Swiss Alpine passes from Lucerne

Route description

In Lucerne, walk across the Kapellbrücke, a covered wooden bridge with painted panels and a stone water tower, crossing the Reuss. Then drive south along Lake Lucerne on the A2 and up the Schöllenen gorge, past the Devil’s Bridge, to Andermatt.

From Andermatt the road climbs to the Furkapass, a 2,429 m pass with hairpins above the Rhône Glacier, usually open from June to October. On the far side, the Grimsel Pass leads north past reservoirs and granite slabs, down to Meiringen and along Lake Brienz to Interlaken.

Just south of Interlaken lies the Lauterbrunnental, a glacial valley with dozens of waterfalls, including Staubbach Falls beside the village. A mountain campsite in Lauterbrunnen is a good base, and Wengen and Mürren above the valley are car-free and reached by train or cable car.

A vignette is required on Swiss motorways, and motorhomes over 3.5 tonnes pay a separate heavy vehicle charge instead. On mountain roads, yellow PostBuses have priority, so be ready to pull over or reverse on narrow sections.