The variety is fascinating

On the boat in the afternoon, on the bus route network in the morning or on the Zugerberg railway:
the multi-talented captain Urs Arnold. 

It can happen that captain Urs Arnold gets ready for a scheduled cruise in the morning. And then, at short notice, he finds himself driving a bus on the Zug route network instead. 

Urs Arnold is a full-time employed captain. "We full-time boat captains also work as bus drivers, for the Zugerberg Railway and as customer advisors on the route network and check tickets," explains the 49-year-old. So a day can sometimes look like this: in the morning he is out checking tickets and in the afternoon he navigates an extra boat cruise. During the summer cruise season, he is usually at the helm on the ship's command bridge. However, if someone is unavailable, he sometimes sits at the steering wheel on the bus.

 "You certainly have to be very flexible," smiles the native of Uri: "This versatility has advantages and disadvantages." Because the working hours change depending on the location. Plans with the family? His wife and two children, aged 9 and 13, also have to be flexible. The variety, on the other hand, is fascinating. Urs Arnold has to be able to steer both the MS Zug and the MS Rigi, as well as the various buses and electric buses. "It's not always that easy. If I make a driver change, for example, I don't know which bus is travelling on which route." This requires quick thinking - and punctuality, of course. Because there are often commuters on the bus who may have a train connection. On the boat, on the other hand, the guests on board are relaxed and in a bit of a holiday mood. 

The trained metalworker started out in maintenance, in the garage, and worked as a bus driver. He later joined the vessel. Urs Arnold grew up in Sisikon on Lake Lucerne. His father was a skipper on a transport ship and often took the boy with him on the voyage. So it's not surprising that his love belongs more to the lake. But above all, Urs Arnold enjoys the change of scenery: "When I'm on the lake, I enjoy the view of the Zugerberg. And conversely, when I'm working at the top station on the Zugerberg, I look out over the lake and see small boats sailing around." He can also see from afar when the scheduled boat sails past the idyllic Buonas Castle. - This is always his favourite moment as a boatman.