Best route by car from Zermatt to Lucerne
Bruno is planning a drive from Zermatt to Lucerne on a Sunday in late August and is looking for the best route to take. He wants advice on avoiding traffic and is considering scenic options along the way. Travelers suggest taking either a scenic route with the Grimsel Pass or a simpler route through Brünig Pass to manage expected heavy traffic due to weekend vacations.
Avoid the Gotthardtunnel due to traffic jams from road works; choose the route via Grimsel Pass for beautiful scenery if you start early; consider taking the Brünig Pass for an easier drive in heavy traffic; be aware that heavy traffic is common on weekends in late summer.
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Hi.. we will be driving from Zermatt to Lucerne on Sunday, Aug. 30th, 2015, and are wondering which would be the best route. Is it via Andermatt or Meiringen/Brunig, or other suggestions? Any idea about Sunday traffic or return from vacation in the south at that time? We will be taking a train from Lucerne to Lugano later, so we will see the view to/from Goeschenen. Thanks.. Bruno
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<<“Any idea about Sunday traffic or return from vacation in the south at that time? “>
Plan on heavy. The Brunig will be slow. Don’t know the traffic on the others, but weekends are bad news at this time of ear.
Slowpoke
Hi Bruno,
Although school holidays will be over almost anywhere in Switzerland, the expectation is that there will be very heavy traffic that weekend (See: http://www.tcs.ch/de/auto-mobilitaet/verkehrsinf o/prognosen.php and download the PDF “Schulferien und Staukalender” – it will be clear although it is written in German).
First of all, try to avoid the Gotthardtunnel: traffic jams in both directions (Andermatt and Airolo) because of ongoing road works between Göschenen and Andermatt will most likely give you long delays.
I can think of three important routes between Zermatt and Luzern. They are all beautiful and they will all take about half a day (if there are no extra delays because of heavy traffic).
1. Train to Täsch – Visp – Rhône valley direction west – leave Rhône valley near Steg in direction of Lötschental – Goppenstein – Car train through Lötschberg Tunnel (frequent connections) – Kandersteg – Frutigen – Spiez – Interlaken – Brienzwiler – Brünig pass – Sarnen – Alpnachstad – Luzern
This is the easy route. The Brünig pass is relatively low and quite easy to drive.
2. Train to Täsch – Visp – Rhône valley direction east – Brig – Oberwald – Gletsch – Grimsel pass – Guttannen – Innertkirchen – Meiringen – Brienzwiler – Brünig Pass – Sarnen – Alpnachstad – Luzern
This route adds the Grimsel pass which is a serious Pass (altitude 2165 m.)
You can drive via Andermatt if you prefer, but there delays are very probable :
3. Train to Täsch – Visp – Rhône valley direction east – Brig – Oberdorf – Nufenen pass – Airolo – Gotthard pass – Hospental – Andermatt – Wassen – Stansstad – Luzern. An alternative is – Oberdorf – Gletsch – Furka pass – Realp – Hospental – Andermatt – etc.
This route has two serious passes: the Nufenen pass (altitude 2478 m.) and the Gotthard pass (altitude 2108 m.) Or just the Furka pass (altitude 2431 m.)
If you are an experienced driver who loves to drive a car in the mountains you can just choose.
If not, I suggest you take route 1., especially as very heavy traffic is expected. Maybe studying these routes on a map can help you decide.
Wandermann
Thanks, Wandermann, for the detailed options. #2 via Grimselpass appeals most and, if we start early, maybe we can beat the Bruenig bottleneck. Best regards, Bruno
<<“if we start early, maybe we can beat the Bruenig bottleneck. Best regards, Bruno”>>
Good luck.
Let us know how the passes were.
Slowpoke
PS- a Swiss friend who does the Brunig frequently claims that the best time to cross on weekends (apart from very early or very late) is at midday when everyone else has stopped for lunch. ;-0
Hi ,
even though we took the train from Zermatt to Andermatt, the trip by car for Andermatt to Lucerne was not long and that bad at all. It took under 1 hour and even though there were road works on the pass just after Andermatt, the traffic was hold-up was not more than 10 minutes.
hope it helps.
Good to hear. Did you enjoy the drive?
Thanks to all for your inputs. We’ll be making the drive on Aug. 30th, and will keep you posted.. Bruno
Hi slowpoke,
yes we did, it rained most of the time, but it was still enjoyable and even going over the oberalpass was not an issue with the traffic.
<<“yes we did, it rained most of the time, but it was still enjoyable and even going over the oberalpass was not an issue with the traffic”>>
Thanks. Good to hear.
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