Destination Guides > Europe > Switzerland > Vaud > Lausanne
Lausanne
After Geneva, this city on the banks of Lake Geneva (Lac Léman) is the most visited city in French-speaking Switzerland. It is an important city that is home to the International Olympic Committee. Lausanne's attractions include a picturesque old town with narrow streets and a couple of interesting museums.
Practical information
Lausanne Tourisme
Gare CFF, Place de la Gare, Lausanne
Tel (021) 613 7321
Website www.lausanne-tourisme.ch
Open 9am-7pm daily
Lake Geneva Region Tourist Office
60, avenue d'Ouchy, Ouchy
Tel (021) 613 2626
Website www.lake-geneva-region.ch
Open Mon-Fri 8am-5.30pm
Coming & going
Lausanne is best accessed by train with trains to Geneva running about once every 20 minutes. There are also very frequent trains to Bern and TGV trains to Paris.
Ferries depart from Ouchy, a suburb south of the city centre, and serve other cities on the lake including Montreux and Evian-les-Bains in France.
Local transport
Lausanne has a very good public transport system for a relatively small city. The main transport company in the city is TL, although the Mobilis Vaud transport network covers the whole canton and the Mobilis ticket system lets you travel on other transport operators in Vaud.
Buses and trolleybuses go to most parts of the city and there is also a metro, which is handy for travelling between the train station and Ouchy.
Short trips cost SFR 1.90, a one-hour ticket costs SFR 2.60 for one zone and SFR 3 for two zones. A 24-hour ticket costs SFR 7.60 for one zone and SFR 8.60 for two zones. A weekly pass costs SFR 27.
Hostel accommodation
Lausanne Guesthouse & Backpacker
Chemin des Epinettes 4, 1007 Lausanne
Tel (021) 601 80 00
Youth Hostel Lausanne VD
Chemin du Bois de Vaux 36, 1007 Lausanne
Bus 2 (stop: Bois-de-Vaux)
Tel (021) 626 02 22
Sightseeing, museums & tourist attractions
Cathedral
Lausanne's 12th century cathedral was concecrated in 1275 by Pope Gregory X and is noted as one of Switzerland's most beautiful Gothic churches.
Admission free; tower SFR 2
Open summer 8.30am-7pm daily; winter 8.30am-5pm daily
Collection de l'Art Brut
This fascinating art museum is a stark contrast to the more famouse art galleries that you may encounter elsewhere in Europe. It focuses on crude art created by eccentric and criminally insane artists.
11, avenue de Bergières, Lausanne
Bus 2, 3
Tel (021) 315 25 70
Website www.artbrut.ch
Admission SFR 10, students SFR 5
Open Tue-Sun 11am-1pm & 2pm-6pm
Musée Olympique
Located near the headquarters of the IOC, Lausanne's Olympic Museum features exhibits on both the summer and winter Olympic games as well as interactive displays.
Parc Olympique, 1, quai d'Ouchy, Ouchy
Website www.olympic.org/uk/passion/museum/index_uk.asp
Admission SFR 15, students SFR 10
Open Jan-Apr Tue-Sun 9am-6pm; May-Sep 9am-6pm daily; Oct-Dec Tue-Sun 9am-6pm
