022, Lucerne has 5G from all Swiss carriers. WiFi is widely available around the city.

Stay safe

Lucerne is a heavily touristed destination, and where there are tourists there are pickpockets, con artists, and other sorts of folks up to no good. As with everyplace else keep your passport and other valuables where people can't get to them. However, Lucerne is a friendly and safe city. Women can move safely almost anywhere, day or night. There are few areas that should be avoided; the area around Basel Street, where you will find a colourful and exciting cultural mix, is relatively harmless. According to the police it can be dangerous at night in "Tribschen" (Inseli-Ufschötti-Weinbergli-Tribschenstrasse). Most violent crimes and robberies happen in this neighborhood. But compared with other cities in Europe it's a safe area.

Go next

• Rigi, the "Queen of Mountains", less than an hour away by ferry.
• Engelberg, a resort village in the Alps which offers a range of outdoor activities.
• Brunnen, a resort town which sits on a south-facing bend in the lake with fantastic views.
• Interlaken
• Zurich
• Bern
• Basel
• Lugano
• Schwyz
• Zug