Lucerne Travel Pass / Tell Pass: Is it worth it?

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Considering the Lucerne travel pass for your Switzerland trip? This Central Switzerland Tell Pass is your ticket to the Lucerne region, but is it actually worth it? Read on to find out.

If you’re planning a trip to Lucerne and its nearby mountains, you might be wondering about Central Switzerland’s travel pass, known as the Tell Pass (until 1 April 2026) but soon-to-be-rebranded as the Lucerne Travel Pass.

Imagine exploring the heart of Switzerland without the stress of constant ticket purchases and an ever-dwindling travel budget. Picture cruising across a reflective lake, riding a vintage train up the mountainside and wandering medieval towns, all with a single pass in hand. That’s the magic of the Lucerne Travel Pass!

The Central Switzerland Tell Pass is your key to hassle-free adventures in the Lake Lucerne region, giving you easy and affordable access to mountain viewpoints, hidden gems and charming towns alike.

Whether you’re a keen hiker, a history buff or simply in search of the most Instagrammable spots in Switzerland, this travel pass can streamline your trip and help you get the best bang for your buck.

⚠️ Important: Tell Pass is becoming the Lucerne Travel Pass

Big changes are happening in April 2026! The Tell Pass is being rebranded as the Lucerne Travel Pass from 1 April 2026. Here’s what you need to know ⬇️

If you’re travelling before 1 April 2026: The current Tell Pass Winter is still available (prices from 120CHF for 2 days). Buy your Tell Pass Winter here.

If you’re travelling from 1 April 2026 onwards: You’ll need the new Lucerne Travel Pass. The key changes are:

• New name and website: The pass is now officially called the Lucerne Travel Pass and you can read the full details at lucernetravelpass.ch
• Year-round pricing: No more separate summer/winter prices, one price applies all year
• No more 2-day option: The shortest pass is now 3 days
• Same network: All the same mountains, boats, trains and buses are still included

I’ve updated this entire guide with both sets of information so you can plan your trip regardless of when you’re visiting.

Quick links for your Lucerne trip

🏠 Stay at the Lubo (mid-range smart hotel in the old town), Backpackers Luzern (cheap and cheerful) or splurge on the dreamy Hotel Villa Honegg in the mountains

🎫 Buy your Tell Pass (travel before 1 April 2026) or Lucerne Travel Pass (travel from 1 April 2026)

🚂 Buy your Swiss Half Fare Card or Swiss Travel Pass

✈️ Find the cheapest flights to Switzerland on Skyscanner, then book them direct with the airline (costs a bit more but is much safer than booking through a third party, you’ll be looked after if your flight gets delayed or cancelled)

🏥 Get travel insurance! I use Covermore New Zealand (there’s Covermore Australia too), but if you’re from outside of NZ/AU then Safety Wing and World Nomads are both top-rated insurance options

All you need to know about the Lucerne travel pass

What is the Lucerne Travel Pass (formerly Tell Pass)?

The Lucerne Travel Pass (formerly known as the Central Switzerland Tell Pass) is a regional travel pass that grants access to public transport and some epic mountain excursions in the stunning Lake Lucerne region of Central Switzerland.

Similar to the Jungfrau Travel Pass for the Jungfrau region, it allows you to explore the area with one ticket rather than having to book everything separately.

Note: If you’re researching this pass, you might see it referred to by its old name (Tell Pass, Central Switzerland Tell Pass, Lake Lucerne Tell Pass) on other websites or blog posts. These all refer to the same pass, which is being officially rebranded to the Lucerne Travel Pass in April 2026.

What does the Lucerne Travel Pass include?

The Lucerne Travel Pass includes:

• Unlimited travel by train, bus and boat within the Lucerne region
• Lake Lucerne boat cruises
• Several mountain railways and cable cars, including Mount Pilatus, Mount Rigi, Stanserhorn and Mount Titlis
• 20-50% loads of local activities, including museums, guided tours, hot pools and even paragliding

What does the Lucerne Travel Pass not include?

The Lucerne Travel Pass does not include:

• Transport outside of the validity map
• Seat reservations, you can generally explore the Lucerne region without needing to reserve seats however in the busy season it’s recommended you reserve seats on the Brienz-Rothorn Bahn, Pilatus cogwheel railway or Stanserhorn cable car, and these reservations aren’t included in the pass
• Ski day passes (the Lucerne Travel Pass can’t be used to purchase winter sports day passes)

Lucerne Travel Pass prices (from 1 April 2026)

Prices updated January 2026 and are valid for travel from 1 April 2026

The new Lucerne Travel Pass has simplified pricing, one price applies year-round (no more summer/winter split).

Note: The 2-day Tell Pass is being discontinued from April 2026. The shortest Lucerne Travel Pass option will be 3 days.

Children aged 6-15 can travel for a flat rate of 30CHF when accompanied by an adult with a valid Lucerne Travel Pass, and kids under 6 travel free.

Tell Pass Winter prices (until 31 March 2026)

If you’re travelling before April 2026, the Tell Pass Winter is still available.

Children aged 6-16 years old are eligible for a 30CHF pass when accompanied by an adult with a valid Tell Pass.

Buy your Tell Pass Winter here >>

Can you get a discount on the Lucerne Travel Pass?

There are no further discounts on the Lucerne Travel Pass with the Swiss Half Fare Card or Swiss Travel Pass.

There are also no senior or youth discounts, only adult and child fares are available.

How to use a Lucerne Travel Pass

Where to buy the Lucerne Travel Pass

For travel from 1 April 2026 onwards, the Lucerne Travel Pass can be purchased online here >>

For travel before 1 April 2026, the Tell Pass Winter can be purchased online here >>

Is there a Lucerne Travel Pass app?

There’s no dedicated Lucerne Travel Pass app, but you don’t need one. When you purchase your pass online you’ll receive it as a PDF via email which you can show on your phone as your ticket.

You might be asked to show valid ID along with your pass so always carry a driver license or other form of identification with you.

How long is the Lucerne Travel Pass valid?

The Lucerne Travel Pass is available for 3, 4, 5 or 10 consecutive days.

Note: There’s a 2-day option with the Tell Pass, but from April 2026 this is being discontinued. The shortest option from then onwards is 3 days.

Unlike the Swiss Travel Pass there’s no flex option, the pass days are consecutive.

Is the Lucerne Travel Pass available all year?

Yes! From 2026 the Lucerne Travel Pass is valid year-round with the same pricing regardless of season.

This is actually a change from the old Tell Pass system, which used to have separate (and cheaper) winter pricing. The new Lucerne Travel Pass has one consistent price throughout the year.

Important for winter visitors: While the pass is valid year-round, some mountain railways and cable cars close for maintenance or safety reasons during winter. Check operating times for specific mountains before your visit. The pass also cannot be used to purchase ski day passes.

Do you need to make seat reservations with the Lucerne Travel Pass?

Most transport in the Lake Lucerne region can be used without any reservations, however in the mid-summer months it’s recommended that you reserve seats on the busier cable cars/mountain railways like Brienz-Rothorn, the Pilatus cogwheel and Stanserhorn, and these reservations come at an additional cost.

How do you book mountain railways with the Lucerne Travel Pass

For public buses, boats and trains you can just jump on and show the ticket person your PDF pass, this counts as your ticket.

For mountain excursions and cable cars sometimes you’ll need a separate ticket to scan at the ticket gates, this info isn’t very clear on the mountain excursion websites so it’s best to get in line at the ticket office and ask them if you need a separate ticket or if you just scan your Lucerne Travel Pass PDF.

How to calculate if the Lucerne Travel Pass is worth it for your trip

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If you know your Lake Lucerne itinerary

If you know your itinerary then it’s easy to figure out if the Lucerne Travel Pass is worth it. Simply:

1. Note down your Lake Lucerne itinerary on a spreadsheet and add an extra row at the bottom for the ‘pass price’
   
2. Create three columns, one for individual tickets, one for the Lucerne Travel Pass and one for the Swiss Half Fare Card (the best alternative to the Lucerne Pass)
   
3. Go to SBB.ch and search each train/bus/boat route you’re taking on the public network. Note down the price for each trip with the Half Fare Card as well as the full fare price. Note: The SBB website automatically shows you the half fare price as the ‘from’ price so you’ll need to select full fare on the next page to see the actual full price.
   
4. For mountain railways and cable cars, you’ll have to go to their websites to find the full fare and half fare prices
   
5. Put ‘0’ in all Lake Lucerne region trips covered by the Lucerne Travel Pass, and the relevant pass price in the ‘pass price’ row
   
6. Divide the individual ticket prices by 2 for the Swiss Half Fare Card column and add the pass price of 150CHF
   
7. Total them up!

From here you’ll be able to see the total price of each option.

Keep in mind that the Half Fare Card price of 150CHF covers travel for a month all through Switzerland, so while 150CHF might seem expensive for a short trip to the Lake Lucerne region while you still have to pay 50% of each ticket, when you look at the per-day price if you’re spending 10 days in Switzerland (or longer) then obviously it’s really good value.

If you don’t know your Lake Lucerne itinerary yet

If you don’t know your Lucerne itinerary yet, the best way to determine if the travel pass is worth it is by breaking it down into a per-day cost.

If you get a three day pass that’s 240CHF, 80CHF per day, so you’d have to do at least two mountain excursions plus some more local travel like a lake cruise or day trip to Interlaken to make it worth it.

However, if you got a 10 day pass it’s 365CHF, only 36.50CHF per day, super easy to hit if you were exploring most days.

Pros of a Lucerne Travel Pass

✅ All-in-one ticket making it super easy to explore the Central Switzerland region
✅ Free access to Pilatus, Rigi, Titlis and Stanserhorn mountains plus loads more
✅ Free access to the world’s steepest funicular, Stoosbahnen
✅ Free travel on super scenic mountain railways like Brienzer Rothorn and Matterhorn-Gotthard Railway
✅ Free boat trips on Lake Lucerne
✅ Free travel on the Luzern-Interlaken Express

Cons of a Lucerne Travel Pass

👎🏼 No discount with a Swiss Half Fare Card if you already have one for other Switzerland travel
👎🏼 No more 2-day option from April 2026 (minimum is three days)
👎🏼 No more cheaper winter pricing
👎🏼 Higher prices overall compared to the old Tell Pass
👎🏼 If the weather is poor during your Lucerne visit and you decide to skip some mountain excursions, you might not get the full value of your pass

Is a Central Switzerland Lucerne Travel Pass worth it? Two example itineraries

The best way to show that the Lucerne Travel Pass is worth it (or find out if it isn’t) is by looking at some example itineraries and comparing the pass with the Half Fare Card and full fare tickets.

Three days in Lucerne

Let’s look at a three-day trip to three of the major mountains in the region, using Lucerne as a base.

• Rigi Kulm day trip
• Pilatus day trip
• Titlis day trip

🥇 Winner: Here you can see that the Lucerne Travel Pass is absolutely worth it, saving 37% vs. full fare tickets and 29% vs. the Half Fare Card (keeping in mind that the Half Fare Card can also be used for the rest of your trip though remember).

Five days in Lucerne

• Rigi Kulm day trip
• Pilatus day trip
• Titlis day trip
• Day trip to Interlaken
• Stanserhorn trip

🥇 Winner: The Lucerne Travel Pass comes out on top again, saving a massive 47% compared to individual tickets and 31% vs. the Half Fare Card.

Lucerne Travel Pass alternatives in Switzerland

Swiss Half Fare Card

I’ve done looooads of research on the best travel passes in Switzerland (as in 10+ ultra-detailed spreadsheets 🤓) and Swiss Half Fare Card often ends up coming out on top.

The Half Fare Card does exactly what it sounds like, it gives you half price tickets on public transport and most mountain excursions too. You do have to buy tickets (not like the Lucerne Travel Pass where you can usually just jump on without pre-booking) but it’s only 150CHF for a one month pass so you only need to be spending 300CHF on transport during your trip for the pass to be worth it.

If you’re spending 3+ days outside the Lake Lucerne region including one or two intercity train trips and maybe an additional mountain excursion, then the Swiss Half Fare Card is likely to be worth it for you.

👉🏼 Check out my Swiss Half Fare Card review for detailed calculations and example itineraries.

Swiss Travel Pass

The Swiss Travel Pass covers unlimited travel on the Swiss Travel System network’s buses, boats and trains throughout the country.

Unfortunately it doesn’t cover many mountain excursions, it usually gives a 50% discount, but it does fully cover Rigi and Stanserhorn. If your trip includes a few premium panoramic trains or you’re doing the epic Grand Train Tour then it can save you a good chunk of money, but if you’re just doing some inter-region trips and plan on lots of mountain railways/cable cars, a Half Fare Card or the relevant regional pass is probably going to be better.

👉🏼 I’ve got a detailed budget breakdown of the Swiss Travel Pass with example itineraries to show when it’s worth it and when it’s not, plus a comparison of the Swiss Travel Pass vs Half Fare Card to break it down even further.

Point-to-point full fare tickets

You can buy individual tickets at the full fare price on the SBB.ch website.

Buying full fare tickets last minute can get super expensive, but if you know your travel date/time and exact route in advance then you can sometimes get Saver tickets that are much cheaper. Check the full fare prices and add them to your itinerary spreadsheet to compare them with using the Lucerne Travel Pass.

Mountain excursion full fare tickets can be bought on their respective websites, but if you’re planning on doing two or more mountains near Lucerne then the Lucerne Travel Pass or Half Fare Card are likely going to be better options for you.

Eurail/Interrail Passes

If you’re travelling Europe with a Eurail Global Pass then you can use this in Switzerland, but it only really covers inter-city transport and gives you a 25-50% discount on some mountain excursions.

Generally the local Switzerland passes end up being better value for money so you could always combine a Eurail/Interrail Pass for travel outside of Switzerland or for fully-covered long train trips, then use a Half Fare Card or regional pass to cover local transport and mountain trips.

👉🏼 Read my detailed Eurail Pass budget breakdown

Combine with: Jungfrau Travel Pass

Not an alternative but an easy one to combine the Lucerne Travel Pass with, the Jungfrau Travel Pass provides excellent value for money if you’re wanting to tick off the iconic Jungfraujoch as well as a few other mountain excursions in the Jungfrau region.

If you’re sticking to the Lake Lucerne and Jungfrau regions during your time in Switzerland then you could:

• Book a Supersaver fare in advance to get from Zurich to the Lake Lucerne region
• Use a Lucerne Travel Pass for all Lucerne adventures (Rigi, Pilatus, Titlis and Stanserhorn especially) and to reach Interlaken
• Use a Jungfrau Travel Pass for all Jungfrau adventures (Grindelwald, Harder Kulm, Lauterbrunnen, Jungfraujoch)
• Book a Supersaver fare in advance to get back to Zurich or Geneva to fly out
• Or buy a Half Fare Card if your inter-city trips add up to more than 300CHF

👉🏼 Read more: Is a Jungfrau Travel Pass worth it?

Lucerne Travel Pass FAQs

Is there a 1st class Lucerne Travel Pass?

The Lucerne Travel Pass is only available in 2nd class however you can pay to upgrade to 1st class seats on the lake cruise boats and some trains. Check with the ticket desk for more info.

Is Pilatus free with the Lucerne Travel Pass?

Yes! Transport to Pilatus is totally covered.

Does the Lucerne Travel Pass include Rigi Kulm?

It sure does, the trip to and from Rigi Kulm is fully covered.

Does the Lucerne Travel Pass include Titlis?

The Lucerne Travel Pass covers the entire trip to Mount Titlis.

Can I visit somewhere more than once with a Lucerne Travel Pass?

Absolutely! The beauty of the Lucerne Travel Pass is that you get unlimited travel during the validity of the pass, so you can revisit your favourite spots or go back the following day if the weather looks better.

What are the best places to see with a Lucerne Travel Pass?

There’s loads!

• Mountains: Titlis, Rigi, Stanserhorn, Pilatus, Brienzer Rothorn
• Lake Lucerne: One of the most beautiful lakes in the world!
• The city of Lucerne itself
• Other towns and on the network: Brienz, Giswil, Sarnen and all the way to Interlaken

The final verdict: Is the Lucerne Travel Pass worth it?

If you’re spending at least three days in the Central Switzerland region and plan on doing a few mountain excursions then chances are the Lucerne Travel Pass will be worth it for you.

If you’re visiting for a shorter period or mainly plan on staying around Lucerne itself with only one or two mountain excursions then the pass probably isn’t worth it.

And there you have it, another super detailed Switzerland travel pass guide, this time for the Lucerne Travel Pass! I hope this review has helped you figure out if the Central Switzerland travel pass is a worthwhile purchase for your upcoming trip.

If you are tossing up other travel passes then you should read my other Switzerland travel pass breakdowns (all have example itineraries):

• Is the Swiss Travel Pass worth it?
• Is the Swiss Half Fare Card worth it?
• Is the Jungfrau Travel Pass worth it?

And my other Switzerland blog posts might help you too 👇🏼

MORE SWITZERLAND TRAVEL INSPIRATION:

• How to spend 5 days in Switzerland
• How to spend 10 days in Switzerland
• 33 most beautiful places in Switzerland
• Rigi vs Pilatus vs Titlis vs Stanserhorn: Which one to visit?
• The cheapest place to ski in Switzerland: Liddes Ski Hostel
• 10 reasons to try co-living in Switzerland
• The ultimate Northern Italy and Switzerland itinerary

MORE SWITZERLAND TRAIN GUIDES:

• Swiss Travel Pass vs Half Fare Card: Which one is best?
• The ultimate Swiss Travel Pass guide
• The ultimate Swiss Half Fare Card guide
• Is the Glacier Express worth it?
• Is the Bernina Express worth it?
• Bernina Express vs Glacier Express: Which one should you choose?
• Is the Jungfrau Travel Pass worth it?
• Is the Tell Pass worth it?

ALL CAR-FREE EUROPE TRAVEL ITINERARIES & GUIDES:

• The perfect two month Europe itinerary
• The ultimate three month Europe itinerary (build your own dream trip!)
• The ultimate Northern Italy & Switzerland itinerary
• A Europe Christmas market itinerary by train
• How to spend 3 weeks in Scandinavia by train
• How to spend 2 weeks in Poland by train
• How to spend 2 weeks in the Balkans by bus
• How to spend 2 weeks in Albania without a car
• How to spend 2 weeks in Norway
• How to spend 10 days in Switzerland
• How to spend 5 days in Switzerland
• How to see Puglia, Italy without a car
• How to see the Dolomites, Italy without a car
• The most beautiful train rides in Europe
• How to use a Eurail Pass
• Is a Eurail Pass worth it?
• See all Europe blog posts

MY GO-TO TRAVEL PLANNING RESOURCES

Flights ✈️ I use Skyscanner to find the best flights for my trip and then I’ll always book direct with the airline to protect myself from having to deal with dodgy third parties if anything goes wrong.

Trains 🚂 If I’m travelling through Europe, I try to travel by train wherever possible! For an extended trip (2+ weeks) I’ll calculate if a Eurail Pass is worth it, or I’ll book point-to-point tickets through RailEurope or the local train operator.

Accommodation 🛎️ I book almost all of my accommodation through booking.com, they have a user-friendly website + app and many of their options are free cancellation, easily cancelled with a simple click of a button.

Activities 🗽I use GetYourGuide, Klook and Viator to look for activities in the places I visit, or I just Google ‘things to do in [city]’! P.S. If you book anything on Klook you can use the promocode FINDINGALEXXKLOOK to get 10% off

Travel cards 💳 I’m a Wise gal through and through, they’ve been my chosen travel card for more than five years now. You can easily top up your card from your bank account or through Apple Pay, convert your money to local currency, and spend money with minimal fees and the best exchange rates around.

Travel insurance 🩺 I use Cover-More NZ travel insurance for my own trips, I have a comprehensive policy and I’ve only had good experiences with them. Cover-More also has an Australian company, but if you’re from elsewhere then two popular insurance options for global travellers are SafetyWing (cheaper policy, lower coverage) and World Nomads (more expensive but significantly better coverage).

Luggage 💼 I travel with Samsonite Cosmolite suitcases, one 75cm check in bag and a 55cm carry on bag, and I absolutely adore them and will never travel with anything else! They are SUPER lightweight (2.8kg and 1.9kg respectively) so I have much more space for my actual stuff.

Camera gear 📸 I use a iPhone 15 Pro Max for phone photos/videos, and my camera kit includes a Lumix S9 (incredible lightweight full-frame camera, a game changer for travel creators!) with a 20-60mm lens, a Lumix G9 with an 8-18mm and 12-60mm lens, a DJI Mini 3 Pro drone and a GoPro Hero 10. I do all my writing and editing on my ASUS Zenbook 14, it’s lightweight but powerful enough for photo editing and intense blogging sessions.