Lausanne in 3 days without a car: metro, museum and Lavaux

Key figures

Our experience

We had driven from France: the car stayed parked at the Carlton (we didn’t note the price). For getting around, the metro and the train were all we needed.

Day 1: from the mountain hut to the Carlton

We arrived in Lausanne straight after a night at the Moiry hut. For the next 4 nights, we had booked the Carlton Lausanne through Booking: about 180 CHF a night on average, for a room for two, in August 2026.

A stroke of luck: we were upgraded to an Executive room.

The staff were friendly, and the beds and pillows very comfortable. The night before, we had slept on a 3 cm mattress laid on the floor, in a 14-bed dorm. Quite a contrast.

For getting around, the metro is right outside the hotel, at the Délices stop. From there, we were about 5 minutes from the Flon or Ouchy harbour. The hotel also gave us a free public transport card for our stay: the Lausanne Transport Card.

Day 2: a swim in Lake Geneva and the Lavaux vineyards

A swim in Lake Geneva, at Vidy-Bourget beach. The water was a pleasant temperature. Less pleasant: the small park behind the beach was strewn with rubbish.

The same day, we took the train to the Lavaux vineyards. Trains are frequent, and the trip was free with the card from our hotel.

We stopped at Domaine Dance, on its terrace, looking out over the vines and the lake. They were very welcoming.

In the evening, dinner at Lupaia Osteria, avenue Frédéric-César-de-la-Harpe 16: a proper carbonara, and an excellent one.

Day 3: Olympic Museum, botanical garden and the Flon

At the Olympic Museum, we showed the Lausanne Transport Card at the entrance: with it, the adult ticket drops from 20 CHF to 16 CHF (official prices). Allow at least 2 hours. We found it very informative: a must for sports fans.

The same day, the Lausanne botanical garden: free, with plenty of species. A nice stop.

In the evening, we headed to the Flon, a lively neighbourhood.

For dinner, Monsieur Madame, avenue Frédéric-César-de-la-Harpe 19: really pleasant staff, and we ate very well.

After our fourth night, we drove back to France.

How do you get around Lausanne without a car?

With the Lausanne Transport Card: if you’re staying in a hotel, serviced apartment, youth hostel or campsite, it’s free. It covers buses, the metro and trains in Mobilis zones 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19, 2nd class, from arrival to the end of your stay, up to 15 days. According to Lausanne Tourisme, private rentals (apartments, rooms in private homes) don’t qualify.

For us, it came down to this: the metro outside the hotel, at the Délices stop, about 5 minutes from the Flon or Ouchy harbour, and the train to Lavaux, at no extra cost in August 2026.

How much is the Olympic Museum, and how long should you allow?

The full adult price is 20 CHF (16 and over), and it’s free for children up to 15 with an adult. Lausanne Tourisme lists 16 CHF with the Lausanne Transport Card.

The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 9 am to 6 pm, and closed on Mondays (except Easter Monday and Vaud public holidays).

We paid 16 CHF each in August 2026, with the Lausanne Transport Card. Allow at least 2 hours for the visit.

Is the Lausanne botanical garden free?

Yes: free entry. It opens daily, 10 am to 6.30 pm from 1 April to 31 October, and daily, 10 am to 5 pm from 1 November to 31 March. Annual closure from 15 December to 15 January.

Getting there: metro line m2, Délices station. It’s the same stop as our hotel.

How do you get to the Lavaux vineyards by train?

The regional train takes 8 min from Lausanne to Villette VD and 10 min to Cully, with no change (official 2026 timetable). Domaine Dance is at Rue du Village 4, 1091 Aran/Villette (Lavaux).

As for tickets, Lutry, Villette and Cully are on the Lausanne Transport Card zone map (Lausanne Tourisme’s 2025 leaflet). In August 2026, the train cost us nothing with the card from our hotel.

We took the metro from the hotel to the Flon, then the train to Villette: about 30 minutes in all from the hotel.

How much should you budget for 3 days in Lausanne?

What we paid in August 2026, as a rough guide: about 180 CHF a night for a room for two at the Carlton, about 40 CHF per person for a meal in a decent restaurant, and 0 CHF for transport with the card from our hotel. These are prices we paid, not official rates.

How do you book?

We booked the Carlton Lausanne through Booking. The Lausanne Transport Card is given to you by your accommodation if it qualifies (hotel, serviced apartment, youth hostel or campsite).

Before Lausanne, we spent a night at the Moiry hut. All our articles about the country are on the Switzerland page.