Day Trips from Luzern

Since so much time has passed on this question, I'm not going to reply here. I think you may have firmed up your plan through some of your other conversation threads or research.

1) Titlis
A series of 3 cable cars take you to 3000 metres, above the snow line with a small glacier. Train from Luzern to Engelberg, then 10 minute walk to bottom of first cable car.
See www.titlis.ch

2) Brünigbahn
This is the railway line from Luzern to Brienz and Interlaken, via the Brünigpass. Spectacular.

As you say, a day on the lake, the further you get from Luzern and the nearer the south end of he lake, the more spactacular and fjord-like it gets.

Thank you for these suggestions, Chris. They sound like great directions for us to take.

How long a trip is the Brünigbahn? That sounds wonderful!

Thank you again.
Leslie

Not at all Laura. It's just that no one answered before you and Chris.
Leslie

RE: Brünigbahn (=Brünig pass railway). Go to the Swiss Federal Railways website (www.sbb.ch). Enter from Luzern, to Interlaken Ost (if you are chicken, you can click on 'en' for English :-) ), and you will get times and prices. 2 hours from Luzern to Interlaken Ost. As on all Swiss railway lines, there is at least 1 train per hour.

Two possible places where you can stop off en route:

1) Brienz - small lakeside town,

2) Meiringen. Nearby is the Aareschlucht (=Aare river gorge). A long walk from the station, but worth it.

I suggest you do a Google images search for "Brienz", "Meiringen" and "Aareschlucht".

A useful rail map of Switzerland: http://www.sbb.ch/content/sbb/de/desktop/bahnhof-services/am-bahnhof/standort/trafimage-karten-bahnhofplaene/trafimage-karten/_jcr_content/contentPar/downloadlist_1303216798528/downloadList/netzkarte_schweiz.spooler.download.pdf

Thank you Chris. You have given me great ideas and I will research your suggestions.

Another question. If I get a Swiss Pass will it cover the Railjet trains as well as the trains on the sbb site. I am not able to book or see fares on that site and it seems that Railjet has better connections and timing.

Thank you again.
Leslie

Short answer: Yes

Long answer. There are no surcharges or restrictions on any train in Switzerland (except mountain railways). A ticket is valid on any train, and reservations are never needed. International trains operate as normal Swiss trains up to the border, usually in the same hourly time slot as a domestic Swiss train. A train may need a surcharge or reservation after the border, depending on the policy of the foreign railway company, but up to the border it is just a normal Swiss train.

The best place to look up Swiss train times is the Swiss Federal Railways website: www.sbb.ch
This includes all trains, domestic and international (Railjet, TGV, ICE, ...).

Thank you once again Chris. So when we leave a station and the pass covers from Luzern to Buchs (?) do we buy a ticket for Buchs to Salzburg before we leave?
Leslie

Yes.
From memory, Buchs is the border station between. SBB and ÖBB (Austrian railways). Best option is when you get to Luzern station, and have a few minutes spare, go to the ticket office (which at Luzern is one level below the surfaĉe, go down the escalators), and explain your situation. They will be able to sell you the correct ticket. Luzern is a tourist town, so the ticket office staff speak English.

Good to confirm. Thank you for all your help.
Leslie

OMG so now I went on to order a Swiss Pass and then there are add ons for other trips like to Pilitus. I thought the Swiss Pass covered the boat and train ride. Am I wrong? Why would you have to buy something extra?
Leslie

The Swiss Pass will cover the train and the boat as far as Alpnachstad then you get a 50% reduction on the funicular and cable cars . This goes for all the mountain railways, and cable cars, except the trip to Jungfraujoch where you get a 25% reduction from Wengen or Grindelwald, travel is free to these points.