Lucerne
Switzerland.
Switzerland · 4 districts · 2 vibes
4 handpicked hostels in Lucerne, sorted by traveler rating.
Lucerne is the postcard view of Switzerland — Lake Lucerne framed by Mt. Pilatus and Mt. Rigi, the 14th-century Chapel Bridge crossing the Reuss, painted Old Town facades, paddle steamers leaving at the Bahnhofquai. Hostel options are tight (four properties, none in Old Town because of licensing) but well differentiated: a budget Pilatus-side option in Kriens, a lakefront backpacker classic, a 9.6-rated owner-run homestay on the hillside, and the Swiss YHA flagship near the Sonnenberg forest. Self-catering is mandatory if you want to stay more than three nights — Switzerland's restaurant prices are merciless.
What to do in Lucerne.
Pick a vibe. Get a focused guide with ranked picks.
Best Hostels in Lucerne
4 handpicked hostels in Lucerne, sorted by traveler rating.
Young Backpackers Homestay
A small, owner-run homestay on the Kriens hillside with a panoramic glass-walled lounge that frames Mt. Pilatus on one side and Lucerne's lake basin on the other. Closer to a Swiss Alpine B&B than a hostel — eight beds, a bar, a sun terrace, a garden — but priced like a hostel and run with the kind of personal care that pulls 9.6 from 488 reviewers.
Backpackers Luzern
An unfussy, sociable hostel parked directly on Lake Lucerne in the Tribschen neighborhood, fifteen minutes' walk from the Old Town along the lakeshore. Big shared kitchen, common lounge with a foosball table, balcony rooms that look straight at Mt. Pilatus across the water. The default backpacker pick in Lucerne and the highest-rated proper hostel.
Luzern Youth Hostel
Lucerne's official Swiss Youth Hostel sits on Sedelstrasse at the foot of the Sonnenberg forest, 1.2 km north-west of the train station. The largest hostel in town (180+ beds), with an on-site restaurant serving breakfast and dinner, family rooms, a library, and the kind of clean institutional feel that makes the Swiss YHA the default choice for school groups, families, and solo travelers who want predictability over personality.
Bellpark Hostel
A modest, quiet hostel in Kriens, fifteen minutes by bus 1 from Lucerne train station, parked directly on the cogwheel side of Mt. Pilatus. Shared kitchen, snack bar, garden, and a Lidl supermarket two minutes away — the cheapest way to stay near Lucerne without sleeping in a tent.
Hand-picked guides.
Lucerne's nightlife isn't on Old Town benches — it's in a tight handful of locals' bars (Helvetia, Bourbaki, Rathaus Brauerei) that close be…
Switzerland is one of the most expensive eating-out countries in Europe — a sit-down dinner in Lucerne starts at CHF 25 and a kebab is CHF 1…