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Hi, We are travelling with an infant between Zurich and Lucerne. We will be using our Swiss Travel Pass. We will be having a stroller and luggage. Will we be able to get a trolley to port our luggage into the train? How long does the train stop at each station? What’s the best time to travel between Zurich and Lucerne?
please give me time both ways?
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Hi Mickey,
I haven’t seen a luggage trolley at the train stations no. You can send your luggage to your destination though if you don’t want to deal with it on the train. Click here for more details.
The length of time a train spends at a station changes based on the train and the station it stops at on its schedule. On the Zurich to Luzern route most trains start in Zurich so it may be at the station 5 or 15 minutes before the departure time.
You can search the train schedules here, to find the departure and arrival times.
Lucas
In Zurich you can get a free luggage trolley at the baggage claim area that can be taken to the door of the train. Look for the instructions about not putting anything above the strap (this will make sense as soon as you see the trolleys). The train station is one floor down and there are elevators in the center hallway as this area is a big shopping center. It has been two years since I was there, but I hope this is still correct. I would take the train to Lucerne that does not require a change at the main train station in Zurich.
Thank you! That was really helpful.
Will we be able to carry 4 bags into and off the train or should we send our luggage to Lucerne by travel services?
As my wife will be carrying the baby I would have to manage the luggage alone..
Thank you for the links, Lucas
Ah yes, that’s right – Zurich Airport does have luggage racks! Sorry, though I’m not sure about having those on the rest of your trip.
Do you mean will there be room on the train for your 4 bags? I just came back to town from the airport yesterday and watched a dutch couple load 6 huge duffel bags on to the train by themselves! I am still trying to figure out why they needed so many! I’m guessing serious mountain climbers. They had this skill down to an art and by the time I thought to help they were done!
So it is possible if you don’t mind the hassle – luckily for the couple the train was fairly empty and space for the luggage wasn’t an issue. Perhaps your wife can hold the door open while you load (lucky guy!) If not, other people will certainly help hold doors open etc for you (not like me who wasn’t paying attention!) 🙂
Lucas
>> How long does the train stop at each station?
If you are boarding at Zürich Hauptbahnhof (main station), the timetable indicates that trains heading to Luzern will stop there for at least 5 minutes, sometimes 10.
On the platform, you will see blue-and-white overhead signs with the letters A, B, C, D etc. These denote platform sectors. The overhead electronic display on the platform showing the destination and departure time for the train will show at which sectors of the platform the 1st and 2nd class carriages will be when the train pulls in. You can save time by waiting on the platform at the appropriate sector before the train arrives.
Luzern will be the end of the line, so you will be able to alight comfortably. In any case, as far as I can recall, the conductor stands on the platform at every station to ensure that all passengers have completed alighting and boarding before giving the signal for the driver to pull out.
>> What’s the best time to travel between Zurich and Lucerne?
Avoid the times that people will be travelling to and from work, and make sure to get a direct connection, so you don’t have to change trains en route.
>> Will we be able to carry 4 bags into and off the train or should we send our luggage to Lucerne by travel services? As my wife will be carrying the baby I would have to manage the luggage alone..
How many of these 4 bags are suitcases, and what size are they? Are you carrying any backpacks?
Lucas has given you a link to explain what luggage services are available. If you don’t want to pay the additional fee for Express Luggage, you could consider packing one suitcase, and one backpack (if you will have one) with what you will need for the first couple of days, and taking that with you on the train. You could then send the other bags via the standard SBB luggage service and pick them up 2 days later.
If part of your luggage problem is that you have to take business attire etc (as you mentioned this is partly a business trip), you could consider packing all that stuff into one bag, leaving it in the Left Luggage at Zürich, and picking it up when you return to Zürich at the end of your holiday.
If I remember rightly, the trains from Zürich to Luzern are double deckers, with level entry from platform to train. If so, that will make things easier for you.
It seems that all the trains on that route also have a Family Zone. These trains are denoted in the timetable as “FA”. The Family Zone will be a 2nd class carriage, and will be either the first or last carriage on the train. If first class carriages are at the front of the train, the family carriage will be the last carriage and vice versa. These carriages have extra room for strollers.
This article might also be useful:
stories.sbb.ch/en/2014 /09/15/buggy/?noredirect=en_US
Alpenrose
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