A Travel Price Comparison for Switzerland Lucerne vs. Lausanne for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

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Should you visit Lucerne or Lausanne?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Lucerne and Lausanne. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Lucerne or Lausanne?

Lucerne

Lucerne is a relatively small city in the center of Switzerland. It is located across the lake from Altdorf and it has a thriving tourism industry. It's close proximity to many of the major sights in the country make it a great base for exploration. Many people use it as a jumping off point for exploring Mount Rigi and the Rutli Meadow.

Lausanne

Located on Lake Geneva, Lausanne is the capital city of French-speaking region of Vaud, Switzerland. The slopes of Lake Geneva's shores are known for growing wine, while the city of Lausanne sprawls across three hills. The city is also home to the International Olympic Committee, the Olympic Museum, and lakeshore Olympic Park, as well as an old town that dates to medieval times.

Which place is cheaper, Lausanne or Lucerne?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Lucerne is $215, while the average daily cost in Lausanne is $229. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Lucerne and Lausanne in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Lucerne $138
    Lausanne $137
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Lucerne $276
    Lausanne $274
Compare Hotels in Lucerne and Lausanne

Looking for a hotel in Lucerne or Lausanne? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Lucerne


Hotels in Lausanne


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Lucerne Hotel Prices and Lausanne Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Lucerne $13
    Lausanne $41

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lucerne

Also for Lucerne, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Between Basel and Luzern: One-Way Private Transfer: $193
  • Departure Private Transfer Lucerne-Basel-Bern to Zurich Airport by Business Car: $191
  • Departure Private Transfer Lucerne-Basel-Bern to Zurich Airport by Luxury Van: $251
  • From Canyoning in Interlaken w/ Return Transfer: $239
  • Private Transfer from Lucerne City to interlaken City: $174
  • Private transfer from Lucerne City to Lucerne Train Station: $110
  • Private transfer from Lucerne City to Zurich Airport: $271
  • Rafting in Interlaken with Return Transfer from Lucerne: $239
  • Transfers Zurich Airport - Lucerne: $431
  • ZRH Airport - Lucern City (Transfer Service): $287
  • Zurich Airport Transfers : Lucerne City to Zurich Airport ZRH in Business Car: $118
  • Zurich Airport Transfers : Lucerne City to Zurich Airport ZRH in Luxury Van: $207

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Lausanne

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Lausanne:

  • Private Transfer: Lausanne to Geneva Airport (GVA): $249
  • Limousine Transfer & Chaplin's world visit: $111

Is it cheaper to fly into Lucerne or Lausanne?

Prices for flights to both Lausanne and Lucerne change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Lucerne $63
    Lausanne $62

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Lausanne

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Lausanne.

  • Swiss Dinner in an Igloo tour with transport & shopping opportunities: $173
  • Lavaux Panoramic Dinner Tour: $201
  • Lavaux: Panoramic Dinner Experience: $251

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Lucerne $34
    Lausanne $38
Typical Entertainment prices in Lucerne

For Lucerne, here are some examples of average entertainment and activity prices from previous travelers:


  • 1 Day Bicycle Rental
    $34
  • The Swiss Transport Museum Entrance Fee
    $35

Tours and Activities in Lucerne

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Lucerne.

  • Swiss Chocolate Adventure Experience at Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne: $19
  • Lucerne Swiss Museum of Transport Entrance Ticket: $39
  • Mount Titlis: Admission Ticket: $52
  • Pearls of Switzerland Cristina Tschuppert Private city walking tour Lucerne: $178
  • Day Trip from Grindelwald First Mountain Adventure: $206
  • Chocolate World Experience and Tasting Private Tour from Luzern: $226
  • Lucerne City Walking Tour in Portuguese (1-2 guests): $231
  • Luzern City Tour with Lake Cruise Private Tour: $231
  • Lake Lucerne Villas & Castles Private Walking Tour: $234
  • Lake Lucerne Castles and Villas Tour: $261
  • Mount Rigi with Lake Cruise Private Tour from Luzern: $279
  • ALL TRANSPORT INCLUSIVE Mt. Pilatus Guided Golden Roundtrip Tour: $280

Tours and Activities in Lausanne

Here are a few actual costs in Lausanne for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:

  • Chamonix Mont-Blanc, Aiguille du Midi Tour: $265
  • Glacier 3000 High Level Experience in the Swiss Alps from Lausanne: $114
  • Guided tour “Love stories of Lausanne": $496
  • Interlaken and Paragliding Experience from Lausanne: $391
  • Lausanne Private Walking Tour with Professional Guide: $375
  • Lausanne Sightseeing Tour: $509
  • Architectural Walking Tour: $135
  • Art and Culture Tour with a Local Guide: $83
  • Past and Present Walking Tour: $162
  • Photogenic City Tour: $103
  • Lavaux Panoramic Tour from Lausanne: $59
  • Les Jewels of Jura - all-inclusive wine and culinary day-tour: $346

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Lucerne $22
    Lausanne $27

Sample the Local Flavors in Lucerne

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Lucerne:

  • Chocolate, Cheese and Wine Tour in Luzern region: $627

About these numbers

When comparing the travel costs between Lucerne and Lausanne, we can see that Lausanne is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Europe, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.

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Lucerne vs. Lausanne Travel Comparison

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