Visit Lausanne in 2 days

Where to Stay in Lausanne

Picking the right place to stay in Lausanne makes a short two-day visit feel calmly efficient rather than rushed. Because the city is compact but famously hilly, your base determines how much of your time is spent enjoying sights like the lakeside promenade or queuing for transport. Choose a location that matches your priorities—easy lake access and relaxed views, or proximity to museums, cafés and evening life—and you’ll get far more out of a brief trip.

Lausanne is organised around the lakefront, a lively central spine and the higher residential plateaus. Movement is typically vertical as well as horizontal: expect steps and slopes, but also a very reliable public network that shortens those climbs. The metro line M2 runs between the lake at Ouchy and the city centre, while buses fill in across neighbourhoods; the main train station (Lausanne Gare) is a convenient rail hub for arrivals and day trips. This layout makes it easy to be based slightly off the beaten path without losing time.

For a lakeside stay, consider the area around Ouchy and the Promenade Jean-Villard-Gilles, where mornings on the water and sunset strolls are the reward for choosing calm, scenic lodging. If you want to be in the thick of cafés, shopping and lively squares, aim for the City Centre / Flon near Place de la Louve—you’ll be a short walk from museums and nightlife. For visits connected to medicine or university business, staying near the University Polyclinic (CHUV) saves travel time and offers quieter, residential streets with good tram and bus links.

Transport-wise, opt for accommodation close to an M2 station or a major bus stop if you want to minimise walking uphill; the ticket system is straightforward and many small hotels will point you to the nearest tourist transport pass. Taxis are available but often unnecessary for a two-day stay unless mobility is an issue—packing comfortable shoes is the simplest hack.

Finally, trust your priorities: pick lakefront for relaxation, central/Flon for convenience, or CHUV-area for practicality. Book a room on a quieter side street if you’re sensitive to noise, and remember that a short walk or one metro ride can connect you to Lausanne’s highlights so you can keep your stay focused and pleasantly relaxed.

Getting Around Lausanne

Lausanne is delightfully compact and its public transport feels made for visitors — quick, frequent and easy to read. The network is run by TL and includes buses and two metro lines, most famously the steep automated Metro M2 that zips from the lakeside at Ouchy up to the hills in minutes 🚇. Stops are well signed, announcements are clear, and many routes converge at central hubs like Flon, so even if you only speak a little French you’ll find your way without drama.

A practical tip: always buy your ticket before you get on. You can use the yellow machines at stops, the TL app or the SBB Mobile app, and tickets are typically valid for 60 minutes across the relevant zones. Lausanne sits largely in Mobilis zone 11 for central travel; single fares in the city are around CHF 3–3.50 (prices can change, so check the app). Also ask your hotel about the Lausanne Transport Card — many places give it to guests for free and it covers your local rides during your stay, which is a lovely money-saver 🎫.

Google Maps and the TL app are your best friends for real-time routing. I always check Google for walking-plus-transit combinations when I’m short on time and use the TL app to buy tickets and see live departure times. If you plan several trips in a day, compare a day pass versus single tickets — sometimes a Mobilis day pass that covers neighbouring zones ends up cheaper if you’re hopping around the city and to nearby towns.

For saving money, aim to walk when the weather’s nice — many sights are close together — and combine that with strategic transit runs. Using the hotel’s transport card, buying a 24-hour Mobilis pass on busy days, or simply timing your journeys to avoid peak tourist shuttles can keep costs down. Inspectors do check tickets, so digital proof or a printed ticket is important; fines are unpleasantly punctual in Switzerland.

On a personal note: once we wanted to go from Place de la Louve down to the Promenade Jean-Villard-Gilles and then across to Mon-Repos Park. We walked from Place de la Louve to Flon, hopped on the M2 for two stops to Ouchy-Olympique, and then strolled the lakeside promenade — the metro ride was under 10 minutes and suddenly we were watching sailboats. From there Mon-Repos was a relaxed 15-minute walk along the water; easy, scenic and the sort of simple pleasure that makes Lausanne’s transport feel like part of the adventure 🗺️.

What to Pack for Lausanne

Lausanne is a compact, very walkable city—but it's hilly, cobbled and full of architectural corners that make you stop every two minutes. I’ve done day trips where I walked 12 km (about 7.5 miles) and was out for 10+ hours, so I pack for comfort, weather swings and keeping my devices alive while I roam between the cathedral, lakeside and unexpected modern buildings.

1. Comfortable walking shoes (REQUIRED): Shoes matter here. Think a sturdy sneaker with good sole—my go-to is Ecco Soft 7 because it grips cobblestones and doesn’t kill my feet after long uphill stretches. WHY: Lausanne has steep streets (Ouchy up to the cathedral is a workout) and uneven pavement; I once walked 15,000 steps in one day and a flimsy shoe ruined the afternoon. Cushion + traction = more time enjoying façades, not nursing blisters.

2. Cross-body bag: I always use a zipped cross-body with RFID pocket—small but organised. WHY: You’ll be in crowded places around landmark sites and public transit; having passports, a card and a map close to your body keeps everything accessible and secure. I once had to fend off a pickpocket attempt in a busy square in another Swiss city—hands-free and zipped would-be saved me time and stress.

3. Weather-appropriate clothing for Lausanne: Pack layers: a light merino tee, thin sweater and a packable shell. WHY: Weather can flip—sunny by Lake Geneva in the morning, chilly and windy near the cathedral later. On a spring trip I started in a T-shirt at 18°C and needed a windbreaker by sunset; layers kept me comfortable without lugging a heavy coat.

4. Power adapter (Swiss Type J / compatible Type C) and voltage note: Bring an adapter for Swiss outlets (Type J; many plugs accept Type C too) and remember Switzerland uses 230V. WHY: If you’re charging a camera or travel hair tools, adapters are essential. I learned this the hard way when my camera battery died mid-sunset shoot and the hotel only had Swiss sockets.

5. Power bank (10,000–20,000 mAh): A mid-size 10,000 mAh bank will usually refill a phone 2–3 times; 20,000 mAh if you’re heavy on photos. WHY: You’ll be taking pics of facades and searching maps between landmarks—my phone hit 6% after a long photo-heavy afternoon once, and a 10,000 mAh bank kept me powered through dinner and train home.

6. Optional but recommended: packable rain jacket and a small umbrella: Lightweight waterproof layer and tiny umbrella fit in your bag without bulk. WHY: Lausanne’s lakeside weather can surprise you with short showers—on a chilly afternoon I stayed dry and kept exploring because my jacket folded into a tiny pouch.