Interlaken
The iconic Swiss resort town of Interlaken provides the gateway to some of Switzerland's most spectacular scenery, most incredible ski resorts & most unbelievable rail journeys. Exploring the magnificent Jungfrau Ski Region resorts of Mürren Schilthorn, First & Grindelwald Wengen via the train from the Interlaken Ost station & get your dose of super-scale glacier-draped Swiss Alps.
Interlaken is not just a gateway to the Jungfrau, it also provides a good value alternative base to the renowned ski resort villages of Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Mürren or Wengen in winter, but still has numerous classic Swiss 5-star Grand Hotels for those wanting a serious dose of ‘belle époque’ luxury.
Non-skiers will find just as much interest in a winter visit to Interlaken than those that have snow-sliding proclivities. Whether it is an epic train journey up to ‘The Top of Europe’ to view the Alps' longest glacier (Aletsch Glacier) or crawling through a steel mess tube with a few hundred metres of air below you on the thrilling cliff walk at Birg above Muerren, a huge number of wonderful winter experiences await.
For a quick glimpse into the area, see the Interlaken regional map below.
Pros & Cons for Interlaken
Pros
- Convenient transport hub for numerous Swiss Alps ski resorts.
- Relatively affordable high-end accommodation available throughout winter.
- Loads of sightseeing & non-ski activities nearby.
- Extensive range of shops, restaurants, services & markets.
- Easy to get to from Zurich, Bern or Geneva by train.
- The Jungfrau Ski Region lift pass includes the train from Interlaken Ost station.
Cons
- Travel times to & from some of the ski resort bases (particularly Muerren) can make for quite a long day if trying for first tracks.
- Whilst being surrounded by huge mountains is wonderful, the downside is much of Interlaken is in shadow during winter & bloody cold!
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Not a car friendly area - best to take the train everywhere here.
- You will have to travel up into mountains to get some sun - nice problem to have!
- Low elevation so may, or may not, have snow but will be very cold.
Skiing & Snowboarding near Interlaken
Interlaken is surrounded by Switzerland’s most amazing mountains & in amongst them are several superb ski resorts, all accessible directly by train from Interlaken-Ost bahnhof. One can use the train to do day trips into the diverse Jungfrau Ski Region, with the brilliant combination of Grindelwald-Wengen, Grindelwald-First (or just First!) & Mürren-Schilthorn accessed via Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald. All lift passes in the area now include the train from Interlaken Ost railway station. See below for the full Jungfrau Ski Region resorts/trail map.
Another local ski area is the huge but relatively unknown Meiringen-Hasliberg. Accessible via a lovely 35min train ride along Lake Brienz, it offers uncrowded skiing & snowboarding for intermediates & advanced riders plus a huge network of winter-walking & sledding trails. Further afield, the extensive Gstaad ski resort is only 1½hr by train to its Zweisimmen base. From Zweisimmen Bahnhof (train station) a short walk through town gets one to a gondola & up amongst the best ski & snowboard sector in Destination Gstaad.
Fast trains from Interlaken travel via Spiez & the Lötschberg Basis Tunnel to Visp in the Rhône valley, taking a little over an hour. From Visp, buses & the railway line between Brig & Montreux, provide connections to all manner of Valais ski resorts (Zermatt, Saas Fee, Crans Montana, Grimentz-Zinal, Verbier - the list is long!) & even to Chamonix France via Martigny.
Another train trip from Interlaken via Spiez is worthwhile to ski a Powderhounds favourite at Lauchernalp. Buses meet the train at Goppenstein to complete the journey to this brilliant ski area.
Car travel times can be quicker to some places (like Grindelwald & Lauterbrunnen) but most locations in the area require a train ride so why fight it!
Things to Do in Interlaken
Boredom & a lack of things to do are simply not an option in & around Interlaken. Whilst it may be a standard feature of all Swiss ski resort to provide loads of non-ski activities for visitors, Interlaken & the entire Jungfrau ski region goes well beyond all of them to lead the pack. That means there is probably more to see & do here than just about any other ski region in the world - not a bad thing to have on your CV!
In the Grindelwald-Wengen sector, train buffs & sightseers alike will delight in the possibilities the various railway lines & cable cars provide; including the ultimate journey up to the Sphinx observatory at Jungfraujoch. Walkers will love the diversity of a stroll up the peak at Männlichen, checking out the Eiger Glacier, or a wander under the frozen (or sometimes unfrozen) waterfalls of the Lauterbrunnen valley. Perhaps a helicopter over the peaks of the Eiger, Mönch & Jungfrau? Feeling the need for speed or just the sensation of sliding, there are masses of top to bottom sledding trails throughout the resort including the world’s longest - 15km. Getting the picture!
In the Muerren-Schilthorn sector, the obvious activities simply involve the fabulous mountain scenery. Gawping at the views from the top of Schilthorn is the end game of a fascinating journey from Interlaken involving 2 trains & 3 cable cars. Such is the scale & sense of vertigo on the journey up, those not familiar with travel in cable cars generally find themselves hanging on tightly. Along the way one can further test their nerves walking & crawling through the various elements on the cliffside ‘Thrill Walk’ below the Birg cable car station. On the Schilthorn, the rotating restaurant includes a series of amusingly kitsch James Bond 007 attractions which may distract you from the breathtaking vistas. On the way back down, it is possible to rent a toboggan and slide the last 8km into Lauterbrunnen. Just fabulous!
Interlaken itself has a quality range of shops, restaurants & entertainment near the town centre. If gambling floats your boat, one can even try their luck at the local casino. An extensive outdoor ice-skating rink complex is in the park opposite the Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel, complete with après ski plus after-dark food & entertainment. To top it off (literally), a funicular located just across the river from Interlaken Ost train station, heads up to Harder Kulm, providing unparalleled views of the mountains, glaciers, lakes & valleys, plus some wonderful dining.
See below for the Interlaken city map.
Where is Interlaken Switzerland?
The town of Interlaken is within the expansive canton of Bern in central Switzerland. Not surprisingly, Interlaken is located between two lakes, Thun (Thunersee) & Brienz (Brienzersee), both of which are on the Aare River which flows to the Rhine. The town is 55km (45min) by road south-east of the defacto Swiss capital of Bern & only 120km (1½hr) south-west of Zurich.
The main international gateway airport is Zurich (ZRH) with secondary options including Geneva (GVA) (for all international flight origins) or Basel (BSL) (for UK & European flight origins).
The train is the recommended mode of travel to the region. Interlaken has excellent rail connections to all the major Swiss cities, towns & ski resorts throughout the Alps. The town has two railway stations, West & Ost (East). Access to the Jungfrau ski resorts by train is only available from Interlaken Ost station, making it the more important of the two. Trains to from Zurich transit via Bern to Interlaken Ost Bahnhof in around 2hr, or via the more scenic route through lovely Lucerne in around 3hr. The journey via Lucerne is recommended if time is not of the essence!
From Interlaken Ost station, onward trains depart every 30min to the popular ski resort villages of Grindelwald, Mürren & Wengen. All train journeys from Interlaken Ost into the Jungfrau Ski Region via Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald are included in the Jungfrau lift pass. Trains also connect the two valleys of the ski area via the eye-popping high pass at Kleine Scheidegg below the Eiger. See the Jungfrau rail network map here.
Search & book here for train tickets to Interlaken & the Jungfrau ski region.
If taking public transport offends one’s sensibilities or if you have post-covid concerns, we recommend a private transfer to reach the city & surrounding ski resorts. Private transfers can also be particularly cost effective & time efficient if in a group of 3 or more people. Note that if staying in Wengen or Murren, a train &/or cable car-train combination is required from Lauterbrunnen.
Search & book here for all airport transfers to Interlaken.
Anyone driving to the Jungfrau region (not recommended) & staying at Wengen or Muerren, should note that both villages are car-free & vehicles need to be parked at Lauterbrunnen. The journey can only be completed by train to Wengen or combination cable car & train to Mürren.
Interlaken Accommodation
The town of Interlaken is useful as a central location to ski the Jungfrau region, other nearby resorts & also to save a few pennies on accommodation & food. Travel times to the ski resorts may be longer each day, but the local trains as in such splendid surrounds you will likely hardly notice.
Interlaken has a long history as a tourist destination, so within strolling distance of the Ost train station, one can stay in magnificent contemporary youth hostels, huge 5-star 'Belle Époque' grand hotels, beautiful new self-contained apartments & everything in between.
Search & book all Interlaken accommodation here.
For ease of access to the train for skiing, all our picks for the best places to stay are close to the Interlaken Ost station. In reality, the main commercial centre of Interlaken is only 1.5km from Ost, but why extend the distance to ski transport unnecessarily.
At the top-end of the market it is hard to go past the 5-star Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa. An added benefit is that the local outdoor ice-skating is just across the road in winter. Other superb hotels back toward the Ost station include the 4-star Hotel Interlaken & Hotel du Nord plus the fabulous 3-star Carlton-Europe Vintage Adults Hotel (don’t you love it when they specify ‘adults’ in a hotel name!) with its three diverse restaurants. A little further out, the traditional Hotel Hirschen offers affordable rooms in a delightful 16th century building.
Interlaken’s ‘youth’ hostels may well surprise. Exceptional quality, the offer a slick, contemporary lodging experience in both shared & private rooms. Only 100m from Ost is the excellent Interlaken Youth Hostel & more distance (a 10min walk from the station) is the equally good Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof.
Two sensational modern apartment providers within a kilometre of Ost are Hapimag Ferienwohnungen Interlaken & the more luxurious & spacious 247 Concierge - Interlaken Apartments. Either provides an economical long-stay base for groups & families.
If availability & finances allow, stay in the sunnier towns of Grindelwald, Muerren or Wengen for a proper Swiss ski resort experience. Car-free Wengen is the best placed to provide access to the entire Jungfrau ski region, followed by Grindelwald. The car-free village of Muerren is very much only useful for those intending to spend loads of time at Murren-Schilthorn ski resort. Set deep in a spectacular valley, Lauterbrunnen is a reasonable proposition if the mountain villages are full.
Search & book all Wengen ski accommodation here.
Ski & Snowboard Rental
Receive a discount when you search & book ski & snowboard rental from our partner in central Interlaken. See our Jungfrau Ski & Snowboard Rental page for more local options.
More Reasons to Visit Interlaken
If flying in and out of Zurich, Interlaken can make an exceptionally good & affordable base from which to explore multitudes of amazing Swiss ski resorts, sights & mountains. And if you love trains, well this is heaven incarnate. Finish with a night or two in Lucerne on the way back for a perfect Swiss ski holiday.
Review
The Powderhounds have been to Interlaken many times and last visited in 2022. We enjoyed its wonderful location, super transport links to the gob-smacking mountains, & eclectic mix of 'old world' Grand Hotels & contemporary accommodation. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read the latest inciteful & droll postulations!
See how Interlaken's local ski resorts in the Jungfrau Ski Region compare to the rest of the Swiss ski resorts on the Switzerland ski resort ratings page, or compare to the rest of Europe on the European ski resort ratings page.
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