Paddle Steamer Resources by
Tramscape
Lake
Lucerne : The Piers - Five Paddle Steamers (and a large fleet of motor vessels)
amidst magnificent Swiss scenery.
Lake Lucerne,
Switzerland is one of the most beautiful lakes around. It starts at the city
of Lucerne (Luzern) and the main arm of the lake quickly reaches into the foothills
of the Alps, passing the Burgenstock hill on the right and the imposing Rigi
mountain on the left. Steamers call at numerous closely spaced piers, criss-crossing
the lake, with Weggis and Vitznau the main resorts visited before reaching Brunnen.
Onwards from Brunnen the scenery takes on a markedly more alpine character with
sheer slopes dipping into the lake with piers clinging to the edge precariously.
At the upper end of the lake, the town of Fluelen is at the head of a valley
which cuts deep into alpine territory which acts as the route south for road
(and now motorway) and train.
The two branches of the lake, to Alpnachstad
in the Alpnachersee and to Kussnacht receive fewer services, although one paddler
is rostered for the former route in the main season. PS Unteralden is the only
vessel which can reach Alpnachstad as it is the only vessel with retractable
funnel and wheelhouse and hinged masts to allow it to pass under the Aschereggbrucke,
a modern bridge which replaced a swing bridge carrying traffic from Luzern to
Stans and down the western side of the lake.
Each of the piers is illustrated, with photos
of the piers, showing, where possible, the view in both directions at the pier.
Some photos are taken of the pier from aboard a vessel but most are views of
vessels at or near the pier taken from the shoreline. These photos are part
of a large collection of photos taken by Gordon Stewart, Tramscape webmaster,
between 1988 and 2001. Click on the pier name to see the photos.
The
main services are from Luzern to Fluelen via the main resorts of
Weggis, Gersau and Brunnen and other piers providing interchange with
mountain railways or cable cars for onward travel to popular vantage
points such as Rigi (from Vitznau), Burgenstock (from Kehrsiten),
Klewenalp (from Beckenried) and Seelisberg (from Treib). Rutli, Bauen
and Isleten are popular piers for walkers particularly since the
establishmemt and marketing of the "Weg der Schweiz" which passes
around the southern part of the
lake.
Kehrsiten
(Burgenstock), Stansstad and Alpnachstad are the main piers on the
service under the low bridge near Stansstad (Aschereggbrucke) into
the Alpnachersee. At Kehrsiten Burgenstock, connections are made with
the services along the main part of the lake to Fluelen as well as
the Burgenstock mountian railway. At Alpnachstad, connection is made
with the railway serving Pilatus, the dominant mountain lying to the
west of Luzern and itself the world's steepest rack railway. Services
to Alpnachstad from Luzern generally call at Verkehshaus, St
Niklausen, Kastanienbaum, Kehrsiten-Burgenstock, Kehrsiten-Dorf,
Hergiswil, Stansstad, Rotzloch and
Alpnachstad.
Kastanienbaum
Hergiswil
Stansstad
Alpnachstad
Kussnacht
is the main town at the head of the eastern arm of the lake and
whilst the service provided is infrequent, special paddler steamer
trips are provided on occasion. In June to September 1999, the 10.00
am Sunday service from Luzern was provided by PS Unterwalden, with a
special breakfast buffet. Piers used by SGV services are Verkehrshaus
and Seeburg, Meggenhorn, Meggen, Merlischachen and Kussnacht on the
northern bank and Greppen on the southern
bank.
Kussnacht
Greppen
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