There are 6 ways to get from Karlsruhe to Lucerne by train, bus, car, or plane
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Train via Basel
best- Take the train from Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof to Basel SBBtrain 12 / ...
- Take the train from Basel SBB to Luzerntrain Ic21 / ...
3h 27mCHF 49–215Bus
cheapest- Take the bus from Karlsruhe central train station to Luzernbus FlixBus N33
6h 5mCHF 29–45Drive 287 km
- Drive from Karlsruhe to Lucernecar 287 km
2h 36mCHF 55–79Train to Stuttgart Airport, fly, train
- Take the train from Karlsruhe Hbf to Stuttgart Hbftrain
- Fly from Stuttgart Airport (STR) to Zurich Airport (ZRH)plane STR - ZRH
- Take the train from Zürich HB to Luzerntrain
4h 11mCHF 134–409Train
- Take the train from Karlsruhe Hbf to Zuerich Hbtrain Ec
- Take the train from Zürich HB to Luzerntrain Ir70 / ...
4h 54mCHF 82–92Train to Frankfurt, fly, train
- Take the train from Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof to Frankfurttrain
- Fly from Frankfurt (FRA) to Zurich Airport (ZRH)plane FRA - ZRH
- Take the train from Zürich HB to Luzerntrain
4h 11mCHF 129–275
Karlsruhe to Lucerne by train
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Karlsruhe to Lucerne is to bus which costs SFr 29 - SFr 45 and takes 6h 5m.
The fastest way to get from Karlsruhe to Lucerne is to drive which takes 2h 36m and costs SFr 50 - SFr 80.
Yes, there is a direct bus departing from Karlsruhe central train station station and arriving at Luzern. Services depart once daily, and operate every day. The journey takes approximately 6h 5m.
No, there is no direct train from Karlsruhe to Lucerne. However, there are services departing from Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof and arriving at Luzern via Basel SBB. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 3h 27m.
The distance between Karlsruhe and Lucerne is 286 km. The road distance is 287 km.
The best way to get from Karlsruhe to Lucerne without a car is to train via Basel which takes 3h 27m and costs SFr 45 - SFr 220.
It takes approximately 3h 27m to get from Karlsruhe to Lucerne, including transfers.
Karlsruhe to Lucerne bus services, operated by FlixBus, depart from Karlsruhe central train station.
Karlsruhe to Lucerne train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC), depart from Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof station.
The best way to get from Karlsruhe to Lucerne is to train via Basel which takes 3h 27m and costs SFr 45 - SFr 220. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs SFr 29 - SFr 45 and takes 6h 5m.
What companies run services between Karlsruhe, Germany and Lucerne, Switzerland?
You can take a train from Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof to Luzern via Basel SBB in around 3h 27m. Alternatively, FlixBus operates a bus from Karlsruhe central train station to Luzern once daily. Tickets cost CHF 29–45 and the journey takes 6h 5m.
- Website
- swiss.com
Flights from Stuttgart Airport to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 45 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 60–340
Flights from Frankfurt to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 70–380
- Website
- lufthansa.com
Flights from Frankfurt to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 70–380
- Website
- condor.com
Flights from Frankfurt to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 90–200
- Website
- airdolomiti.it
Flights from Frankfurt to Zurich Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- CHF 130–380
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof to Basel SBB
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 48m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 30–65
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Karlsruhe Hbf to Stuttgart Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 38 min
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- CHF 12–25
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
Train from Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof to Frankfurt
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 9m
- Frequency
- Every 3 hours
- Estimated price
- CHF 20–45
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC)
- Phone
- +43 5 1717
- Website
- Österreichische Bundesbahnen
Train from Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof to Basel SBB
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 17m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- CHF 40–60
- Website
- Österreichische Bundesbahnen
- Phone
- +31 30 751 5155
- Website
- Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS)
Train from Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof to Basel SBB
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 18m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- CHF 19–40
- Website
- Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS)
Train from Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof to Basel SBB
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 47m
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 55–95
- Website
- Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS)
Train from Basel SBB to Luzern
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 1m
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- CHF 28–45
- Website
- Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS)
Train from Zürich HB to Luzern
- Ave. Duration
- 41 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- CHF 16–26
- Website
- Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS)
Train from Zürich HB to Luzern
- Ave. Duration
- 41 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- CHF 16–26
- Website
- Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS)
Train from Zürich HB to Luzern
- Ave. Duration
- 41 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- CHF 16–26
- Website
- Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS)
- Phone
- +49 30 2970
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Regio (DB Regional)
Train from Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof to Basel SBB
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 43m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 35–170
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Regio (DB Regional)
Train from Karlsruhe Hbf to Stuttgart Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 36m
- Frequency
- 5 times a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 15–70
- Website
- Deutsche Bahn Regio (DB Regional)
- Phone
- +43 (0) 5 1717
- Website
- ÖBB EuroCity
Train from Karlsruhe Hauptbahnhof to Basel SBB
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 12m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 46
- Website
- ÖBB EuroCity
- Website
- ÖBB EuroCity
Train from Karlsruhe Hbf to Zuerich Hb
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 56m
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- CHF 66
- Website
- ÖBB EuroCity
- Website
- ÖBB EuroCity
- Phone
- +41 58 580 70 70
- Website
- Schweizerische Südostbahn AG
Train from Basel SBB to Luzern
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 1m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- CHF 30–45
- Schedules at
- Schweizerische Südostbahn AG
- Phone
- +49 711 400 534 44
- [email protected]
- Website
- Arverio Baden-Württemberg GmbH
Train from Karlsruhe Hbf to Stuttgart Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 12–18
- Schedules at
- Arverio Baden-Württemberg GmbH
- Phone
- +49 711 400 534 44
- [email protected]
- Website
- Arverio Baden-Württemberg
Train from Karlsruhe Hbf to Stuttgart Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 55 min
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- CHF 12–24
- Schedules at
- Arverio Baden-Württemberg
- 2nd Class Ticket
- CHF 12–16
- 1st Class Ticket
- CHF 17–24
- Phone
- +33 1 84 94 36 35
- Website
- TGV inOui
Train from Karlsruhe Hbf to Stuttgart Hbf
- Ave. Duration
- 38 min
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- CHF 14–22
- Website
- TGV inOui
Rome2Rio's guide to FlixBus
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +49 30 300 137 300
- [email protected]
- Website
- Flixbus
Bus from Karlsruhe central train station to Luzern
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 5m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- CHF 29–45
- Website
- Flixbus
Want to know more about travelling around Switzerland
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
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Booking & Getting There
Karlsruhe to Lucerne bus services, operated by FlixBus, arrive at Luzern station.
Karlsruhe to Lucerne train services, operated by Deutsche Bahn Intercity (DB IC), arrive at Basel SBB station.
Yes, the driving distance between Karlsruhe to Lucerne is 287 km. It takes approximately 2h 36m to drive from Karlsruhe to Lucerne.
Book your Karlsruhe to Lucerne train tickets online with Omio.
Book your Karlsruhe to Lucerne bus tickets online with Omio and FlixBus.
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