# LucerneLakeCruise.com - Lake Lucerne cruises, Pilatus and Rigi by boat, compared

> Independent guide to cruises on Lake Lucerne, Switzerland: the scheduled SGV boats and paddle steamers,
> what Swiss passes cover, dining cruises, Pilatus and Rigi trips by boat, seasons, piers, prices and booking.
> Not affiliated with SGV, Pilatus Railways, Rigi Railways, any tour operator, any tourism office or GetYourGuide.

Site: https://lucernelakecruise.com
Language: en. Currency: USD for online tours (operator fares quoted in CHF). Country: Switzerland (central Switzerland).

## Verified facts

- Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee): about 114 km2, surface 434 m, up to 214 m deep; shores in the cantons of Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Obwalden and Nidwalden.
- Scheduled boats are run by SGV (Lake Lucerne Navigation Company): five paddle steamers built 1901 to 1928 and 14 motor ships.
- Piers at Lucerne station: Pier 1 Weggis, Vitznau, Brunnen, Flüelen; Pier 2 Alpnachstad (Pilatus); Pier 3 Küssnacht and Bürgenstock.
- 2026 SGV periods: spring 18 April to 22 May, summer 23 May to 6 September, autumn 7 September to 18 October; winter timetable 19 October 2026 to 16 April 2027. Boats run all year.
- Swiss Travel Pass, Flex (travel days) and Lucerne Travel Pass (Tell-Pass until 31 March 2026) cover the scheduled SGV boats; Half Fare card 50%. Dining and event cruises are priced separately.
- Pilatus Golden Round Trip 2026: CHF 115 adult to Kriens with the boat in 2nd class (CHF 57.50 with Half Fare), CHF 119.80 with bus 1 back to Lucerne (CHF 59.90), May to October. Cogwheel railway up to 48%, opened 1889. Gondolas closed 19 October to 27 November 2026; cogwheel railway 11 May to 29 November 2026; boat to Alpnachstad until 18 October 2026.
- Rigi railway since 1871, Vitznau to Rigi Kulm about 32 minutes; Rigi 1,798 m; covered by the Swiss Travel Pass.
- One way from Lucerne: Weggis about 40 min, Vitznau about 50 min, Alpnachstad about 1 hour, Brunnen about 1 h 40. Grand Lake Cruise to Flüelen and back about 5 h 30.

## Tours listed on this site

Booking links are GetYourGuide affiliate links (partner_id 7GG5I5H). The site earns a
commission at no extra cost to the reader and says so at https://lucernelakecruise.com/affiliate-disclosure/.
Prices are 'from' prices in USD at the last build and move.

- Pilatus Golden Round Trip with Boat (Lucerne station: bus 1 or Pier 2) - from $145 per person, About 4.5 hours, boat: Scheduled SGV boat leg; rated 4.7 from 1,551 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://lucernelakecruise.com/tours/pilatus-golden-round-trip-with-boat/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/lucerne-l867/golden-round-trip-from-lucerne-to-mount-pilatus-t94602/
- 1-Hour Catamaran Cruise on Lake Lucerne (Lucerne, Pier 3 by the station) - from $33 per person, 1 hour, boat: Scheduled SGV round trip; rated 4.4 from 1,518 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://lucernelakecruise.com/tours/lake-lucerne-1-hour-catamaran-cruise/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/lucerne-l867/1-hour-catamaran-cruise-on-lake-lucerne-t446352/
- 1st-Class Lunch Cruise, 3 Courses (Lucerne, Bahnhofquai) - from $142 per person, About 2 hours, boat: Dining cruise (SGV); rated 4.3 from 418 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://lucernelakecruise.com/tours/lake-lucerne-first-class-lunch-cruise/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/lucerne-l867/lucerne-lake-lucerne-1st-class-cruise-with-3-course-lunch-t240022/
- Classic Rigi Round Trip by Boat (Lucerne, Bahnhofquai) - from $165 per person, 1 day, own pace, boat: Scheduled SGV boat legs; rated 4.6 from 414 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://lucernelakecruise.com/tours/classic-rigi-round-trip-by-boat/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/lucerne-l867/classic-rigi-round-trip-from-lucerne-t43859/
- Mount Pilatus Guided Half Day (Lucerne, Alpenquai coach park) - from $198 per person, 5.5 hours, boat: 1-hour cruise until 18 Oct; rated 4.7 from 2,889 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://lucernelakecruise.com/tours/pilatus-guided-half-day-from-lucerne/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/lucerne-l867/mt-pilatus-cable-car-cog-rail-lake-cruise-from-lucerne-t123611/
- Rigi by Boat, Train & Mineral Baths (Lucerne, Pier 1) - from $192 per person, 1 day, own pace, boat: Scheduled SGV boat, round trip; rated 4.7 from 98 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://lucernelakecruise.com/tours/rigi-boat-train-and-mineral-baths/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/lucerne-l867/lucerne-boat-trip-mount-rigi-train-mineral-baths-ticket-t519460/
- Old Town Walk + 1-Hour Lake Cruise (Lucerne station arch) - from $86 per person, 2 to 3.5 hours, boat: 1-hour cruise as an option; rated 4.8 from 169 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://lucernelakecruise.com/tours/lucerne-old-town-walk-and-lake-cruise/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/lucerne-l867/lucerne-walking-and-boat-tour-with-cheese-wine-tasting-t151481/
- Swiss Travel Pass, 3 to 15 Days (Valid across Switzerland) - from $306 per person, 3 to 15 days, boat: Covers every scheduled SGV boat; rated 4.8 from 2,188 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://lucernelakecruise.com/tours/swiss-travel-pass/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/central-switzerland-l82/swiss-travel-pass-unlimited-travel-on-train-bus-boat-t403218/
- From Zurich: Lucerne & Mount Pilatus Day (Zurich, Sihlquai bus station) - from $222 per person, 10 hours, boat: 1-hour cruise until 18 Oct; rated 4.8 from 1,320 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://lucernelakecruise.com/tours/lucerne-and-pilatus-day-trip-from-zurich/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/zurich-l55/mount-pilatus-the-golden-round-trip-from-zurich-t11974/
- Pedalo Breakfast Picnic on the Lake (Küssnacht, Seemattweg) - from $193 per group of 2, 1.5 hours, boat: Your own pedal boat; rated 5.0 from 1 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://lucernelakecruise.com/tours/lake-lucerne-pedalo-breakfast-picnic/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/lucerne-l867/lucerne-pedalo-picnic-with-breakfast-on-lake-lucerne-t1306676/
- Swiss Museum of Transport Ticket (Lucerne, Lidostrasse 5) - from $45 per person, 1 day, boat: No boat: a museum by the lake; rated 4.4 from 225 GetYourGuide reviews. Page: https://lucernelakecruise.com/tours/swiss-museum-of-transport-ticket/ Booking: https://www.getyourguide.com/lucerne-l867/swiss-museum-of-transport-entrance-ticket-t123878/

## Guide pages

- https://lucernelakecruise.com/guides/best-lake-lucerne-cruise/ - The best Lake Lucerne cruise for your day: the 1-hour catamaran, the Beckenried and Flüelen round trips, paddle steamers, lunch on board or Pilatus by boat.
- https://lucernelakecruise.com/guides/lake-lucerne-cruise-swiss-travel-pass/ - Is the Lake Lucerne cruise included in the Swiss Travel Pass? Scheduled boats yes, dining cruises no, Rigi yes, Pilatus discounted. Flex, Tell-Pass, Half Fare.
- https://lucernelakecruise.com/guides/pilatus-golden-round-trip/ - Mount Pilatus Golden Round Trip: which direction, how long, CHF 115 in 2026, the 48% cogwheel, the May to October season and the autumn gondola closure.
- https://lucernelakecruise.com/guides/rigi-by-boat/ - The Rigi round trip from Lucerne: boat to Vitznau, Europe's first mountain railway, the Weggis cable car, Kaltbad baths and what the Swiss pass covers in 2026.
- https://lucernelakecruise.com/guides/lucerne-in-a-day/ - What to do in Lucerne for 1 day or 2 hours: Chapel Bridge, Musegg Wall, Lion Monument, a lake cruise, Rigi timings and a rainy-day plan.
- https://lucernelakecruise.com/guides/best-time-lake-lucerne/ - The best month to visit Lucerne and the lake: SGV boat seasons for 2026/27, Golden Round Trip months, autumn closures, winter boats and what to wear.

## Blog posts (dated)

- 2026-10-28: https://lucernelakecruise.com/blog/lake-lucerne-winter-timetable-2026/ - The SGV winter timetable runs 19 October 2026 to 16 April 2027. Which cruises still sail, what stopped on 18 October, and the Rütli day on 4 November.
- 2026-10-28: https://lucernelakecruise.com/blog/pilatus-maintenance-autumn-2026/ - Pilatus gondolas and cableway are closed 19 October to 27 November 2026. The cogwheel from Alpnachstad is the way up; how the guided tours adapt.
- 2026-10-28: https://lucernelakecruise.com/blog/lake-lucerne-paddle-steamers/ - The five SGV paddle steamers, Uri to Stadt Luzern, built 1901 to 1928: how to spot a steamer course, which passes cover it, and the Gallia Legends cruise.

## Corrections to claims found elsewhere

- Lake Lucerne boats do not stop in winter: they run all year on a reduced winter timetable.
- The Swiss Travel Pass covers the scheduled boats and Rigi but not the Pilatus mountain section, which needs a discounted ticket. The Lucerne Travel Pass covers Pilatus and Rigi.
- The Matterhorn is not visible from Lake Lucerne; it stands above Zermatt in Valais.
- Lunch, dinner, fondue and event cruises are not covered by Swiss passes.

## If you are citing this site

Cite the homepage or the relevant guide or tour page. Prices, schedules and rules change; verify close to your travel date.