Venue
Lucerne is situated in the German-speaking region of central northern Switzerland. It is the capital of the canton of Lucerne and the largest city in central Switzerland, with approximately 76'000 inhabitants.
Abundant with natural beauty, the city and its surroundings offer a wealth of leisure opportunities for recreation and relaxation. Lucerne also boasts a vibrant cultural scene of art, music, theatre and sport that compares well to major world cities.
The city is served by two main airports: Zurich and Basel-Mulhouse, both of which are approximately one hour away by train. The Swiss rail network also provides excellent transport links to a number of other cities across Europe, including Paris, Milan and Munich.
Congress Locations
Events during the congress will take place at the following main sites:
Main University Building
The main university building is located centrally at Frohburgstrasse 3, directly next to the train station and the KKL. Opened in 2011, it houses a range of lecture and seminar rooms, an in-house library and a cafeteria.
The university building will be the central hub for congress activities. The majority of plenary lectures, evening events, special workshops and working groups will take place here, as will all lunches. The registration desk will also be located in the building.
Directions: From the main train station, take the exit marked ‘Universität / Robert-Zünd-Strasse’. The university building is located directly ahead.
Kultur- und Kongresszentrum Luzern (KKL)
Designed by prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, the KKL is a landmark of the city. The centre comprises a concert hall, congress venue and art museum, all under one roof, and specialises in the hosting of major cultural events.
Situated on the edge of Lake Lucerne, the KKL is ideally located adjacent to both the central train station and the main university building. During the congress, it will be used to stage the opening ceremony, the initial plenary lectures, and the welcome reception on Monday evening.
Directions: From the main train station, take the exit marked ‘KKL’. The building lies directly ahead.
Museggstrasse 37
The Altes Zeughaus, at Museggstrasse 37, is a satellite location of the University of Teacher Education Lucerne. Situated in an elevated position in the old town, the building offers a sweeping view over the river, and houses a range of lecture and seminar rooms.
Museggstrasse 37 will host a number of special workshops and working groups during the congress. Coffee breaks will be provided on site.
Directions: From the lower level of the main train station, take the exit marked ‘Altstadt / Seebrücke / Kante A’. At the top of the escalator, turn immediately left on to Bahnhofstrasse. Continue along the side of the river, past the theatre, the Jesuit church and the historical museum. Cross the second wooden bridge (Spreuerbrücke) and turn left into Brüggligasse. Follow the road around to the right as it turns uphill (Museggstrasse), and the Zeughaus is just ahead on the right hand side. The walk will take approximately 15 minutes.
Löwengraben 14
Löwengraben 14 is likewise located in the old town, just off Mühlenplatz. The building will host a selection of special workshops and working groups during the afternoon sessions. Coffee breaks will be served on site.
Directions: From the lower level of the main train station, take the exit marked ‘Altstadt / Seebrücke / Kante A’. At the top of the escalator, turn immediately left on to Bahnhofstrasse. Continue along the side of the river, past the theatre, the Jesuit church and the historical museum. Cross the second wooden bridge (Spreuerbrücke), then continue up the road ahead to the left (Löwengraben). The building is located approx. 100m up on the left hand side. The walk will take approximately 15 minutes.
Sentimatt 1
Sentimatt 1 is also part of the University of Teacher Education, and is located along the left bank of the river Reuss. It houses a number of lecture and seminar rooms, and has its own on-site cafeteria, where coffee breaks will be served during the congress.
Directions: From the lower level of the main train station, take the exit marked ‘Altstadt / Seebrücke / Kante A’. At the top of the escalator, turn immediately left on to Bahnhofstrasse. Continue along the left bank of the river, past the Spreuerbrücke. At the next bridge, turn left into Gütchstrasse, and then right into Baselstrasse. Continue up Baselstrasse, then turn right just before the Crazy Cactus restaurant into Dammstrasse. Follow the road around to the left, and Sentimatt 1 is just ahead on the right. The walk will take approximately 20 minutes.
Alternatively, take the bus number 2, 12 or 18 from the main station and disembark at the stop ‘Gütsch’, then turn into Dammstrasse. The bus journey will take approximately 5 minutes.
Swiss Museum of Transport
The Swiss Museum of Transport (Verkehrshaus) is located at Lidostrasse 5, on the opposite side of the lake from the KKL and main train station. One of Lucerne’s most prominent and popular attractions, it will host the farewell reception on Friday evening.
Directions by foot: Cross the main traffic bridge (Seebrücke) from the train station towards the old town. Follow the lakeside promenade towards the Lido. The walk will take approximately 30 minutes in total.
Directions by boat: Boats run regularly from the main Lucerne stop to Verkehrshaus-Lido. The journey time is approximately 10 minutes. Timetables at www.lakelucerne.ch.
Directions by bus: The bus lines 6, 8 and 24 run from Lucerne station to Verkehrshaus-Lido. The journey time is approximately 10 minutes. Timetables at www.vbl.ch.
Directions by train: The S3 and the Voralpen-Express both run from Lucerne station to Verkehrshaus-Lido. The journey time is approximately 8 minutes. Timetables at www.sbb.ch.