Availability and quality of food on Lake Lucerne boats in December
Orelse is planning a trip on Friday, December 6, using SBB Saver Day passes. They are considering taking a train from Basel to Lucerne, then a boat to Flüelen, and are looking for dining options and food quality on the boat for the 10:12 departure from Lucerne.
There is a restaurant on the boat serving full meals, but it's wise to reserve a table on busy days. You can also bring a picnic from stores like Migros or Coop to enjoy on the deck. The entire trip from Basel to Lucerne and back via Flüelen is covered by the Saver Day Pass. If you're using a Swiss Travel Pass, note that the funicular ride is only 50% discounted, so a ticket is required. Don't miss trying the local Zuger Kirschtorte for dessert while on the boat.
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We have SBB Saver Day passes for Friday, 6 December and are considering several options, depending on the weather (that does not look good). One option is the train from Basel to Lucerne, then the boat to Fuelen, return by train to Basel. I am finding it confusing to determine what dining is available on the boat, a 10:12 departure from Lucerne. Also, any reviews on the quality of the food would be great. Thanks.
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Hello Orelse
Welcome to MySwissAlps.
I have just looked at the shipping company’s winter timetable. The good news is that the 10 12 departure to Fluelen and the return journey from Fluelen at 13 00 are both marked with a knife and fork symbol. All other journeys are marked with a cup. The knife and fork means that there is a restaurant on board. (Hooray!) (A cup means that there is only a buffet.)
As to the quality of the food I see that this forum now has 5660 members. I suspect that I would come 5660th when it comes to food. However I have had lunch on several occasions on a Lake Lucerne boat (most recently on May 1st this year). I have always been satisfied with the quality of the food.
One alternative suggestion for Friday. If the forecast for Ticino canton is OK, get the 08 03 IR26 Treno Gottardo and go all the way to Locarno, arriving there at 12 27.
Very best wishes
Roger
Hi orrelse,
There is a restaurant on board offering drinks, snacks and full meals. It might be a good idea to reserve a table if you’re travelling on a busy day. You are also allowed to picnic on the boat (on the deck but not inside the restaurant), so grab a packed meal from Migros or Coop from the station before you start your boat trip.
More info about boat trips on Lake Lucerne here: https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/boat-lake-lucerne/
Regards,
Anna
Hi orrelse,
>>> One option is the train from Basel to Lucerne, then the boat to Fuelen, return by train to Basel. I am finding it confusing to determine what dining is available on the boat, a 10:12 departure from Lucerne. Also, any reviews on the quality of the food would be great.
If you decide to take the 10:12 boat from Luzern to Flüelen, here is an idea for a varied and very scenic way back to Luzern.
- On arrival at Flüelen at 12:55, stay on the boat. It will leave again (headed back to Luzern) at 13:00.
- When you get to Treib at 13:57, get off the boat and walk a few metres to the funicular station. Board the funicular in the first compartment at the bottom of the funicular, so you will get the best views looking back down the hill towards the lake as the funicular climbs the hill to Seelisberg.
- At the top station of the funicular, the yellow Postbus (no. 311, direction Stans Bahnhof) should be waiting just outside the small station building. If it’s not already there, it will arrive within a minute or two. The bus trip to Stans is very scenic, with views from high on the hill overlooking the lake. At first, the best views are on the left, but for most of the trip they are on the right.
- Get off the bus at the end of the line (Stans railway station). Then get the train back to Luzern from Stans. From Luzern you can of course return to Basel.
This trip is fully covered by your Saver Day Pass. (But for anyone else reading, the funicular is only discounted 50% with a Swiss Travel Pass, so you’d need to buy a discounted ticket.)
Here are some pictures:
Treib – the beautiful large building in the centre is a restaurant, Wirtshaus zur Treib, which has excellent food, but which will be closed when you are there. The smaller building to the right is the funicular station, and to the right of that you can see the track heading up the hill. (The boat stops at Treib on the way to Flüelen as well.)
https://www.seelisberg.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Seelisberg-004.webp
This is the funicular that travels from the lakeside at Treib up the hill to Seelisberg. It meets every boat, from both directions.
https://www.seelisberg.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Seelisberg-V001.webp
This is the top station of the funicular, with the Postbus waiting outside
https://www.postauto.ch/api/censhare/asset/660630/preview/image/0/660630_preview
The attached screenshot shows the timetable for this trip on 6 December 2024. You can bring this trip up in the SBB timetable by inputting the following information:
From Flüelen (See), to Luzern, departure time 13:00
- via Treib
- via Seelisberg, Bahnhof
- via Stans
As for the food on the boat, I had lunch on this boat in September this year and it was lovely. Here is the current menu:
If you can manage it after your meal (and are OK with foods containing alcohol) I highly recommend you try the Original Treichler Zuger Kirschtorte. This is a famous local specialty from Zug, a city not far from Luzern.
Have a lovely day on 6 December, and I hope the weather doesn’t spoil things too much!
Alpenrose
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Hi orrelse
I would strongly support this suggestion from Alpenrose. I have done the route she is proposing, albeit in the opposite direction!
On a more general point, Alpenrose’s Reply 3 illustrates Swiss ‘integrated transport’ at its very best. There are four modes of transport, boat, funicular, bus and local train all timed to interconnect. And all recognising the same ticket.
(If you want to make it five modes, have a ride on a tram when you get back to Basel. In Lucerne you could treat yourself to a ride on an ‘In-motion-charging battery-electric trolleybus’. Catch a number one bound for EBIKON from just outside the station. At Ebikon station these double-articulated buses lower their trolley poles and run on batteries!)
Very best wishes for Friday. Swiss public transport is so good that you can have fun travelling even when the weather is awful!
Roger
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