Interlaken
Interlaken is a practical base for mountain train rides, lake days and outdoor sports in the Bernese Oberland.
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Interlaken is a town in the canton of Bern, in central Switzerland. It sits between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, on the Aare River, in the Bernese Oberland. The name comes from the German for "between lakes." The Jungfrau mountains rise to the south, so the views are close from most streets. Trips here are usually built around the mountains: trains climb from the area to the Jungfraujoch and to peaks such as Schilthorn and Harder Kulm, and the Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald valleys are a short train ride away.
June through September suits hiking, paragliding, rafting and swimming in the lakes. Winter brings skiing and snowboarding to the nearby resorts. Two to three days covers the town and one or two mountain excursions. A week leaves room for a day trip to Lucerne or a boat ride on one of the lakes. Switzerland is expensive, so book lodging and transport early, especially for summer.
Interlaken in five
- Buy a Swiss Travel Pass before the first trainThe pass covers SBB trains, many postal buses and lake boats on one ticket. Mountain railways such as the Jungfrau line give a discount on it rather than free rides, so price those legs separately.Getting around
- Use Interlaken Ost for the Jungfrau trainsTrains to Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald and the Jungfraujoch leave from Interlaken Ost, not from Interlaken West, which serves the Bern and Zurich trains. Check the departure board for your platform before you board.
- Book Jungfraujoch online for a set timeCloud and fog can hide the view from the top, so keep a spare day and check the forecast before you travel up. Buy the ticket online before you go to the station.
- Carry Swiss francs for huts and small stopsSome mountain huts and small kiosks take only cash, so carry Swiss francs for them. Cards work in most hotels and shops in town, so keep some cash for the small purchases.
- Set up an eSIM before you landMobile signal can drop on mountain trails and in the high valleys, so download offline maps and timetables before you leave town.Phones and eSIM
Need to know
- Currency
- Swiss franc (CHF)
- Entry
- Visa-free short stays for many passports; Schengen rules apply Read more
- Emergency
- 117 police, 118 fire, 144 ambulance; 112 works from any phone
- Tipping
- Service is included; rounding up or leaving small change is normal
- Time
- UTC+1 in winter, UTC+2 in summer (daylight saving)
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Days with storms
- Festival
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain17 rainy days6 snowy daysHigh4°Low-3°Ski seasonJanuaryRain
Good
- High
- 4°
- Low
- -3°
- Precipitation
- 146 mm
- Rainy days
- 17
- Snowy days
- 6
- Days with storms
- 0
Ski season
- FebruaryRain13 rainy days5 snowy daysHigh6°Low-2°Ski seasonFebruaryRain
Good
- High
- 6°
- Low
- -2°
- Precipitation
- 105 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 5
- Days with storms
- 0
Ski season
- MarchRain16 rainy days4 snowy daysHigh8°Low0°Snow, skiingMarchRain
Good
- High
- 8°
- Low
- 0°
- Precipitation
- 143 mm
- Rainy days
- 16
- Snowy days
- 4
- Days with storms
- 0
Snow, skiing
- AprilRain16 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh11°Low2°Green, showersAprilRain
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 184 mm
- Rainy days
- 16
- Snowy days
- 3
- Days with storms
- 0
Green, showers
- MayRain22 rainy daysHigh15°Low6°Green, showersMayRain
Mixed
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 251 mm
- Rainy days
- 22
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Green, showers
- JuneRain19 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh20°Low11°Hiking, long daysJuneRain
Best
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 239 mm
- Rainy days
- 19
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Hiking, long days
- JulyRain20 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh21°Low13°Hiking, long daysJulyRain
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 256 mm
- Rainy days
- 20
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Hiking, long days
- AugustRain17 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh21°Low13°Hiking, long daysAugustRain
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 234 mm
- Rainy days
- 17
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Hiking, long days
- SeptemberRain16 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh17°Low9°Clear, fewer crowdsSeptemberRain
Best
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 181 mm
- Rainy days
- 16
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Clear, fewer crowds
- OctoberRain14 rainy daysHigh14°Low6°Autumn, quieterOctoberRain
Good
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 159 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Autumn, quieter
- NovemberRain15 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh7°Low1°Quiet, closingNovemberRain
Poor
- High
- 7°
- Low
- 1°
- Precipitation
- 156 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 3
- Days with storms
- 0
Quiet, closing
- DecemberRain14 rainy days6 snowy daysHigh5°Low-2°Ski, ChristmasDecemberRain
Good
- High
- 5°
- Low
- -2°
- Precipitation
- 145 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 6
- Days with storms
- 0
Ski, Christmas
Average daily high and low in Interlaken, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Festivals: Jun Greenfield Festival
Right now in Interlaken
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
-7
- Feels like
- -11°
- Humidity
- 68%
- Wind
- 4 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Interlaken
10:58 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today-7°-9°0%Monday: Clear. High -7°, Low -9°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue-8°-11°8%Tuesday: Cloudy. High -8°, Low -11°. Chance of rain 8%.
- Wed-7°-11°15%Wednesday: Fog. High -7°, Low -11°. Chance of rain 15%.
- Thu-3°-7°6%Thursday: Snow. High -3°, Low -7°. Chance of rain 6%.
- Fri-3°-5°38%Friday: Snow. High -3°, Low -5°. Chance of rain 38%.
- Sat-5°-7°39%Saturday: Fog. High -5°, Low -7°. Chance of rain 39%.
- Sun-6°-7°30%Sunday: Snow. High -6°, Low -7°. Chance of rain 30%.
Updated 10:28 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 0.8245 CHF
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Every year
- Feb–MarLucerne carnivalLucerne, a day trip
- Feb–MarCarnival in BernBern, a day trip
- Feb–MarRabadanTicino, a day trip
- Mar–AprFumettoLucerne, a day trip
- Jun–JulAscona Jazz FestivalLocarno, a day trip
- JunGreenfield FestivalInterlaken
- Jul–AugVerbier FestivalValais, a day trip
- JulMontreux Jazz FestivalMontreux, a day trip
Day trips by train
- Jungfraujochabout 2 hours by train, one wayThe highest rail station in Europe, reached by a train climb through the mountains.
- Lauterbrunnenabout 20 to 25 minutes by trainA narrow valley with waterfalls below steep cliffs, and a short trip from the town.
- Grindelwaldabout 30 to 40 minutes by trainA village at the foot of the Eiger, with trails and views of the north face.
- Lucerneabout 2 hours by trainLake and old town with the covered wooden bridge, better as a half day than a rushed stop.
Before you go to Interlaken
Rules for Interlaken, checked
- Switzerland is in the Schengen Area, so many passports need no visa for a short stay. Check your passport's rules with the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration before you book.Source
- Stay on marked trails and check trail and weather conditions before you go up, since some paths close in snow or after storms.
- Declare food, plants and medicines you carry when customs asks, and check the rules for them on the official customs website before you travel.
- Dial 112 from any phone for an emergency. In the mountains, the Rega air rescue number is 1414.
Plan around Interlaken
Regions, entry rules, transport and money for a Swiss trip
Read the guideGetting around SwitzerlandTrains, buses, boats and passes compared for mountain days
Read the guideMoney and costsCash, cards and typical prices for food, rides and sights
Read the guideWhere to stayInterlaken, Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen compared as bases
Read the guideTours and ticketsMountain railway tickets and guided day trips to book ahead
Read the guideInterlaken FAQ
Is Interlaken worth visiting?
Yes for mountains and lakes, since trains to Jungfraujoch, Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald leave from the town. If you want city sights and museums, Zurich or Lucerne suit that better.
How many days do you need in Interlaken?
Three days covers Jungfraujoch, one valley village and a lake boat trip. Add a day for each extra hike, and a spare day in case cloud hides the high views.
Should I stay in Interlaken or Grindelwald?
Stay in Interlaken for shops, restaurants and the main train links to the valleys. Stay in Grindelwald for mountain views from your room and early starts on the trails.
How do you get from Zurich to Interlaken?
By direct train in about 2 hours from Zurich main station. Check whether your hotel is nearer Interlaken Ost or Interlaken West before you buy your ticket.
When is the best time to visit Interlaken?
June to September for hiking and open mountain stations. Winter suits skiing in the Jungfrau region. Check each railway's season dates before you go, since they can change from year to year.
Do I need a car in Interlaken?
No. Trains and buses cover the valleys and the mountain stations, and the lake walks reach most town sights. A car only helps for trips off the main valleys.