By far Switzerland’s most charming city, Lucerne combines excellent scenery and low-key urban life. It’s a small city that is far more beautiful and interesting than Zurich, Geneva, or Lausanne. With a gorgeous lake at its center and the famous Chapel Bridge in the middle of it all, this is the best place to visit in Switzerland after the Interlaken area.
Switzerland’s most famous tourist city, Lucerne is gorgeous from nearly every angle. With its signature walking bridges connecting the train station area with the main tourist area, this is a compact city that is easy to get to know.
Similar to everywhere else in Switzerland, things in Lucerne are very expensive, even by European standards. Sit-down meals and drinks in bars will drain your budget before you even realize it, so visitors who want to keep costs down will self-cater at least one or two meals a day.
| Population | 76,200 |
| Area | 250,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+1 |
| Currency | Swiss franc |
| Airports | Zurich Airport (ZRH) |
Hotels and hostels in Lucerne are also predictably expensive, although most places have good locations in or near the center, so at least you’ll be close to the action. We have a new article with specific advice on where to stay in Lucerne and it should help a lot.
Peak season (when most visit) runs from June into September. During these months you’ll find great weather, lots of tourists, shops and restaurants with open doors and higher hotel prices.
October is considered the off season and is a great month to find hotels with lower prices. Keep an eye out for weekend travel deals.
November to the middle of April is when tons of skiers come into town to take advantage of the fresh powder. Prices are in the middle range during this time with most open hotels being ski lounges.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 51.14 - 77.27 |
| 89.77 - 113.64 |
| 90.91 - 170.45 |
| 132.95 - 189.77 |
| 227.27 - 255.68 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 25.00 - 44.32 |
With Lake Lucerne at your doorstep, a lake cruise is a must. The standard boats leave from just across from the train station and stop at various small villages nearby in a loop on the way back to the departure pier.
Mount Titlis, Mount Rigi, and Mount Pilatus each have impressive viewing areas on their peaks, and each is within a few hours of Lucerne. It’s possible to do two of them in one day if you start early and move quickly, but all three is impossible.
The famous lion statue is a reasonable walk from the Chapel Bridge area and it’s free to see around the clock.
Here’s a much longer list of things to do in Lucerne to make the most of a short stay.
The commercial center and shopping district of Lucerne are easy to tour on foot by yourself, but the free (tips-based) walking tours are very worthwhile to learn much more than you can on your own.
Lake cruises range from one to four hours and are a wonderful way to see the nearby villages and best lake scenery of the area.
| Location | Description | Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swiss Transport Museum | This impressive museum filled with trains, planes, automobiles, and motorcycles is popular. | Adults Under 16 | 56.82 26.14 |
| Swiss Chocolate Adventure | Next to the Transport Museum, this one shows how chocolate is made and whatnot. | Adults Under 16 | 15.91 6.82 |
| Lake Lucerne boat tour | View nearby towns and sights on a 1 hour round-trip boat from Lucerne. Single hops are cheaper. | Adults | 17.05 |
| Food Type | Description | Price(USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Budget breakfast | Hopefully your hotel or hostel will include breakfast. If not, head to the Coop supermarket for an early bite. | 5.68 - 10.23 |
| Budget lunch | You can find pre-made sandwiches and sausages in this range, but sit-down meals cost more. | 9.09 - 13.64 |
| Budget dinner | Nearly all sit-down restaurants start in this price range, for lunch or dinner, not including a drink. | 20.45 - 27.27 |
| Beer (.5L) | You'd have to look around to find the lower part of this range, yet beer is cheap in supermarkets. | 7.95 - 10.23 |
| Beer .33L (retail) | Weirdly, alcohol in stores is fairly cheap in Switzerland. | 1.14 - 1.14 |
| Vodka (.7L) | Local vodka is among the cheaper spirits you'll find in shops. | 10.23 - 22.73 |
| Salad (retail) | Supermarkets carry a wide range of pre-made salads, which are popular for budget travelers. | 4.55 - 7.95 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Zurich to Lucerne train | 35.23 |
| Interlaken to Lucerne train | 60.23 |
| Boat to Transport Museum | 5.68 |
Lucerne has no commercial airport of its own so nearly all visitors arrive by train to its large and efficient central station. Zurich Airport is about an hour by train from Lucerne.
Lucerne is compact enough that you can walk anywhere in the city center.
| Month | High F | Low F | Precip (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 38 | 28 | 2 |
| February | 41 | 28 | 2.1 |
| March | 50 | 34 | 3.0 |
| April | 58 | 40 | 3.5 |
| May | 66 | 48 | 5 |
| June | 72 | 54 | 6.1 |
| July | 77 | 58 | 6 |
| August | 75 | 57 | 5.8 |
| September | 67 | 51 | 4.2 |
| October | 58 | 44 | 3 |
| November | 46 | 35 | 2.9 |
| December | 40 | 30 | 2.8 |
Weather changes throughout the year as Lucerne is home to all four seasons. Winter, October to May, sees lower temperatures and is a great time for skiing and snowboarding as well as other outdoor winter activities. If visiting during this time of the year, make sure to bring warm clothes and layers.
Summertime is a great time for enjoying the outdoors as well. During this part of the year you’ll have the chance to bike and hike your way around. Because of this town’s close proximity to the Alps, you’ll find that evenings can get a little on the chilly side. Even though you’ll dress lightly during the day, it’s still a good idea to bring layers for nighttime.
| 21 Mar | 6:27am | 6:40pm |
| 21 Jun | 5:31am | 9:25pm |
| 21 Sep | 7:12am | 7:27pm |
| 21 Dec | 8:09am | 4:40pm |