Getting around · Interlaken · Switzerland
Getting around Interlaken
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Rafael.corvalan, CC BY 3.0
Quick answer
Interlaken itself is flat and walkable; the Höheweg links the two stations in about 20 minutes on foot. Excursions rely on the Berner Oberland-Bahnen, cogwheel railways, cable cars and lake boats, which connect tightly and run to precise timetables. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- ZRH, GVA, BSL
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- Swiss Travel Pass
Ways to get around
Walking
Walking covers the town, Unterseen and both lake piers; flat paths also run along the Aare and the lake shores.
Train
Berner Oberland-Bahnen trains leave Interlaken Ost for Lauterbrunnen (about 20 minutes) and Grindelwald (about 35 minutes), splitting at Zweilütschinen; SBB and BLS trains run to Bern, Spiez and Lucerne.
Check that you are in the correct part of the train, as it divides on the way.
Cable car
Gondolas, cable cars and cogwheel railways climb to First, Männlichen, Jungfraujoch, the Schilthorn, Harder Kulm and Schynige Platte; many are seasonal.
Ferry
BLS boats cross Lake Brienz from Interlaken Ost and Lake Thun from Interlaken West, serving lakeside villages, castles and caves.
Bus
Local buses connect the two stations, Unterseen, Matten and Wilderswil; PostBus routes serve outlying villages.
Overnight guests usually receive a guest card with free local bus travel in the Interlaken area.
Tickets and passes
Swiss Travel Pass
Covers trains to Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen and Mürren and the lake boats, and gives discounts on Jungfraujoch, First and Schilthorn.
Jungfrau Travel Pass
Unlimited travel for consecutive days on most railways and cable cars of the Jungfrau region, with a reduced fare for the final section to Jungfraujoch.
Berner Oberland Regional Pass
A regional pass covering trains, boats, buses and many mountain lifts across the Bernese Oberland.
From the airport
Zurich Airport is about 2 hours by train, usually with one change in Bern; Geneva Airport is about 2.5–3 hours and Basel EuroAirport about 2–2.5 hours. Trains arrive at Interlaken West and Interlaken Ost.
Do you need a car?
No. Several mountain villages, including Wengen and Mürren, are car-free, and rail, boats and lifts reach everything. A car only helps for Alpine passes such as the Grimsel or Susten.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Bern | About 50 minutes by train | SBB or BLS train from Interlaken West or Ost |
| Lucerne | About 1 hour 50 minutes by train | Luzern–Interlaken Express over the Brünig Pass |
| Thun | About 25 minutes by train or 2 hours by boat | Train from Interlaken West, or BLS boat across Lake Thun |
| Kandersteg and Oeschinensee | About 1 hour by train, plus gondola | Train via Spiez to Kandersteg, then the Oeschinensee gondola |
| Meiringen and the Aare Gorge | About 30 minutes by train | Train from Interlaken Ost to Meiringen |
| Spiez | About 20 minutes by train or 1 hour by boat | Train or BLS boat across Lake Thun |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Interlaken?
No. Several mountain villages, including Wengen and Mürren, are car-free, and rail, boats and lifts reach everything. A car only helps for Alpine passes such as the Grimsel or Susten.
+How do you get from the airport to Interlaken?
Zurich Airport is about 2 hours by train, usually with one change in Bern; Geneva Airport is about 2.5–3 hours and Basel EuroAirport about 2–2.5 hours. Trains arrive at Interlaken West and Interlaken Ost.
+What is the best way to get around Interlaken?
Walking: Walking covers the town, Unterseen and both lake piers; flat paths also run along the Aare and the lake shores.