Minibus Services Across Switzerland

Lausanne and Lavaux with a Minibus and Driver

Lausanne climbs steeply from the lakeshore at Ouchy up to its hilltop cathedral, and that slope shapes every plan. With a minibus, your group rides the hills and walks the flat parts, then heads east into the Lavaux vineyards.

Short stops and long waits

The city marks coach spaces in yellow with an "autocar" sign. The short-stay ones, 15 to 30 minutes, are by the station, at Place du Tunnel for the old town, and near the port at Ouchy. All-day spaces lie further out: along Avenue de Rhodanie, by the Vélodrome and at Vidy.

Many central car parks are low: about 2 m at the Ouchy port and less at the Riponne and Beaulieu. A high-roof minibus will not fit, so the driver sets you down and waits at a marked space.

White minibus parked at the curb
White minibus parked at the curb

Up to the cathedral

No stop is published at the cathedral itself. The usual plan is a set-down near Place du Tunnel and a short walk up, or the M2 metro to Bessières; the operator confirms the spot. There is no lift for the belfry climb.

Major rebuilding at the station will go on for years, so expect the layout on Place de la Gare to change between visits.

Flying in to Lausanne

Favourite stops around Lausanne

  • Fondation de l'Hermitage — Art museum in a 19th-century manor in a park at Route du Signal 2, 1018 Lausanne, above the city. Closed for renovation from 10 November 2025 until autumn 2027. A marked coach space is on Route du Pavement near Route du Signal (1 space, 3 hours).
  • Lavaux, Vignoble en terrasses (UNESCO, day trip) — UNESCO World Heritage site since 2007, the terraced vineyards between Lausanne (Lutry) and Vevey. The site promotes access by RER Vaud trains (Lausanne - Grandvaux - Montreux panoramic lines), CGN boats to Lutry, Cully and Rivaz-St-Saphorin, bus 9 from Lausanne to Lutry and bus 47 from Pully to Grandvaux. The narrow vineyard paths are reserved for winegrowers and closed to two-wheelers; visitors should stay on the official paths and cantonal roads. Private and group tours with heritage guides (walks, little vineyard trains, tastings) run all year and are booked through the Lavaux UNESCO office (Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 17:00).
  • Ouchy and lake cruises (CGN) — The CGN lake boats leave from the Lausanne-Ouchy landing stage at the end of the Jardins Dapples, with regular services and cruises on Lake Geneva (Léman), including to Lavaux, Vevey, Montreux, Chillon and Evian. Groups from 10 people get a group rate on regular services; groups must announce themselves to the CGN groups service (an announcement does not guarantee seats), should be at the pier at least 20 minutes before departure, and must request group meals at least 15 days ahead. Metro M2 to "Ouchy-Olympique". Marked coach spaces nearby: Place du Port / Vieux-Port (2 spaces, 30 minutes) and Place de la Navigation (1 space, 15 minutes).
  • Plateforme 10 (MCBA, mudac, Photo Elysée) — Arts district beside Lausanne station (5 minutes on foot from the station), grouping the Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts (MCBA), mudac (design) and Photo Elysée (photography). Open 10:00 to 18:00, Thursday to 20:00; MCBA is closed on Mondays, mudac and Photo Elysée are closed on Tuesdays. Access by metro M2 or bus to "Lausanne, gare". For cars the museum points to the Parking de Montbenon; no coach access is published.
  • Collection de l'Art Brut — Avenue des Bergières 11, 1004 Lausanne, opposite Beaulieu. Open Tuesday to Sunday 11:00 to 18:00 (also on public holidays and on Easter, Whit and Jeûne fédéral Mondays); closed 25 December and 1 January. Private guided tours (French, English, German, Italian) for 1 to 20 people, 50 minutes, booked at least two weeks ahead by form. Groups from 6 people without a guide get the reduced rate; they must register at least 48 hours ahead and come only between 11:00 and 12:00 or 14:00 and 18:00. Bus 3, 20 or 21 to "Beaulieu-Jomini".
  • Cathédrale de Lausanne — Place de la Cathédrale, in the Cité (old town) on the hilltop. Free entry daily 09:00 to 19:00 from April to the end of September and 09:00 to 17:30 from October to the end of March; no tourist visits during Sunday services (10:00). The belfry tower climb (no lift, very limited access for reduced mobility) is open every day except 1 January and 25 December, with a group rate from 10 people; last ascent 30 minutes before the welcome desk closes. Free guided tours in French from 1 July to the end of September (Monday to Saturday); other tours, languages and special visits (roof, rose window) on request. Public transport: bus to "Riponne - M. Béjart" or metro M2 to "Bessières". No coach stop at the cathedral is published; the nearest marked coach spaces are at Place du Tunnel / Rue de la Borde (2 spaces, 30 minutes).
  • Musée Olympique (The Olympic Museum) — Quai d'Ouchy 1, 1006 Lausanne, in the Olympic Park on the lakeshore at Ouchy. Open Tuesday to Sunday 09:00 to 18:00 (last admission 17:00), closed on Mondays except public holidays; allow about 2 hours. Group visits (from 10 people) and guided visits must be booked in advance; private guided tours take at most 25 people per guide (60 minutes); guide and driver enter free; groups of more than 10 wishing to eat in the museum restaurant must reserve. Tour operators can open a B2B account on the museum's online ticket office. Metro M2 to "Ouchy-Olympique" or "Jordils"; buses 21 and 25 to "Musée Olympique". The museum names no coach bay; the nearest marked coach spaces on the city map are on Quai d'Ouchy (two bays of 2 spaces, 2 hours) and on Avenue de l'Elysée at the north entrance side (three single spaces, 2 hours).

Good pickup points

  • Pully / Lutry (towards Lavaux)
  • Ecublens / EPFL / UNIL (SwissTech Convention Center)
  • Malley / Prilly (Vaudoise aréna)
  • Bellerive / Vidy (lakeshore west)
  • Beaulieu / Blécherette
  • Cité / Riponne (old town and cathedral)
  • Flon / Centre (Saint-François, Place de l'Europe)
  • Ouchy (lakeshore, Olympic Museum, CGN landing stage)
  • Gare / Sous-Gare (around Lausanne station and Plateforme 10)

The Olympic Museum

Allow about two hours. Groups of ten or more book ahead, and private guided tours take up to 25 people each. Vehicles use the coach spaces on Quai d'Ouchy or Avenue de l'Elysée, both for up to two hours. The north entrance on Avenue de l'Elysée is the one for reduced mobility.

Into Lavaux

The terraced vineyards begin at Lutry. Cully is about 20 minutes by road and the Vinorama at Rivaz about 25. The roads are narrow and winegrowers have priority, so the site asks drivers to keep to the cantonal roads. Many groups take the CGN boat to Cully and let the driver meet them there.

The Lavaux Express road train runs loops from Lutry and Cully from April to the start of November, with room for up to 18 on scheduled trips. Chaplin's World is about 30 minutes away, Château de Chillon about 40 and Gruyères about an hour.

Questions travellers ask

Which airport serves Lausanne?

Geneva, about 61 km from Place de la Palud, around 55 minutes in light traffic. If some of you prefer the train, it takes about 40 minutes from the airport station.

Can we sail to Évian?

Yes. CGN boats from Ouchy sail to Lavaux, Vevey, Montreux, Chillon and Évian. Groups of ten or more announce themselves to the group service and arrive 20 minutes early; group meals are ordered 15 days ahead.

What about events at Beaulieu or the EPFL?

Beaulieu's car park takes vehicles under 1.90 m; taller ones park outside during events after a written request. The SwissTech Convention Center publishes nothing for coaches, and the nearest all-day spaces are at Vidy.

Other trips we arrange

Other vehicles with a driver

Plan Lausanne and the vineyards

Send us your dates, group size, hotel and ideas, from the museum to a tasting in Lavaux. A licensed partner operator supplies your minibus and driver.

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