This scenic bike ride circles around Zugersee, a large lake between Lucerne and Zürich. During the ride, you’ll have views of the impressive Mt Rigi and ride through cute lakeside farms and villages.
While most of the ride has bike lanes or bike paths separate from traffic, there are few sections with no bike lanes and fast car traffic. I have alternatives below if you prefer a safer route.
Quick Info
| Region | Lucerne region |
| Starting point: | Hünenberg bike rental or Zug train station |
| By car: | parking at Luzern Altstadt garage (Baselstrasse 4, 6003 Luzern) From Zürich 40 mins |
| By public transport: | Horw train station From Luicerne 6 mins, Zürich 53 mins |
| Trail: | 3h • ⬇️ trail map |
| Distance: | 36.6 km loop (shorter versions below) |
| Difficulty: | easy • 210m up & down |
| Condition: | mostly paved roads with bike lanes |
| Elevation: | 414m to 451m |
Bike Route Map
The full route around the lake takes about 2h30, depending on how many stops you make. It’s best to ride clockwise, so you are lakeside and have access to more bike lanes.
➡️ See bike route on Komoot • SchweizMobil
Bike Lanes & Safety
For most of the route, there are bike lanes or sidewalks shared with pedestrians (follow instructions on signs).
However, there are a couple stretches of two-lane roads with no bike lanes, one with 80km traffic between Walchwil and Arth-Goldau. So the full circle is only suitable for experienced cyclists that are comfortable riding with car traffic.
Shorter, safer version
If you are cycling with younger kids, it’s best to avoid the sections with fast traffic and no bike lanes. Particularly dangerous is between Wachwil and Arth-Goldau with curvy, two-lane at 80km with no bike lane.
Instead, you could cycle the section between Zug and Hünenberg (about 7km) or Buonas (11km), which is much safer. Return the same way.
How to get there
This bike route is located near Zug in eastern Switzerland.
By public transport:
If you are renting bikes at Hünenberg, take a train to Hünenberg Chämleten, which is a 2 min walk from the Strandbad. If you are bringing bikes by train, you can ride to Zug and start the ride there.
If you are bringing your own bikes:
- from Zürich, it’s quickest to take a direct train to Zug and start your ride there. Note that the S5, S24, & IR trains allow bikes in one carriage, no reservation, low-floor access. The EC trains require reservations for bikes.
- from Luzern, ride the S1 to Hünenberg Chämleten or Zug and start your ride there.
💡 See rules for bike transport on Swiss trains
By car:
If you are arriving by car with your bikes, you can park anywhere along the loop. Near Zug, we suggest parking at Hafen West.
Bike rental
We rented E-bikes with Rent-a-bike at Stranded Hünenberg (Dersbach 1, 6333 Hünenberg). They have 8 Flyer E-bikes, no regular bike or kids bikes. Happily, they are open on Saturdays and Sundays.
⚠️ Hünenberg prefers cash! You can pay with a card but they add a 3% service fee.
Park Hotel Zug also rents E-bikes via Rent-a-Bike.
In Zug, HALLE 44 loans regular bikes for free. Make a reservation.
Where to eat
Along the way, there are many viewpoints with benches and a few villages with lakeside restaurants.
If you start in Hünenberg, it makes sense to stop in Immensee, about 90 mins into the ride. It has a couple restaurants, a small Volg grocery, and a lakeside park with benches and a view.
⚠️In 2026, the Zug lakeside parks and Strandbad are under construction. This doesn’t affect the bike path. But I wouldn’t plan on lounging there after the ride.
Photo Story
We started from the Hünenberg Strandbad parking. You can see the Rent-a-bike trailer where the bikes were stored.
We started by following Route 9 towards Zug.
You pass by this park with a view of Mt Rigi.
This first part of the ride is very safe, with a path shared by pedestrians and cyclists.
Passing by a nature reserve and some pretty fields to your right.
You are a bit far from the water in this section, but don’t worry. You will get close soon.
Passing through Zug
As you enter Zug, you stay on a wide multi-use path separate from car traffic.
There are some lovely lakeside parks here.
Now cycling through Zug old town.
After leaving Zug, you can cycle on the sidewalk which is clearly labeled for pedestrians and bikes.
When you pass thru the villages, you usually have to cycle on the road instead.
No bike lanes here.
Back on a shared path separate from car traffic.
Cycling thru Walchwil
When you enter Walchwil, the bike paths disappear
Arth-Goldau
The scary part is over as you enter Arth-Goldau at the south end of the lake. Last big view of Rigi as you approach the west side.
West side of lake
On the west side of the lake, you now have views of the Wildspitz mountain.
A very nice cycling path on this side of the lake.
Easy riding here.
Immensee
Approaching the Immensee village, a good place to stop for lunch.
There are restaurants plus a Volg grocery for picnic supplies and parks along the lake.
You can do a detour to Restaurant Baumgärtli, which seemed quite popular. Then back to Immensee to rejoin the bike path.
Continuing thru the countryside.
Some stretches along the road but with a bike lane.
At this junction, all the cyclists forked right, headed into Buonas, instead of continuing left on the “official” bike route.
Lovely farmhouses in this section.
This was the most popular part of the route with lots of cyclists, including families with small children.
Looking back at Rigi.
We ended back at Hünenberg to drop off our bikes.
Hope you enjoy this ride!
See more bike rides in Switzerland.
