After the Neujahrsmarathon Zürich: Lucerne

The Route: Zürich → Lucerne → Zürich Airport Logistics: Direct train from Zürich HB, about 50 minutes. The old town is across the river from the station and is flat. Marathon Month: January Duration: 2 nights

Zürich HB ──(about 50 mins, direct train)──> Luzern station ──(5 min walk)──> Chapel Bridge / Old Town
                                                                                       │
Zürich Airport (ZRH) ◄──(train via Zürich HB, check sbb.ch)───────────────────────────┘

The Neujahrsmarathon Zürich starts at midnight, and runners finish in the dark hours of 1 January. By the afternoon, a train to Lucerne is the least demanding trip out of the city: direct, seated and flat at the other end.

January in Lucerne: the lake is cold and often misty, the mountains behind it carry snow and the crowds are thin. Mean temperatures stay near freezing, so pack warm layers, gloves and shoes with grip. The covered bridge keeps rain and light snow off the path. Trains run to a holiday timetable on 1 and 2 January, and some venues close, so check each before leaving.

Nights one and two: Lucerne

Direct trains leave Zürich HB for Lucerne in about 50 minutes. Check departures and fares at sbb.ch. Lucerne station sits on the lake, and the old town is across the Reuss, a few minutes away on flat ground.

The Chapel Bridge, or Kapellbrücke, is the primary walk. The covered wooden footbridge is about 650 years old and angles across the Reuss with the Water Tower beside it, a tower built between about 1290 and 1300 that stands 34.5 m high. A fire destroyed much of the bridge on 18 August 1993, and it reopened on 14 April 1994. The deck is level and wheelchair accessible. A paved lakeside promenade runs on from the bridge past the grand hotels along Schweizerhofquai, with benches along the way.

The Museggmauer, the medieval wall above the old town, needs a real climb and steps. Leave it until the second day, or skip it.

Where to stay

Hotel Schweizerhof Luzern is on Schweizerhofquai, directly on the lake, a five-star hotel with a Brasserie VICO and a wellness area. A soak after a night of running is a sound use of the first afternoon. Hotel des Balances stands on the Weinmarkt in the old town, a four-star with a chef-led restaurant under Andy Fluri. Book either early, because lakefront rooms are scarce on holiday weekends.

Where to eat

Both hotels have restaurants that take bookings. A Friday or Saturday in early January is busy for the first weekend of the year, so reserve a table when booking the room.

Getting home

For Zürich Airport (ZRH), take a train back to Zürich HB, then the airport line, and check sbb.ch for the best connection. Allow a buffer on a holiday timetable.