Luxembourg · City break

Luxembourg City Guide

Fortress, gorges and modern quarters sit side by side in the smallest of spaces, and that is what makes Luxembourg so surprisingly varied. Old ramparts up top, a green valley cut deep below, glass and concrete a few steps on. One ready-made day route from the stop maps it out, and public transport costs nothing.

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Our walking tour of Luxembourg

The route starts at the Gare, crosses the Adolphe Bridge into the old town, runs along the fortress walls and down into the Grund valley, with a panoramic lift and tram to Kirchberg. These are the highlights.

Luxembourg on foot with old town, fortress & Kirchberg

From the Gare across the Pont Adolphe into the UNESCO old town. Cathedral, Place Guillaume II, Place d'Armes and the Grand Ducal Palace. Along the Chemin de la Corniche to the Bock with its casemates, down into the Grund valley and up by panoramic lift and tram to Kirchberg and the Philharmonie.

Adolphe Bridge & Place de la Constitution. The elegant Pont Adolphe (1903) arcs across the deep Pétrusse valley on its great stone arch. A landmark of the city. At its northern end lies Place de la Constitution with the 'Gëlle Fra', the golden memorial high above the valley.
Kathedrale Notre-Dame. The 17th-century late-Gothic cathedral with its striking spires is Luxembourg's most important church. The grand-ducal family rests in the crypt, along with the revered 'Comforter of the Afflicted'.
Place Guillaume II (town hall). The broad square, nicknamed 'Knuedler' by locals, is lined by the neoclassical city hall (Hôtel de Ville). At its centre stands the equestrian statue of Grand Duke William II; twice a week it fills with the weekly market.
Place d'Armes. The lively heart of the old town. Shaded by plane trees, the square is lined with cafés and terraces, with bands playing here in summer. At its head stands the Cercle Cité, the city's festive municipal palace.
Großherzoglicher Palast. The Palais grand-ducal, with its richly decorated Renaissance façade, is the city residence of the Grand Duke. A guard stands out front, on ceremonial occasions in full dress uniform.
Chemin de la Corniche. The 'most beautiful balcony in Europe' runs along the old fortress walls and offers a breathtaking view down into the Alzette valley with the Grund quarter and across to the cliffs.
Bockfelsen & Bock-Kasematten. On the Bock promontory Count Siegfried founded his castle in 963. The cradle of Luxembourg. Inside the rock runs a network of casemates stretching for kilometres, defensive tunnels hewn into the stone and part of the UNESCO World Heritage.
Grund quarter. Deep down on the Alzette lies the picturesque Grund quarter, with cobblestones, old bridges, the former Neumünster Abbey and cosy waterside pubs. Down here the city feels like a dreamy village.
Pfaffenthal-Lift (Panorama-Aufzug). The glass panoramic lift bridges 71 metres of height for free between the Pfaffenthal valley and the upper city. With a grand view over the fortress landscape. At the top it continues to the red bridge and the tram to Kirchberg.
Kirchberg & Philharmonie. The modern Kirchberg plateau is Luxembourg's European and business district with EU institutions. On the Place de l'Europe stand the MUDAM art museum by I. M. Pei and the spectacular Philharmonie with its ring of 823 slender columns.

Planning your visit

One day is enough. The route from Gare Centrale runs 4.5 kilometres and leads in ten stops across the Adolphe Bridge into the old town, along the fortress walls to the Bock and down into the Grund valley. Panoramic lifts take the height difference off you. Public transport is free across the whole country, so you can just get on. Thirteen evening tips are ready, many of them down by the water.

Going out & nightlife

Rooftop bars

Top Floor Bar (Sofitel Le Grand Ducal). Bar on the 8th floor with a panoramic view over the old town and the valleys. The city's finest sundowner.
Le Sud (Rives de Clausen). Restaurant with a roof terrace in the Rives de Clausen nightlife district, overlooking the Alzette valley.

Nightlife quarters

Rives de Clausen. Luxembourg's nightlife district in a former brewery in the Clausen valley, with bars, clubs and restaurants side by side, packed at night.
Grund. The picturesque valley on the Alzette below the cliffs, with cosy pubs and waterside terraces, from students to night owls.

Food & restaurants

Brasserie Guillaume. An institution on Place Guillaume II for seafood, oysters and steak. Lively and central.
Am Tiirmschen. Cosy spot in the old-town lanes for Luxembourgish cuisine such as Judd mat Gaardebounen (smoked pork collar with broad beans).
Mosconi. Italian Michelin-starred restaurant in the Grund on the riverbank. Elegant and refined.

Bars & clubs

Melusina. Established club in the Clausen valley with house and electro until morning.
De Gudde Wëllen. Cultural café and club in the old town with concerts, DJs and a laid-back crowd.
Scott's Pub. Popular pub right on the Alzette in the Grund. A classic for an evening by the water.

Stage & concerts

Philharmonie Luxembourg. The spectacular concert hall by Christian de Portzamparc on the Kirchberg, with one of the best acoustics in Europe.
den Atelier. Legendary concert club in Hollerich for rock, indie and international acts.
Grand Théâtre. The city theatre on the Rond-point Schuman with opera, ballet and drama.

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Practical information for Luxembourg

Public transport

Operator. Four operators share the network. Luxtram operates the tram between Findel Airport and Gasperich Stadion, AVL, short for Autobus de la Ville de Luxembourg, the city bus lines, RGTR the regional buses into the surrounding area and across the border, and CFL the trains. Everything is coordinated by the national public transport authority, whose portal mobiliteit.lu provides timetables, the network map and a nationwide route planner, with phone information available at 2465 2465.

Network. Tram, buses and trains, all free nationwide. One tram line links the station, upper town and Kirchberg.

Modes of transport. Bus · Tram · Train

Operating hours. There is no uniform nationwide end-of-service time; every bus, tram and train line has its own timetable with its own first and last departure. For a specific route on a specific day, these times can be reliably checked via the live timetable and route planner on mobiliteit.lu or in the app of the same name, or by phone at 2465 2465.

Night service. Eight separate Citynight lines serve the city of Luxembourg, each radiating out from the center. CN1 Hollerich P&R Bouillon, Clausen, Cents. CN2 Bonnevoie, Gasperich, Cessange Centre. CN3 Bonnevoie, Hamm, Pulvermühle, Centre. CN4 Centre, Kirchberg, Weimershof, Centre. CN5 Centre, Kirchberg, Weimerkirch, Rollingergrund, Centre. CN6 Centre, Eich, Beggen, Dommeldange, Centre. CN7 Centre, Limpertsberg, Belair, Merl, Centre. CN8 Centre, Gasperich, Bonnevoie, Centre. Exact operating nights and frequency for each line are in the official timetable on mobiliteit.lu.

Buying tickets. Since March 1, 2020, public transport across all of Luxembourg has been free, covering bus, tram and 2nd class train nationwide, with no ticket required. Two cases remain chargeable, 1st class on the train and trips that cross the national border. Both require a digital ticket, bought via the CFL Go app or the ticket machine on the platform. The former mKaart and the purchase of paper tickets on the bus or at the CFL counter have been discontinued.

App and payment. For trips within Luxembourg that are free on bus, tram and 2nd class train, no app and no ticket are needed. Anyone traveling 1st class or crossing the border buys the ticket digitally in the CFL Go app or at the machine; according to CFL, paper tickets on the bus or at the counter no longer exist. For timetable information and route planning across all operators, the app and website mobiliteit.lu from the national mobility authority is used.

Which ticket. For tourists spending two to three days in the city, the usual question of which ticket to buy barely arises. There is no single, day or multi-day ticket to buy, because bus, tram and 2nd class train have been free nationwide since 2020. Only those who specifically choose 1st class on the train pay 3 euros for a ticket valid two hours or 6 euros for a day, plus 60 euros a month or 500 euros a year, with a senior discount from age 60 bringing it to 200 euros a year. Anyone crossing the national border into Belgium, Germany or France pays from that point under the RegioZone tariff, 3 euros for two hours, 5 euros for the day, 40 euros a month or 360 euros a year, with a student discount of 130 euros a year; holders of a severe disability card from Belgium, Germany, France or Luxembourg travel free.

Fare zones. Zones are irrelevant for tourists in the city, since all trips within the city are free. Only once you cross the national border do you pay under the RegioZone tariff.

Tip. The panoramic lift at Pfaffenthal links upper and lower town in thirty seconds and is also free.

Getting there

Main station

Location. In the lower town south of the Pétrusse valley. The upper town is reached across the Passerelle or by bus and tram.

Long-distance trains. From Gare de Luxembourg, international rail lines run to Trier in Germany (line 30 via Wasserbillig), to Arlon in Belgium (line 50) and to Nancy in France (line 90, known as the Sillon lorrain). Domestically, the railway serves the north via Mersch, Ettelbrück and Diekirch to Wiltz, and across the border onward to Troisvierges and Gouvy, and the south via several lines to Esch-sur-Alzette, Pétange and Rodange.

Opening hours. Gare de Luxembourg is not a station that stays open all night. The large waiting hall is open Monday to Friday from 4 am to 24:00, and around the clock on weekends. The small waiting hall is open daily from 6 am to 10 pm, and the sales center from 5.30 am to 8.30 pm.

Airports

LUX

Into the city. By bus or tram in around 20 minutes to the upper town; all lines at the airport are free, and there is no direct rail connection.

Frequency. Four free lines serve the airport within the city network, the tram Stadion-Aéroport plus AVL buses 6, 16 and 29, along with the cross-border line 302 continuing to Trier in Germany. See source for exact frequencies.

Local quirks

The fortress is a walk. The Casemates and the Chemin de la Corniche run as a continuous path around the old town. Best view of the Grund district.
Two public panoramic elevators, not just one. Besides the well-known elevator at Pfaffenthal, there is a second free elevator from Plateau Saint-Esprit straight down into the valley at Grund, according to the city administration the fastest connection on foot or by bike between the upper and lower town. The Pfaffenthal elevator runs daily from 5.45 am to 1 am, the Grund elevator Sunday to Thursday from 6.30 am to 2 am and Friday/Saturday until 4 am, with a maintenance break on the first Tuesday of the month from 9 am.
The valley setting forces detours. Because the old town sits on a rocky plateau above the deep gorges of the Alzette and Pétrusse rivers, bus and tram lines often take wide loops around the valleys, while pedestrians can use the two elevators and the bridges as direct shortcuts.

Good to know

Currency: EUR €
Emergency number: 112
Plug type: C · F
Time zone: Europe/Luxembourg
Driving: right

Speed limits. built-up areas 50 km/h, outside towns 90 km/h, motorway 130 km/h

In rain, the speed limit drops automatically and without additional signage, on the motorway from 130 to 110 km/h for cars and motorcycles. Trucks are limited to just 75 km/h instead of 90 km/h outside built-up areas throughout.

Tipping. Service is included. Five to ten percent for a good meal is customary, nothing is obligatory.

Tolls. No tolls and no vignette. Fuel is traditionally cheaper than in neighbouring countries, so border petrol stations are busy.