Spring 2015 - Lake boats in Switzerland

Spring/Summer season for Switzerland’s lake boats

Click on the links at the end of each paragraph to get more details.

For another site showing the boats on the Swiss lakes, see this link (in German). It also features Aegerisee and Greifensee:

http://www.schweizer-schifffahrt.ch/

Zurichsee

The summer season starts on 3 April 2015. Includes long round trips from Zurich Burkliplatz to Rapperswil, short round trips via Thalwil and Erlenbach, and Limmat river trips. A comprehensive program of special cruises and restaurant services is available year-round.

Zurichseegesellschaft

Walensee

Summer season starts on 4 April 2015. If you ever get bored with the Zurisee boats (as if), go further south to the beautiful blue Walensee. Boats leave from Weesen or Walenstadt, or you can cross from Murg to Quinten and back. Special gastronomic cruises too. You can park in Weesen and explore there too.

Walenseeschiff

Zugersee

The summer season on the lake of Zug starts on 12 April 2015. Long round trips run from Bahnhofsteg boat station to Arth, short trips go as far as Walchwil or Buonas. Brunch, lunch and evening cruises also offer restaurant service. Booking ahead is advisable.

You can also take a motor boat or pedalo from the Landesgemeindeplatz in summer.

Zugersee

Rhine river boats

Boat trips run between Kreuzlingen via Stein am Rhein to Schaffhausen. The new season starts on 3 April 2015.

urh Rhine boats

Boat trips to the Rhine Falls run from Rheinau on Sundays from May and daily from 4 July.

Rheinfalls

The Rhine Falls can also be visited on foot at any time of year. The new City Train from Schaffhausen starts in April 2015.

Rhine Falls express

Lake Constance (Bodensee)

Boat trips run from Rorschach, Konstanz, Kreuzlingen and Romanshorn.

http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-ch/lake-constance.html

Easter Brunch from Romanshorn, 5 April 2015.

http://www.sbsag.ch/themenschiffe/osterbrunch1.html

Spring season on Bodensee starts on 3 April 2015

http://www.sbsag.ch/fahrplan-preise/kursschifffahrt.html

Other services start on 1 May 2015.

http://www.bodenseeschiff.de/Angebote/Konstanz.html

Insel Mainau. The beautiful flower island can be reached by boat from Kreuzlingen and by bus (line 4) from Konstanz. The season starts on 20 March 2015.

http://www.mainau.de/anfahrt.html

http://www.bsb-online.com/insel-mainau.html

Boats on the Vierwaldstättersee – Lake Lucerne 

The spring season starts on 3 April 2015.You can take a trip to Brunnen or Flüelen, Vitznau for the Rigibahn or alight at Kehrsiten for the funicular to Bürgenstock. Or explore Tellsplatte. Or set off on the Weg der Schweiz by taking the short boat trip to Treib and the cablecar up to Seelisberg. All the towns around the lake also have great places to eat out on the terrace when it’s warm.

From 30 May onwards you can go further, and ride the Pilatusbahn from Alpnachstad. Or get off at the Verkerhshaus or Transport Museum. Or visit the Hergiswil glass factory and museum.

Lake Lucerne boats

The central lakes of Thun and Brienz in the Berner Oberland

Spring season starts on 3 April. You can embark at Interlaken West for Spiez and Thun, or from Interlaken Ost for Brienz and Giessbach. Train connections from Luzern and Meiringen. Paddle steamers run from the end of May. In summer you can do both lakes in one day.

http://www.bls.ch/d/schifffahrt/fahrplan-druckversionen.php

Drei Seen boat trips – the lakes of Biel, Neuchatel and Murten 

From 3 April 2015 onwards, you can cruise one, two or three lakes, linked by canals, depending on the season and start point – Biel, La Sauge, Murten or Sugiez-Heimathafen. Special gastronomic and dance cruises are also possible.

http://dreiseenschifffahrt.ch/?lang=de

Boats on Lake Geneva

There are several boat operators on Lac Leman. In Geneva you can take a water bus or mouette using your regular transport ticket. Pedaloes and kayaks can be hired in several towns around the lake. You can also enjoy a trip on a Belle Epoch paddle steamer.

Here’s an overview of boats on the lake of Geneva:

Lake Geneva boat transport

The CGN boat line starts its regular Spring season on 19 April 2015. Departure points include Montreux, Vevey, Lausanne, Morges, Nyon and Geneva on the Swiss side. A favourite boat trip with ZIWA members is the boat from Montreux to Chillon to see the famous Chateau de Chillon. You could also cross to the French side. There are also special Easter cruises.

cgn boats

Lago Maggiore in the Ticino

You can hire a boat at Locarno or Ascona, or visit Isola di Brissago with its botanical gardens. Or discover Madonna del Sasso.

The full season on the lake starts on 5 May.
Locarno boats

Lago Lugano in Ticino

The boat season in Lugano starts on 1 April 2015. Cruises from Lugano to Gandria, or Melide and Morcote. Be careful though, as Halbtax and GA discounts may not apply.

Lake Lugano

Julia Newton. 11 March 2015.