Switzerland

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Lucerne

A lake, a wooden bridge and mountains on every side

Visa & entry checker Plan a trip to Lucerne Plan a trip around Switzerland

Best time to visit: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Currency: CHF
Time zone: UTC+1
Country: Switzerland

Photo: Simon Koopmann, CC BY-SA 2.5

A picture-book old town on a lake ringed by mountains, the base for Pilatus, Rigi and Titlis, an hour from Zurich.

Largest cities

Zurich
Geneva
Basel
Lausanne
Bern
Lucerne

Quick facts

Figures are rounded recent official estimates.

Country: Switzerland
Capital: Bern (federal city)
City population: 83,000
Population of Switzerland: 9.1M
Country area: 41,285 km²
Official language: German, French, Italian, and Romansh
Currency: Swiss Franc (CHF) · 1 USD ≈ 0.8331 CHF
Time zone: UTC+1
Calling code: +41
Drives on the: Right
Elevation: 435 m
Plugs: J / C · 230V
Emergency numbers: 112 · 144 · 117
Best time to visit: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep

Temperatures through the year

Average daily high and low for each month in °C. Months marked with a drop are often rainy.

Temperatures through the year

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High	4°	6°	11°	15°	19°	23°	25°	24°	20°	15°	9°	5°
Low	-2°	-2°	1°	4°	8°	12°	14°	14°	10°	7°	2°	-1°

Best time to visitOther months

Approximate daily cost

Per adult per day: food, local transport and half a double room, without activities or flights.

ConservativeSimple stays, free and low-cost sights first.$112
HighComfortable hotels, a balanced mix of sights and trips.$235
LuxuryLuxury hotels, more paid experiences and day trips.$540

Plan a trip to Lucerne

Top things to do

Free
Chapel Bridge and the old town
The 14th-century covered wooden bridge with painted panels, painted house fronts and the Musegg wall towers.
- Half day
- Old town
- Good for kids
- Good in the evening
Free
Lion Monument and the Glacier Garden
The dying lion carved in the rock, and potholes left by the Ice Age next door (the garden is ticketed).
- Half day
- Old town
- Good for kids
≈ $120
Day trip: Mount Pilatus 'Golden Round Trip'
Boat across the lake, the world's steepest cog railway up (May to November) and cable cars down.
- Full day
- Pilatus, Rigi and Titlis
- Good for kids
≈ $50
Lake Lucerne paddle steamer
A cruise on a historic steamer between villages and steep green mountains.
- Half day
- Lake Lucerne
- Good for kids
≈ $40
Swiss Museum of Transport
Trains, planes, cars and a planetarium: Switzerland's most visited museum and ideal on a rainy day.
- Half day
- Lake Lucerne
- Good for kids
- Indoors
≈ $110
Day trip: Mount Titlis
Train to Engelberg, then a revolving cable car to glacier snow all year, a cliff walk and an ice cave.
- Full day
- Pilatus, Rigi and Titlis
- Good for kids

Before you go

Entry and visas

Switzerland is in the Schengen area but not the EU: up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Nationalities that need a Schengen visa, including Indian and Saudi citizens, need one for Switzerland too; visa-exempt visitors are registered in the EU Entry/Exit System (EES).

Official website