Lucerne's central station is one of the busiest in Switzerland. Direct trains connect with Zurich in about 45 minutes and with Bern in around 80 minutes; a change is needed for Geneva, taking about 3 hours total. The station is built over the lake and the main terminus for trains arriving from the Gotthard, Brünig, and Pilatus routes.
There is no airport at Lucerne — Zurich is the practical choice, with direct trains from Zurich Airport to Lucerne taking about 70 minutes. By car, the A2 motorway passes south of the city; Lucerne is about 55 km from Zurich and 100 km from Bern. There is limited and expensive parking in the city centre, so arriving by train is strongly recommended.