Welcome Desk makes it easier for new residents to settle in Lucerne
Lucerne - The City of Lucerne has opened its new Welcome Desk at the customer centre on Obergrundstrasse 1. The service provides information, short consultations and, from 2026 onwards, language-course vouchers to support new residents as they settle into life in Lucerne.
With the opening of the Welcome Desk, the City of Lucerne is strengthening its commitment to a welcoming environment for new residents of the city of Lucerne. Since 4 November 2025, newcomers have had access to a central point of contact at the customer centre on Obergrundstrasse 1, where essential information is bundled and made easily accessible. The aim is to simplify the start in a new environment and improve access to relevant services.
The Welcome Desk is open every Tuesday and Thursday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. On site, new residents receive multilingual support and short consultations designed to provide initial orientation. These consultations are not intended to offer in-depth counselling but to help direct people quickly to the appropriate specialist offices, advisory services or intercultural meeting points. The Welcome Desk thus serves as a triage hub, offering first information and guiding newcomers toward the right points of contact.
In addition to in-person support, telephone and email channels are available. New residents can also access the “New in the City?” website, where they can explore information independently with the help of a virtual assistant. The offering will run as a pilot project until the end of 2027 and aims to modernise and expand Lucerne’s analogue and digital welcome services in a targeted, user-focused way.
A key component of the project will be introduced in January 2026: the distribution of one “DeutschFit” language-course voucher. Individuals with a first language other than German and a language level below C1 can obtain a voucher directly at the Welcome Desk. The vouchers aim to reduce language barriers and promote social and professional integration. They can be redeemed within one year of moving to Lucerne, and up to two additional follow-up vouchers may be requested by holders of a KulturLegi.
Melanie Setz, Director of Social Affairs and Security, emphasises the importance of the new service: “Moving to a new city often comes with stress and uncertainty – especially for people arriving from another country or cultural background. The Welcome Desk will make it easier for many to find their way and feel supported as they settle into our city.”
With the Welcome Desk, Lucerne reinforces its welcoming culture and provides new residents with low-threshold access to information, orientation and first connections – an important step towards a smooth start in their new home.
Source: Press release, Article "Stadt Magazin Luzern"
