Interlaken

Interlaken is a small city in the Bernese Highlands region of central Switzerland. Located between two alpine lakes (Lake Brienz (Brienzersee) and Lake Thun (Thunersee)), Interlaken is a popular base camp for outdoor sports and travel in the surrounding Bernese Oberland Alps. Interlaken itself is a superb holiday destination.

Get in

By train

Trains run every 30 min from Bern, taking just under an hour via Thun and Spiez to Interlaken West and Ost (east). Alternate trains start from Basel. From Zürich or Geneva change at Bern. Trains also run hourly from Lucerne or Meiringen via Brienz to Ost station.

  • 🌍 Interlaken West. In the town centre. (updated Feb 2024)
  • 🌍 Interlaken Ost (East). Where you change for the BOB mountain railway, the Berner-Oberland Bahn. This runs every 30 min to Wilderswil and Zweilütschinen, where it divides. The rear portion runs to Grindelwald, which is nowadays the main way to reach Jungfraujoch perched atop the mountains. The front portion continues to Lauterbrunnen, which has connections to Wengen, Kleine Scheidegg, Gimmelwald, Mürren and the top of the Schilthorn. Eurail passes get you a 25% discount on these routes but are not in themselves valid for travel beyond Interlaken, while a Swiss Travel Pass is valid to Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald and Mürren. (updated Feb 2024)

By car

Follow Autoroute A8 (former N8) into the city center.

By bus
  • Bus2alps operates direct private buses from Florence, Rome, Paris and Munich to Interlaken. Timetables do vary but are busiest in February and March to cater for winter sport activities. Travel and accommodation packages are available and small and big groups are catered for.
  • FlorenceForFun provide transport by private bus and accommodation packages departing from Florence on Thursday evenings. Trips depart in November and early December then mid-January through to mid-March for Winter activities. Summer departure dates are in May, June and September. Check the website for departure dates and a full itinerary.
  • mysterytours provides airport & city transfers.

Get around

Interlaken is small enough to get around on foot or bike. Taxis are available from either train station and most hotels. With the guest card from your hotel, you can travel around Interlaken for free (it also gives discounts to local tourist attractions). Buses around town and to Thun are available.

See
  • The Höheweg is Interlaken's main street which runs between Interlaken West and Interlaken Ost Railway Stations. On this street you will find many souvenir shops. Have a look at the "Japanese Garden", the 150-year old Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel, and don't miss the beautiful view of the famous snow-covered Jungfrau mountain from "Höhematte".
  • Jungfrau-Aletsch is a glaciated UNESCO World Heritage Site above Interlaken in the Bernese Alps.
  • Unterseen is a small old town near the Interlaken West train station. It's not as crowded as Interlaken and has several shops and bakeries (including an enormous Coop supermarket in which there is a large selection of groceries and chocolates). To get there, cross the bridge over the water near the train stop, walking in the direction facing away from Interlaken.

Do

All year round
  • Shopping in Interlaken's souvenir shops.
  • St. Beatus Caves, Seestrasse 974, 3800 Sundlauenen, Switzerland, ☏ +41 33 841 16 43. This popular cave system features lit pathways leading through tunnels & chambers, plus a museum. (updated Jan 2021)

Summer activities
  • Walks: Take a walk along the shores of the lake of Thun (Thunersee) or the lake of Brienz (Brienzersee). A nice, ca. 2h walk goes from West train station to "Neuhaus". It takes you along the Aare river and through the small but popular nature reserve Neuhaus at the lake of Thun. From Neuhaus, you can take a bus or boat back to Interlaken.
  • Hiking: There are plenty of great hikes in the Interlaken area. Popular nearby hikes include Harder mountain (mountain train 5 min. from Interlaken Ost station) and Schynige Platte (mountain train from Wilderswil). Hiking season runs roughly June through September.
  • Adventure sports: A whole bunch of adrenaline sports are offered through Interlaken guide groups including paragliding, hang gliding, bungee jumping, canyoning, river rafting, and rock climbing. Outdoor Interlaken is on the main street in Matten. Another great option is Alpin Raft Alpin is the original outdoor adventure company in Interlaken; the owner bought a raft in New Zealand in the late 1980s and was the first to bring white water rafting to Switzerland. He also brought canyoning to Interlaken after trying it in France. The canyoning experience with AlpinRaft is amazing.
  • Swimming: You can swim in the lakes of Brienz and Thun. The water in the lake of Thun is generally warmer (around 20°C in July/August). A popular swimming area with showers, changing rooms, a restaurant, etc. is in Neuhaus. A real insider-tip is the beautiful "Burgseeli" in Ringgenberg-Goldswil. Burgseeli is a nature reserve, where water temperatures can reach up to 27°C and you can swim among ducks and water lilies. The natural lido offers a non-swimmer pool, paddling pool, children´s playground, restaurant, changing rooms, showers, etc.
  • Sailing: Lake Thun is quite popular for sailing. You can rent sailboats and book classes in Neuhaus.
  • Take a boat trip. Boats traveling the Thunersee leave from Interlaken West. If you go all the way to Thun, you will see many cute towns and beautiful buildings/small castles on your way (Spiez, Oberhofen). There is also a castle in Thun. Boats travelling the Brienzersee leave from Interlaken Ost. The water in the Brienzersee is a beautiful shade of turquoise. The boat is free if you have the Swiss rail pass. 
  • Biking: Take an awesome mountain bike ride around the lake of Brienz (4 hours) and visit the Giessbach waterfalls on the way. Alternatively, visit Lauterbrunnen by bike (~2 hours one-way)and look inside the Trümmelbach-Waterfalls (Trümmelbachfälle).
  • Skydiving in Interlaken: Funrental Interlaken offers helicopter or plane jumps including 4000 metres in 40 seconds freefall jumps.

Winter activities
  • Ski/snowboard: Interlaken has good access to several skiing/snowboarding areas. The largest of them is the "Jungfrau winter sport region" which includes Kleine Scheidegg-Männlichen, Grindelwald First and Mürren-Schilthorn. A day-pass costs Fr. 62/39/24 (adults/youth/children). Beatenberg-Niederhorn and Habkern are two smaller, family-friendly ski areas with easy lifts and slopes for beginners. A day-pass is Fr. 35/17 (adults/children). If you need to rent equipment that can be easily arranged at the SwissRentaSport shop.
  • Sledging: The best but also most challenging sledging is from the Faulhorn to Grindelwald. Take the first gondola cableway from Grindelwald and prepare for a beautiful but challenging, 2-2½h uphill hike to the Faulhorn. Enjoy the amazing view of the Alps from the Faulhorn peak before you sledge down to Grindelwald for 15 km (!) on the longest sledging run in Europe. Alternatively, several sledging runs are accessible by bus/train: Bussalp-Grindelwald (8 km), Eiger Run in Grindelwald (3 km), Niederhorn-Beatenberg (7 km), Suhlwald-Isenfluh and Habkern (4 km).
  • Night sledding. There is a company that makes night sledding trips every night. The cost is €74 and includes a Swiss cheese fondue dinner in a restaurant at the end of the sled run. There are no "fitness requirements" and bookings are necessary in advance. 
  • Cross-country skiing: A beautiful and sunny cross-country area is in Aeschiried near Spiez (about 1h by train/bus) where you have a great view on the lake of Thun. Good cross-country trails are also in Habkern/Lombach and Beatenberg.
  • Ice skating: An indoor ice rink is in Matten near Interlaken.
  • Swimming/Wellness: The Bödelibad in Interlaken offers an indoor pool with a 25 m swimming pool and a children's pool. There is also a very nice wellness facility with a sauna, steam bath, whirlpool and more.

Buy

Interlaken has the highest concentration of souvenir shops in Switzerland.

  • Swiss Army Knives: Interlaken is a good place to buy Swiss Army Knives. One of the best shops is the "Swiss Knife Center" (Höheweg 125) as it stocks the full range of Victorinox and Wenger Swiss Army Knives. Other knife shops in Interlaken are "ALSCHER", "Bühler Chalet Shop", "Royal St Georges Gift Shop", "Gallerie Metropole". Most of the mentioned shops engrave text on the knife for free. Remember to pack Swiss army knives in your hold luggage when you travel by plane.
  • Watches: Interlaken has two main watch and jewellery shops: "Bucherer" and "Kirchhofer" which stock all the big traditional Swiss brands (Tag Heuer, Omega, IWC, Rolex). Alternatively, most souvenir shops sell some inexpensive Swiss-made watches like Swiss Military and Swatch.
  • Chocolate: You best buy Swiss chocolate at the Coop supermarket (one is just by the Ost train station; there is also a large Coop supermarket in Unterseen, a town right near the Interlaken West train station) where you have a very good choice of Lindt and Cailler chocolates, Toblerones, etc. at much lower prices than you'd pay in the souvenir shops.
  • Woodcarving: If you want to purchase a Swiss woodcarving, go to Brienz (about 30 minutes by train from Interlaken Ost), which is the centre for Swiss woodcarving. In Interlaken, woodcarvings can be found for example at the shops "Bazar Tivoli" and "Albert Schild".
  • Other souvenirs: Other items to purchase in Interlaken's souvenir shops are: Swiss music boxes, leather wallets and purses, cowbells, Swiss embroideries, cuckoo clocks, some inexpensive Swiss-made watches (like Swiss Military or Swatch), Switzerland T-shirts, sweatshirts, backpacks, etc.

Eat
  • Bebbis Restaurant, Bahnhofstrasse. A popular but touristy place for traditional Swiss dishes including fondue and raclette. It´s right next to Interlaken West train station. 
  • If you're into Korean food there is an excellent, cheap and easy-going restaurant in a hot basement opposite Interlaken West train station. Star serves simple and good Korean food like hot pots and sweet dumplings. Prices are below average for Interlaken.
  • Kang Chon Central, Centralstrasse 13 (near Interlaken West station). Kang Chon Central also serves a range of delicious Korean dishes at reasonable prices, including a range of traditional Korean accompaniments with your meal. The staff are friendly and helpful, explaining any menu items that you may not be familiar with, and the ambience of the restaurant is very pleasant, especially on summer evenings. 
  • My Little Thai, Hauptstrasse, Matten (located next to Balmer's). Interlaken's best kept secret. Fantastic Thai food at very good prices keeps this little gem packed all day and night. Reservations are highly recommended for evening eating and take away is available. 
  • El Azteca. 17.30 - 23.30. An authentic Mexican food restaurant owned and operated by a gentleman who migrated from Mexico around 1984. Located on the street level of Hotel Blume in a street mall on the west side of town (Jungfraustr.), it is small, and very friendly. The staff will go above and beyond to help you celebrate birthdays and other events. Groups up to 25, and a bar that can seat about 10 more. Prices are quite high if you're used to paying for Mexican food in the USA, but considering everything is imported, it is understandable. All the best Mexican beers, and top notch Mexican cuisine. 
  • Coop Supermarket. If you want to save some money on any meals, you can buy the ingredients for making, for example, sandwiches at Coop or Migros (Coop opposite Interlaken Ost station, or both Coop and Migros near Interlaken West). For example, buying material for four sandwiches costs about Fr. 25, whereas an average entree at a restaurant in the area costs Fr. 20-25. 
  • 🌍 Schuh Interlaken, Höheweg 56, 3800 Interlaken, ☏ +41 33 888 80 50, . 09:00-23:00. Grand Café Restaurant Schuh. (updated Nov 2018)

Drink
  • Rugenbrau 'lager hell': the local beer and one of the best you'll ever taste as the water in the area is the cleanest in Europe.
  • For a small Swiss town, Interlaken has quite a lot of nightlife options, including one of Switzerland's three Hooters Bar & Restaurant. Most of these bars serve the seasonal tide of tourists, but off the main road, many more mellow local venues can be found. Try the Brasserie 17 (Rosenstr. 17) which has a nice summer terrace, good beer and snacks and sometimes live music.
  • The two best nightlife spots in town are Balmer's hostel and the Funny Farm, which are located fairly close to each other (both at Hauptstrasse, Matten). Balmers has a decent underground bar and dance club and the Funny Farm has great outdoor chill-out areas, including a bonfire. Both hostels have good happy hour specials, and you can kind of bounce back and forth between the two to get your drink for the best price.

Sleep

Reservations are a must during the busy summer season. Note that not all hotels are open all year round.

Budget
  • 🌍 Balmer's Herberge youth hostel, Hauptstrasse 23 - 33, Matten bei Interlaken. Young friendly hostel. Seems to be the hostel of Interlaken. Offers any and every extreme sport. Dorms, privates, and tents are available. Guest kitchen, restaurant, gift shop, coin laundry, and nightly movies. Also has Metro Bar underground, the most popular bar in Interlaken. Adheres to the city-wide noise curfew. Right around the corner is a grocery store for all your cooking needs. 
  • 🌍 Bed & Bar No.8 (formerly Lazy Falken), Spielmatte 8 (From Interlaken West Cross the bridge, turn right, walk along the river, at the end of the road, look for the hotel.), ☏ +41 33 820 07 08. Freshly renovated dorm (2017) with a bar and shared kitchen. From Fr. 30 (dorm). (updated Oct 2017)
  • 🌍 Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof, Alpenstrasse 16. Dorms and private rooms. Kitchen, laundry, including sheets, breakfast, free WLAN, free entry to public swimming pool and Minigolf, personal locker for each person, big garden with table tennis, soccer & billiards, free use of local busses, free parking facilities, movies available. Friendly staff who help you, answer your questions, give you advise for hiking or what to do, book for you adventure sports. No curfew! 
  • 🌍 AlpLodge/BackPackers Interlaken, Marktgasse 59. Reception open from Daily 08:00–01:00. Young friendly hostel. Staff can help suggest hikes and will book activities. Dorms and private rooms. Bar, internet, laundry. Fr. 24-40 
  • 🌍 Youth hostel, Untere Bönigstrasse 3a, ☏ +41 33 826 10 90, . Dorm from Fr. 35. (updated Feb 2017)

Mid-range
  • 🌍 Swiss Inn, General-Guisan-Strasse 23. B&B bordering on family-operated hotel. Excellent location, very quiet part of west Interlaken, 5 minutes walk from anything touristy or otherwise, as well as grocery and Interlaken West train station. Run by JP & Veronica Müller-Lohner, a very friendly and accommodating couple, speak perfect English. Wireless internet available for Fr. 5. per day. Room prices are Fr. 90-160, apartment prices are Fr. 140-200. Breakfast daily for an additional Fr. 12 per person. Open all year. 
  • 🌍 City Hotel Oberland, Postgasse 1, fax: +41 33 827 87 70, . Three star hotel 0.2 km from the railway station. Single room from Fr. 112, double room from Fr. 170 (as of 2009). 
  • 🌍 Stella, General-Guisan-Strasse 10, fax: +41 33 822 66 71, . Four star hotel 500m from the railway station and 200 m to the resort center. Single room from Fr. 135, double room from Fr. 184 (as of low season 2009). 
  • 🌍 Ula's Holiday Apartments, Beatenbergstrasse 129 (Take bus #101 from Interlaken West to Beatenberg, Waldegg (they will meet you at the bus stop)), ☏ +41 76 415 50 43, . Check-in: 14:00–22:30, check-out: 11:00. Offers 3-star self-catering holiday rentals outside of Interlaken with panoramic views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains and Lake Thun. Equipped kitchens, free wifi, free parking, flat-screen cable TV, pet friendly. Fr. 117-400. (updated Oct 2015)
  • 🌍 Dorint Blüemlisalp Beatenberg/Interlaken, Hubel 114, 3803 Beatenberg, ☏ +41 33 8414111, . Located at 1,200 metres above sea level, the hotel offers 128 apartments and a large wellness area. from 134 CHF per room/night. (updated Sep 2017)

Splurge
  • Hotel Toscana, Jungfraustrasse 19. Reception open daily from 06:00 until 22:00, but you can ask about rooms in the restaurant until midnight. This nice little family-run hotel features a restaurant which seems to be quite a local hangout. The rooms are clean and the staff is friendly and attentive. Fr. 170-240 (breakfast included). 
  • 🌍 Hotel Goldey, Obere Goldey 85, ☏ +41 33 826 44 45. This is a hotel for the middle-aged traveller. It's rather expensive but offers tremendous service in a wonderful location, e.g. couples can spend a romantic and erotic night in the loveroom. The river-side rooms are the best. Fr. 130-390. 
  • 🌍 Metropole, Höheweg 37, fax: +41 33 828 66 33, . Four star hotel 0.5 km from the railway station. Single room from Fr. 187, double room from Fr. 293 (as of low season 2009). 

Connect

As of March 2022 for mobile devices, Interlaken has 4G from Salt, and 5G from Sunrise and Swisscom. Free Wi-Fi is available in many public places.

Cope
  • Internet Laundry, Marktgasse 45/ beside post.
  • Laundry for €2; per load,
  • Internet 15 minutes free,
  • Bicycle rental > €10/day,
  • Scooter rental > €20/day.

Go next
  • Lauterbrunnen is set in a sheer-sided valley, with cascading waterfalls that gave Tolkien the idea of Rivendell.
  • Gimmelwald is a tiny but picturesque hamlet perched above that valley.
  • Mürren is the resort above it, with skiing from the Schilthorn.
  • Wengen is the resort on the opposite side of the valley.
  • Grindelwald is the resort in the adjoining valley. Here you start the ascent towards Jungfraujoch.


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