A compact discharge‐pumped XeCl laser is described with high efficiency and reliability at low operating pressures below 2 atm. Using 65.8% Ne, 30.0% Ar, 4.0% Xe, and 0.2% HCl mixture, the maximum total efficiency of 0.9% was obtained at the total gas pressure of 1.8 atm and the charging voltage of 18 kV. That efficiency was fairly high for the low operating pressure and the compact size of the laser chamber. The shot‐to‐shot reproducibility of the laser pulse was excellent, and the laser energy stability was within ±4%.