Swiss Paddlesteamer Timetables

Welcome to John's

Swiss and Italian paddle steamer Timetables
This is an unofficial site
(Always check locally before booking for any future sailing)

Headline News - now appears on the "Start Page" - click here

*This website was last updated on* *Wednesday 11th March 2026*		see Log Page for full details
*** * * If this page loads without the Contents on the left, please click here * * ***
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Two Swiss paddle steamers still in service..........

Click here

updated following the last day in service of
PS Unterwalden on Saturday 20th December 2025

For the most upto date information
- see Paddle Steamer Fleet Details page

Thursday 29th January 2026

MPV Italie (Lake Geneva)

photo: Alain Vuistiner

The motor paddle vessel stands at Lausanne in the afternoon sunshire
prior to covereing 'ferry' sailing 1225 to Thonon-les-Bains

Earlier in the day she had operated some additional crew training runs

Monday 12th January 2026

PS Piemonte (Lake Maggiore)

photo: Mario Gavazzi

After completion of a two year major overhaul.....
.....the paddle steamer made a special short sailing near Arona to mark
the inauguration of the ship

She is now planned to take a najor part in the 'Jubilee Celebrations' to
mark 200 years of steam navigation on Lake Maggiore throughout 2026
watch this space forfurther details

Thursday 8th January 2026

MPV Italie (Lake Geneva)

photo: Jean Vernet

The motor paddle vessel passes Montreux on a pre-season 'crew training' sailing

Friday 2nd January 2026

PS Montreux (Lake Geneva)

photo: Robert Horlacher

After completing an additional lunch cruise to Nyon, the paddle steamer
passes the long term 'laid-up' MPV Helvétie as she sets off from Geneva
on her first short afternoon cruise sailing 738 of the day to Bellevue

Christmas Day - Thursday 28th December 2025

PS Montreux (Lake Geneva)

photos: Nicholas Lars Carrel

The paddle steamer operates her final short Afternoon Cruise sailing 740
in the Petit Lac as far as Bellevue

Christmas Day - Thursday 28th December 2025

PS Montreux (Lake Geneva)

photo: Jean Vernet

The paddle steamer returns to Geneva on her final Lunch Cruise sailing 931
of 2025 from Nyon

Christmas Day - Thursday 28th December 2025

MPV Italie (Lake Geneva)

photos: John Megoran

The motor paddle vessel returns to Lausannne on sailing 233 at the end of her
anti-clockwise Chritsmas Lunch Cruise round the Upper Lakle

Advent and Christmas 2025

PS Montreux (Lake Geneva)

photo: Robert Monch

The paddle steamer stands at Mont Blanc pier next to the illuminated tree is a
fitting reminder it is Christmas tome yet again on the lake at Geneva

Friday 5th December 2025

MPV Italie (Lake Geneva)

photo: Robert Monch

The motor paddle vessel passes the laid-up MPV Helvétie as she approaches the
Geneva fountain on her short afternoon cruise sailing 738 to Bellevue

Friday 5th December 2025

PS Montreux (Lake Geneva)

photo: Alain Vuistiner

The paddle steamer unusually covered the mv Henry-Dunant afternoon roster
which included her only two quick visits to France during 2025 before
operating the evening Fondue Cruise from Lausanne

She is seen at Thonon-les-Bains prior to operating the early afternoon
return ferry sailing 1222 back to Lausanne

Friday 5th December 2025

PS La Suisse (Lake Geneva)

photo: Jean Vernet

The paddle steamer operates a short 'test' sailing off Lausanne

Thursday 27th November 2025

PS Montreux (Lake Geneva)

photo: Jean Vernet

The paddle steamer operated a private evening sailing to mark
the retirement of a CGN Captain

She is seen returning to Lausanne

Friday 21st November 2025

PS Montreux (Lake Geneva)

photo: Robert Monch

After spending the autumn in Geneva, the paddle steamer sets off for Ouchy dock..........<
for her winter lay-up

Friday 21st November 2025

PS Uri (Lake Luzern)

photos: Daniel Eichenberger

In addition to sister PS Unterwalden (rear) operating the weekly Advent
public Fondue Cruise, the paddle steamer (front) was also in service
operating an evening private Charter sailing from Luzern

Friday 21st November 2025

PS Unterwalden (Lake Luzern)

photos: Daniel Eichenberger

The paddle steamer stands at Luzern prior to operating her first special
evening Advent Cruise sailing 1107 of 2025 from Luzern

Tuesday 19th November 2025

MPV Italie (Lake Geneva)

photo: Jean Vernet

After just two days in service at Geneva, the motor paddle vessel returned
to Lausanne to allow the Captain to undertake exercises prior to
taking over the weekend Upper Lake sailings

Owing to the need for PS Savoie to undertake further "trials" the MPV
will now return to Geneva for further weekends

Friday 15th November 2025

PS Savoie (Lake Geneva)

photo: Jean Vernet

The paddle steamer approaches Montreux on a "test" sailing
following an extended winter overhaul

She is then planned to cover the limited weekend sailings from Geneva

Monday 10th November 2025

MPV Italie (Lake Geneva)

photo: Jean Vernet

The motor paddle vessel sets off into the lake on a short "test" sailing
following a quick pre-winter overhaul

She is then planned to cover the limited winter Sunday sailings in the Upper Lake

Friday 7th November 2025

SS Spiez (Lake Thun)

photo: Ernst Mischler

The steamship passes Schadau Castle on her first of three short special sailing
from Thun

Friday 7th November 2025

PS Montreux (Lake Geneva)

photo: Robert Monch

The paddle steamer returns to Geneva at the end of her first short afternooon
sailing 738 "round the Petit Lac" (Little lake)

Friday 31st October 2025

SS Spiez (Lake Thun)

photos: Alain Vuistiner

photo: Ernst Mischler

Despite the paddle steamer having finished for 2025 "steam" has returned
for short cruises from Spiez

The photos show the much smaller steamship immediately before
and during her afternoon cruise

Sunday 19th October 2025

PS Stadt Rapperswil (Lake Zurich)

photo: Ernst Mischler

The paddle steamer approaches Richterswil on her final sailing 108
of 2025 from Rapperswil to Zurich

Sunday 19th October 2025

PS Uri and PS Stadt Luzern (Lake Luzern)

pictures: Weggus webcam

The paddle steamers approach Weggis two hours apart on their final sailings 7 and 13
(respectively) of 2025 with the towering peak of Moiunt Pilatus in the background

Friday 17th October 2025

PS Montreux (Lake Geneva)

photo: Robert Monch

The paddle steamer operates her first winter sailing 738 from Geneva
"round the Petit Lac" (Little lake) as far as Bellevue

Tuesday 14th October 2025

PS Savoie (Lake Geneva)

photos: Jean Vernet

The paddle steamer undertakes her first short "test sailing" following her
extended winter overhaul which included replating a large area of her hull

Sunday 12th October 2025

MPV Italie (Lake Geneva)

photo: Robert Monch

The motor paddle vessel departs Nyon for Geneva on her return afternoon
sailing 105 from Lausanne for the final time in 2025

She then retires to Ouchy dock for attention which includes major work to
her paddle wheels - meaning she is unlikely to be in service again until 2027

Sunday 12th October 2025

PS Unterwalden (Lake Luzern)

photo: Daniel Eichenberger

The paddle steamer stands at Alpnachstad prioe to operating her final
timetabled sailing 64 of 2025 back to Luzern

Unusually she is planned to renain in service and operate some special
"Advent Cruises" during November and December

Friday 10th October 2025

PS Blümlisalp (Lake Thun)

photo: Alain Vuistiner

The paddle steamer approaches Interlaken at the end of her daily full-length
sailing 15 from Thun

Wednesday 8th October 2025

PS Blümlisalp (Lake Thun)

photo: Ernst Mischler

The paddle steamer has just left Oberhofen and is heading for Hilterfingen
on her return afternoon sailing 16 from Interlaken to Thun

Tuesday 7th October 2025

PS Montreux (Lake Luzern)

photo: Alain Vuistiner

The late runnung paddle steamer unusually calls at Le Bouveret inner berth on
the return leg sailing 207 of her second anti-clockwise "Round the Upper Lake"
cruise of the day

The delay was waiting for an ambulance to collect a passenger who had
fallen over on the upper deck

Sunday 5th October 2025

PS Concordia (Lake Como)

photo: Alain Vuistiner

The paddle steamer has just arrived back at Como after operating her final
return sailing 13 of 2025 from Menaggio

She then opeated the short sailing 350 to Moltrasio and back prior to
laying-up for the winter

Sunday 5th October 2025

MPV Italia (Lake Garda)

picture: Limone webcam

The motor paddle vessel calla at Limone for the final time during 2025
as she returns from Malcesine to Riva on sailing 78

Sunday 5th October 2025

MPV Italie (Lake Geneva)

photo: Robert Monch

With just one week to go until them end of her 2025 season
the motor paddle vessel departs Versiox on her weekend return sailing 105
from Lausanne back to Genevan

Thursday 2nd October 2025

PS Blümlisalp (Lake Thun)

photo: Robert Horlacher

The paddle steamer approaches Spiez on the return leg of her sailing 16
from Interlaken back to Thun

Saturday 13th August 2011

MPV Italia and MPV G Zanardelli (Lake Garda)

photo: Beat Leuthardt
A rare occasion when both motor paddle vessels
operated "full-length" timetables sailings vice car ferries on the same day !
They are seen passing each other

Click here for further earlier photos

Back in the U.K. at your webmaster's local pier......
.....with 16 paddle steamers to pick from in Switzerland,
spare a thought for those of us in North Wales
- after six years since her previous visit -
2023 was just a "Two-day" season
.....and its already finished !!!!!

Wednesday 21st June 2023

PS Waverley (Llandudno)

photo: webmaster (John Bird)
Despite the extremely low tide, the paddle steamer goes "full ahead" into the shallow
waters of the bay passing the Little Orme as she swings round towards Liverpool.....
.....after which she sailed "light" overnight to the River Clyde in Scotland

Friday 8th May 2020

PS Rhos Neigr (Rhos - on - Sea)

photo: webmaster (John Bird)
There was an exceptionally low tide at 1840 on the North Wales Coast and at Rhos on Sea
it revealed the wreck of the former PS Rhos Neigr which ran aground
and sunk on 20th July 1908
She was en-route from Llandudno to Blackpool and due to call at the former Rhos-on-Sea pier
The remains of the paddle wheels and the broken shaft could clearly be seen today
by anyone braving the long walk over the normally submerged rocks to the edge of the sea

Tuesday 1st September 2015

PS Waverley (Llandudno)

photo: webmaster
The paddle steamer leaves the pier "full astern" as she returns to Liverpool
after a well loaded afternoon cruise to Puffin Isle
Following her "one day" visit to Llandudno, she has to moved "south" for an
interesting selection of sailings on the Bristol Channel, South Coast and the River Thames

Wednesday 27th August 2014

PS Waverley (Llandudno)

photo: webmaster
The paddle steamer "turns its back on the waiting passengers"
Despite not having visited for over 15 years, the captain did not even attempt
to call at the re-built pier head leaving over 500 "upset" passengers
as she quickly turned and "hid" behind the Great Orme

She returned again last summer (2024) for just three days

Click here for further earlier photos

FUTURE SPECIAL SAILINGS

Dates of ALL public special sailings
in 2025 by paddle steamers
(that I am aware of *)
on the Swiss and Italian lakes will be shown on the
News Page or the Parades Page
also on the appropriate lake Summary Page
under the relevant date
* - please e-mail me with details if YOU are aware of any others
not shown on this website (including those for ANY year !!!)

(look for the "gold" or "lightblue" backgrounds)

In responce to numerous requests
limited Advance Information on some of the "POSSIBLE" sailings for 2026 are now given on this website

REMEMBER the situation may change CONSIDERABLY
nearer the time or as the season progresses

Click here

for the "Advance Information 2026" Index Page giving links to the individual lakes
this information will be updated as appropriate
until detailed timetables are posted

Please note - at this stage, some lakes are ONLY an outline compared with 2025 those lakes which have declared their intentions
(incorporating ANY appropriate information supplied to me)

Before visiting any of the lakes, PLEASE check first with the operator much nearer the time

REMEMBER, you saw it here first !!!

Important
Site Updates
and News

For full details of ALL updates to this website see Log Page
For full details of paddle steamer news see News Page
For latest known 'status' of each operational paddle steamer see:-
Active Paddle Steamer Summary Page or
Paddle Steamer Details Page (includes details of all known future public sailings * )
or other Paddle Steamers/Motor Vessels Index Page

* - if you are aware of any others (or spot an error)
please e-mail me and I will update the information
for the benefit of other visitors to this website

Saturday
31st March 2019

* * 160,000 visitors * *

have logged onto this website
since the counter was re-set to zero
on 20th February 2007

Thank you for visiting my website
and please 'spread' the word around by introducing it to
ANOTHER one of your friends !!!

Once again, a very big thank you to those of you who have been in touch from all over the world
especially those who regularly supply information, pictures, etc.

--- perhaps YOU too can help ?

updated
14th February 2017

Summary of Sailings INDEX
First select one of the ten Swiss or Italian lakes below
(including the two which are International)
Then "click" on the link to obtain an overview of all the operational Swiss and Italian paddle steamers $, the routes operated and their regular timetabled and special public sailings
($ - includes one German - which occasionally visits Swiss waters)

There are also maps of both the Swiss and Italian lakes if case you are unfamiliar with the area
You can "click" on your selected lake to find the individual lake timetable index (which then has links to find out detailed timings and calling points of all paddle steamer operated sailings on your selected date)

Alternatively, you can use the following links to take you straight to the regularly updated summary of each lake, which now also includes
details of all public special cruises advised to me that are planned to be operated by a paddle steamer

Lake Brienz Lake Geneva    Lake Luzern
Lake Neuchâtel Lake Thun Lake Zurich
Lake Como    Lake Garda Lake Maggiore
Lake Konstanz    (sailings to/from Swiss piers only)

20th March 2019

** HISTORY **
Things haven't changed much on Lake Brienz
over the last 50 years !
Mondays to Fridays 1975
Saturdays 1975 Sundays 1975

23rd December 2002

** HISTORY **
LAKE GENEVA - mid-1980's
Who wanted to know then which sailings
were operated by paddle steamers ?
In the peak-Summer of 1984 only one afternoon sailing
(starting Lausanne) was advertised as such in the official timetable !
along with the Saturday evening dance cruise
(an extension of the daily sailing 76)

Updates are usually posted between 1400 and 2400 the previous day
For full details of ALL website updates see Log Page

The best results from this website can be achieved by viewing in Firefox or Internet Explorer
but it should also be viewable from any browser

Your help is VITAL !!!
If YOU know something else or spot something wrong on these pages,
please e-mail me

This website site was originally planned to simply give a historical record of the timetabled sailings
made by the paddle steamers on the principle Swiss lakes

However, over the years it has gradually expanded to also give future sailings expected to be operated by the
18 remaining Swiss Paddle Steamers
(including the three Lake Geneva diesel-electric "motor paddle vessels" #)
on
Lakes Brienz Geneva # Luzern Neuchâtel Thun and Zurich

However, in order to help holidaymakers and others plan their lake cruises,
where advance information is not yet available
LINKS will lead to the equivalent period during the previous year(s)
For those not familiar with the area
Summary of Sailings Index and Map Index pages are available
with further links to
"detailed summaries" of the sailings on each lake
PLEASE check with the operators nearer the time, as they often have to make
late changes, especially to the vessel operating a particular sailing

# - One of which (MPV Helvétie is presently "long-term laid-up" awaiting restoration

Lake Konstanz
(Switzerland/
Germany/Austria)

This website also gives Swiss information on the one remaining operational
German paddle steamer
which occasionally visits Swiss piers
This now includes Konstanz which is just three minutes by train "across the border"

Lake Maggiore
(Switzerland/Italy)

This website also gives limited Swiss and Italian information on the one remaining
Italian paddle steamer
now returned to service following a major rebuild which has in the past occasionally visited the Swiss piers
(Sadly with one exception since 2008 her only sailings are private charters)

Lake Como
(Italy)

This website also gives limited information about the two remaining
Italian paddle steamers
both of which are undertaking
major re-builds in 2013

Lake Garda
(Italy)

This website also gives limited information about the two remaining
Italian motor paddle vessels
which usually operate timetabled services on a non-advertised basis during the main summer
also the occasional special
"Regatta" sailings

Note: Additional sailings are operated by motor vessels on all the lakes featured

Individual timetables lead from the links on each lake index (and archive index) page
Where timetables are large (mainly during peak summer dates),
it is advisable to
Open Frame in New Window
(a Restore Frames link is provided at the bottom right of every page)
Most underlined text will lead to an additional page
and larger pictures can be found by clicking on many of the small pictures

This site has been created from scratch. Whilst much of the basic information contained herein could be found by studying and translating timetables issued by the various companies, I have set out to present the timetables of the sailings on all lakes in English in a consistant simplified form
They will normally be available for historical reference after expiry of official publicity - please e-mail me if you are unable to find any particular timetable or you find any link not working
(note: many old timetables were 'lost' when my webhost's server crashed some years ago and I have not had the time to re-create them all - any specific ones you request I will attempt to restore as long as I still have the information or if you can supply the details)

The timetables on this site normally only show the public regular and special sailings planned to be operated by paddle steamers (PSs)
(or - if I have been advised - day to day variations and/or what actully happened on the day)
[Note:- in the cases of Lake Geneva and Lake Garda, they also include those sailings operated by the operational motor paddle vessel (MPVs) $]
Sailings operated by a motor vessel are normally only shown when they deputise for a paddle steamer - or when a paddle steamer may cover on certain dates
$ - on Lake Geneva (MPV Helvétie and MPV Italie have been 'long-term' laid-up since early-Spring 2002 and late-Winter 2005 respectively

In order to further simplify presentation, timetables are split into limited dates to obviate
(a) the wavy lines - also other irritating notes which are so common in most official timetables (sometimes only in the 'local' language)
(b) a single multi-coloured column - where only part(s) of the sailing apply on some dates

Details of any day-to-day late variations to the
basic sailings
will only be posted if you advised me accordingly

Further timetables for 2025 are gradually being added/updated for those lakes which have declared their
(in some cases revised) intentions

Please BOOKMARK this site NOW
and revisit again soon !

This is an unofficial site.
No responsibility can be taken for the accuracy of any information contained in this site by the webmaster, the webhost or anyone else connected with the site.
Anyone visiting Switzerland or Italy to sail on the Paddle Steamers is strongly advised
to check the latest position with the operator concerned.

Information may be copied for personal use only
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES are any pages to be reproduced in whole or part thereof on any other web site or published in any other form whatsoever

Links from other sites would be appreciated
Please let me know if you have any suitable photographs, etc. for possible inclusion. Credit will be given if published

The web-master would be pleased to receive details of any further information, corrections or updates known to you, especially details of problems in loading any page or link so they can be corrected for use by subsequent visitors
e-mail