Boat and Ferry Travel

One of the joys of traveling in this region is touring Lake Luzern on one of its time-stained 20th-century paddle steamers. These are a slow but extremely scenic and therefore worthwhile mode of transportation; you'll find locals on day trips traveling along with you.

Lake Luzern boasts five historic paddle steamers built between 1901 and 1928, and they connect virtually every community on the lakeside. The larger boats have full restaurant facilities, and even the smaller ones offer refreshments. As elsewhere in Switzerland, they link, where practical, with both the train and postbus services. The round-trip/excursion tickets offer the best value for the money.

In stark contrast to the old steamers is the modern and massive MS Diamant, a luxury pleasure cruiser built in Luzern's shipyard and inaugurated in 2017. Its features include a marvelous glass dome, two elegant cabins, and a lake-water footbath. The four-level vessel can carry up to 1,100 passengers on a regularly scheduled cruise or 400 banquet guests for a private event.

Services are frequent in the peak season, but in the off-season, services are limited, so check on availability when you arrive. Schifffahrtsgesellschaft des Vierwaldstättersees offers culinary and sightseeing cruises around the lake daily from May to October. Rides on these are included in a Swiss Pass, Swiss Boat Pass, or the discount Tell Pass. Individual tickets can be purchased at Luzern's departure docks; the fee is based on the length of your ride.

Contacts

Schifffahrtsgesellschaft des Vierwaldstättersees. Landungsbrücke 1, Luzern, Luzern, 6003. 041/3676767; www.lakelucerne.ch.