Scenic Trains
Glacier
Express
Bernina
Express
Golden
Pass Line
Gotthard Panorama
Mont
Blanc - St Bernard
Palm
Express
Excursion Trains
Jungfraujoch
Chocolate
Train
Gornergrat
Matterhorn
Mt
Pilatus Railway
Mt
Rigi Railway
Roches
De Naye
Lake Cruises
Lake
Geneva
Lake
Lucerne
Lake
Constance
Lake
Thun & Brienz
Three
Lakes
THREE LAKES CRUISES
Neuchatel, Biel, Murten Scenic Lake Tours
The
area around Neuchatel along the edge of the Jura mountains in the west
of Switzerland is called the Three Lakes Region
for the connected
waters of Lake Biel, Lake Neuchâtel, and Lake Murten. Lake Neuchâtel
(Neuenburger in German), while much less famous than Lake Geneva to
the south, is actually the largest lake entirely within the borders
of Switzerland. Charming villages which dot the shores around lake
are visited by the regular boat cruise services, operating especially
in the sunny summer. Lake Murten (Morat) is the smallest of the lakes
but one of the most charming, noted for its shallow depth, with the
warmest water for swimming. Lake Biel (or Bienne), the northern most
is lined with wine vineyards and features St Peter’s Island written
of by Jean-Jacque Rousseau and along with Neuchatel plays a major
role in the new book about Mary
Shelley and Frankenstein.
The
Three Lakes Navigation has been operating cruise service on the waters
at the foot of the Jura hills since 1872. There are no historic
steamers
on the three lakes, the fleet is modern vessels. The M/S City of Neuchâtel
was built in 1972, the M/S Fribourg was launched in 1995, and the newest
ship in the fleet, built especially for dining as well as sight touring
was built in 2002. The oldest boat still operating is the M/S City of
Murten from 1955 The majority of the boats have an on-board restaurant
or snack bar. The boats have WiFi on board. Thematic Cruises are offered.
Numerous connections enable cruise trips to be combined with hikes and
cycling tours along the shoreline. Bicycles can generally be taken on
the boats for free (except for BSG routes). The national "Mittelland" Cycle
Route 5 leads along the southeastern lakeshore.
Cruise departures are available from all three lakes. Take a one hour
lunch cruise from the dock of Neuchatel and back or journey to Yverdon-les-Bains
at the western end of the lake of up to two and half hours. The lake
waters can sometimes be as smooth as glass and at others a bit choppy
when the windsurfers come out, skipping the waves. The boat cruise through
the Broye Canal from Neuchâtel to village of Murten takes just
under 2 hours, while an all-day, three lakes tour through the Broye canal
then through the Zihl canal to Lake Biel takes 4 hours.
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