Day 3 – Zurich to Lucerne by Train & A Peaceful Stay in Brunnen : Switzerland (Sep’26)
09 September 2026
After spending time exploring Zurich, it was time to move on to our next destination in Switzerland — Lucerne. The weather was beginning to feel colder now, giving us a completely different feeling from the previous days of our journey.
Our plan for the day was quite simple. We would travel from Zurich to Lucerne by train, continue to our Airbnb near Lucerne in the peaceful village of Brunnen, check in and relax for a while, and then return to Lucerne city to explore in the afternoon and evening.
It turned out to be a slow and relaxing day — exactly the kind of day I enjoy during a long journey.
Zurich to Lucerne by Train
We started our journey from Zurich and headed towards Lucerne by train.
The journey was only around one hour, so travelling between the two cities was very convenient. One thing I really enjoy about travelling around Switzerland is how easy it is to move from one destination to another by train.
As we travelled towards Lucerne, I could already feel that the atmosphere was changing. The weather was getting cooler, and there was some light rain during the day.
But the rain wasn’t heavy enough to disturb our plans.
Instead, the cool temperature and slightly rainy weather made the day feel even more like Switzerland.
Our First Experience Staying in a Swiss Village
Although Lucerne was our main destination, we weren’t actually staying in the city.
Our Airbnb was near Lucerne in Brunnen, a quiet Swiss village.
So instead of immediately exploring Lucerne after arriving, we first travelled to our Airbnb and checked in.
This was a special experience for me because it was our first real stay surrounded by nature in a Swiss village.
After the busy feeling of Zurich, Brunnen felt completely different.
It was peaceful.
It was quiet.
And everything around us felt much closer to nature.
Sometimes when travelling, the accommodation itself becomes part of the experience. Staying outside the main city gave us a chance to see another side of Switzerland — away from the busy tourist areas.
A Quiet Afternoon in Brunnen
The weather was cool and there was a little rain when we arrived.
After checking into our Airbnb, we spent some time settling in and enjoying the peaceful surroundings.
There wasn’t any rush.
That was actually one of the nicest parts of the day.
When you are travelling for many days, you don’t need every day to be packed with attractions. Sometimes a slower day gives you time to enjoy where you are.
For me, Brunnen gave exactly that feeling.
Back to Lucerne City
After checking in and relaxing for a while, we headed back towards Lucerne city.
The light rain continued, but it was still easy and comfortable to walk around.
We didn’t have a complicated sightseeing schedule. Our idea was simply to explore Lucerne on foot and enjoy the city.
And Lucerne is exactly the kind of place where walking without rushing feels right.
Walking Around Lucerne
Once we reached the centre of Lucerne, we started walking around the city.
The cool weather made the walk comfortable, and despite the light rain, there were plenty of beautiful views around us.
Lucerne immediately felt different from Zurich.
Zurich had given us the feeling of a larger Swiss city, while Lucerne felt more compact, historic and relaxed.
There was water, old architecture and beautiful surroundings all coming together in a relatively small area.
But one place especially caught my attention.
Seeing Lucerne’s Famous Wooden Chapel Bridge
One of the most memorable places we saw during our walk was the famous wooden bridge in Lucerne — Chapel Bridge (Kapellbrücke).
I had seen pictures of this bridge before, but standing there and seeing the surrounding area personally was much better.
The bridge, the water, the old buildings and the atmosphere around this part of Lucerne made it one of the most beautiful areas we visited that day.
We spent time walking around and simply enjoying the surroundings.
This was also one of those places where photographs can explain the atmosphere better than words.
Looking back at my pictures from the day, this area really captures how I remember Lucerne — peaceful, historic and beautiful.
Why I Enjoyed the Area Around Chapel Bridge
For me, it wasn’t only about seeing a famous tourist attraction.
The whole area around the bridge was enjoyable.
You could walk slowly beside the water, look at the traditional buildings and just enjoy being in the centre of Lucerne.
The slightly rainy weather actually added something to the atmosphere.
Instead of a bright summer day, we experienced Lucerne under cloudy skies with cooler temperatures, which gave the city a calm feeling.
A Relaxed Evening in Lucerne
By evening, we had spent enough time walking around the city.
Rather than trying to fit more sightseeing into the day, we decided to have dinner in Lucerne.
After travelling from Zurich, checking into our Airbnb in Brunnen and then coming back to explore Lucerne, a relaxed dinner was exactly what we needed.
We enjoyed our evening meal in the city before starting our journey back.
Returning to Brunnen
At around 8 PM, we returned to Brunnen and went back to our Airbnb.
By this time, the day had become even cooler.
Coming back to the quiet village after spending the afternoon and evening in Lucerne felt very relaxing.
There was no more sightseeing planned.
It was simply time to rest and enjoy the peaceful environment.
A Different Side of Switzerland
This day wasn’t about visiting a long list of attractions.
Instead, it gave me something different.
We travelled from Zurich to Lucerne, experienced our first stay in a peaceful Swiss village, walked around Lucerne in the light rain, saw the famous Chapel Bridge and ended the evening with dinner before returning to Brunnen.
After the city experience in Zurich, staying somewhere quieter and closer to nature was a welcome change.
It reminded me that travelling isn’t always about how many places you can visit in one day.
Sometimes the best part of a journey is simply slowing down and experiencing the atmosphere of a new place.
For us, this was exactly that kind of day.
FAQs
1. How long does it take to travel from Zurich to Lucerne by train?
Our train journey from Zurich to Lucerne took around one hour, making Lucerne an easy destination to reach from Zurich.
2. Is Lucerne easy to explore on foot?
From my experience, yes. We spent our time walking around the city, including the area near the famous wooden Chapel Bridge.
3. What is the famous wooden bridge in Lucerne?
The famous wooden bridge is Chapel Bridge, also known as Kapellbrücke. It is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Lucerne.
4. Can you visit Lucerne when it is raining?
We experienced some light rain during our visit, but it was still easy to walk around and enjoy the city. The cooler weather actually gave Lucerne a peaceful atmosphere.
5. Where did you stay while visiting Lucerne?
We stayed at an Airbnb in Brunnen rather than in central Lucerne. It gave us our first experience of staying in a quieter Swiss village surrounded by nature.
6. What was Brunnen like?
My first impression of Brunnen was that it was very peaceful and quiet. After staying in Zurich, it was nice to experience a completely different side of Switzerland.
7. Is it worth staying outside Lucerne?
For us, yes. Staying outside the main city gave us a quieter experience and allowed us to enjoy both Lucerne and the atmosphere of a Swiss village.
8. What did you do during your first day in Lucerne?
We travelled from Zurich, checked into our Airbnb near Brunnen, returned to Lucerne, walked around the city, visited the area around Chapel Bridge and had dinner before returning to Brunnen.
9. What was the weather like in Lucerne in September?
During our visit on 9 September 2026, the weather was becoming cooler and we experienced some light rain.
10. Is one day enough to see Lucerne?
Our first day was deliberately relaxed rather than a complete sightseeing day. We had enough time to walk around central Lucerne and experience Chapel Bridge, but there was still much more to explore.