Lucerne is a great place to have as a base when visiting Switzerland. You are centrally located and some of the best day trips can be reached from Lucerne.
So, if you are looking for some inspiration for day trips from Lucerne or maybe you are wondering – what are the best places to visit near Lucerne in Switzerland, then this article will help you.
Filled with plenty of inspiration and ideas for the best day trips from Lucerne, no matter the time of year you are visiting Lucerne.
Lucerne (Luzern Swiss german name) is known to be one of the most beautiful cities in Switzerland. And it is probably true?
The self-guided walking tour in Lucerne city brings you to some of the most beautiful and interesting sights and attractions within the city itself. But there is more!
When you are visiting Lucerne, whether it is in December, during the hot summer months or during the colourful autumn, Lucerne’s surrounding mountains and landscape are breathtaking, and many great destinations lie within easy reach.
List of Contents
- 1 Which day trip from Lucerne should you choose?
- 2 These are the Best Day Trips from Lucerne
- 2.1 1. Boat trip on Lake Lucerne
- 2.2 2. Visit Mount Pilatus
- 2.3 3. Bürgenstock and its Hammetschwand lift – tallest outdoor lift in the world
- 2.4 4. Stanserhorn Viewpoint and Panorama Trail
- 2.5 5. Visit Mount Rigi the Queen of the Mountains
- 2.6 6. Klewenalp – Discover the Goldi Safari Tour
- 2.7 7. Visit Mount Titlis – Engelberg
- 3 Things to do in Lucerne City
- 4 Where to stay in Lucerne
- 5 Other Great Tours from Lucerne
If you still need a place to sleep you may like to check this out – Where to find the BEST hotels in Lucerne and Lake Lucerne Region
Which day trip from Lucerne should you choose?
Ah, this will be a difficult decision as all day trips or half day trips from Lucerne in this article are different and beautiful in their own way.
Depending on the time you have, you may even combine one or two if you plan carefully.
Good to know: There are so many beautiful places to visit from Lucerne – simply too many to mention them all. Therefore, in this article I have listed the most popular and very best day trips from Lucerne. If you have time visit them all, as these are all well worth the visit.
Best is to visit these day trips from Lucerne with the city’s great public transport system.
And because it is always nice and relaxing to be on a boat, Lake Lucerne’s boat companies will take you to most of these places in style! Check out the time tables for the operating hours.
These are the Best Day Trips from Lucerne
The following day trips from Lucerne are accessible all year round. However some may have a different access depending on when you visit during the year. For example the boat schedule is limited during the winter months and also some of the mountain cog railways do not operate. But one way or another all these day trips from Lucerne are possible and you will find more information in the read more section of each trip.
1. Boat trip on Lake Lucerne
Let’s start with an easy but absolutely stunning boat trip around Lake Lucerne.
This trip does not involve much planning you just simply hop on one of the comfortable boats departing from Lucerne jetty near the train station and take it all in.
Have your photo and video cameras ready as the beauty is just insane.
A boat trip on Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee) can be made in any season, even during a visit to Lucerne in winter!
Actually, this is an insider tip: there are less crowds, and along with the crisp air and surrounding snow-capped mountains, Lake Lucerne is just breathtaking during the winter months.
The good thing about a boat trip from Lucerne is that you can even enjoy a one hour trip if you are a bit short on time.
Good to know: You do of course have many more options for different boat cruises during the summer months. The schedule during the winter will be limited but still worth to have a look and choose a cruise.
Some of the popular and best boat cruises on Lake Lucerne are as follows.
- Short and sweet. The 1 hour scenic panorama cruise. Great to get a feel of the surrounding mountains and the pretty little villages dotted around Lake Lucerne.
- Savouring with a view: A perfect idea for lunch is the 2 hours gourmet lunch cruise.
Take a seat and let the crew serve you a delicious lunch in one of the most beautiful settings. Available almost all year round. - City walk and cruise: If you have the whole day and want to discover some of the villages around Lake Lucerne then book a day ticket and hop on and off wherever you like. The city walking & boat cruise ticket is a great all year round tour and it gives you the freedom of how long you would like to stay in a place before hopping back on the boat.
2. Visit Mount Pilatus
Mount Pilatus is Lucerne’s house mountain and literally just a stone’s throw away from the city.
It is a popular excursion due to the ease of access from Lucerne and the views on the top of Pilatus Kulm are amazing.
To visit Mount Pilatus from Lucerne is simply a must do activity. If you are really short on time, then you can also plan this as a ½ day excursion from Lucerne.
You can visit Mt Pilatus during any season whether you visit Lucerne in winter or on a hot summer day.
Getting there is super easy with either the direct route from Kriens and the gondola, or via the more scenic Golden Round Trip which includes a boat trip, a steep cogwheel train up the mountain and a gondola descent.
Read more about Mount Pilatus on the golden round trip
Good to know: Because Mount Pilatus is such a popular destination, we recommend you take your time and plan the whole day.
There are several options for the best way to Pilatus from Lucerne. Everything is covered in depth in our article From Lucerne to Mt Pilatus – How to get there the best way.
3. Bürgenstock and its Hammetschwand lift – tallest outdoor lift in the world
Maybe not as famous as other viewpoints around Lucerne is the Bürgenstock and it’s Hammetschwand lift. Ride the 152m up to the peak of the Bürgenstock!
Nevertheless, well worth a visit and to add onto your list of day trips from Lucerne.
The trip includes a boat cruise, a ride in a funicular, a short panorama trail and the epic ride in the worlds highest outdoor lift – the Hammetschwand Lift.
From there the view sweeps away over Lake Lucerne and far beyond.
There is a great luxurious hotel at the Bürgenstock itself, the Bürgenstock Hotel.
The restaurant terrace is the perfect place to enjoy a refreshment before walking the short trail up to the Hammedschwand Lift and enjoying an even better view at the top.
Good to know: The “Felsenweg path” and the Hammetschwand lift with its mountain restaurant are not in operation during winter. You can get the tickets to the Bürgenstock and the boat cruise combined.
Read more about a visit to the Bürgenstock and Hammetschwand lift
4. Stanserhorn Viewpoint and Panorama Trail
Another great trip from Lucerne is up the Stanserhorn to 1898m above sea level.
A panorama restaurant invites for lunch or a snack whereas the terrace is the perfect place to relax and simply enjoy the 360 degrees mountain and lake view.
How to get there: The journey up to the Stanserhorn from Lucerne is a treat alone. Start with a boat cruise from Lucerne to Ennetbürgen, followed by a Bus ride (bus 311 – 11 minutes) which will bring you to Stans in Nidwalden.
It is here from where the old nostalgic and beautifully restored funicular railway will bring you up and out of the village to the Kälti middle station. Then onwards with the modern CABRIO cable car. The world’s first cable car with an open upper deck providing a thrilling experience and beautiful views.
At the top: Apart from marvelling at the view there is a great restaurant for lunch and an easy panorama hike to the top of Stanserhorn. Definitely not to be missed.
Read more about The Stanserhorn and Panorama Hike
5. Visit Mount Rigi the Queen of the Mountains
You may have heard of Mount Rigi being the Queen of the Swiss Mountains. The name is well deserved, she stands in the middle of beautiful surroundings, not that tall but precious.
A visit from Lucerne to the Rigi comes with quite a lot of activities, depending also when you visit, because the Rigi is an all-year round destination. And a classic round trip.
How to get there: As with many day trips from Lucerne, start with a boat cruise, this time to Vitznau followed by a beautiful train ride up the mountain.
Yes, you can also arrive by car to Weggis and then ride the cable car up to Rigi Kaltbach. It is from here where you would have to change to the train up to Rigi Kulm – the summit.
Activities at the Rigi: At Rigi Kulm there is a short trail to the top where on a clear day you can see all over Switzerland in all directions.
Several other hikes start at Rigi Kulm, like the panorama hike over to Rigi Scheidegg for example.
If you fancy a few hours in The Mineralbad & Spa Rigi Kaltbad then make sure you pack your swimming costumes.
Winter visit: A fun family activity is to go sledging or even skiing at the Rigi. Definitely a very affordable option compared to the other surrounding winter resorts close to Lucerne.
Whenever you plan to visit make sure you read How to visit Mount Rigi from Lucerne
6. Klewenalp – Discover the Goldi Safari Tour
This is a full day excursion in the Lake Lucerne Region. More precise at Klewenalp which is in the Swiss Canton of Nidwalden.
The Goldi Safari at Klewenalp is ideal for the whole family and is a day trip from Lucerne we highly recommend.
A very versatile tour which involves many different transport modes. First a boat cruise from Lucerne to Beckenried passing by beautiful lakeshore villages.
At Beckenried, the Klewenalp-bahn (gondola) brings you up to Klewenalp at 1600 metres above sea level.
Your first part of the Goldi Family Safari is a short 2 hours hike from Klewenalp to Stockhütte. It is possible to do this on the pushchair friendly trail or via the forest path.
At Stockhütte a large playground awaits with a great BBQ station, perfect for lunch stop.
Even more fun will come your way when descending on the Bike Boards (mountain scooters) to Emmetten. Alternatively, you can also enjoy a ride in the Stockhütte cabin with views over Lake Lucerne.
You will start the way back to Lucerne with, with a short bus journey from Emmetten to Seelisberg, followed by a trip in the steep funicular to Treib. To finish this day trip from Lucerne you will enjoy once more a boat cruise back to Lucerne on Lake Lucerne – Vierwaldstättersee.
Read more about the Klewenalp – Goldi Family Safari
7. Visit Mount Titlis – Engelberg
Another popular excursion is to visit Mount Titlis from Lucerne. Located in the beautiful Engelberg valley and only a 45 minutes train ride from Lucerne, Mount Titlis should be on your list.
Riding up with the Titlis Rotair, a revolving cable car gives you amazing views over the glacier and the deep crevaces. From the top pf Mount Titlis, the views are endless and breathtakingly beautiful.
Cross over Europes highest suspension bridge and walk along inside the Glacier ice tunnel. A day trip you will keep in memories for life.
You can easily visit mount Titlis on your own or join a organised tour directly departing from Lucerne. Due to its close proximity this is only a 1/2 day the tour which leaves you plenty of time to visit something else in Lucerne.
Travel Tip: as Mount Titlis will be at an altitude of over 3000meters and in the snow, make sure you bring warm clothing with you.
Read our full guide in How best to visit Mount Titlis – Engelberg
Things to do in Lucerne City
If you just don’t have the time for a day trip then don’t worry, Lucerne has so much to offer within the city.
Whether it is just a delicious lunch at one of the river front restaurants whilst absorbing the ambiance, or a Self-Guided Lucerne City Tour, the choice is yours.
Where to stay in Lucerne
As you are planning on doing some great day trips from Lucerne during your visit, it is as important to have a nice accommodation waiting for you on your return from a great day discovering the Lake Lucerne region.
Below you will find some hotels with great locations and ideally located for your visit in Lucerne.
Luxury Hotels in Lucerne
If you want to treat yourself these Hotels in Lucerne will do the job.
Mid Range Hotels in Lucerne City
Should any of these hotels in Lucerne not be free on your travel dates, Check out the map below. Just add your days you will be staying in Lucerne and the hotels with availabilities will pop up.
Other Great Tours from Lucerne
You may also like these articles from the Region
- Visit Mount Pilatus on the Golden Round Trip from Lucerne
- Lucerne – Self-Guided City Tour (ideal for families)
- Lucerne in Winter – 3 Day getaway Itinerary city to peak
- LILU – Light festival in Lucerne ( January only)
- Glamping in Willisau -Lucerne ( and bike ride)
- Visit the Hammetschwand Lift from Lucerne
If I have missed anything out on this post, or if you have some more questions when planning your day trips from Lucerne, then leave a comment below. It is always nice for others to see some real people conversations.
PIN it for future references and tell a friend about it.
Thank you, Never forget to explore!
3 thoughts on “7 Best Day Trips from Lucerne Switzerland (all year round)”
How come you didn’t mention mount titlis?
Hi Larry
Thanks for taking the time to read our post. I only like to add places I have been to and can give a lot of information. At this moment we as a family still have not been to Titlis 🙁 As soon as we’ve been I will add it to the list and if becomes the 7-day trip from Lucerne !. Kindest Corina
Hi Larry, I just like to let you know MOunt Titlis is now on the best day trips to Switzerland Guide included ! We had the chance to visit this amazing place this autumn. have a great day.Corina