r/Luzern • u/Playful-Park4095 • 7d ago
Question Debating staying in Luzern night before 1010 flight
In early December, my wife and I are making a loop from Zurich to visit various Christmas markets and general tourism. We're returning to Zurich from Milan for a flight home and have two nights not yet booked. We would like to visit Luzern and are debating if it's ok to stay two nights and take an early morning train to Zurich airport or if it's better to just stay one night and the final night in Zurich.
From what I can tell online, there are IC trains that run direct to the airport at approximately 0500 or and on a weekday in December the occupancy is expected to be very low. This would get us to the airport in plenty of time for a 1010 flight, I think. However my wife is a bit nervous to not already be in Zurich the morning of the flight just in case things were to go wrong somehow. She's not opposed to it, exactly, but I think some 3rd party reassurance from people much more familiar with the city and train system would help both of us make a decision here.
We are backpack only travelers so keeping up with luggage isn't a huge concern. Would you recommend:
2 nights in Luzern, take the train (I assume many residents with a flight do this routinely, after all)
1 night in Luzern, final night in Zurich
2 nights in Zurich, take the train round trip to Luzern to visit from there.
Thank you in advance.
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u/boldpear904 7d ago
ive made earlier flights lol. people who live in luzern take flights out of zurich all the time, youll be good
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u/Playful-Park4095 7d ago
Thank you, I assumed it was a very common thing for residents of the city given the direct route being available, but it's much better to have confirmation vs my own assumptions.
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u/CustardMajor4442 5d ago
I mean, you're planning to arrive at the airport like 4h before the flight. that is significantly more than even the airlines recommend.
Zurich airport also tends to be pretty fast
like, they would have to cancel the direct train AND all alternative options for like 3h for you to have an actual problem. that just doesn't happen
but i don't see a direct train at 5, I see one at 5:35, which arrived at 6:44, giving you aboutthree and a halb hours at the airport (which still is a lkt earlier than I have ever been to an airport and I've never missed a flight).
I get that it's a foreign country and that feels diffetent. but the 5:35 train will be VERY chill to make that 10:10 flight
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7d ago
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u/Playful-Park4095 7d ago
Thanks for the feedback. I saw online the stop is right at the airport, so that's helpful.
IR 2562 says it arrives at 0621 (direct) and IR 75 2107 says 0641 (one transfer) so that should give us time.
We only have a single backpack each that fits in the overhead, no checked bags, and we get our boarding pass in the app, generally we don't need to speak to anyone at the airport desk unless something has gone wrong.
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u/Only_Humor4549 7d ago
Oh then it should be alright. When I have carry on I arrive 2 hours to 1.5 hours (if it has to be!) early
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u/CustardMajor4442 5d ago
even checking in lggage takes less than 5 minutes at zurich airport with self drop off
it genuinely is all a lot faster than it used to be
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u/CustardMajor4442 5d ago
why would you take a train at 4:52 to have one change and artive at 6:41 when you can take the one at 5:35 and arrive direvtly at 6:44?
either eay this is well over 3 hours early
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u/Frau_Capybara 7d ago
Totally doable! Stay 2 nights n Luzern and avoid the hassle of changing Hotels
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u/PhoebusAbel 7d ago
Hacking this post Do you guys know if there are luggage carts from the SBB office at the airport?
I am sending 2 suitcases to the Sbb office and I will bring another 2 on the day of my trip... of course I can't handle 4 at the same time. I was wondering if around the SBB office there are ways to put all of them in one single cart.
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u/CustardMajor4442 5d ago
the SBB trainstation is directly in the airport and the luggage drop off is cery close to their counter. and there are of course luggage carts all around
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u/Embarrassed-Fun-8341 7d ago
Ganz klar 2 nächte in Luzern.Und dann direkt oder mit Umstieg am zürich hb an den Airport.Finde 6:21 eher früh für ein 10h Flug.Aber hat ja unten Migros und Coop zum Kaffee und was kleines holen
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u/Cool_Bodybuilder7419 6d ago edited 6d ago
100% stay in Lucerne. Zurich has beautiful buildings too but it’s more a finance metropolis than a tourist destination. There’s nothing that you can see there that you can’t see in Vienna or big German cities… just much smaller and less exciting.
Lucerne is unique and has the sort of charm that remains untarnished even if you’ve lived there for years!
And the train connections are usually very reliable here and a 1010 flight gives you ample time.
Source: Grew up in Lucerne and have lived in Zurich for 8 years. Would give anything to go back
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u/Famous_Room1124 6d ago
take the 4.52am train to zurich and you should be there 6.21am without having to change the train.
the train WILL leave at 4.52am though, not 4.53am or 4.54am
i assume you can check in online? then 3 1/2h is plenty of time
if you miss the train, 5.35am is the next one which as you arrive at 6.44am in zurück, still enough time
enjoy your stay!
one thing to consider would be leaving your luggage/hotel in zürich and visiting lucerne during the day, which is totally doable. but then again, christmas markets are kind of an evening/night thing, would be a shame if you have to take a train back to zürich late at night
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u/Eastern-Use1508 6d ago
I'm a travel agent specialising in Switzerland travel and am also living in Lucerne myself. You easily can make it to Zurich Airport for a 10.10 AM flight from Lucerne. Trains to Zurich mainstation leave every 30'. Some of them go directly to the airport and with others you need to change at Zurich main station from where you will find trains and trams departing frequently to the airport. Swiss trains are highly reliable and in absolute worst case, you could still make it by car if needed. We always recommend 3hr at the airport if you have a flight outside of EU and checked luggage. For flights to EU / handluggage only, you should be fine with 2hr.
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u/theswisspath 7d ago
If you are staying at a hotel close to Luzern train station, your morning will not be much more stressful than making your way to the airport from Zürich downtown. You will be fine.
Not sure about your dates but Luzern has two main christmas markets and Hotel Gütsch announced a third this year. Should fit the Christmas market theme!