Home/Blog/Lausanne Cathedral & Old Town

Most people go to Lausanne for the lakefront and the Olympic Museum, and miss the part of the city that is best on a grey day: the cathedral on its hill, the stepped lanes of the old town beneath it, and a tower you can climb for the view. It is a short, direct train from Montreux and needs no car.

Lausanne Cathedral at a glance

What
Gothic cathedral in Lausanne’s old town, built between the 12th and 13th centuries[2]
From Montreux
Direct train to Lausanne (roughly 20–30 min, check SBB), then a walk uphill into the old town[3]
Cathedral entry
Free[1]
Tower
Adults CHF 6 on the Vaud tourism page (other listings show CHF 4–5); free for under-25s and Lausanne City Pass holders[1][2]
Hours
9:00–19:00 April to September 2026; 9:00–17:30 October 2026 to March 2027; last tower entry 30 minutes before closing[1]
Best for
A cold or wet day, history and architecture, city views

Short answer: yes, Lausanne Cathedral is an easy half-day trip from Montreux. Take a direct train along the lake (roughly 20 to 30 minutes), then walk uphill into the old town. Entering the cathedral is free; climbing the tower costs about CHF 6 for adults. From October 2026 to March 2027 it closes at 17:30, so start early in winter.[1][3]

View over the rooftops of Lausanne towards Lake Geneva from the cathedral square

Photo: Ypsilon from Finland, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

In this guide

  1. What you are visiting
  2. The night watchman
  3. Getting there from Montreux
  4. A half-day that works
  5. When to go
  6. Where to stay
  7. Frequently asked questions

What you are visiting

Lausanne Cathedral dominates the old town (the Cité) and is built between the 12th and 13th centuries, according to Lausanne Tourisme.[2] You can walk into the nave at no charge; the paid part is the tower, with a ticket of CHF 6 for adults on the Vaud tourism page and free entry for young people up to 25 and for Lausanne City Pass holders.[1] Other tourism listings show CHF 4 or CHF 5 for the same climb, and Lausanne Tourisme notes that work on the belfry’s exterior lighting may change some conditions, so treat the price as a guide and check on the day.[2]

The night watchman

The tradition people remember is the watchman: every night between 22:00 and 02:00 the cathedral’s watchman calls out the hours from the tower, a custom the Vaud tourism site says goes back more than 600 years.[1] It is a reason to stay for dinner rather than a reason to climb the tower in daylight; you hear it from the streets below, so a late train home from Lausanne to Montreux is worth checking on the SBB app before you plan it.[3]

Getting there from Montreux

Take the direct train from Montreux to Lausanne station. It runs past Lavaux’s vineyard terraces in roughly 20 to 30 minutes depending on the service; we could not pull a live timetable for this article, so confirm the departure on the SBB app.[3] From the station, the old town and cathedral are uphill and easy on foot, or you can take the M2 metro one stop and walk the rest. You do not need a car, and parking in the old town is the part of the day most likely to go wrong.

A half-day that works

  1. 10:00 — arrive at the station. Walk up through the old town’s lanes to the cathedral.
  2. 10:30 — the cathedral. Go inside first, then climb the tower if the weather is clear.
  3. 12:30 — lunch in the Cité. The streets around the cathedral have plenty of cafés and restaurants.
  4. 14:30 — down to Ouchy. Take the metro to the lakefront for the promenade, or the Olympic Museum if you want a full day.
  5. 17:00 — train home. Direct trains run back to Montreux regularly.

When to go

The hours change with the season: 9:00 to 19:00 from April to September 2026, then 9:00 to 17:30 from October 2026 to March 2027, with the last tower entry 30 minutes before closing.[1] Other websites publish different times, so confirm on the cathedral or tourism site before you travel. In winter, do the cathedral in the morning and keep the lakefront for the early afternoon, before the light goes.

Where to stay

Lausanne works best as a day out rather than a base: Montreux is quieter and the same train line takes you there. Our guide to Montreux vs Vevey vs Lausanne compares the three towns, and the Swiss Travel Pass vs Half Fare Card guide shows whether a pass pays off if you plan several trips like this one.

Base yourself in Montreux

Lausanne, Chillon and the Alps are all within an easy train ride. Kitchens for early starts and the lakefront ten minutes away when you get back.

See our apartments

Related reading: Olympic Museum & Ouchy · Lavaux vineyards · CGN cruises from Montreux

Bahram Khanlarov
Bahram Khanlarov

10+ years in hospitality. BBA Hospitality (Glion), MSc Tourism (FHGR), MSc Data Science (HSLU).

Frequently asked questions

Is Lausanne Cathedral free to enter?

Yes. Entering the cathedral is free; only the tower climb is ticketed, at CHF 6 for adults on the Vaud tourism page (other listings show CHF 4 to 5), with free entry for people up to 25 and for Lausanne City Pass holders.[1][2]

How long does it take to get from Montreux to Lausanne Cathedral?

Roughly 20 to 30 minutes by direct train to Lausanne station, depending on the service, then a walk uphill into the old town. Check the SBB app for the exact departure.[3]

What are the opening hours of Lausanne Cathedral?

The Vaud tourism site lists 9:00 to 19:00 from April to September 2026 and 9:00 to 17:30 from October 2026 to March 2027, with the last tower entry 30 minutes before closing. Other sites show different times, so verify before you go.[1]

What is the Lausanne cathedral watchman?

Every night between 22:00 and 02:00 the cathedral’s watchman announces the hours from the tower, a tradition the Vaud tourism site says goes back more than 600 years.[1]

Can you visit Lausanne from Montreux without a car?

Yes, and it is easier without one. Take the train to Lausanne, walk uphill to the old town or ride the M2 metro down to Ouchy; a car only adds parking cost.[3]

Sources

  1. Vaud tourism (vaud.ch), “Lausanne Cathedral” — opening hours (9:00–19:00 April–September 2026; 9:00–17:30 October 2026–March 2027), last tower entry 30 minutes before closing, adult tower ticket CHF 6, free for under-25s and Lausanne City Pass holders, night watchman 22:00–02:00 for over 600 years — vaud.ch/en/tourism/activites/lausanne-cathedral
  2. Lausanne Tourisme, “Lausanne Cathedral” — built between the 12th and 13th centuries; listings give tower prices of CHF 4–5 and note exterior lighting works on the belfry (verify on the day) — lausanne-tourisme.ch/en/explore/lausanne-cathedral
  3. SBB (sbb.ch) timetable, Montreux → Lausanne and Lausanne metro M2 — journey time varies by service, verify on the SBB app before travelling — sbb.ch