Interlaken travel guide

Interlaken Tourism | Interlaken Guide

You're Going to Love Interlaken

With a population of 5,067, Interlaken is a must-see destination in Bern, Switzerland. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Interlaken deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

When to visit Interlaken

Interlaken in January
Estimated hotel price
$274
1 night at 3-star hotel
Interlaken in January
Estimated hotel price
$274
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Interlaken in July, when the average temperature is 62.6 °F, and the highest can go up to 73.4 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 24.8 °F, with an average temperature of 30.2 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in August, when precipitation is around 5.7″. In contrast, January is usually the driest month of the year in Interlaken, with an average rainfall of 3″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Interlaken

Plane

Although Interlaken doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Basel All airports (EAP), which is located 62 miles from Interlaken. Zurich Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from SWISS, United Airlines, Edelweiss Air and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest flight to Interlaken from the United States departs from New York and takes around 7h 35m.

Train

SNCF is the most popular train carrier serving Interlaken, followed by AccesRail. The train journey from Interlaken to Basel takes 0h 53m and costs around $20 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bern, expect to pay about $38 for a 1h 04m trip. Located 0.4 miles from the city center, Interlaken Ost is the busiest station in Interlaken. Another popular train station is Interlaken Interlaken West, located 0.6 miles from the center.

Car

Another option to get to Interlaken is to pick up a car rental from Zurich, which is about 57 miles from Interlaken. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Budget, among others, in Zurich.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Interlaken, including FlixBus, BlaBlaBus and MarinoBus. From Memmingen, the bus ride to Interlaken takes 205 miles and will cost you around $17. From Milan, the ticket costs about $49 for a journey of 220 miles.

Plane

Although Interlaken doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Basel All airports (EAP), which is located 62 miles from Interlaken. Zurich Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from SWISS, United Airlines, Edelweiss Air and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest flight to Interlaken from the United States departs from New York and takes around 7h 35m.

Train

SNCF is the most popular train carrier serving Interlaken, followed by AccesRail. The train journey from Interlaken to Basel takes 0h 53m and costs around $20 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bern, expect to pay about $38 for a 1h 04m trip. Located 0.4 miles from the city center, Interlaken Ost is the busiest station in Interlaken. Another popular train station is Interlaken Interlaken West, located 0.6 miles from the center.

Car

Another option to get to Interlaken is to pick up a car rental from Zurich, which is about 57 miles from Interlaken. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Budget, among others, in Zurich.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Interlaken, including FlixBus, BlaBlaBus and MarinoBus. From Memmingen, the bus ride to Interlaken takes 205 miles and will cost you around $17. From Milan, the ticket costs about $49 for a journey of 220 miles.

Airports near Interlaken

Airlines serving Interlaken

Lufthansa
Good (4,689 reviews)
KLM
Good (846 reviews)
SWISS
Good (954 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,604 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,264 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,587 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (489 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,598 reviews)
Air France
Good (980 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,106 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,433 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,971 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,967 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (227 reviews)
Finnair
Good (857 reviews)
LOT
Good (677 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (816 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (928 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,168 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (837 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Interlaken

Average rates range from around $259 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $514 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Post Hardermannli and Hotel Blume / El Azteca.

Where to stay in popular areas of Interlaken

Most booked hotels in Interlaken

Gasthof Bären
3 stars
Excellent (8.8, 510 reviews)
$147+
Hotel Interlaken
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, 2048 reviews)
$281+
Interlaken Youth Hostel
1 star
Excellent (8.5, 2691 reviews)
$72+
Salzano Hotel - Spa - Restaurant
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 573 reviews)
$335+
Dorint Blüemlisalp Beatenberg/Interlaken
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, 2705 reviews)
$314+
Hotel Weisses Kreuz
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 1780 reviews)
$178+

Renting a car in Interlaken

Renting a car in Interlaken costs $136 per day, on average, or $273 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 49% more expensive than at Zurich.

Expect to pay $7.84 per gallon in Interlaken (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $94.03 and $125.37. Intermediate (Class Intermediate Car or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Interlaken, while also 64% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Interlaken costs $136 per day, on average, or $273 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 49% more expensive than at Zurich.

Expect to pay $7.84 per gallon in Interlaken (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $94.03 and $125.37. Intermediate (Class Intermediate Car or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Interlaken, while also 64% cheaper than other types, on average.