Steamboat Cruise on Lake Lucerne to Flüelen

What it is

Lake Lucerne is not a round lake: it is a series of arms that push in between mountains, and every turn of the boat changes the landscape. The shipping company SGV runs it with scheduled boats that call at the villages on the shore, and five of them are historic paddle steamers: the Uri, the Unterwalden, the Schiller, the Gallia and the Stadt Luzern. Boarding one, with the steam engine in view and the wheels beating the water, is one of the things people remember most about Lucerne.

The long route: to Flüelen

The full trip goes from Lucerne to Flüelen, at the southern end, passing Weggis, Vitznau, Beckenried and Brunnen. The last stretch, Lake Uri, is the most spectacular: narrow, with rock walls dropping into the water. You can come back by boat or, to save time, by train from Flüelen. The one-way ticket costs CHF 53 in second class.

The short route: to Vitznau or Weggis

If you have half a day, go as far as Vitznau (CHF 31 one way) and combine it with the Rigi cogwheel railway. That way the boat is not just a pleasure trip but the way to the mountain.

Tickets and prices

• Day pass: CHF 86 in second class and CHF 134 in first. With a Half Fare Card, GA travelcard or Swiss Travel Pass, you pay the reduced fare: CHF 43 and CHF 67.
• Winter pass, from 1 November to 31 March: CHF 53 in second class.
• Children's pass for ages 6 to 15: CHF 12.

First class is on the upper deck, with fewer people. You can change class on board.

Steam or motor ship

Not all the boats are steamers. The SGV timetable says which boat runs each sailing and it changes a lot between summer and winter. If it matters to you, choose the boat by the timetable rather than the time.