How Many Days in Interlaken? A 4-Day Route from Zurich Airport

The big picture: the Zurich arrival day counts

Interlaken suits 3 to 4 nights, and that includes the Zurich arrival day. Interlaken has no airport, so you land at Zurich Airport and still have about 2 hours 15 minutes by train ahead of you. Following the guide's plan, this route covers arrival day, the Jungfraujoch, Grindelwald First and Harder Kulm, then Lauterbrunnen's waterfalls and a lake boat before the trip back to the airport.

Interlaken sits between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz as the gateway to the Bernese Oberland. Mountain trains to the Jungfraujoch, Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen all start here, and from Interlaken Ost the trains split toward Grindelwald and toward Lauterbrunnen. So the basic pattern is to head up from Ost station each day and come back in the evening.

The Jungfraujoch is all about the weather. The guide's plan itself says to go on a clear morning, so check the official webcams and save the clearest day for it.

• Full Interlaken travel guide →

Day 1: Zurich Airport to Interlaken Ost, an evening on the Höhematte

From the station beneath Zurich Airport, take an SBB train to Interlaken Ost. The direct IC needs no changes and runs via Bern, Thun and Spiez, also stopping at Interlaken West. If the direct train doesn't fit, change once in Bern; trains run every half hour between Bern and Interlaken. Check SBB official information for timetables and fares.

If you land early and have time, take a short walk around the old town and lakeside from Zurich HB before you set off. Once in Interlaken, drop your bags and finish the first day with an easy evening stroll on the Höhematte meadow.

Rail works sometimes bring night-time replacement buses on the Interlaken line. For late journeys, check SBB and Interlaken Tourism notices.

• Direct IC: every 2 hours, about 2 hours 15 minutes (check the SBB timetable; Swiss Travel Pass valid)
• One change in Bern: about 2 hours to 2 hours 30 minutes
• Via Lucerne: go from Zurich to Lucerne, then take the Luzern-Interlaken Express over the Brünig Pass, about 1 hour 50 minutes from Lucerne (hourly; seat reservation optional, surcharge)
• Landing late: SBB trains to Zurich HB take about 15 minutes (about every 10 minutes); stay the night in Zurich and continue the next day

Day 2: the Jungfraujoch on a clear morning, then Grindelwald village

On day two, head up to the Jungfraujoch on a clear morning. At 3,454 m it is Europe's highest railway station, with the Sphinx observation deck, the Ice Palace and views of the Aletsch Glacier. Officially, seat reservations are mandatory from 1 May to 31 October 2026; check prices officially.

Take the train from Interlaken Ost toward Grindelwald, switch at Grindelwald Terminal to the Eiger Express, a tricable gondola to Eigergletscher, and continue on the Jungfrau Railway. It takes about 45 minutes from Grindelwald Terminal to the Jungfraujoch, or about 1 hour 30 minutes from Interlaken Ost. Move slowly at altitude and bring warm layers.

On the way down, explore Grindelwald, the mountain village right below the Eiger north face, and finish with cheese fondue, bread dipped in melted cheese. It is usually ordered for two or more, and prices vary by place.

Day 3: First gondola, Bachalpsee, then Harder Kulm at sunset

On day three, go back to Grindelwald and ride the gondola about 25 minutes up to Grindelwald First at 2,166 m. Walk the First Cliff Walk along the rock face and take the hike of under an hour to Bachalpsee lake. Summer adds activities such as the First Flyer and mountain carts.

Eating out in Switzerland is expensive, so many travelers pack bread, cheese and salad from a supermarket for mountain days. Tap water is safe to drink everywhere, though some restaurants charge for it.

Back in Interlaken in the afternoon, go up Harder Kulm around sunset. A funicular a short walk from Interlaken Ost takes about 10 minutes to the 1,322 m viewpoint, and the Two-Lakes Bridge looks out over the Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau and both lakes. Check the operating season officially.

Day 4: Lauterbrunnen's falls, a lake boat, then Zurich Airport

On the last morning, take the train from Interlaken Ost toward Lauterbrunnen, a valley village where 72 waterfalls pour off the cliffs. The roughly 300 m Staubbach Falls is Switzerland's highest free-falling waterfall. At Trümmelbach Falls, 10 tiers of glacier-water falls inside the mountain are reached by a tunnel lift and steps; weather permitting, it is generally open from early April to November. Check exact opening and closing dates officially.

In the afternoon, cruise past lakeside villages and mountains on a BLS boat. Lake Brienz boats leave from Interlaken Ost and Lake Thun boats from Interlaken West. Lake Thun has boats all year, but Lake Brienz cruises pause in winter, so check timetables. The Swiss Travel Pass is valid.

After the boat, take the train to Zurich Airport. The direct IC runs every 2 hours, so pick your train in the SBB timetable in advance, and change once in Bern if the direct train doesn't fit.

With one more day, and where to stay

If you stretch the trip to 4 nights, add Schynige Platte, a 1,967 m viewpoint reached by cogwheel railway from Wilderswil, with an alpine garden of around 800 plant species. The railway runs only from late May to late October. You could also go up from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen and Mürren, or spend the night before your flight around Zurich HB.

Choose your base to match your route and style. If you ride the mountain trains every day, staying around Ost station is the easiest.

• Interlaken (Ost station & Höheweg): first-timers, transport hub. Between Ost station and the Höhematte meadow, so everything is easy to reach, with the widest choice of restaurants and hotels
• Grindelwald: mountain views, hiking. Close to the First and Männlichen gondolas and the Eiger Express, but hotels are pricey
• Lauterbrunnen & Wengen: waterfall valley, quiet stays. Easy access up to Wengen and Mürren, but fewer dinner options than Interlaken
• Around Zurich HB: late arrivals, the night before departure. About 15 minutes from the airport by train, with the old town and lakeside within walking distance

Before you go: passes, budget and timing

The Swiss Travel Pass, for visitors from abroad, covers SBB trains, buses and BLS lake boats with discounts on mountain railways, while the Swiss Half Fare Card gives half price on most transport. The Jungfrau Travel Pass, sold by Jungfrau Railways, is a 3- to 8-day regional pass for unlimited mountain trains and cable cars around Interlaken, but the Jungfraujoch needs a separate, discounted connecting ticket. Check which sections are free or discounted, and prices, officially. Overnight guests in the Interlaken area receive a guest card from their host (the digital version is the Interlaken Pass), giving free local public transport within its zone plus various discounts.

Per person per day, budget about CHF 120-170 with a hostel, supermarket food, the guest card and basic transport; about CHF 250-400 with a mid-range hotel, restaurant meals and one mountain excursion; and about CHF 600 or more with an upscale hotel and several mountain trips including the Jungfraujoch. According to Switzerland Tourism, service is included in restaurant prices and tipping is not mandatory; rounding up or 5-10% for good service is common.

June-September is best for combining hiking with mountain railways. MeteoSwiss normals for 1991-2020 at the Interlaken station give average highs of about 19-24°C and lows of about 10-14°C for June-September. December-March is ski season, and some mountain transport closes for maintenance between seasons in spring and autumn, so check official information.

• June: high 22°C / low 12°C, monthly precipitation 127 mm
• July: high 24°C / low 14°C, monthly precipitation 146 mm
• August: high 24°C / low 14°C, monthly precipitation 146 mm
• September: high 19°C / low 10°C, monthly precipitation 94 mm
• December-March (ski season): highs about 3-11°C, lows about -3 to 1°C
• Check entry requirements with official sources before you travel

• Where to travel in June, including Interlaken →
• Where to go for snow this winter →

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