Lake Lucerne cruise and boat ride
A Lake Lucerne cruise starts at the landing stages next to Lucerne station. Two rides are sold as tours. The catamaran round trip lasts 1 hour, starts at landing stage 3 and comes without a guide or commentary, with food and drinks on sale on board. The first-class lunch cruise lasts 1 hour 45 minutes, starts at the station quay and includes a fixed three-course menu with a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian choice, one mineral water and one coffee or tea. Alcohol costs extra.
You can also use the scheduled ships as a cruise of your own, for example to Weggis, Vitznau or Brunnen. Boats and prices are set by the shipping company, so confirm the timetable for your date. On the lake the ride itself is the point; if you want a mountain on top, see Mount Rigi or our Lucerne tours.
Our picks: Lake Lucerne cruises
The one-hour cruise is a plain ticket for a short ride, the cruise with a set meal fills a slower afternoon, and the Rigi day ticket combines boat, rack railway and cable car. None of them includes a guide on the water.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in Swiss francs (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Rigi round trip by boat, rack railway and cable car
- 2nd class boat ride
- Rack railway to Rigi Kulm
- Cable car down to Weggis
Self-guided, without a guide. The Weggis to Kaltbad cable car is in revision on weekdays from 16 to 27 November.
Check availability →
First-class lake cruise with set three-course meal
- Set 3-course meal
- 1 mineral water
- 1 coffee or tea
The menu is fixed, with a vegetarian or a non-vegetarian choice. Alcohol is paid for on the spot.
Check availability →
One-hour round-trip lake cruise
- Round-trip cruise ticket
A ticket-only cruise without guide or commentary, for a short time on the water.
Check availability →Lake Lucerne cruises and boat trips
A catamaran round trip, a first-class lunch cruise and a ship-and-railway day to Rigi, with live prices and availability.
Fares and day passes
Prices in CHF as read in autumn 2026, second class, adults. They are not a promise for every date of the year.
| From Lucerne to | Single | Return |
|---|---|---|
| Weggis | 23 CHF | 43 CHF |
| Vitznau | 31 CHF | 53 CHF |
| Brunnen | 46 CHF | 77 CHF |
| Flüelen | 53 CHF | 86 CHF |
| Alpnachstad | 31 CHF | 53 CHF |
A tariff for a route does not mean the ship runs all year. Alpnachstad, for example, has had no regular ship since 19.10.2026.
The day pass costs 86 CHF in second class and 134 CHF in first class. A winter day pass is sold from 01.11. to 31.03. for 53 CHF in second class and 82 CHF in first class. The day pass for children aged 6 to 15 costs 12 or 16 CHF. If you buy a voucher for the first-class day pass, check the price and the redemption when you buy.
The Swiss Travel Pass and the GA travel card are free on scheduled ships, the Half Fare card gives 50 percent, and children under 6 travel free. The special Saphir round trip has its own fares, where the GA and the pass give only a reduction. The Lucerne guest card is not valid on ships.
Paddle steamers
Five historic ships, no guaranteed day.
The historic fleet has five paddle steamers built between 1901 and 1928. The first steamer service on the lake began in 1837, which you can read about on our history page. Which ship sails on a given day depends on the timetable, so do not plan a day around a particular paddle steamer. Look at the timetable of the day if the steam ride matters to you.
Winter timetable 19.10.2026 to 16.04.2027
What changes on the lake in the cold season.
The winter timetable of the lake ships applies from 19.10.2026 to 16.04.2027. Timetables listed for 2027 as drafts are not valid for this autumn. For orientation in Lucerne, ships to Weggis, Vitznau, Brunnen and Flüelen usually leave from stage 1, Alpnachstad from stage 2, and Küssnacht and Bürgenstock from stage 3. Check the actual boat before you board.
Normal seats are neither required nor open for reservation, and restaurant seats can be reserved if you eat on board. A special timetable applies on 04.11.2026 for the Rütli shooting. Works at the station square with changed bus stops last until 12.12.2026, and the landing stages stay accessible. Our page on getting there shows the arrival routes.
Frequently asked questions
Does a Lake Lucerne cruise include a guide?
The catamaran round trip comes without a guide or commentary. The lunch cruise is a seated meal on board. Scheduled ships are ordinary ferries.
Is the Swiss Travel Pass valid on the lake?
Yes, on scheduled ships. The special Saphir round trip is only reduced with the pass and the GA.
Do I need to reserve a seat?
No, normal seats are not reservable. You can reserve a restaurant seat if you plan to eat.
Is this site the shipping company?
No. This site is an independent guide and not the website of the shipping company. Operation and prices are set by the operator and can change.