I need to get to Zurich for a 7:35 AM flight... which means we need to be there for 5am? Hoe can we get to Zurich from Lucern so early in the morning?

Do trains run that early? THANKS!

Itilley,

It appears there is no train service from Lucerne to Zurich between midnight and 5:00 AM. You will probably need to get there the night before and stay at a hotel convenient to the airport.

Greg

Many airlines allow you to check-in the night before.

The earliest a train will get you to the airport station is 6:13.

There is a bus that makes an awkward trip (so it sounds to me) that leave Luzern at about 2:30 in the morning.

I think your choice is to spend the night at a hotel in Kloten (suburb where the airport is located) that has a shuttle service to the airport.

We used the Hotel Fly Away last year and found it to be OK except we did not know to make a dinner reservation for the dining room and ended up taking a pizza to our room.

The shuttle had to be reserved, too, because it takes a lot of people to the airport.

There are several hotels in Kloten that offer that service.

If you wanted to stay downtown, trains begin going to the airport at 5:02 from the main station and they run frequently thereafter. The trip takes less than 15 minutes to the airport station itself.

I think if you are there by 5:30 you should be ok. We allowed two full hours last year and had time to spare.

Security is tight mainly for US bound flights in my experience. There was a line, but it moved along ok.

Your main delay will be at the counter when you check in.

Thanks for the responses. Ugh... I really didn't want to have to get a room in Zurich... we may just do that, or see about a car service, although I expect a car service would be out of our price range.

Go to Priceline and get a place right at the airport.

Zurich is actually a very wonderful, charming little town that IMO has a lot more to do and see than Lucerne, esp in late March when it will be cold and probably rainy and I personally don’t know what you will do with 3 days in Lucerne in that weather after you have spent the 2-3 hours it takes to see the wooden bridge, the Lion and their small old town; as going up to Pilatus or Titlus won’t be that attractive and you had better have winter clothes with you to do it. (Late March is really not a great time in Switzerland or most of Europe really). I would suggest you spend the day before the flight in Zurich going to some of the great museums, the restaurants, seeing the wonderful old town, the churches, the opera or symphony, etc. Stay in a hotel in the old town and then hop the train to the airport in 10 minutes. You can store large luggage at the train station and just take a small bag to your hotel if you want. You could even stay all your time in Zurich and do a day trip to Lucerne, it’s less than an hour.

A taxi/car service from Lucerne to Zurich would cost several hundred US Dollars. A taxi from Zurich central city to Zurich airport costs about US$60 and takes 10-15 minutes; and you are talking about a drive of over an hour.

Although I would have no problem spending three days or more in Lucerne, I agree with Cicerone that Zurich has much to offer, not the least of which is easy and quick access to the airport by train.