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
$276
1 night at 3-star hotel
Interlaken in January
Estimated hotel price
$276
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 99 km from Interlaken. Zurich Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from Delta, SWISS, United Airlines and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest flight to Interlaken from the United States departs from Boston and takes around 7h 10m.

Train

SNCF is the most popular train carrier serving Interlaken, followed by ÖBB. The train journey from Interlaken to Bern takes 1h 04m and costs around $36 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Geneva, expect to pay about $60 for a 2h 41m 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 Sixt and Hertz, among others, in Zurich.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Interlaken, including FlixBus, BlaBlaBus and Regiojet. From Milan, the bus ride to Interlaken takes 220 miles and will cost you around $49. From Strasbourg, the ticket costs about $25 for a journey of 230 miles.

Plane

Although Interlaken doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Basel All airports (EAP), which is located 99 km from Interlaken. Zurich Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from Delta, SWISS, United Airlines and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest flight to Interlaken from the United States departs from Boston and takes around 7h 10m.

Train

SNCF is the most popular train carrier serving Interlaken, followed by ÖBB. The train journey from Interlaken to Bern takes 1h 04m and costs around $36 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Geneva, expect to pay about $60 for a 2h 41m 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 Sixt and Hertz, among others, in Zurich.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Interlaken, including FlixBus, BlaBlaBus and Regiojet. From Milan, the bus ride to Interlaken takes 220 miles and will cost you around $49. From Strasbourg, the ticket costs about $25 for a journey of 230 miles.

Airports near Interlaken

Airlines serving Interlaken

Lufthansa
Good (4,607 reviews)
KLM
Good (848 reviews)
SWISS
Good (929 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,446 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,595 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,280 reviews)
Air France
Good (974 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,546 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (476 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,928 reviews)
Emirates
Good (2,124 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,480 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,718 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (226 reviews)
Finnair
Good (879 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (833 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,160 reviews)
LOT
Good (681 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (911 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (835 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Interlaken

Average rates range from around $214 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $432 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Interlaken

Most booked hotels in Interlaken

Gasthof Bären
3 stars
Excellent (8.8, 487 reviews)
$113+
Hotel Interlaken
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, 2043 reviews)
$253+
Interlaken Youth Hostel
2 stars
Excellent (8.5, 2609 reviews)
$72+
Hotel Rössli
2 stars
Excellent (8.5, 1356 reviews)
$134+
Salzano Hotel - Spa - Restaurant
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 556 reviews)
$237+
Dorint Blüemlisalp Beatenberg/Interlaken
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, 2692 reviews)
$279+

Renting a car in Interlaken

Renting a car in Interlaken costs $110 per day, on average, or $220 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, 43% more expensive than at Zurich.

Expect to pay $7.76 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 $93.12 and $124.16. Intermediate (Class Intermediate Car or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Interlaken, while also 62% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Interlaken costs $110 per day, on average, or $220 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, 43% more expensive than at Zurich.

Expect to pay $7.76 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 $93.12 and $124.16. Intermediate (Class Intermediate Car or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Interlaken, while also 62% cheaper than other types, on average.