Switzerland · city guide
Interlaken: between the two lakes
The hub everything runs through, with paragliders drifting over town and a turquoise lake at each end.
Interlaken is the town you keep passing through on the way to the mountains, and it's worth slowing down for. It sits between two lakes, Thun and Brienz, so it's where every train and boat connects, which makes it the easy hub for the whole Jungfrau region. I based myself up in Lauterbrunnen, but I came down here for the lake boat and the paragliders drifting over the rooftops, and it'd make a comfortable, well-connected base if you'd rather be near the water than up in a valley. Here's exactly how I'd spend a day or two.
- The transport hub between Lakes Thun and Brienz
- 20-35 min by train to the valley villages
- Funicular up Harder Kulm for the two-lake view
Best things to do
Boat across turquoise Lake Brienz
The most beautiful lake colour I saw all trip, a milky turquoise you don't quite believe until you're on it. The boat is covered by the pass, so just hop on at Interlaken Ost.
Ride the funicular up Harder Kulm
A steep little train up to the viewing platform that hangs out over town, with both lakes laid out below and the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau across the way.
Watch the paragliders over Höhematte
Lie on the big green field in the middle of town and watch them drift down off the mountain. Free to watch, and the easiest way to decide if you want to jump yourself.
Paraglide over the town
The splurge I'd save up for: a tandem flight off the hill with both lakes shining beneath you. Book a clear morning and you'll be glad you did.
Where to stay
Getting there & around
Train from Lauterbrunnen takes about 20 minutes and from Grindelwald around 35, with everything funnelling through Interlaken Ost. From Zurich airport it's roughly 2 hours by train, all covered by the Swiss Travel Pass. There are two stations, Ost and West, so check which one your boat or onward train leaves from. You don't need a car, the trains, boats and the Harder Kulm funicular reach everything, and the town itself is small enough to walk end to end.
Eat & drink
- Coop Interlaken — My budget move: grab a picnic and rolls by the station, then eat them on the green or the lake boat.
- Lakefront cafes by Lake Brienz — A coffee or an early dinner by the water after the boat, with that turquoise right in front of you.
Day trips
On the map
Book this trip
A few of these earn me a small cut at no extra cost to you — only ever things I'd actually book.
Frequently asked
Should I base in Interlaken or up in a valley village?
Both work. I slept in Lauterbrunnen for the waterfalls, but Interlaken is flatter, better connected and right on the lakes, so it's the easier base if you want boats, the town and quick trains in every direction.
Is the Lake Brienz boat covered by the Swiss Travel Pass?
Yes, the lake boats are included, which is part of why I love the pass. Just turn up at Interlaken Ost and step on; the turquoise water does the rest.