Gotthard Panorama Express from Lucerne to Lugano

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    14 July 2017 at 10:24:59 #812619

    Hi,

    I will be traveling to Switzerland on 23 Aug 2017, I have my itinerary planned for 6 days, out of which I want to reserve 1 day only for the viewing the beautiful scenery via any of the trains, I will be stationed in Lucerne on all days, I was suggested the Gothard panoramic express which will include a 3 hr journry by boat and 2 hrs by the gothard express.

    My question is whether can I have a full train journey eg. (Gothard panoramic express from Lucerne to Lugano) the reason I dont want to do a boat trip is because I will be visiting Mt. Pilates/Mt. Titlis and Mt. Giri and I assume I need to take the same boat on all these journeys and hence the travel will be repeatative,or is it a different route via the boat. I was interested to travel via the Glacier express/Bernina express but i guss these journey will take lot of time if i am based in lucerne and specially if I am travelling with 2 kids.

    Please advice

    Aiyaz……

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    14 July 2017 at 10:43:41 #866828

    Hi Aiyaz,

    Yes,the boat trips will all be similar (you just travel longer on the boat to Flüelen to connect with the Gotthard Panoramic train.

    You can take a train from Luzern to Flüelen (where you can transfer to the Gotthard Panoramic train) for the rest of the trip. Use the Swiss railways timetable here to plan your trip. The Gotthard Panoramic train leaves Flüelen at 14:10 so be sure to arrive before 14:00 from Luzern.

    Please note reservations are mandatory for the Gotthard Panoramic train and can be made here. I would also probably not try and do Glacier express/Bernina express from Luzern – very long days indeed. Another option could be the Golden Pass train though (Luzern to Montreux).

    Lucas

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    14 July 2017 at 11:15:44 #866829

    Hi Lucas,

    Thanks for your quick response, what would suggest the Gotthard or the golden pass train which is more beautiful, also when i check on the link it says I do not need to reserve any seats for the Golden express train, i am traveling on 23 aug 2017, will it be really busy then, also whats the time duration from Lucerne to Montreux, I have read you need to change 2 trains, how do i travel back to Lucerne, is there any direct train back which is faster, my last question is whether the journey via the golden express is free with the Swiss travel pass

    Thank you very much…. you guys doing a gr8 job

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    14 July 2017 at 11:26:50 #866830

    Hi Aiyaz,

    I think both are great trips – I haven’t actually done the Gotthard Panoramic train so can’t compare unfortunately.

    Correct, reservations are not mandatory on the Golden Pass – I might suggest them on the Zweisimmen to Montreux route (this route is in several sections so you must change trains once or twice). You can find train durations on the timetable link on my earlier post.

    I don’t believe there are any direct trains back to Luzern. Check the timetable to be sure but you often change at least once and usually in Lausanne. This will be the quickest way back and faster than the Golden Pass route.

    Yes, the Golden Pass is free on the Swiss Travel Pass (except reservations if you make them). Read about where the Swiss Travel Pass is valid here.

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    15 July 2017 at 2:04:32 #866831

    >> I was suggested the Gothard panoramic express which will include a 3 hr journry by boat and 2 hrs by the gothard express. My question is whether can I have a full train journey eg. (Gothard panoramic express from Lucerne to Lugano) the reason I dont want to do a boat trip is because I will be visiting Mt. Pilates/Mt. Titlis and Mt. Giri and I assume I need to take the same boat on all these journeys and hence the travel will be repeatative,or is it a different route via the boat.

    The only section that would be repetitive is from Luzern to Vitznau, which is about 1 hour of a 3 hour trip.

    When you go to Pilatus, you to to Alpnachstad, a completely different part of the lake than when you go to the Rigi. The boat trip to the Rigi only involves travel over about half of the lake. I have attached a map to illustrate.

    Personally I think it would be a shame to miss going the whole length of the Vierwaldstättersee (Lake Lucerne) to Flüelen. The Flüelen end of the lake is quite different from the lake closer to Luzern, with more dramatic mountains. But it’s your choice of course 🙂

    Alpenrose

    rockoyster
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    15 July 2017 at 10:27:28 #866832

    Hi Aiyez,

    Take the Gotthard Panorama Express. You can catch a fast train back from Lugano and still be back in time for dinner. 😇

    The boat ride from Luzern to Flüelen is mighty fine.

    If you go to Rigi via Vitznau then take the cogwheel down the other side to Arth Goldhau and train back to Luzern (or go the other way round). I’d be surprised if you would get bored travelling on the Lake. I certainly didn’t.

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    15 July 2017 at 19:34:39 #866833

    If you are going to do the Golden Pass line definitely book as we took this train from Montreux to Zweismenn and although the train was long only one carriage wasn’t reserved and therefore everybody was trying to get into this carriage which only had 20 seats. It was chaos and ended in my husband having a panic attack and me seating on top of suitcases in the aisle VERY VERY SQUASHED . The conductor was lovely and after the first stop informed us that seat reservations in the first class compartment hadn’tbeen taken and therefore we could move there. It was the 10.0o train but the conductor informed us that this is a MAJOR problem with large group bookings and therefore reserve.

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    15 July 2017 at 20:45:04 #866834

    thanks for the information

    rockoyster
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    16 July 2017 at 1:47:13 #866835

    Hello Aiyaz,

    One of the “problems” with the Gotthard Panorama is that the steamer only leaves Luzern late morning. If you want to save some day time, another option to what I suggested in my earlier comment is to take the fast train (takes 2 hours with one change and runs via the Gotthard Base Tunnel) so you arrive in Lugano with enough time to catch the Gotthard Panorama train which departs Lugano around 11.00-ish. You would need to leave Luzern around 8:15am and you’d get back around 16:45.

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    14 August 2017 at 15:32:33 #866836

    hi, even I am planning to go on the Gotthard Panorama Express in August. Since I have based my stay in Lucerne, I am planning to get a Tel-Pass Summer for 4 days, it works out cheaper that Swiss Pass. Will Tel-Pass covers the full cost of the Gotthard Panorama Express, if I take a train from Lucerne to Küssnacht am Rigi, and a bus along the lake via Vitznau to Brunnen from there. and then come back by train and boat?

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    15 August 2017 at 1:40:07 #866837

    Hi Srini1981,

    The trip you describe is not the Gotthard Panorama Express. Would you be kind enough to start another topic here with this question, as it is not relevant to the current topic?

    Alpenrose

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