Brunnen
Brunnen lies where Lake Lucerne narrows into the fjord-like Lake Uri. The view from the Waldstätterquai across the water to the Rütli, Seelisberg and the mountains of Uri is one of the grandest landscapes in Switzerland.
Sights in Brunnen
- Waldstätterquai and Bundesplatz: stroll, eat an ice cream and feel the foehn wind that whips up the lake here.
- Boat trips: from Brunnen the scheduled boats sail to the Rütli, Gersau, Flüelen and Lucerne, some of them historic paddle steamers.
- Swiss Knife Valley Visitor Center: discover the story of Victorinox and assemble your own pocket knife.
- Urmiberg cable car: a small cable car with a big view over both basins of the lake.
- Morschach: the sunny village above Brunnen, home to the Swiss Holiday Park.
The gateway to Lake Uri
At Brunnen, Lake Lucerne makes a sharp turn. The broad basin becomes Lake Uri, a narrow arm between steeply falling rock walls that looks more like a fjord than a pre-Alpine lake. The Waldstätterquai sits right on this corner, which is why the view from here is so famous.
Opposite lies the Rütli, the meadow on the shore regarded as the birthplace of the Swiss Confederation. It can be reached only by boat or on foot, which still makes a visit a small expedition in itself. From Brunnen the scheduled boats cross in a matter of minutes.
Brunnen was already a destination for early travellers in the nineteenth century. The grand hotel buildings on the quay bear witness to that and give the lakefront its characteristic face.
The foehn and the lake
Hardly any place on Lake Lucerne is as closely bound up with the foehn as Brunnen. When the warm downslope wind pushes through the Uri valley, it drives the water up the lake and sends waves crashing against the quay. On such days the visibility is exceptionally clear, though boat services may be restricted.
That makes Brunnen a well-known address for water sports. If you would rather just watch, take a seat on the quay: the shift between mirror-smooth water and a churning lake is part of this place.
Tip: The Swiss Path begins at the Rütli, a few minutes from Brunnen by boat, ideal for stage walks around Lake Uri.
Getting there
Brunnen station is on the Gotthard line, with direct trains from Zurich and Lucerne. Motorway exit Brunnen on the A4.
From the station to the lake is about ten minutes on foot. Brunnen makes a good base for several days, because boat, train and bus lead from here in every direction: across the lake to Gersau and Flüelen, by train to Schwyz and Arth-Goldau, by bus to Schlattli and on up to Stoos.
Public transport: Train to Brunnen; the lake is a ten-minute walk from the station.
