Lucerne travel guide
Lucerne Tourism | Lucerne Guide
You're Going to Love Lucerne
With a population of 57.066, Lucerne is the largest city in Luzern, Switzerland by the number of inhabitants. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Lucerne deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
Where to Eat in Lucerne
If you’re looking for affordable options, Wirtschaft zum Schützenhaus (93 Horwerstrasse) and Soul Chicken (Löwengraben 31) are great picks.
When to visit Lucerne
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Lucerne in July, when the average temperature is 18 °C, and the highest can go up to 24 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as -3 °C, with an average temperature of 0 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 153 mm. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Lucerne, with an average rainfall of 61 mm.
How to Get to Lucerne
Plane
Although Lucerne doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Zurich Airport (ZRH), which is located 49 km from Lucerne. Zurich Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from Air Canada, Lufthansa, SWISS and other airlines departing from Canada. The shortest flight to Lucerne from Canada departs from Montreal and takes around 7h 25m.
Train
SNCF is the most popular train carrier serving Lucerne, followed by ÖBB. The train journey from Lucerne to Basel takes 0h 53m and costs around C$ 27 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Geneva, expect to pay about C$ 74 for a 2h 41m trip. Located 2.0 km from the city centre, Lucerne Allmend/Messe is the busiest station in Lucerne. Another popular train station is Lucerne, located 0.5 km from the centre.
Car
Another option to get to Lucerne is to pick up a car rental from Zurich, which is about 40 km from Lucerne. You’ll find branches of Sixt and Hertz, among others, in Zurich.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Lucerne, including FlixBus, BlaBlaBus and Regiojet. From Friedrichshafen, the bus ride to Lucerne takes 225 km and will cost you around C$ 25. From Memmingen, the ticket costs about C$ 30 for a journey of 330 km. Lucerne’s bus station is located 8 km from the downtown.
Airlines serving Lucerne
Where to stay in Lucerne
From 5-star hotels such as the The Hotel Lucerne, Autograph Collection to great affordable options like the Hotel Restaurant Anker, Lucerne offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around C$ 236 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to C$ 568 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Bellpark Hostel and ibis budget Luzern City. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Lucerne, with prices from C$ 74 to C$ 935 per night. Littau is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Lucerne are about 36% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
Where to stay in popular areas of Lucerne
Most booked hotels in Lucerne
Renting a car in Lucerne
Renting a car in Lucerne costs C$ 139 per day, on average, or C$ 278 if you want to rent it for 2 days.
You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 47% more expensive than at Zurich.
Expect to pay C$ 2.81 per litre in Lucerne (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 33.63 and C$ 44.83. The most frequently booked car type in Lucerne is Full-size (Class Full-size SUV or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Class Compact Car or similar) are, on average, 65% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.