Lucerne Travel Guide

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.

Thanks to its central location47.0488898.3105561Lucerne railway station(Bahnhof Luzern) can be reached easily from nearly every other city in Switzerland using theSwiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS)). There are hourly trains fromOltenand Zürich Airport and half-hourly trains fromZürich, and a direct train every hour fromBerne. There is an hourly service fromBellinzonain Ticino, andPfäffikonandSt. Gallenin the North East.

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 acity bus system, as well as assistance for disabled visitors on request fromMobility International Switzerland. TheLidobeach and theSwiss Transport Museumare 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

Lucerne is a heavily touristed destination, and where there are tourists there arepickpockets,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. A

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 freeVisitor Card Lucernewhich grants various discounts, most notablyfree travel within zone 10(Lucerne city) on all public transport except ferries. This includes transport to your lodgings, just show your reservation if asked.