MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial Steamboats schedule in April – Lucerne to Vitznau
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We are planning to take the boat from Lucerne to Vitznau to make our way to Mount Rigi. This will be the last week in April. I have read about the steamboats that carry passengers. This sounds like a fun experience, but how do I know what type of boat we will travel on? We plan to take the 9:12 AM boat, which I believe it the first of the day at that time of year. Is there a particular pier or boat line to go to? Or is it just luck?
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Hi Debbie,
The steam boats are indeed a fun experience, as you can view the amazing engine room in operation and watch the paddle wheels swishing round.
The last week of April falls into the Spring Timetable period, during which the 9:12 departure is only operated by a steam boat on Sundays and public holidays.
The 11:12 departure is operated by a steam boat daily during this period though. Coming back from Vitznau to Luzern, the 15:48 departure is operated daily by a steam boat.
The pier for boats to Flüelen (including intermediate stop Vitznau) is Pier 1, which is just outside Luzern railway station.
You can see plan of the piers here:
Hope this helps!
Alpenrose
We are also hoping to take a steamboat, but for us it will be on Lake Geneva.
From what I can work out they stop running a couple of days after we arrive in Montreux so we will need to travel in the first day or so.
How can you work out which boat will be a steamboat on the timetable please? Is there a symbol or similar?
This is very helpful! Thank you.
Hi Debbie,
There are a few historic Lake Steamers on Lake Lucerne and they usually return to Lucerne via Vitznau in the afternoon. To the best of my knowledge, the historic lake steamers are programmed to take you back to Lucerne at 13:49, 15:49 and 16:49.
If you click on a connection on the Swiss timetable (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel/public-transport/timetable/), you’ll find information about the type of ship at the bottom. In addition, links to the Lake Lucerne boat timetables can be found at https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/boat-lake-lucerne/.
Regards,
Anna
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Hi DebH,
>>> How can you work out which boat will be a steamboat on the timetable please? Is there a symbol or similar?
For the boats on Lake Lucerne, there are symbols and numbers to explain the details (see screenshots). Notes at the foot of the timetable explain the symbols.
The graphic of a white boat in a pink square with the number 37 is explained as “Steam boat on Sundays and public holidays; at other times motor boat”.
The graphic of a black boat in a green square is explained as “Normally a steamboat. Subject to change”
I think it’s easier to get an overview of when the steamboats run by using the timetable on the boat operator’s site. The timetable applicable to Debbie, who will be there in late April, is here:
>>> We are also hoping to take a steamboat, but for us it will be on Lake Geneva….From what I can work out they stop running a couple of days after we arrive in Montreux
You don’t mention your travel dates, but from your other posts, it looks like you might be in Montreux in the second or third week of October. The basse saison (low season) timetable applies until 13 October, then the winter (hiver) season kicks in on 14 October and applies until 14 December 2024. The boats don’t stop running, but departures are much more limited.
For Lake Geneva, the PDF timetable in French, German and English, is here:
https://www.cgn.ch/media/pdf/horaires/horaire-general-2024.pdf
Once you have settled on a particular boat/departure, I think it’s always a good idea to check it in the SBB timetable to ensure you haven’t misunderstood. The PDF timetables – while they are good for an overview of options – do tend to be a bit complex!
Alpenrose
Alpenrose, thank you so much.
You are correct, we are travelling in the first half of October. We arrive in Montreux on Friday 11th, so we do know that if we want to do a steamboat cruise, we need to do it that first weekend.
From what I have read though, even after 13th October, boats will still run but the ferry style and not as frequently, is this correct?
Thanks for the link to the timetables, I will try and decipher them.
Hi DebH,
If you have had time to look at the PDF timetable for the Lake Geneva boats, you have probably already worked out that the paddlewheel boats still run between Montreux and Lausanne – the most scenic route on the lake, and the most popular for tourists – after the winter timetable starts on 14 October, but only on Sundays and public holidays.
As you arrive on Friday 11 Oct, if you want to take the boat between Montreux and Lausanne, you will indeed have to do it by 13 Oct at the latest, because the next one won’t be until Sunday 20 Oct, by which time you will probably have moved on.
Enjoy your cruise on the lake!
Alpenrose
Thanks once again Alpenrose, you are right we leave Montreux on Wednesday 16th.
At this stage our main aim is to take it from Montreux to Chillon but to Lausanne might be nice too.
We know that we have to do it on the first couple of days, and plan to do just that.
Do you think we would have to pre-book at that time of year? I assume our Half Fare card would work on the boats there too.
Hi DebH,
Yes, the Swiss Half Fare Card is valid for boat trips on Lake Geneva: https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-half-fare-card/#downloads. You can your buy tickets online or directly on board. Not sure how busy it might get at that time of the year though.
Boat trips on Lake Geneva: https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/boat-lake-geneva/
Regards,
Anna
Hi DebH,
>>> At this stage our main aim is to take it from Montreux to Chillon but to Lausanne might be nice too.
Montreux to Chillon is a short 10-15 min ride, and the boat is the same one that starts from Lausanne.
If you had enough time, you could start by taking the train to Lausanne main station, then the Metro down to the lakeside (Lausanne, Ouchy-Olympique Metro station), and catch the boat from Lausanne to Chillon, which takes about 2 hours.
The boats leave Lausanne at 9:00 or 11:00 and call in at Montreux for a few minutes, (leaving 10:32 or 12:45) before reaching Chillon at 10:42 or 13:00.
>>> Do you think we would have to pre-book at that time of year?
I’ve only been on those boats in September, and in beautiful weather, and they were never crowded then, so I doubt they would be crowded in mid-October. Reservations are, in any case, not possible, but if the restaurant is open, you can reserve a table to have a meal. I think it’s nicer to be outdoors wandering the deck though!
Whatever you decide to do, have a great stay in Montreux!
Alpenrose
Thanks Anna and Alpenrose, going to Lausanne first sounds like a great idea.
We still need to work out what else we are doing in the area, there are so many options, but it would be good if we have the time.
It appears that you can purchase the tickets on the SBB website, so presumably I could do it on the app too. I like the idea of having tickets in hand in advance.
It also seems like we could catch the train to Vevey and pick up the boat from there. Obviously not quite as long a sail as from Lausanne, but much closer to Montreux. I think we actually get free trains to Vevey too with the Montreux Riviera card.
Lots to think about.
Thanks once again, this site is super helpful.
Hi DebH,
>>It also seems like we could catch the train to Vevey and pick up the boat from there.
That’s also an option, but the best scenery (the Lavaux vineyards) is actually between Vevey and Lausanne 🙂 However, the cruise from Lausanne does indeed take time, which you may not have if you have other things planned for the day.
There’s a bit of a walk from the station in Vevey to the boat dock. The Vevey waterfront is well worth a wander if you have a spare half-hour before catching the boat.
Alpenrose
Hi DebH,
With the Montreux Riviera Card, travel on some of the boat trips in the area are discounted by 20% but as you will have the Swiss Half Fare Card, you are probably best to take advantage of the larger discount 😉
Kind regards,
Yolanda
Yes that was our plan Yolanda, thank you.
Alpenrose, we plan to visit the Lavaux vineyards on another day, also we are hoping to visit Yvoire, possibly other places, depending upon time, so we might well end up on another boat. From my (limited) knowledge, it is only the tourist cruises and steamboats that stop on 14th October, but regular ferries will still run. Do I have that correct?
Hi DebH,
I’m not sure if you are asking whether the ferries provide substitute services for the paddleboats along the length of the lake in winter e.g. the towns on the lake between Lausanne and Montreux. If so, the answer is “no”.
The normal ferries do run during the winter timetable period. However, the ferries just operate between the northern and southern shores of the lake to connect a few towns on the French side with those on the Swiss side, i.e. Lausanne to Évian-les-Bains and Thonon-les-Bains and Nyon to Yvoire.
Apart from that, there are the small yellow “Mouettes” that connect the banks of the very narrow bit of the lake at Geneva.
The only available boat services east of Lausanne in winter are the Sunday and public holiday paddleboat services as set out in the CGN timetable.
This is what I understand to be the situation, but someone else might know more.
Hope this clarifies things!
Alpenrose
Thanks Alpenrose, I must have misunderstood.
It doesn’t matter, so long as we can do a short steamboat trip and the trip to Yvoire, I am happy to use trains the rest of the time.
We will be in Lake Como at the start of the trip, then spending a week in Wengen so will no doubt do a cruise on Lake Brienz or Thun, so we will get plenty of boat time.
Thanks so much for all your help.
Hi DebH,
If the timing suits, you could take a steamboat on Lake Thun. There is one cruise a day in each direction during the summer timetable period (18 May to 20 Oct). The steamboat Blümlisalp departs Thun daily at 12:40 or Interlaken West at 15:10. Cruising time is just over 2 hours.
https://www.bls-schiff.ch/en/lake-cruise/fleet/fleet-lake-thun/steamboat-blumlisalp
If the timing doesn’t work out for you, there are another 5 departures daily in each direction on motor vessels.
There are 4 departures daily in each direction between Interlaken Ost and Brienz on Lake Brienz on motor vessels. The steamboat doesn’t run after 15 Sep unfortunately.
You can find the timetables here:
https://www.bls-schiff.ch/en/lake-cruise/timetable/boat-schedule
Hope this helps!
Alpenrose
Thanks once again Alpenrose. I am feeling guilty because I have sort of hijacked this thread. Hopefully it helps the OP and others too though.
If we have time we would love to cruise Lake Thun, so that could well work. We have seven nights in the BO area, but also a lot to do!
Unfortunately we won’t arrive until the beginning of October, so too late for the Brienz one.
Thanks DebH,
Lots of helpful advice 🙂 I am sure your trip will be great.
Yes, going forward, best to open up a new thread if it’s different from the ‘title’ (though I can see how it’s connected).
This helps us keep the forum tidy. Thanks for your understanding.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
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