Season guide · Lucerne · Switzerland
Lucerne in spring
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Edouard Castres, Public domain
Quick answer
Blossom along the lake and fewer visitors, but changeable weather; some mountain railways reopen only in April or May. Expect highs up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 1°C (34°F), with about 35 rainy days across March–May. May is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 1°C (34°F) to 19°C (66°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 35
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in spring
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 10°C (50°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 11 | 11.8 h | 2/5 |
| April | 14°C (57°F) | 4°C (39°F) | 11 | 13.5 h | 3/5 |
| May | 19°C (66°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 13 | 15 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 14°C (57°F) against a yearly 14°C (57°F), and 35 of the year's roughly 132 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in spring
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- March: Lucerne Fasnacht in years when Easter falls late (usually February or early March)
- May: Rowing regattas on the Rotsee (late spring to early summer)
Good choices for spring
Museum · Lido
Swiss Museum of Transport
The Verkehrshaus covers Swiss rail, road, air, water and space travel with real locomotives, planes, cable cars and simulators, plus a planetarium, a large-format cinema and the Swiss Chocolate Adventure ride.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
Religious site · Old Town
Jesuit Church
Visit outside service times and step onto the riverside terrace outside for a view back across to the old town.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- History
Religious site · Hof
Church of St. Leodegar (Hofkirche)
Lucerne's main church, with twin pointed towers above the lakefront, was rebuilt in Renaissance style after a fire in 1633.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Architecture · Station
KKL Luzern and Kunstmuseum Luzern
Even without a ticket, walk under the roof at the water's edge for a view of the old town across the bay.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Architecture
- Art
- Rainy day
- After dark
Gallery · Neustadt
Rosengart Collection
In a former bank building on Pilatusstrasse, the Rosengart family's collection holds a large group of works by Picasso and Paul Klee, plus paintings by Cézanne, Monet, Matisse, Chagall and Miró.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Day trips in spring
- Rigi (About 1.5 hours by boat and cogwheel railway) — The 'Queen of the Mountains' stands between Lake Lucerne and Lake Zug, with a broad summit at Rigi Kulm and gentle walking trails between Rigi Kaltbad and Rigi Staffel.
- Engelberg and Titlis (About 45 minutes by train, then cable cars) — Engelberg is a mountain village with a Benedictine monastery, and from it a series of cable cars, including the revolving Rotair, climbs to Titlis at about 3,000 metres, with glacier snow year round.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is spring a good time to visit Lucerne?
Yes: May is among the best months. Blossom along the lake and fewer visitors, but changeable weather; some mountain railways reopen only in April or May.
+What is the weather like in Lucerne in spring?
Highs of up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 1°C (34°F), with about 35 rainy days over the season.