Where to stay · Lucerne · Switzerland
Where to stay in Lucerne
7 neighbourhoods compared, with the trade-offs hotel listings don't tell you.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
For a first visit, stay in Old Town (Altstadt). Painted guildhouses, small squares and riverside cafés on the right bank of the Reuss. Best alternatives — families: Tribschen; budget: Station and KKL area; nightlife: Baselstrasse and Bruch.
Key facts
- First visit
- Old Town (Altstadt)
- Families
- Tribschen
- Budget
- Station and KKL area
- Nightlife
- Baselstrasse and Bruch
Best area for each kind of trip
| Trip type | Area | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-timers | Old Town (Altstadt) | Painted guildhouses, small squares and riverside cafés on the right bank of the Reuss |
| Families | Tribschen | Lakeside parks, Wagner's villa and swimming lawns south-east of the KKL |
| Couples | Old Town (Altstadt) | Painted guildhouses, small squares and riverside cafés on the right bank of the Reuss |
| Budget | Station and KKL area | Railway station, boat piers and Jean Nouvel's concert hall on the lakeshore |
| Luxury | Haldenstrasse lakefront | Belle Époque grand hotels and a plane-tree promenade facing the Alps |
| Nightlife | Baselstrasse and Bruch | Multicultural street of kebab shops, bars and small galleries below the Gütsch hill |
| Food lovers | Neustadt | Grid of residential streets, local bars and everyday shops south of the station |
| Solo travellers | Station and KKL area | Railway station, boat piers and Jean Nouvel's concert hall on the lakeshore |
| Quiet stays | Haldenstrasse lakefront | Belle Époque grand hotels and a plane-tree promenade facing the Alps |
Lucerne neighbourhoods in detail
$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples and culture
Old Town (Altstadt)
The car-free old town between the Kapellbrücke and the Musegg Wall is built around Weinmarkt, Kornmarkt and Hirschenplatz, where façades are covered in frescoes. Hotels here are mostly small and historic, and you can walk to the Lion Monument, the Jesuit Church and the boat piers in under 15 minutes.
- Good
- Every central sight is a short walk away; Atmospheric squares and lanes; Riverside restaurants along Unter der Egg
- Watch out
- Rooms are small for the price; Busy with tour groups in summer
- Nearby
- Kapellbrücke, Weinmarkt, Spreuer Bridge, Musegg Wall
$$$ · Best for first-timers, solo travellers and budget
Station and KKL area
The streets around Lucerne station and the KKL Luzern put trains, buses and lake steamers on your doorstep, which makes this the most practical base for day trips to Pilatus, Rigi, Engelberg and Interlaken. The Kapellbrücke is a two-minute walk across the Bahnhofplatz, and the Inseli park gives a patch of lakeside green.
- Good
- Fastest access to trains and boats; Wide choice of hotels and hostels; Short walk to the old town
- Watch out
- Traffic and coach parking around the station; Less character than the old town
- Nearby
- KKL Luzern, Kapellbrücke, Lucerne station, Inseli
$$$$ · Best for luxury, couples and quiet stays
Haldenstrasse lakefront
East of the Schweizerhofquai, Haldenstrasse and the Nationalquai are lined with 19th-century grand hotels, the casino and lake-view terraces. Rooms facing the water look across to Rigi and Pilatus, and the lakeside promenade leads towards the Lido and the Museum of Transport in about 25 minutes on foot.
- Good
- Lake and mountain views; Calm evenings; Ten minutes' walk to the old town
- Watch out
- Among the highest hotel prices in the city; Few casual places to eat
- Nearby
- Nationalquai, Grand Casino Luzern, Lion Monument, Lido Luzern
$$ · Best for budget, food lovers and solo travellers
Neustadt
The 19th-century Neustadt around Bundesplatz, Hirschmattstrasse and Pilatusstrasse is where many locals live and eat. It has a wider choice of mid-priced hotels, Asian and Italian restaurants and neighbourhood bars, and it is home to the Rosengart Collection. The station is 5–10 minutes away on foot.
- Good
- Better value than the lakefront; Everyday restaurants and supermarkets; Close to the station
- Watch out
- No lake views; Plain, mostly residential streets
- Nearby
- Rosengart Collection, Bundesplatz, Lucerne station
$$ · Best for families, quiet stays and budget
Tribschen
Tribschen runs along the southern lakeshore from the KKL to the Richard Wagner Museum. The Ufschötti, a free lakeside lawn with a gravel shore, fills with swimmers and picnickers on summer evenings, and apartment-style hotels here suit families who want space and a quieter base 10–15 minutes' walk from the centre.
- Good
- Free lake swimming in summer; Quieter streets; Apartments with kitchens
- Watch out
- Little nightlife; Fewer restaurants than the centre
- Nearby
- Ufschötti, Richard Wagner Museum, KKL Luzern
$ · Best for budget, nightlife and solo travellers
Baselstrasse and Bruch
West of the old town walls, Baselstrasse and the Bruch quarter are Lucerne's most international streets, with Turkish, Balkan and Eritrean eateries, a few independent bars and some of the lower-priced rooms in town. The Gütsch funicular climbs from here to a viewpoint over the city.
- Good
- Lower prices for food and drink; Ten minutes' walk to the old town; Local, unpolished atmosphere
- Watch out
- Busy road with traffic noise; Feels gritty to some visitors
- Nearby
- Gütsch Funicular, Spreuer Bridge, Old Town
$$$ · Best for couples, quiet stays, families and luxury
Weggis and Vitznau
Weggis and Vitznau on the north shore of Lake Lucerne are quieter alternatives to staying in town, with lakefront hotels, a lakeside promenade and direct access to Rigi by cable car from Weggis or cogwheel railway from Vitznau. Boats and buses reach Lucerne in roughly 40–60 minutes.
- Good
- Lake views and swimming; Direct access to Rigi; Peaceful evenings
- Watch out
- Depends on boat and bus timetables; Limited dining in the evening
- Nearby
- Rigi, Vitznau–Rigi railway line, Lake Lucerne
Areas compared
| Area | Price | Nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Old Town (Altstadt) | $$$ | Kapellbrücke, Weinmarkt, Spreuer Bridge, Musegg Wall |
| Station and KKL area | $$$ | KKL Luzern, Kapellbrücke, Lucerne station, Inseli |
| Haldenstrasse lakefront | $$$$ | Nationalquai, Grand Casino Luzern, Lion Monument, Lido Luzern |
| Neustadt | $$ | Rosengart Collection, Bundesplatz, Lucerne station |
| Tribschen | $$ | Ufschötti, Richard Wagner Museum, KKL Luzern |
| Baselstrasse and Bruch | $ | Gütsch Funicular, Spreuer Bridge, Old Town |
| Weggis and Vitznau | $$$ | Rigi, Vitznau–Rigi railway line, Lake Lucerne |
Getting to your hotel
Zurich Airport is about 65 km away; SBB trains reach Lucerne in roughly 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, often with a change at Zurich HB or Zug. Basel EuroAirport is about 1 hour 45 minutes by bus and train.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best area to stay in Lucerne for first-time visitors?
Old Town (Altstadt). The car-free old town between the Kapellbrücke and the Musegg Wall is built around Weinmarkt, Kornmarkt and Hirschenplatz, where façades are covered in frescoes.
+Where should families stay in Lucerne?
Tribschen: Free lake swimming in summer.
+Which area of Lucerne is best for a budget stay?
Station and KKL area ($$$): Railway station, boat piers and Jean Nouvel's concert hall on the lakeshore.