Which lakes are free with the Swiss Travel Pass
Seven lakes come with your pass, and you don't pay a franc extra on any of them:
- Lake Brienz, turquoise water, boats from Interlaken
- Lake Geneva, the vineyard shoreline, on the Swiss network
- Lake Lucerne, the big one, with the most useful connections
- Lake Lugano, palm trees and southern light
- Lake Thun, castles, also from Interlaken
- Lake Zurich, easy from the city, good for a spare afternoon
- Lake Maggiore, the Swiss part of it
Covered in full means exactly that. You walk on, show the pass, sit where you like on the main deck, and get off wherever you fancy. There's no supplement on standard routes, and on Lake Lucerne every regular SGV service is included. If you want the wider picture of what else your pass unlocks, the what's included page lays it all out.
What a lake cruise costs with and without a Swiss Travel Pass
| Trip | Full fare | Swiss Travel Pass |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Lucerne boat | CHF 45 | Free |
| Rhine Falls boats | CHF 6–22.50 | Not covered |
| Lunch or dinner cruise | From about CHF 58 with the meal | Not covered |
A Half Fare Card would take that Lake Lucerne boat down to CHF 22.50. Your pass takes it to nothing, and one good sailing is already a decent chunk of what a day of the pass costs you.
The two kinds of boat your Swiss Travel Pass won't cover
Basel Rhine boats
These are river boats, not lake boats, and they sit outside the deal. If Basel is on your route, budget for them separately, or spend the money on the museums your pass already covers.
Lunch and dinner cruises
Here's the quirk worth knowing. A dinner cruise isn't covered, because you're really buying a meal that happens to float. But the same vessel on a timetabled sailing is free. So if you like the look of a particular boat, check the ordinary schedule and ride it for nothing, then eat on shore.
Named lake crossings worth planning your day around
Two Lake Lucerne runs do real work rather than just being pretty:
- Lucerne to Vitznau, about 55 minutes, and the classic way to start a Rigi day.
- Lucerne to Kehrsiten, about 25 minutes, for the Bürgenstock funicular. The jetty is a few minutes' walk from Lucerne station.
Over in the Bernese Oberland, boats on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz both run from Interlaken, so one lake out and the other back is a day in itself.
How to plan a boat day with your pass
- Pick your lake and check the day's timetable online.
- Note which vessel is scheduled if a particular boat matters to you.
- Walk to the jetty and board; no ticket needed, just have the pass ready.
- Show it to the crew when they come round.
- Chain the boat into the rest of your day, a mountain railway, a funicular, or a train onward to your next of the cities.
Can you ride a steam paddle boat with the Swiss Travel Pass?
Yes, and it costs you nothing extra. The Belle Epoque paddle steamers carry no surcharge and no time penalty, which makes them one of the best free things your pass does.
The catch isn't money, it's scheduling. Which vessel runs which route changes by the day, and a modern boat sometimes replaces a steamer at short notice. If a steamer is the whole point of your outing, check the timetable that morning rather than turning up hopefully.
Does first or second class matter on Swiss lake boats?
Mostly not. Some services reserve an upper deck for first class, and that's the one place outside the train where the class of your pass actually shows. On the main deck you're in the same seats either way.
One exception is worth flagging: the Gotthard Panorama Express. Its boat leg across Lake Lucerne is covered outright, but the train half is all first class, so a second class pass needs a class upgrade for that stretch.