Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LAKE LUCERNE
Majestic peaks hunch conspiratorially around Vierwaldstättersee - which twists and turns
as much as the tongue does when pronouncing it. Little wonder English speakers use the
shorthand Lake Lucerne!
To appreciate the views, ride up to Mt Pilatus, Mt Rigi or Stanserhorn. When the clouds
peel away or you break through them, precipitous lookout points reveal a crumpled tapestry
of green hillsides and shimmering cobalt waters below, with glaciated peaks beyond. It's
especially atmospheric in autumn, when fog rises like dry ice from the lake, and in winter,
when the craggy heights are dusted with snow.
Getting Around
The
Lake Lucerne Navigation Company SGV
(
041 367 67 67;
www.lakelucerne.ch
)
oper-
ates boats (sometimes paddle-steamers) daily.
From Lucerne, destinations include Alpnachstad (one-way/return Sfr25/42, 1¾ hours).
Longer trips are relatively cheaper than short ones, and you can alight as often as you want.
An SGV day ticket costs Sfr66 for adults and Sfr33 for children. Swiss and Eurail passes
(on days selected for travel only) are valid on scheduled boat trips, while InterRail entitles
you to half-price tickets.
Detour:
Brunnen
Tucked into the folds of mountains, where Lake Lucerne and Lake Uri meet at right angles, Brunnen enjoys mesmer-
ising views south and west. A regular guest, English artist Joseph Turner was so impressed by the vista that he
whipped out his watercolours to paint
The Bay of Uri from Brunnen
(1841). As the local
föhn
wind rushes down from
the mountains, it creates perfect conditions for sailing and paragliding.
By far the most pleasant way to reach Brunnen is to take a boat from Lucerne (Sfr37, 1¾ hours).
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