Lucerne, most popular for its iconic Harry Potter-like 14th century Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge), is the gateway to Central Switzerland. It is sited on Lake Lucerne and is surrounded by breathtaking snow-covered Alps. It is the ideal starting point for destinations like Interlaken, Mount Pilatus and Mount Titlis. The beautiful ensemble of the lake, the charming bridge and the glorious mountains makes this city one of my favourites in Switzerland and is definitely a must-visit for honeymooners and for those who are perpetually on a honeymoon (one can dream). 

A ticket from Zurich HB to Lucerne costs CHF 25 with the half-fare travelcard and takes about 50 minutes. (TIP: If you're planning a trip to the Alps ie. Titlis, Jungfraujoch etc, you should definitely get the half fare travelcard as you'll definitely break even. More on the costs to these places later)

Places to visit in/from Lucerne

1) Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge)

Take pictures at this iconic bridge. Afterall, no trip to Lucerne is complete without this photo. You could also sit by the lake and feed the swans and ducks. 

2) Mount Pilatus

Standing at 2,132 metres, Mount Pilatus is the northernmost branch of the Alps and is the easiest mountain to get to from Lucerne. However, it is only snow-covered in winter. So if you're coming after March, chances of catching a snow-covered Pilatus is rather slim as the snow melts away by April. However, it is home to the world's steepest cogwheel railway so you should still give it a go even from spring onwards. 

How to get there

From the bus stop outside Lucerne HB, take bus no. 1 (Kriens) to the 'Linde Pilatus' stop (approx 15 minutes). Then cross the road and follow the signs which will lead you to the Kriens base terminus (as pictured below). At the terminus, you can buy round-trip tickets from Kriens to Pilatus Kulm which costs CHF 36 on half fare and CHF 72 on a normal fare. (You save CHF 36 here with the half fare card!)

From May to October, you can purchase the Golden trip tickets which will take you from Lucerne to Alpnachstad by boat on Lake Lucerne, then on the world's steepest cogwheel railway from Alpnachstad to Pilatus Kulm. And on the way back, take the panorama gondola and the aerial cableway back down to Kriens. Details can be found here. The Golden Round Trip costs CHF 54 at half-fare and CHF 106 (That's CHF 52 savings with the half fare!). The Pilatus price list can be found here.

3) Mount Titlis

Mount Titlis is the to-go to mountain if you want to experience the snow-covered Alps all year round. Remember to bring your jackets and dress appropriately as temperatures are sub zero even in summer. And please wear a good pair of covered shoes as you'll need alot of support and traction to scale the snow-covered trails. 

How to get there

Take the Zentralbahn from Lucerne to Engelberg. Trains run every hour so be sure to check the train timings on sbb.ch so that you can plan your journey. The journey takes about 45 minutes. From Engelberg, follow the signs from the train station to the cableway station. Breathe in the fresh air and take in the beauty of the stream and the mountains around you. It's a really beautiful 10 minutes walk to the cableway station. 

Round trip cable car tickets from Engelberg to Titlis costs CHF 89 (full fare) and CHF 44.50 (half fare) respectively. The Ice Flyer is for an additional CHF 12 (no reduction for half-fare travelcard holders). 

Activities on Titlis

i) Skiing (the ski slopes were slated to close around mid May when we were there)

ii) Ice flyer (ski lift)

iii) Titlis Cliff Walk (also Europe's highest suspension bridge)

iv) Glacier Cave

v) Snowtubing down the Glacier Park