Lugano

Lugano City Council website

By Plane

Lugano Airport stopped regular commercial flights in 2021.

Milan Malpensa airport is 1 hour away by shuttle (see the "By bus" section below) or 1 hr 40 min by train (see the "By train" section below) and is an EasyJet hub.

By Train

Lugano station is on the Gotthard railway, which crosses the Alps connecting the cantons of Schwyz and Uri to Cantone Ticino. It primarily serves:

FFS (SBB in German, CFF in French, the national railway operator) and EC (EuroCity). Long distance trains to International destinations and other parts of Switzerland.

TILO (Joint operation between FFS and Italy's Trenord) which provides regional services, primarily to Lombardy. Direct service to Milano-Malpensa airport in about 1 hr 40 min.

FLP (metre-gauge) local services

FFS/EC Trains leave for Zürich (2 hr), Basel (3 hr) and Milan (40 min–1 hr) as well as Geneva (via Zürich or Locarno-Domodossola: 5 hr 30 min with one or two transfers, 6 hr 30 min via Milan with one transfer). Getting to Geneva or points west it is faster to go via Zürich or Locarno as the trains are more frequent and faster.

Stazione di Lugano

( Lugano railway station ),

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+41 900 300 300 .

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There is a direct airport service from Lugano to Milano-Malpensa provided by TILO. It is slower (1 hr 40 min) than the bus shuttles (just over an hour) but provides more regular service. Approx Fr.

23 ( Swiss francs ) as of 2019. Tickets are referred to as "Transfrontaliero" on Trenord machines and "Internazionale" on SBB machines.

By Car / Road

Due to physical geography, Lugano has good North-South oriented links and non-existent East-West ones.

Lugano is on the A2 motorway (just "2" on a red background on Swiss road signs) which spans the width of the country from Basel on the French/German borders to Chiasso on the Italian. This is part of the European Route E35 from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Rome, Italy. Like most Swiss roads, the condition is usually very good and speeds are good; nevertheless, distance makes journey times relatively long, particularly when travelling from the north of the country. Lugano is about 3 hr from Berne or Zürich, in optimal conditions. This route passes through the San Gottardo Tunnel, which is a bit of a bottleneck on Sundays (northbound) and Friday (southbound), so budget some time for traffic jams. Jams can be up to 3 hours long during peak travel times such as Easter.

Coming from the south, you have more choices on the flat Po plain but the main route is the A9 motorway from near Milano to Chiasso (where it becomes the Swiss A2). This motorway is fast and relatively uncongested, and the Italians have a somewhat more carefree driving style than the Swiss. Speed limits change when crossing into Switzerland. Lugano is about 1 hr 30 min from Milano and 1 hr 10 min from Malpensa airport, in optimal conditions. Travelling on the A9 does incur one toll near Como, around €2.20 as of 2016.

Crossing customs is usually a pain-free exercise. Switzerland is part of Schengen, so they're not interested in your passport (if you're obviously European) but they are not part of the EU and may be interested if you're carrying anything you need to declare; make sure you know the duty-free limits .

By Bus

There are three shuttle services between Lugano and Milan Malpensa Airport . Each takes about 1 hr 10 min to get in from Malpensa:

Lugano Services (approx every 2 hr, 04:00–23:30; 1 hr 10 min; €25 one way; advance reservations on line or tickets directly on the bus)

JetBus (approx every 1-2 hr; 06:00–23:10; €27 or Fr.

35 one way; can be booked at airport)

Malpensa Express (every 2 hr; 08:35–23:35; €30 or Fr.

35 one way; can be booked at airport.)

There is also a daily bus service during summer to Tirano , Italy with train connection ( Bernina Express ) to St. Moritz (Switzerland).

Lugano is small enough to get around on foot , and many of the streets are pedestrian-only, but the hills above the lakefront are very steep so the bus or the funicular from the centre of town might be a better option on the way up to the train station if you have a lot of bags. Taxis can be found on the main roads. Ferries and funiculars (Brè and San Salvatore) are great options for seeing the views.

For more information:

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TPL

( Trasporti Pubblici Luganesi ).

For bus services in the city. A short-journey ticket (30 min) costs Fr.

1.90, 1-day travelcard for 1 zone — Fr.

7.20, short-journey multi-journey travelcard (6 trips) — Fr.

9.50, the later can be used by multiple people.

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Funicolare Lugano Citta - Stazione ,

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+41 91 800 72 28 .

This funicular links the old centre of the town on the lake shore to the railway station higher up the hill. From 05:20 till 23:50, always, there is one every 5-10 minutes. This is not a sightseeing funicular (as the journey is only around 90 seconds and the main purpose is to provide step-free access to the town centre), however, it is quite interesting, as it passes through a hotel.

Fr.

1.10 .

( )

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Funicolare Lugano Paradiso - Monte San Salvatore ,

Via delle Scuole 7, Lugano Paradiso ,

☏

+41 91 985 28 28 .

17 Jul–15 Aug: daily 09:00–23:00; 8 May–11 Jul & 21 Aug–26 Sep: F Sa 09;00–23:00; the rest: 09:00-17:00 .

It links Lugano with the top of the Monte San Salvatore, with spectacular views of the Lake of Lugano, the isthmus of Melide, the Monte Generoso and the Italian enclave of Campione d'Italia on the other side of the lake.

Single: Fr.

23; Return: Fr.

30 .

( )

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Funicolare Monte Brè ,

Via Ceresio di Suvigliana 36, CH-6977 Ruvigliana

( bus lines 2, 11, 12 to Cassarate-Monte Brè ),

☏

+41 91 9713171 ,

[email protected] .

A funicular between Lugano and the top of the Monte Brè.

Single: Fr.

16; Return: Fr.

25 see the end of the page linked for promotions. .

( )

By boat

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Società Navigazione del Lago di Lugano

( from Lugano Paradiso ),

☏

+41 91 971 52 23 ,

[email protected] .

Runs ferry services across the Lake Lugano. They also offer a number of cruises. While much of Lake Lugano is in Switzerland, a large portion of it is in Italy, so take your passport when on a boat.

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Centro Storico

( Old town ).

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Palazzo Civico

( Palazzo Riva ),

Piazza Riforma, 1 .

Lugano's City Hall

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Parco Civico

( Ciani Park ).

A peaceful park with a wide variety of flowers and trees located near the heart of Lugano's tourist area. Villa Ciani is located there.

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Cattedrale di San Lorenzo

( Cathedral of Saint Lawrence ).

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Chiesa di Santa Maria degli Angioli .

It has an impressive full-wall 16th-century fresco by Bernardino Luini.

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Museo Cantonale d’Arte

( Cantonal Art Museum ),

Via Canova 10 ,

☏

+41 91 815 79 71 .

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Museo d'Arte Moderna

( Museum of Modern Art ).

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Hermann Hesse museum

( the museum is in Montagnola and you can get there in 15 minutes from the Lugano railway station by a bus number 36 (direction Agra); Check the timetables beforehand as the buses aren't frequent. Get off at the bus stop Bellevue ),

☏

+41 91 993 37 70 ,

[email protected] .

Summer season (Mar-Oct) daily 10:00-18:30; otherwise F-Su 10:00-17:30 .

The museum also offers an audio guide for a walk in the steps of Hesse, which is an extremely good choice on a beautiful day. Besides the exhibition there is also a film on Hesse shown, duration approximately 50 minutes. Friendly and helpful staff. English, German and Italian spoken.

Fr.

7.50, Fr.

6.00 discounts for families and groups .

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Gandria

( Walk, boat or bus ).

Gandria is an unspoiled, picturesque lakeside village at the foot of Monte Brè. Perched on the steep mountainside it is a community of narrow streets, inaccessible to cars, with a delightful surprise round every corner.

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Museo Doganale Svizzero

( Swiss Customs Museum )

( from Gandria by boat across the lake ).

There is also a grotto restaurant nearby.

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Sentiero di Gandria

( Gandria Trail ).

A path from the end of the Lugano promenade to Gandria. It is marked with panels which describe the history of olive trees in the region. That is why it is also known as Sentiero dell'olivo .

Hiking

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Monte Brè

( Mount Bre ).

There are numerous rustic trails that lead up from towns surrounding Mount Brè to its summit and the Funicolare Monte Brè. A trail map is available from the local tourist information.

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Monte San Salvatore .

The top of this mountain has a restaurant, hiking paths and a look-out tower offering an amazing panoramic view of Lugano, the lake and surrounding area. It is possible to hike up to the mountain (about 2 hours), or take the cable car.

Trekking Lugano and Malcantone region .

Bike rentals

SFR Railway Station Lugano ,

☏

+41 512 215642 .

Balmelli Sport ,

Via Pioda 12 ,

☏

+41 91 923-5867 .

Gambling

Casinò Lugano ,

Via Stauffacher 1 ,

☏

+41 91 973-7111 ,

fax : +41 91 973-7149 ,

[email protected] .

Daily 12:00-04:00, extended to 05:00 Fridays and Saturdays. Tables open at 02:00 .

Events

Blues to Bop Festival .

21:00-01:00/02:30 depending on the evening .

Free open air music festival with multiple stages throughout the heart of Lugano in late August.

More

Watch football:

FC Lugano play soccer in the Swiss Super League, the country's top tier. They play at the tiny Stadio Cornaredo, capacity 6300, 2 km north of the lakefront.

Swimming .

The Lido di Lugano right in the city centre is a great place to swim with a beach, 3 swimming pools and a bar.

Boating .

Boat rental options include paddle boats and speed boats.

Lugano has a selection of restaurants serving Swiss and international cuisine. Local specialities include fondue, raclette, and rösti.

Swiss wine, beer, and hot chocolate are widely available. Cafés and bars in Lugano offer a range of local and international beverages.

Accommodation in Lugano ranges from budget guesthouses to mid-range hotels and upscale resorts. Book in advance during peak season (July-August and December-March).

Local shops in Lugano offer Swiss souvenirs, watches, chocolate, and regional products. ATMs are widely available.

• Zurich — Switzerland's largest city, with world-class museums and shopping
• Bern — The capital city with a UNESCO-listed old town
• Lucerne — Iconic chapel bridge and lake views
• Interlaken — Gateway to the Jungfrau region
• Geneva — International city on Lake Geneva