Interlaken is Switzerland’s premier alpine transit hub, positioned directly between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz at the base of the Bernese Oberland’s most celebrated peaks: the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. Thanks to the region’s interconnected network of cogwheel trains, aerial cableways, funiculars, and historic steamers, travelers can use Interlaken as a launchpad to explore glacier-carved valleys, subterranean waterfalls, and panoramic mountain summits within 30 to 90 minutes of departure.
Quick Answer
The best day trips from Interlaken are Jungfraujoch (via the Eiger Express gondola), the Lauterbrunnen Valley and its subterranean Trümmelbach Falls, the 360-degree panoramic summit of Schilthorn (Piz Gloria), scenic paddle-steamer cruises across Lake Thun, and the nostalgic cogwheel railway to Schynige Platte. Most destinations are accessible via Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) trains departing every 30 minutes from Interlaken Ost.
Key Takeaways
- Interlaken Ost is the primary terminal for mountain-bound rail transport into Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, and high-altitude alpine connections.
- The Eiger Express tricable gondola from Grindelwald Terminal cuts travel time to Jungfraujoch to under 90 minutes from Interlaken.
- Trümmelbach Falls is an underground glacial canyon open seasonally from April through November, requiring sturdy, slip-resistant footwear.
- Lake Thun and Lake Brienz offer contrasting cruise experiences, with Lake Thun featuring medieval castles and Lake Brienz known for turquoise glacial water.
- A Swiss Travel Pass grants full coverage on lakes Thun and Brienz, trains to Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald, and steep discounts on high-altitude cableways.
Jungfraujoch: The Top of Europe Excursion
Standing at 3,454 meters (11,332 feet) above sea level, Jungfraujoch is Europe’s highest railway station and the crowning day trip from Interlaken. Perched on the saddle between the Jungfrau and Mönch peaks, the complex overlooks the vast expanse of the Great Aletsch Glacier, a core component of the UNESCO Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch World Heritage site.
Travelers depart from Interlaken Ost toward Grindelwald Terminal. From there, the state-of-the-art Eiger Express tricable gondola whisks passengers along the north face of the Eiger to the Eigergletscher station in just 15 minutes. From Eigergletscher, the historic cogwheel train tunnels straight through the rock of the Eiger and Mönch before arriving at the subterranean Jungfraujoch terminal.
At the summit, visitors can step onto the outdoor Sphinx Observatory deck for panoramic views of the Bernese and Valais Alps, navigate the carved tunnels of the Ice Palace beneath the glacier, and walk out onto the glacier plateau. Due to the high elevation, visitors should move deliberately and stay hydrated to acclimate to the thinner air.
Pro Tip: Check summit webcams in the morning before purchasing tickets. If clouds obscure the Sphinx Observatory, reschedule your trip or pivot to lower-elevation valley hikes.
Exploring the Lauterbrunnen Valley
Located just twenty minutes by train from Interlaken Ost, the Lauterbrunnen Valley is a classic U-shaped glacial canyon framed by vertical limestone cliffs rising up to 300 meters high. The valley floor is home to 72 cascading waterfalls, traditional timber chalets, and pastoral meadows that famously served as the real-world inspiration for J.R.R. Tolkien’s Elven sanctuary of Rivendell.
The town’s visual centerpiece is Staubbach Falls, which drops 297 meters directly over the cliff edge above the village. A short, paved trail climbs behind the spray of the falls, allowing visitors to feel the glacial mist and view the valley through the falling water. From the train station, visitors can take an easy, flat walk along the river through the length of the valley toward Stechelberg, where further cableway connections ascend into the higher alpine hamlets.
Visiting the Trümmelbach Falls
Situated midway along the Lauterbrunnen Valley floor, Trümmelbach Falls represents an extraordinary geological phenomenon: ten subterranean, glacier-fed waterfalls churning inside an enclosed mountain cavern. Carrying meltwater from the glaciers of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, the falls drain a drainage basin of 24 square kilometers, funneling up to 20,000 liters of water per second through twisting rock chutes.
Carrying up to 20,000 liters of glacial meltwater per second, the subterranean cascades of Trümmelbach carve continuously through 24 square kilometers of solid alpine bedrock.
The falls are accessible via an underground funicular lift built directly into the mountain, followed by a sequence of paved tunnels, gallery viewpoints, and stairs. Inside the cavern, the roar of the water is deafening, and fine spray fills the air as the torrent cuts polished corkscrews into the limestone.
Warning: The cavern walkways are consistently wet, chilled, and slippery year-round. Wear shoes with deep rubber tread, bring a waterproof shell, and note that children under four years old are not permitted entry due to safety regulations.
Schilthorn and the Car-Free Alpine Village of Mürren
Perched high on the western cliffs of the Lauterbrunnen Valley at 1,650 meters sits Mürren, a car-free alpine hamlet reachable only by aerial cableway from Stechelberg or via the mountain railway from Grütschalp. Mürren provides unobstructed, direct-line views across the canyon to the north faces of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau.
From Mürren, the Schilthorn cableway ascends in stages toward the 2,970-meter summit of the Schilthorn. The intermediate station at Birg features the Thrill Walk, a steel cantilevered pathway secured to the vertical cliffside complete with glass floors and wire mesh crawling sections. At the summit, the revolving restaurant Piz Gloria slowly turns 360 degrees every 45 minutes, showcasing more than 200 alpine summits. The site maintains a permanent interactive exhibition celebrating its role as the primary filming location for the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
Taking a Scenic Cruise on Lake Thun
| Excursion Metric | Logistical Details |
|---|---|
| Cruising Duration | 2 hours 10 minutes (Thun to Interlaken West) |
| Navigable Distance | Approximately 17.5 kilometers |
| Notable Landmarks | Oberhofen Castle, Spiez Castle, St. Beatus Caves, Mount Niesen |
| Departure Terminals | Thun Bahnhof pier or Interlaken West pier |
| Transit Pass Validity | 100% covered by Swiss Travel Pass and Berner Oberland Pass |
Boarding a vessel operated by BLS Schifffahrt at the Interlaken West landing stage provides a relaxing counterpoint to high-altitude mountain hiking. Lake Thun stretches west across pristine alpine waters framed by steep limestone ridges and manicured lakeside vineyards.
The boat stops at historic settlements along the northern and southern shores, including the turreted medieval castle at Oberhofen and the fortress town of Spiez, nestled in its sheltered bay below the pyramidal peak of Mount Niesen. Passengers can disembark at any intermediate stop, explore the historic grounds or lakeside promenades, and board a subsequent scheduled boat or return to Interlaken via the main SBB railway network along the southern shoreline.
Discovering the Views of Harder Kulm
Directly overlooking Interlaken from the north, Harder Kulm rises 1,322 meters above sea level and serves as the town’s local viewpoint mountain. The summit is accessed via the historic Harderbahn funicular railway, which first opened to tourists on June 5, 1908. Departing just a five-minute walk from Interlaken Ost, the funicular climbs a gradient of up to 64% in under ten minutes.
At the top, a modern two-spire restaurant pavilion leads to the Two Lakes Bridge, a cantilevered steel observation platform that projects past the mountain edge. From this vantage point, visitors look down directly upon the narrow strip of land separating Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, backed by the classic skyline of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. Harder Kulm operates late into the evening during the summer season, making it the premier location around Interlaken for alpine sunset dining.
Enjoying a Day Trip to Grindelwald
Located in the neighboring eastern valley 35 minutes by direct train from Interlaken Ost, the glacier village of Grindelwald sits directly beneath the imposing 1,800-meter north face of the Eiger. Grindelwald balances traditional alpine farming culture with extensive outdoor adventure infrastructure.
From the village center, a six-passenger gondola ascends to Grindelwald-First (2,168m), a high-altitude playground featuring the First Cliff Walk by Tissot—a narrow metal walkway suspended over sheer drop-offs. Adventure enthusiasts can descend the mountain via the First Flyer zip-line, First Glider, all-terrain mountain carts, and off-road Trottibikes that roll through alpine pastures back into town. For hikers, the scenic trail from First to the mirror-like waters of Lake Bachalp (Bachalpsee) offers an accessible two-hour round-trip hike backdropped by the Schreckhorn.
Note: In winter, Grindelwald becomes an expansive ski arena connected directly to Wengen and Mürren. In summer, the valley operates as an interconnected network of marked mountain bike trails and alpine hiking paths.
Exploring the Schynige Platte Mountain Railway
For an authentic journey into early Swiss railway engineering, the Schynige Platte Railway operates vintage electric and steam locomotives on a narrow-gauge cogwheel line that has transported travelers since May 1893. Trains depart from the nearby village of Wilderswil, just one stop on the train from Interlaken Ost.
The open-sided vintage wooden carriages climb slowly through dense beech forests and open alpine meadows for 52 minutes, ascending over 1,380 meters in elevation to reach the terminus at 1,967 meters. At the summit station, visitors can stroll through the Schynige Platte Alpine Garden, which protects and cultivates over 650 species of native Swiss flora, including edelweiss, gentians, and alpine roses. The ridge-line walking trails here present simultaneous vistas: look north down to the turquoise water of Lake Brienz, or look south toward the full glacial ramparts of the Bernese Alps.
Adventure Activities in Interlaken
While Interlaken functions as an alpine railway junction, its unique position between high ridges and broad water makes it the acknowledged adventure sports capital of Central Europe. The broad park of the Höhematte in central Interlaken serves as the primary landing field for tandem paragliders descending from the surrounding launch sites at Beatenberg and Amisbühl.
Adrenaline sports in the surrounding area encompass all terrains:
- Canyoning: Navigating the vertical rock slots of Saxeten Gorge and Chli Schliere, sliding down smooth chutes, abseiling down waterfalls, and jumping into deep pools.
- Stockhorn Bungee Jumping: Leaping 134 meters out of a stationary cable car suspended over the mountain-ringed Stockensee lake.
- Skydiving: Helicopter and airplane jumps from 4,000 meters above the Lauterbrunnen Valley and the Eiger.
- Whitewater Rafting: Tackling class III–IV glacier meltwater rapids down the Lütschine River toward Lake Brienz.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some popular day trips from Interlaken?
The most popular day trips are Jungfraujoch (Top of Europe), the Lauterbrunnen Valley with Trümmelbach Falls, the Schilthorn summit and Mürren, scenic cruises across Lake Thun or Lake Brienz, Grindelwald-First, and the historic Schynige Platte cogwheel train.
How far are these day trip destinations from Interlaken?
Transit times vary by elevation and route. Lake Thun and Lake Brienz docks are accessible directly inside town or within 10 minutes by train. Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald take roughly 20 to 35 minutes via SBB regional trains. High-altitude summits such as Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn take between 90 minutes and two hours each way, combining rail and cable car connections.
What activities can be done on these day trips?
Day trips accommodate all fitness levels. Activities include alpine day-hiking, glacier walking, skiing and snowboarding in winter, historic sightseeing at lakeside castles, paragliding, canyoning, boat cruises, and exploring natural wonders like subterranean waterfalls and cave systems.
Are there guided tours available for these day trips?
Yes, numerous operators in Interlaken offer fully guided packages that bundle round-trip transit, mountain railway tickets, and equipment rentals. However, the Swiss transit network is exceptionally punctual, comprehensively mapped, and English-friendly, making independent travel straightforward.
How long do these day trips typically take?
Local excursions such as Harder Kulm, a Lake Thun loop cruise, or the Lauterbrunnen Valley floor can easily be completed in a half-day (3 to 4 hours). High-elevation excursions such as Jungfraujoch, Schilthorn, and long-distance hikes around Grindelwald-First require a full day (6 to 8 hours) to fully experience.
Sources
- Jungfrau Railways Management AG — Operational timetables, Eiger Express technical specifications, and mountain excursion passes.
- SBB Swiss Federal Railways — National transit network connections, regional rail journey durations, and Swiss Travel Pass terms.
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch boundary documentation and geological preservation reports.
- Trümmelbach Falls Official Administration — Subterranean glacial waterfall seasonal schedules, safety regulations, and hydrological data.
- BLS Schifffahrt — Fleet specifications, sailing timetables, and seasonal lake navigation maps for Lake Thun and Lake Brienz.
- Schilthorn Cableway Ltd. — Elevation data, Birg Thrill Walk operations, and Piz Gloria revolving restaurant transit connections.
