Travel from Basel to Lucerne

When is this trip going to happen?
There is a direct train at 3 past the hour taking 62 minutes, and one at 16 past the hour taking 74 minutes. Cost is 36 CHF.

If you can commit and buy well in advance, you can each get Saver Day Passes for 52 CHF pp. They only are good for the day you purchase them for, and are pretty much nonrefundable. They act like a one-day Swiss Travel Pass and you can see and do as much as you like for a day, Take a lake cruise to Vitznau and ride to the top of Rigi Mountain, or go to the Stanzerhorn, or take a train to Engelberg.

https://www.sbb.ch/en/tickets-offers/tickets/day-passes/saver-day-pass.html

How exciting! We are planning a trip from Basel after a River Cruise. We have been to Switzerland and absolutely love it. Originally wanted to go to Lucerne for a few nights then back to Zurich to fly back to Michigan. We now though are thinking of going back to beautiful Interlaken. Any thoughts on places to stay for 2 nights in Interlaken would be appreciated. Of course we then need to take a train to Zurich airport for a flight home on the 3rd day. Also, if there are other nice villages we should visit would be great.

Lucerne is a must see though! You will love it and it would be great if you were spending a night there too.

The train that takes only 62 minutes can be purchased for 2nd class tickets correct? Our trip isn’t until September so I can’t buy tickets yet but I should purchase them at least 2 months in advance for best pricing correct? Thanks for the help Sam do you live in Green Bay?

Yes, second class tickets are always available. 2 months out, 52 CHF Saver Day Passes should still be available unless it is a Saturday or Sunday, then these ticket prices start to tick up. So start checking 3 months out.
Yes, I live in Green Bay.

A couple of things to know. You may not know in advance when you'll be able to disembark (the crew manages your luggage and its in stages). And how long the taxi ride to the SBB station (across town) will take. It was longer than we expected. So we, a group of six, just got our tickets from the machine at the station without trying to guess and get advance fares.

Awesome we live 25 miles away, never expected getting information on Switzerland from a Wisconsinite!!

Our Basel excursion is on the front end of our cruise arriving the day before we plan to do the Lucerne trip then getting on the ship the next day!

With Saver Day Passes, you don't need to stop and buy tickets. You just go and get on the next available train. When the conductor comes by, you just your passes and your passport (your pass is in your name, so ID may be checked).