Visitors to Switzerland love Lucerne. This lakeside city has a fjord-like blue lake, a charming old town, and mountains all around. You’ll find lots of attractions in Lucerne, including the Lion Monument, the Chapel Bridge, the Transport Museum, and the Glacier Garden.
You might be wondering if you’ll need a car in Lucerne before your upcoming trip. Or can you get around without one?
Do you need a car in Lucerne?
If you just plan to stay in Lucerne city, you definitely do not need a car.
The Lion Monument, Old Town, Chapel Bridge, and Glacier Garden are all within walking distance of one another. It won’t matter if you take a car or bus since you can walk between these spots. It’s a little farther to get to the Transport Museum. But a bus takes you there easily. Visiting the Transport Museum in Lucerne doesn’t require a car, but you can use one if you want.
Lucerne – A compact city
Lucerne is much more welcoming than other Swiss cities like Zurich and Geneva due to its smaller size. The Old Town of Lucerne is also pretty compact and walkable.
It’s very easy to walk to the spots because the streets are flat. Furthermore, the crowd throngs are never too intense. Strolling around Lucerne is easy and comfortable.
Lucerne and Central Switzerland – Easy to navigate
You can get to and around Lucerne using many different modes of transportation, making it easy to get to the city center and/or explore Central Switzerland later on. Whether it’s by train, bus, or car, Lucerne is an excellent base for exploring central Switzerland.
You can also cruise on the lake in a boat. In Switzerland, Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstattersee) is a popular waterway for boat and ferry trips. In addition, if you want to go to nearby mountains like Pilatus, Rigi, or Titlis, there are excellent train and cable car connections.
Switzerland has a reliable public transportation system, so you can find the departure location and times easily. And because Switzerland, in particular Lucerne, has a really good public transportation system, you don’t need a car to get around.
Final Thoughts: Do You Need A Car in Lucerne?
Having a car in Lucerne isn’t necessary nor would I recommend it. Walking around Lucerne is pretty easy, and you can get to other parts of Switzerland by train, bus, or boat.
You can read more about other stunning places to visit near Lucerne such as Bürgenstock, Engelberg, Vitznau, and Weggis in this article 10 Beautiful Places Near Lucerne. And for those who wish to visit the mountains near Lucerne, you can find out about the Closest Mountains To Visit From Lucerne.