Major city · Switzerland
Interlaken
Base here 2–3 nights for the Jungfrau valleys, not for the town itself: Interlaken is a rail hub between two lakes, 20 min from Lauterbrunnen.
Interlaken sits on the neck of land between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, with Interlaken West and Interlaken Ost stations about 1.5 km apart. Almost nobody comes for the town: it is the transport base for Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald, Wengen, Mürren and the Jungfraujoch, and the place where you sleep, eat and book adventure sports. Two nights covers the two valleys; three lets you add a lake or a summit without rushing.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- CHF
- Best months
- Jun–Sep for hiking and lakes; Dec–Mar for snow
- avoid Nov (many hotels and lifts closed), late Oct–early Dec
- Airports
- ZRH · BSL · GVA
- Nights
- 2–3
Rules in force · 7Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
- Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
- Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
- Central Europe ↗Six of the nine countries here — Austria, Switzerland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia — charge a time-based motorway vignette, mostly digital and linked to the number plate; buy it before the first motorway past the border, because cameras, not toll booths, do the checking.
- Central Europe ↗Temporary police checks at internal Schengen borders are common in this region in 2026 (Germany, Austria, Poland, Slovenia among others — check): keep your passport on you on every cross-border train, bus and road even though there is no fixed control post.
- Switzerland ↗Switzerland is in the Schengen area but not the EU: check entry rules, the EU Entry/Exit System and any travel authorisation requirement for your passport on official sources.
- Switzerland ↗Switzerland is outside the EU customs area: allowances on meat, alcohol and tobacco are strict and checked at borders.
- Switzerland ↗Motorways need a vignette (sticker or e-vignette) before you drive on them.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Interlaken117 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Interlaken, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Swiss franc (CHF).Switzerland-wide
- SIM or eSIMSwisscom, Sunrise and Salt sell prepaid SIMs (ID needed); Swisscom covers the most mountain terrain.Switzerland-wide
- Tap waterTap and fountain water is excellent.Switzerland-wide
- TippingRestaurant: Service included; round up or leave 5–10% for good service.Switzerland-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets C/J. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 230 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Switzerland-wide
- SafetyInterlaken is a low-crime tourist town; the real risks are altitude and weather on the mountains, fast-moving adventure sports…
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsStation toilets cost CHF 1–2 (≈ US$2–3); restaurants and department stores are free for customers.Switzerland-wide
- Emergency numbers117 police · 144 ambulance · 118 fire (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysShops close early on Saturday in small towns and all day Sunday, except stations and airports.Switzerland-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportZRH Zurich (Train to Interlaken Ost via Bern, about 2 h; change at Bern).
- Getting aroundThe centre is walkable: West to Ost along the Höheweg is about 20 min.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeCHF 4–6 (≈ US$5–8)
- Beerdraught / supermarket canCHF 6–8 (≈ US$8–10)CHF 1.50–2.50 (≈ US$2–4)
- SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekCHF 15–30 (≈ US$19–40)
- Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per personCHF 35 (≈ US$45)
- Mid-range bedDouble room, mid-range hotel, a night, per roomCHF 190 (≈ US$250)
- High-end bedDouble room, mid-range hotel, a night, per roomCHF 320 (≈ US$400)
A day, not counting the bed: Budget CHF 90 (≈ US$120) · Mid CHF 170 (≈ US$250) · High CHF 300 (≈ US$400)
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- ZRH Zurich (Train to Interlaken Ost via Bern, about 2 h; change at Bern) · BSL Basel-Mulhouse (Some trains run direct to Interlaken, about 2 h; others change at Basel SBB) · GVA Geneva (Train via Bern, about 3 h)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Best
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
Feb
Best
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
Mar
Best
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
Apr
not flagged
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
May
not flagged
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
Jun
Best
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
Jul
Best
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
Aug
Best
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
Sep
Best
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
Oct
Avoid*
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
Nov
Avoid
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
Dec
Care*
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
Best: Jan–Mar, Jun–Sep. Mixed: Dec. Avoid: Oct–Nov. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)), coolest Jan (−3°C (27°F)27°F (−3°C) low), wettest May (13 rain days), driest Feb (9). Averages, not a forecast.
* only part of the month (early, mid or late).
Weather and climate
Interlaken: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
−3°C (27°F)27°F (−3°C)
10 rd
Feb
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
−3°C (27°F)27°F (−3°C)
9 rd
Mar
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
0°C (32°F)32°F (0°C)
11 rd
Apr
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
11 rd
May
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
13 rd
Jun
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
13 rd
Jul
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
12 rd
Aug
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
12 rd
Sep
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
10 rd
Oct
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
10 rd
Nov
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
10 rd
Dec
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
−2°C (28°F)28°F (−2°C)
10 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
The centre is walkable: West to Ost along the Höheweg is about 20 min. Buses and local trains are covered by the guest card your hotel gives you. Mountain trains leave from Interlaken Ost (BOB) and Wilderswil; boats for Lake Thun leave near West, for Lake Brienz near Ost. Taxis wait at both stations.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Lauterbrunnen
goDoor to door: About 30 min
BOB train from Interlaken Ost, about 20 min
Valley floor, Staubbach Falls and the cable car up to Mürren; the easiest half-day from Interlaken.
Grindelwald
goDoor to door: About 45 min
BOB train from Interlaken Ost, about 35 min
First gondola and the Eiger north face; go early, the valley fills by mid-morning.
Wengen
goDoor to door: About 1 h
BOB to Lauterbrunnen, then the Wengernalpbahn
Car-free village on the way to Kleine Scheidegg; a good lunch stop.
Mürren
goDoor to door: About 1 h 15 min
Train to Lauterbrunnen, cable car to Grütschalp, then the mountain train
Cliff village facing the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau; the Schilthorn cable car leaves from here.
Thun
goDoor to door: About 2 h 15 min by boat
Boat from Interlaken West, about 2 h; train about 30 min
Do the boat one way and the train back; castle and old town above the river.
Meiringen
cautionDoor to door: About 1 h 15 min
Train via Brünig, about 1 h
Reichenbach Falls and the Aare gorge; worth it only if you have a spare day.
Kandersteg
goDoor to door: About 1 h 15 min
Train via Spiez, about 1 h
Oeschinensee lake above the village; a full day with the cable car.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Interlaken West / Unterseen
Old-town lanes, bakeries, the big Coop; 5–10 min walk to the West platforms. Best for a short stay with bags.
Höheweg (between the stations)
The hotel and souvenir strip facing the Höhematte lawn; 10–15 min walk to either station.
Interlaken Ost
Where the BOB mountain trains leave for Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen; best if you are up the valleys every day.
Matten
Hostel cluster (Balmer's, Funny Farm) south-east of the centre; 10–15 min walk to Ost.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- CHF 90–130 (≈ US$120–170) excl. bed
- Mid
- CHF 150–220 (≈ US$190–300) excl. bed
- High
- CHF 250 (≈ US$350)+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Double room, mid-range hotel1 × 2 nights × CHF 190 | CHF 380 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × CHF 170 | CHF 680 |
| Jungfraujoch return from Interlaken Ost2 × CHF 230 · check; cheaper with a rail pass | CHF 460 |
| Harder Kulm return funicular2 × CHF 40 · check | CHF 80 |
| Paragliding tandem flight2 × CHF 180 · check | CHF 360 |
| Guest card local transport2 × CHF 0 · Free with a hotel stay; covers buses and local trains in the zone. | CHF 0 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × CHF 20 | CHF 40 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | CHF 200 |
| Trip total≈ CHF 550 per person per day, bed included | CHF 2,200≈ US$3,000 |
2026 estimate in Swiss francs; flights and rail passes excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee | CHF 4–6 (≈ US$5–8) |
| Entrée in a restaurant | CHF 20–30 (≈ US$25–40) |
| Cheese fondue for one | CHF 25–35 (≈ US$35–45) |
| Beer: draught / supermarket can | CHF 6–8 (≈ US$8–10) / CHF 1.50–2.50 (≈ US$2–4) |
| Boat, Interlaken West to Thun | CHF 30–40 (≈ US$40–50) (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | CHF 15–30 (≈ US$19–40) |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Reservations are near-essential in Jul–Aug; not all hotels open year-round.
- The Jungfraujoch ticket is expensive and weather-dependent: check the live webcam before you buy.
- Adventure sports are weather-cancelled often; book with a company that refunds or reschedules.
- Souvenir shops on the Höheweg are the priciest in Switzerland for the same chocolate you can buy at Coop.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 117
- Ambulance
- 144
- Fire
- 118
- Rega air rescue
- 1414
- European emergency
- 112
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.
InterlakenInterlaken
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
Bitte zu dieser AdresseTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police117
- Ambulance144
- Fire118
- Rega air rescue1414
Embassy
No embassies in Interlaken; most countries keep embassies in Bern and consulates-general in Zurich or Geneva. The US has an embassy in Bern (check).
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Interlaken Ost → Lauterbrunnen, BOB: about CHF 8 (≈ US$10), 20 min (check)
- Interlaken Ost → Jungfraujoch, return: about CHF 230 (≈ US$300), 2 h 15 min each way (check)
- Boat Interlaken West → Thun: about CHF 35 (≈ US$45), 2 h (check)
Say or show
- Grüezi — Hello (GROO-ets-ee)
- Merci vielmal — Thank you (MER-see FEEL-mahl)
- Was kostet das? — How much is it? (vahs KOS-tet dahs)
- Kann ich mit Karte zahlen? — Can I pay by card? (kahn ikh mit KAR-teh TSAH-len)
- Wo ist der Bahnhof? — Where is the train station? (voh ist dair BAHN-hohf)
- Die Rechnung, bitte — The bill, please (dee REKH-noong BIT-teh)
Guest card and mountain-train tickets are checked on board; keep them with you.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Interlaken. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Jun–Sep for hiking and lakes; Dec–Mar for snow · avoid Nov (many hotels and lifts closed), late Oct–early Dec · month by month →
- 3 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 7 day-trips, door to door
- 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contracts for ZRH, BSL and GVA: last trains, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
- Walking clusters with rescue anchors: West/Unterseen, Höheweg, Ost, Matten.
- Place pages with verified cutoffs (Jungfraujoch, Harder Kulm, Schynige Platte, St Beatus Caves) and eat pages with last orders.
- Weather and hostile-arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.
Sources
- officialInterlaken Tourism
- officialGemeinde Interlaken
- officialJungfrau Railways
- officialSt Beatus Caves
- secondaryWikivoyage: Interlaken, revision 5247509 (CC BY-SA 4.0)