Transportation to Leukerbad (Loèche-les-Bains), Switzerland

Getting to Leukerbad (Loèche-les-Bains) in the Swiss Valais Alps is easy by car or public transportation (train and bus) from the Lake Geneva region as well as the rest of Switzerland.

Google Map to Leukerbad

Leukerbad (Loèche-les-Bains) is an all-year resort town in the Swiss Valais Alps. Leukerbad is most famous for its thermal waters and claims to be the highest and largest Alpine thermal baths spa resort in Europe. Fast highways and the Rhone Valley railway allow easy transportation to Leukerbad from the Lake Geneva region while the Lötschberg tunnel allows travelers by train and car to reach Leukerbad easily too from central Switzerland and regions to the north of the Alps.

Leukerbad (Loèche-les-Bains) is located at 1411 m in the Alps of Canton Valais (Wallis). Leukerbad is on the right-hand side of the Rhone River and thus on a south-facing Alpine slope. From many parts of Leukerbad visitors can enjoy panoramas of the highest peaks in the Alps separating Switzerland and Italy.

Driving to Leukerbad (Loèche-les-Bains) in Valais (Wallis)

Leukerbad - Loeche les Bains in summer
© Leukerbad Tourismus

Getting to Leukerbad by car is very easy with roads accessible year-round. The 25-minute drive (15 km) from Leuk (731 m) in the Rhone Valley to Leukerbad (1411 m) in the Alps is along a winding mountain road but requires no special skills. The road is cleared in winter and used by the full-size shuttle buses linking Leukerbad with the SBB railway station in Leuk. Two routes are available from Leuk to Leukerbad – the main road goes via Inden with the alternative route via Albinen (best avoided in winter).

From the Lake Geneva region, follow the Autoroute A9 up the Rhone Valley until its termination at Sierre. From here it is a mere 10 km on national roads to Leuk. The faster road is to the south of the Rhone River (or Rotten) – not all maps show this relatively new route. From Leuk, follow the signposting through the small town to Leukerbad.

Leukerbad Dorf at Night
© Leukerbad Tourismus

Driving times and distances to Leukerbad are from:

  • Lausanne – 1h50 – 150 km
  • Montreux – 1h30 – 110 km
  • Sion / Sitten – 0h50 – 45 km
  • Geneva (via A1) – 2h15 – 200 km
  • Evian – 2h00 – 130 km

From Swiss cities to the north of the Alps, it is fastest to use the car transport train Kandersteg-Goppenstein via the Lötschberg tunnel. The one-way charge for the car transport train is around CHF20 (CHF25 Friday and weekends). Driving times and distances to Leukerbad via the Lötschberg train tunnel (or via Montreux) are from:

  • Bern – 2h06 – 100 km (2h20 / 200 km)
  • Basel – 3h00 – 192 km (3h15 / 292 km)
  • Zurich – 3h45 – 200 km (3h33 / 320 km or 4h00 – 233 km via Furka)

From Milan and Italy, various tunnels and auto loading trains are available to reach the Rhone Valley and Leukerbad. Milan to Leukerbad is around 240 km (3h30).

Public Transportation to Leukerbad (Loèche-les-Bains)

Bus Leuk to Leukerbad - Loeche les BainsBus Leuk to Leukerbad - Loeche les Bains
© Leukerbad Tourismus

The closest railway station to Leukerbad is Leuk, which is in the Rhone Valley. From here, frequent LLB buses take half an hour to reach Leukerbad (½ Fare Card & Junior Card valid). Swiss Railways sell tickets all the way to Leukerbad so rail passengers generally need not buy a separate bus ticket. The bus stop in Leukerbad is in the heart of the town near the Burgerbad – many hotels offer free pickups if necessary for guests.

RailAway discounts are often available giving a saving on train and bus transportation as well as discount admission to the spa baths in Leukerbad. Enquire at train stations of online from Swiss Railways.

Taxis offer an alternative to the bus and may even be cheaper for small groups – a minibus taxi from Leuk to Leukerbad will be around CHF80 one way.

Bus Leuk to Leukerbad - Loeche les Bains
© Leukerbad Tourismus

Inter-Regio (IR90) trains run generally hourly from Geneva Airport towards Brig. A change is usually required at Sierre / Siders to a local train to Leuk (two stops / ten minutes). However, sometimes the IR90 trains do stop in Leuk itself, especially on the return journey towards Lake Geneva.

Total traveling time (including the bus from Leuk) to Leukerbad on this route is from:

  • Geneva Airport – 3h10
  • Genève Cointrin – 3h00
  • Lausanne – 2h10
  • Vevey – 1h55
  • Montreux – 1h50
  • Sion – 1h00

Passengers to Leukerbad using hourly trains via the Lötschberg tunnel must usually change trains in Visp and ten minutes later catch the bus in Leuk. Traveling times by train to Leukerbad are from:

  • Bern – 2h00
  • Basel – 3h06 (usually require a train change in Bern)
  • Zurich Hbf – 3h05
  • Zurich Airport (ZRH) – 3h10 to 3h30 (sometimes a change is required at Zurich Hauptbahnhof but many trains go directly to Visp.)

Cheap Flights to Leukerbad (Loèche-les-Bains) in Switzerland

Geneva Airport (GVA) has traditionally been the airport of choice when traveling to Leukerbad (Loèche-les-Bains). However, following the completion of the Lotschberg tunnel, the traveling time by train from Basel, Geneva, and Zurich Airports is about the same at just over three hours. For drivers, Geneva Airport remains the better choice. Klook gives easy online quotations for transfers but the train will work out much cheaper for most.

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