CRUISING LAKE LUCERNE
Classic Paddle Steamers and Scenic Tours
Lake Lucerne
in the center of Switzerland is one of the most beautiful for the cruising
experience for the large
lakes. The fourth largest,
Lucerne’s Lake is the most closely surrounded by mountain ranges,
with the dramatic high peaks of Mt Pilatus and Mt Rigi along its shoreline
and miles of pristine unspoiled rugged vistas, with moods alternating
between clinging mists or golden light on the waters. Lake Lucerne
is formed by the River Ruess which flows in from the east at Fleulen
at
one end and out at Lucerne at the west end, underneath the picturesque
famed wooden bridge and through the historic flow control gates.
Lake Lucerne is also historically two lakes with the eastern portion
from Brunnen to Fluelen forming Lake Uri. It was along the shores of
this lake that Switzerland first formed as a country in the middle-ages
with the four cantons of Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden and Lucerne joining
in the Swiss Federation, and it is from here the legend of William
Tell arose. A protruding rock along the shore bears a dedication to
Friedrich
Schiller (see Schiller House Weimar), whose 1804 dramatization of the story of the archer who shot
an apple from his son’s head, is one of the seminal foundations
of Swiss cultural identity. Beethoven's "Moonlight" Sonata
takes its name from moonlight shining on waters of Lucerne and Richard
Wagner took inspiration for works he wrote while living on its shore and Percy Shelley and Mary Shelley stayed on their romantic elopement on Lake Lucerne).
Vier Waldstättersee Lake Lucerne Cruises
While it is possible to drive along parts the lake to the remote towns
along its shore, the best way to see Lake Lucerne is from the deck
of one of the daily cruise boats which ply its deep waters. The passenger
shipping company of the Vier Waldstättersee (Lake of the Four
States), has been operating passenger cruise boats on the lake since
the steam
paddle wheel cruiser was launched in 1901. The boats which cruise the
lake consist of a fleet of five historic paddle steamers. The oldest
of the steamers is the Uri from 1901 with its neo-Baroque parlor of
rich allegorical carvings of walnut wood cherubs and mermaids
and painted ceiling of floral motifs. The other low draft steam side
paddle wheelers are the Unterwalden, from 1902, freshly refurbished
in 2011, the Schiller named for the writer of the Wilhelm Tell play,
launched
1906 with its unique salon in Art Nouveau style, the Gallia from 1913,
still the fastest paddle driven steam ship in Europe, and the flagship,
the Stadt Luzern, the largest and grandest of the fleet from 1928 with
two salons in Art Deco style.
Aside from the steamers are a fleet of more recent cruise boats of
steel added in more recent decades, as well as two smaller wooden hulled
boats
from the 1920s which mostly operate on the less traveled bay of Uri.
The modern cruise boats don’t have quite the style of the classic
interiors of the old steamers, but the scenery is the same. The ships
have two classes of passengers, first class and second class. The difference
is generally 1st class passengers can go to the upper deck seating while
2nd class are restricted to the lower deck. On the steamers, the large
elegant dining salon in the rear is 1st class, while the forward smaller
salon with table seating is for 2nd class passengers. While the seating
and accoutrements are pretty much the same, first class is less crowded
in busy high season with the ability to move about as you please. Ticket
prices are based on class and distance traveled with second class about
half the price of first.
Cruises with a Swiss Pass
The Lake Lucerne cruisers can be taken with a Swiss Pass for travelers from outside Switzerland (see Swiss Rail Pass Value) or Eurail Rail Pass (see How Eurail Passes Work) for no extra charge (except meals), with travel class according to the class of the pass. A local pass card the Tell-Pass offers travel on trains and lake boats for specified numbers of days with a 50% discount of the private funicular railways and cable cars , the Swiss Half Fare Card of SBB Swiss Railways offers travel at half price, these can be purchased at any Swiss Railway Station.
Cruise Departures, Rail and Bus Connections
From Lucerne, the steamers and cruise boats depart from the boat pier
(Bahnhofquai), directly across from the rail station past the bus stops
in the plaza, next to the main traffic bridge and within an easy walk
from the old town section on either side of the Reuss. The cruisers
meet the rail lines from Zurich via Schwyz to Lugano and Italy at Fluelen
at the far end. This is the route covered by the Wilhelm Tell Express
(see Wilhelm Tell Express Tour) marketed as a cruise
and rail scenic journey in cooperation between the Vier Waldstattersee
cruise ship company
and
Swiss Rail.
The main cruising season on Lake Lucerne is from early June through
late September, with a reduced schedule April and May and in October.
In days
past, the old steamers where built as ice breakers, but that ended
in the 1960s. A limited schedule of the modern boats runs all year
around.
The large majority of the passengers aboard are day tourists or locals
with no baggage. If traveling in transit, racks or platforms are available
to store luggage, suitcases, backpacks, bicycles, etc. Classic paddle
steam cruises also operate on Lake Geneva (see Lake
Geneva Belle Epoch Steamers), with a similar experience,
though one advantage the Lucerne
ships have for enthusiasts is that the glorious engine works of gleaming
pounding pistons driving the side paddle wheels are in full exposed
view of the Lake Lucerne steamers, while concealed within engine rooms,
out
of view, on the Lake Geneva ships.
One Way or Round Trip
The cruise boats on Lake Lucerne can be taken as one way or round trip transit trips, or special theme package tours are offered as sightseeing round trips. These are offered year round daily. See Scenic Day Cruising Package Trips on Lake Lucerne
Near Lucerne the cruise boats cross the lake from the boat pier to
the opposite shore near the Transportation museum (see Swiss
Transport Museum)
and near the Wagner house at Tribschen (see Richard
Wagner Museum Lucerne).
If you want to just take a short ride, you can return to the city by
return
boat or by city public rail or bus transportation. For longer trips
the boats cross the lake for stops at principal town piers on either
side.
A one way trip on the entire route from Lucerne to Fluelen takes about
two and a half hours. Boats from Lucerne to Alpnachstad to catch the
Mt Pilatus cog train (see Mt
Pilatus Railway and Cable) is
a separate route, with its own timetable, a one way trip taking about
90 minutes, or cruise to Stanstad for the Stanserhorn (see Stanserhorn Open Top Cable Car). If you have time on your travels, an overnight stay in one of the towns
of the Lake Lucerne bordering cantons is well worth planning. The Riviera
shore towns of Weggis written about by Mark Twain, with its new monument
marking his trail or Brunnen (see Follow the Rhine by Rail), or hike
the mountain trails from Beckenried or Kussnacht. © Bargain
Travel Europe
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Web Info
Vier Waldstattersee
Timetables
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Switzerland Rail Guide
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See Also:
THE BACHLOR RAIL & HOTEL ROMANCE PACKAGE
WALDSTÄTTERHOF HOTELS - LAKE LUCERNE
SWITZERLAND GRAND TOUR BY TRAIN PASS
