Transport

Luxembourg Without a Car: A Three-Day Plan on Free Public Transport

5 min read

Regional train at Ettelbruck station with connecting bus

Day 1: the capital

Zero problem here. Tram 1 runs from the airport through Kirchberg, Ville Haute and Gare; the Pfaffenthal funicular and panoramic lift handle the valleys. Buy nothing — it's all free, including the tram from Findel. Do the standard loop: Old Town, Casemates, Grund, Kirchberg. Sleep in Gare so day 2 starts at the train station.

Day 2: Vianden via train and bus

Train from Gare to Ettelbruck runs twice an hour and takes 35 minutes. Bus 570 from outside Ettelbruck station to Vianden takes another 25 minutes and runs hourly. Total door-to-door: about 90 minutes. Castle, chairlift, lunch on the Our, back by 18:00. This exact chain also gets you to Clervaux (change trains at Ettelbruck for the Liège-bound line, another 25 minutes) if you want a longer day. Sleep again in the capital.

Day 3: Echternach or the Moselle

Two choices, both bus-accessible. Bus 110 from central bus station Hamilius to Echternach runs every 30 minutes and takes 45 minutes — from there you can walk the Mullerthal Trail Route 2 or visit the basilica. Or bus 175 down the Moselle to Remich (55 minutes) for a wine tour at Caves St Martin. Neither requires timing gymnastics. The one thing to know: rural buses thin out after 19:00, so plan the return before dinner. Fly out from Findel by tram 1 straight from Gare — 25 minutes, still free.

Frequently asked questions

Is everything really free?

Yes — all public transport in Luxembourg (bus, train second class, tram, funicular) has been free for residents and visitors alike since 2020. First-class train seats still cost.

What's genuinely hard without a car?

The upper Ardennes villages beyond Clervaux, small Mullerthal trailheads that aren’t Echternach or Beaufort, and evening returns from rural areas after 20:00. Everything on this three-day plan works fine.