Lucerne - city on Lake Lucerne, in central Switzerland

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 both the city itself and the number of accessible outings around the lake and local Alps that it offers.

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." <small>— Mark Twain</small>

Climate

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

Get in

By train

Thanks to its central location 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 Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke), 47.05197°, 8.30787°. The Chapel Bridge was built in the 14th century to aid in the protection of the city. It is a landmark of Lucerne and is said to be the oldest wooden bridge in all of Europe. A point of interest as you walk over it are the paintings in the rafters depicting 12th-century city life and Swiss history. The bridge was badly damaged by a fire on 18 August 1993; it was rebuilt within a year, but the damage is still visible in places and many of the original paintings were lost. The tower which has had multiple uses over the years (including as a dungeon) is still in the original condition, but not open for visitors. Free 2019-12-12
• The Spreuer Bridge (Spreuerbrucke), 47.051972°, 8.301806°. The Spreuer Bridge, or Chaff Bridge, is the other surviving wooden footbridge in central Lucerne, a short walk from the more famous Chapel Bridge. It was built in 1566, replacing an earlier bridge destroyed by fire. It is known for its decorative paintings depicting the Dance of Death, by the studio of Kaspar Meglinger. 2020-02-10
• The Lion Monument (Löwendenkmal), Denkmalstrasse 4, 47.058333°, 8.311111°. Also known as the Lion of Lucerne, it is a sculpture designed by Bertel Thorvaldsen. It commemorates the Swiss Guards who were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution, when revolutionaries stormed the Tuileries Palace in Paris, France. The American writer Mark Twain (1835–1910) praised the sculpture of a mortally-wounded lion as "the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world.". The sculpture is a popular sight with a constant flow of tour groups arriving during the day - visit early or late in the day if possible for a more peaceful experience. Free
• The old city wall (Museggmauer), 47.054285°, 8.304197°. 1 April-1 Nov: 08:00-19:00, closed over winter. A part of the rampart walls built in 1386; the wall is still almost entirely intact and visitors are able to walk a section of the rampart. Four towers are open to the public: Schirmer, Zyt, Wacht and Männli. The Männliturm allows access to the rooftop of the tower which gives the most extensive and unobstructed views. Free 2019-12-12
• Alpineum, 47.057913°, 8.310394°. A museum and diorama dedicated to the Alps.
• Bourbaki Panorama, Löwenplatz 11, 47.056972°, 8.311222°. Nov-Mar 10:00–17:00; Apr-Oct 09:00–18:00. A circular panoramic painting. Fr. 12
• Glacier Garden (Gletschergarten), 47.058889°, 8.310417°. Apr-Oct 10:00-18:00, Nov-Mar 10:00-17:00. The main focus is the dramatic carving of the rockbed by glaciers and information related to it, but this also features a museum of curiosities and a mirror maze. Fr. 22 (discount for students and children)
• Lucerne Culture and Congress Centre (Kultur- und Kongresszentrum Luzern), 47.0506°, 8.312122°. The KKL is a spectacular building that contains several concert halls and the Lucerne Art Museum. It was designed by Jean Nouvel. Its major concert hall ("La salle blanche") is famous for its acoustics, and world class orchestras can be heard regularly. It hosts the Lucerne Festival (classical music).

Museums

• Swiss Museum of Transport (Verkehrshaus der Schweiz), Lidostrasse 5 (Lido beach, the first stop for boats leaving from the central train station, preferably reached by bus), 47.052778°, 8.335833°. Summer 10:00–18:00; winter 10:00–17:00. With its large collection of trains, planes, automobiles, and motorcycles, this museum of means of transport is a great place to spend an afternoon. If you get tired of the real train engines you can check out the model railroad or the miniature working steam train. The air section also features several space travel exhibits, including an unused project Mercury capsule. Fr. 32 for adults, Fr. 21 for children 6-16, and free for younger kids
• Lucerne Art Museum (Kunstmuseum Luzern), 47.050278°, 8.311944°.
• The Rosengart Collection (Sammlung Rosengart), Pilatusstrasse 10, 47.049561°, 8.307403°, +41 41 220 16 60, info@rosengart.ch. Apr–Oct: daily 10:00–18:00; Nov–Mar: daily 11:00–17:00. Well over 200 works by 23 artists of early modernism, including 125 works of Paul Klee and about 50 by Pablo Picasso. Also works by Cézanne, Chagall, Miró, Pissarro, among others. The collection also houses 200 photographs, previously housed in the Am-Rhyn-Haus, by David Duncan Douglas, Life Magazine’s World War II photo correspondent who arrived with his camera uninvited at Picasso’s villa “California”, was welcomed by Picasso and his family, and over the years produced an intimate portrait of the artist’s day-to-day life. Picasso's living room was his studio, and domestic scenes — a ballet lesson, Picasso drawing with his children, or wrapping himself in the cape and hat of his native Spain —play out within the backdrop of some of his most famous works. Admission Fr. 15 (Fr. 8 for students, children 7-16 years)
• The Richard Wagner Museum, 47.0412°, 8.32814°.

Do

• Explore the Old Town, 47.05260°, 8.30738°. 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.
• Take a boat tour, 47.05135°, 8.31012°. 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. 2017-01-11
• Rent a bicycle, 47.05025°, 8.31001°. 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).
• Watch football ie soccer at FC Luzen, who play in the Super League, the top tier of Swiss football. Their home ground is Swissporarena, capacity 17,000, at 91 Horwerstrasse, 1 km south of city centre next to the Trade Centre.

Mountains

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

• Mount Pilatus, 46.97946°, 8.25586°. 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. 2022-07-19
• Mount Rigi, 47.05669°, 8.48541°. 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.
• Mount Titlis, 46.77114°, 8.43407°. 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.
• [Go Trekking or Mountain Biking around Engelberg](http://www.engelberg.ch/), 46.81980°, 8.41003°. 2017-01-27
• Felsenweg Buergerstock, 46.99637°, 8.37744°. 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 the 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 masksparades 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 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 people are dressed in colors or in masks. In the last years, the cities of Zürich and Berne started to copy Central Switzerland's carnival.
• Blue Balls. Music festival in July.
• Lucerne Festival. Classic music festival
• Luzerner Fest. Music festival in June-July

Theatre

• Luzerner Theater, 47.05067°, 8.30622°. Top end theater and musicals
• Theaterpavillon, 47.04287°, 8.31965°. Nice theater with a bar. A place for art work and to meet people. Inexpensive.
• Kleintheater, 47.04600°, 8.30846°.

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.
• Bucherer, Schwanenplatz 5, 47.05341°, 8.30842°, luzern@bucherer.com. 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. 2017-01-27
• Weekly Market, 47.05171°, 8.30584°. Every Thursday and Saturday from 06:00 to 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

• Parterre, Mythenstrasse 7, 47.04476°, 8.30772°. Good, friendly atmosphere. They have different menus every day. 2022-08-01
• Fass, Obergrundstrasse 19, 47.0462874°, 8.3042931°. Good food, good charisma and very friendly staff. 2022-08-01
• Café La Suisse - Doorzögli, Gerbergasse 11, 47.0530357°, 8.3078635°. The best cordon bleu. Amazing experience. Friendly service 2022-08-01
• Twiny Station, Rössligasse 13, 47.0521971°, 8.3044976°. The absolute best sandwich in town. Excellent vegan options, very accommodating, and the bread is perfect. The vegan schnitzel is highly recommended. 2022-08-01
• Coop Restaurant Luzern City, Rössligasse 18, 47.0521923°, 8.3036725°. Quiet atmosphere and fine schnitzel. Very cosy. Clean, nice and good food. 2022-08-01
• Erdem Kebap, Zentralstrasse 45, 47.04591°, 8.30972°. Said to serve the best kepabs in town. Cheap. 2022-08-01

Theaterpavillon

• Treibhaus Luzern, Spelteriniweg 4, 47.04248°, 8.31923°. 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

• Mövenpick Restaurant, Grendelstr. 19, 47.0494601°, 8.3063658°, +41 41 410 52 22. International dishes and English menu on request. 2022-08-01
• Bistro du Théatre, Theaterstrasse 5, 47.05024°, 8.3067°, +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 2022-08-01
• Rathaus Brauerei, Unter der Egg 2, 47.05185°, 8.3062°, +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 2022-08-01

Splurge

• Brasserie Bodu, Kornmarkt 5, 47.0519531°, 8.3056989°, +41 41 410 01 77. Exquisite French cuisine. 2022-08-01
• Restaurant Old Swiss House, Löwenpl. 4, 47.0573777°, 8.3111029°. Famous for their Schnitzel which they prepare directly next to the table. 2022-08-01
• Bellini Locanda, Murbacherstrasse 4 (at Cascada Hotel), 47.04863°, 8.30876°. 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 2022-08-01
• Restaurant Schwan, Schwanenpl. 4, 47.0532929°, 8.3085035°. 2022-08-01

Drink

Bars

• Jazzkantine, 47.05331°, 8.30602°. Quite small but comfortable bar. They have a stage in the basement. Sometimes there are jazzists playing (4 to 8 times a month). In the same building is the local jazz school, so it's a kind of student bar.
• Metzgerhalle, Baselstrasse 1, 47.05146°, 8.29977°. Old Swiss restaurant made into a cool bar, usually full on weekends.
• Shamrock Irish Pub (formerly Gracie Kelly's), 47.05404°, 8.30844°. A great selection of Irish and Swiss drinks, home-made food, sports on display.
• Treibhaus Luzern, 47.04248°, 8.31923°. Small but cool alternative club, sometimes concerts, cheap food with 2 menus each day.
• Schüür, 47.04465°, 8.31125°. Popular concert place with an outdoor bar in summer.
• Sedel, 47.06513°, 8.29908°. 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.
• Bar 58, 47.04957°, 8.30141°. Nice neighbourhood bar on Klosterstrasse.
• Bar 59, 47.04189°, 8.31100°. 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.
• Bar Berlin, Lädelistrasse 6 (on a small sidestreet from Baselstrasse), 47.05369°, 8.29475°, duvoisin@sunrise.ch. F Sa 18:00–03:30. Small bar with good sound and good drinks, nice and cozy. 2016-01-15

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.

• Casineum (Grand Casino Luzern), Haldenstrasse 6, 47.05495°, 8.31620°. Fancy club in a casino, mainstream music
• Roadhouse, Pilatusstrasse 1, 47.04991°, 8.30913°, +41 41 220 27 27. 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.
• Das Schwarze Schaf, Frankenstrasse 2 (behind McDonalds at the train station), 47.04956°, 8.30911°, +41 41 227 00 33. Mainstream bar/club.
• Das Weisse Schaf, Frankenstrasse 2 (behind McDonald's at the train station), 47.04956°, 8.30911°, +41 41 227 00 33.
• The Loft, Haldenstrasse 21 (at the Casino), 47.05505°, 8.31499°, +41 41 410 92 44, info@theloft.ch. price=. From RnB to Reggaeton to Urban, gay-friendly, and hosts monthly Frigay nights.
• Penthouse, Pilatusstrasse 29, 47.04813°, 8.30541°, +41 41 226 88 88, info@astoria-luzern.ch. 17:00 to late night. Fancy rooftop bar.
• ROK, Seidenhofstrasse 5, 47.05014°, 8.30771°, +41 41 410 41 90, info@rokklub.ch. House, electro, minimal, mash-up, tech-house, dub.
• Madeleine, Baselstrasse 15 (at the beginning of Baselstrasse), 47.05182°, 8.29811°. Concerts, open mics, chillout, soul, funk, disco, alternative crowd.
• Gewerbehalle, Baselstrasse 46, 47.05345°, 8.29470°. Cool bar to hang out with a nice downstairs club.
• Klub Kegelbahn, Baselstrasse 24, 47.05275°, 8.29630°, raphi@klubkegelbahn.ch. 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, info@lionlodge.ch. 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, info@backpackerslucerne.ch. 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, luzern@youthhostel.ch. 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, info@desalpes-luzern.ch. 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, hotelpickwick@gastrag.ch.
• The Bed + Breakfast, Taubenhausstrasse 34, +41 41 310 15 14, info@thebandb.ch. 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, info@cascada.ch. 500 m from the train station. Single room from Fr. 197, double room from Fr. 324 (as of 2009).
• Monopol, Pilatusstrasse 1, mail@monopolluzern.ch. 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) 2021-11-08
• Waldstätterhof, Zentralstrasse 4, info@hotel-waldstaetterhof.ch. 100 m from the railway station directly in the city center. Single room from Fr. 129, double room from Fr. 184 (low season 2009).
• Hotel Central Luzern, Morgartenstrasse 4, 47.04926°, 8.30779°, +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 2021-12-26

Splurge

• Grand Hotel National, Haldenstrasse 4, 47.0548°, 8.314589°, +41 41 419 09 09, info@national-luzern.ch. Opened 1870, the Grand instantly became Lucerne's most recognizable hotel and arguably remains so do this day. César Ritz learned the ropes of the luxury hotel trade by managing the Grand Hotel here for ten years before striking off on his own. A single room starts at Fr. 300 per room per night
• Hotel Schweizerhof, Schweizerhofquai 3a, 47.05429°, 8.31023°, +41 41 410 04 10, info@schweizerhof-luzern.ch. Opened 1845 as Lucerne's first proper hotel and housed in a palatial lakeside building on the north shore, the Schweizerhof is one of the grand old hotel of Lucerne, and is priced accordingly.
• Palace Luzern, Haldenstrasse 10, 47.05519°, 8.31982°, +41 41 416 16 16, info@palace-luzern.ch. The hotel is a haven of hospitality which combines old world charm with the most modern comforts. The ambience is one of stylish elegance.
• The Hotel, Sempacherstrasse 14, 47.04801°, 8.30779°, +41 41 226 86 86, info@the-hotel.ch. 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.
• Art-Deco Hotel Montana, Adligenswilerstrasse 22, 47.056417°, 8.319645°, +41 41 419 00 00. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Best rated hotel in Lucerne for a couple of years, slightly above the lake and offers amazing views over the lake and mountains.It rooms are modern (art deco), well maintained and the service is superior. Also the Scala restaurant (15 Gault Millau points) and the Sunday brunch are very popular. from Fr. 250

Camping

• Camping International Lido, 47.04997°, 8.33893°.

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.

Cope

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