All of Switzerland
Interlaken
Switzerland / Bern & the Bernese Oberland / Interlaken

Interlaken

Between Two Lakes, Below the Jungfrau

Plan this trip
3 daysIdeal stay₹15,080From / night₹4,410Food / day₹30,280Entry

A resort town on the plain between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, and the base for the Jungfrau region. Trains from Interlaken Ost climb to Lauterbrunnen, Wengen and Grindelwald, and on via Kleine Scheidegg or the Eiger Express to Jungfraujoch (3,454 m), the highest railway station in Europe, with the Aletsch glacier, the Sphinx terrace and an ice palace; it is the region's big day out and also its biggest single cost. Harder Kulm, lake boats on Thun and Brienz, and paragliding over the Höhematte fill the rest. Interlaken has many Indian restaurants and a statue of Yash Chopra, whose films made the region famous in India.

Highlights

  • Jungfraujoch, Europe's highest railway station
  • Aletsch glacier from the Sphinx terrace
  • Ice Palace at Jungfraujoch
  • Harder Kulm sunset view
  • Turquoise Lake Brienz and Iseltwald
  • Lake Thun boats and castles
  • Paragliding onto the Höhematte
  • Yash Chopra statue
  • Schynige Platte alpine garden

Things to do

  • Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe by cogwheel train (full day)Morning · 7h
  • Harder Kulm funicular at sunsetMay–NovEvening · 2h
  • Lake Brienz boat trip to Iseltwald and Giessbach FallsApr–OctAfternoon · 3h 30m
  • Lake Thun boat to Spiez and Oberhofen castlesAfternoon · 3h
  • Schynige Platte rack train and alpine gardenJun–SepMorning · 4h
  • Ballenberg Open-Air MuseumMay–OctMorning · 3h 30m

Tours & tickets

Tours & tickets in Interlakenvia GetYourGuideTours & tickets in Interlakenvia Klook

Tourisma may earn a small commission if you book — it never changes your price.

When to go

Best time: May – September

Heads up

Jungfraujoch Weather

Jungfraujoch is at 3,454 m: it can be in cloud with no view while the valley is sunny, and it is below freezing even in August. Check the webcams on jungfrau.ch the morning you go (the return ticket from Interlaken is CHF 261 in the May-October peak), go early, take warm clothes and sunglasses, and walk slowly at the top; the thin air makes some people dizzy.

Heads up

Jungfraujoch Seat Reservation

From May to October a seat reservation on the Jungfraujoch trains is compulsory (CHF 10 in 2026), on top of the ticket and the Swiss Travel Pass. Morning trains sell out first in July and August.

Heads up

Grimsel, Furka and Susten Passes Closed

The high road passes (Grimsel, Furka, Susten, Nufenen) close for the winter, roughly from late October to late May or June, earlier after a snowfall (they reopened on 29 May in 2026, the Susten in June). Trains and the year-round car trains through the Furka and Lötschberg tunnels are not affected; only scenic drives and pass buses are.

Heads up

Summer Crowds

May and June bring the Indian summer-holiday tours, July and August the European summer: queues at the Jungfraujoch, Titlis and Gornergrat stations, full trains and the year's highest room prices. Go up on the first train, and book rooms 2-3 months ahead.

  • Swiss National Day — 1 August is the national holiday: bonfires on the hills, fireworks and lantern parades, and brunch on farms. The biggest display is over the Rhine Falls on the evening of 31 July; book the viewing tickets and trains ahead.

Part of a longer route

Interlaken is a stop on 2 curated circuits through Switzerland.

🚞

Zurich to Geneva by Train

Stop 3 of 5 · 10 days · easy

🚆

Rome to Paris via the Swiss Alps

Stop 5 of 6 · 14 days · moderate