Title: One-week Adventure itinerary to Interlaken, Switzerland With Tui Lakes and Mountains
Interlaken, Switzerland has to be one of my favourite adventure destinations in Europe, and possibly the world.
To be honest, one week simply won’t be able to do it justice as you will have so much to explore and discover across the region.
That’s why, I’ve done my best to highlight the top must-do Summer excursions across the region to give you a taste of what’s possible over a week.
I booked my trip from the UK through Tui Lakes and Mountains which offer a whole host of alpine adventures throughout Europe for every season.
Within this blog post, I will share my one-week Adventure itinerary to explore the region of Interlaken, Switzerland.
Transportation options for Interlaken, Switzerland
To reach Interlaken, Switzerland, you have several options when flying. You can either fly directly into Switzerland via Interlaken, Zurich or Basel and then transfer by train to Bern.
Alternatively, you can fly into Milan, Italy and then take the train to Switzerland.
The best way to travel around Switzerland is by train. Especially for the scenic views along the way.
I would recommend making the most out of the incredible Swiss Train network and purchasing a Swiss Travel Pass, which is a discounted pass that tourists can use to travel around Switzerland.
The pass also covers several scenic train routes which you should take advantage of. The Swiss Travel Pass also works on buses and boats as well as trains and offers discounts on attractions and selected gondolas and cable cars.
If you plan to make the most out of your time in Switzerland and plan to use the transportation networking extensively then the Swiss Travel Pass can be a great option for you.
For example, for my trip, I flew into Geneve, travelled by train along the scenic Lake Geneva to Bern, transferred to a train to Thun and then continued to Interlaken on a lake cruise that took me across Lake Thunersse. All are included in the Swiss Travel Pass.
Even though the train from Thun to Interlaken was much quicker, it was a nice experience to break up the journey and travel on a lake cruise which is included in the Swiss Travel Pass.
As an alternative to train travel in Switzerland, why not rent a car? A rental car with Auto Europe offers extreme flexibility and enables to reach any destination, even the most remote areas, which are usually not served by public transport.
They also provide offers with many different suppliers, including winter tires, and have several pick-up points across Switzerland. One-way rentals are also usually possible which is a nice way to remain flexible when you travel.
Cruise along Lake Thun to Interlaken
Start your adventure to Interlaken in style with a scenic cruise around Lake Thun with its picturesque mountain backdrops, majestic castles and small lake Swiss villages.
You will fall in love with Interlaken before you’ve even arrived!
First, take the train to Thun and then alight on the BLS lake cruise port for an over two-hour journey that will take you to Interlaken.
The Lake cruise is included in the Swiss Travel Pass so why not take this alternative route and enjoy the journey?
Stay at the Hotel Krebs & Terrace Restaurants
During my week in Interlaken, I stayed at Hotel Krebs & Terrace Restaurants.
Perfectly located close to Interlaken West, this makes for a perfect base for your week of adventure in Interlaken.
I booked the hotel as part of my package through Tui Lakes and Mountains.
Friendly staff and comfortable rooms with all the facilities you need.
The highlight of my stay had to be the incredible breakfast set-up that they offer guests which is a great way to set yourself up for the long day of adventure ahead.
The evening dining experience on the terrace is also worth mentioning with the great offering of local Swiss dishes on offer such as Fondue, raclette and rosti dishes which were all excellent.
Enjoying a traditional Swiss Fondue for dinner was a perfect way to end the day after all the walking and cable cars.
Purchase a Jung Frau Travel Pass whilst in Interlaken
It’s good to mention at this point that whilst exploring Interlaken and the surrounding region it might be a good idea to pick up a Jung Frau Travel Pass.
The Jung Frau Travel Pass has now replaced the Top of Europe Pass. You can use your ticket on your phone as a digital PDF or you can print out if you prefer.
Some of the trains that depart from Interlaken Ost such as the Jung Frau railway require a Jung Frau Travel Pass or separate ticket. The Swiss Travel Pass or Inter Rail Pass does not work on these select trains.
Best to work out which rail ticket you will need for each adventure that you will go on in the region.
Jung Frau Travel Pass is available from 3 to 8 consecutive days depending on the duration of your trip and range in price.
The Jung Frau Travel Pass will give you access to:
– The Jung Frau railway network such as Bernese Oberland Railway to destinations such as Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen.
– Rail connections between Interlaken Ost – Interlaken West.
– Local lake cruises from Interlaken Ost – Brienz, Boat Thunersee and Boat Brienzersee.
– The Grindelwald Bus.
– Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe at a special price: Eigergletscher – Jungfraujoch returns at a special price.
– Eiger Express, Grindelwald Terminal
– Harder funicular – Interlaken – Harder Kulm
– Schynige Platte Railway – Wilderswil – Schynige Platte
– Wengernalp Railway – Lauterbrunnen – Kleine Scheidegg – Grindelwald
– Mountain Railway Grindelwald-First and Grindelwald-Männlichen Gondola Cableway.
– And much much more.
Interlaken Pass
I would also like to mention that if you stay in Interlaken overnight you will pay a small local tourist tax on top of your stay.
Paying this small tourist tax will give you access to an Interlaken Pass which will cover the costs of local transportation such as free buses around Interlaken as well as many other discounts.
This is a great free option to get the bus from Interlaken Ost to Interlaken West.
Make sure you collect your Interlaken pass-up when checking into your Interlaken accommodation.
Head to the top of Schilthorn Piz Gloria for the ultimate James Bond experience
start your day by heading up to the top of Schilthorn Piz Gloria, which was used as a filming location for James Bond, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in 1969.
To reach the top you have to take a series of cable cars.
First to Grimmelwald, then to Murren, transfer to Birg cable car, then finally, the Schilthorn cable car which will take you to the very top.
All the cable cars connect on time like Swiss clockwork.
Once you arrive at Schilthorn Piz Gloria, you can enjoy the mountain views, explore some filming locations, visit the museum and even dine at the Schilthorn Piz Gloria 360° a revolving Restaurant used in the film.
My recommendation would be to go for the exclusive James Bond Brunch which includes 007 branded cutlery.
Why not enjoy a glass of James Bond Champagne, beer or a Martini at the James Bond bar, shaken not stirred?
On the way back down, I would recommend stopping and spending some time at Birg station which offers wonderful views of the surrounding mountains.
Murren is also another great stop with a pleasant village to walk around and has a selection of hiking trails you can enjoy in the area.
Enjoy your day exploring the Schilthorn!
Enjoy the lake views from the top of Harder Kulm funicular
Time for another day of adventure, start the day by taking the Harder Kulm funicular ride 1,322 metres up to the very top of Interlaken.
Enjoy the view from the Two Lakes Bridge and see the peaks of Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau as well as the two lakes, Thun and Brienz.
The Harder Kulm funicular has been in operation since 1908 and offers a selection of peak hiking routes offering scenic vista views of the surrounding mountain tops.
The Panorama Restaurant also at the top is a great spot to enjoy lunch with a view. I highly recommend the Schnitzel which goes well with the alpine vibe.
Hike up to the Giessbach Falls
Time for a different kind of adventure, so why not hike up to Giessbach Falls?
To reach Giessbach Falls enjoy a lake cruise around Lake Brienz from Interlaken Ost port.
You can then stop off at Giessbach Falls and go for a picturesque hike around the waterfalls which will take you around an hour and a half.
The great thing about this hike is the route will take you up along the waterfall as you follow it up to the very top.
You will also pass by the Grandhotel Giessbach which is a perfect halfway spot for a coffee or ice cream stop as you follow the waterfall up to the top.
If you like, you can take the Grandhotel Giessbach Funicular for a ride back down to the bottom, which is one of the oldest still in operation in Switzerland. Then you can return to Interlaken again on the same lake cruise.
Head to the Top of Europe towards Jungfraujoch station
Today’s adventure is heading to the Top of Europe to Jungfraujoch station.
From Interlaken Ost, head towards Grindelwald terminal, change to the Eiger Express Gondola and then finally change to the Jungfrau train.
At 3,454m, Jungfraujoch has the highest train station in Europe and offers 365 days of ice and snow.
I want to mention at this moment in time that even with the purchase of a Jung Frau Travel Pass it’s still recommended to book a reservation ticket to avoid disappointment. Especially on a clear day, it can become busy. Without a reserved seat, you run the risk of not having a seat secured for your preferred journey.
Head towards the Sphinx Observatory where you can see as far as Italy, France and Germany.
Head inside the glacier itself to explore glittering ice tunnels and sculptures carved inside the Ice Palace.
Before heading down, enjoy lunch at à la carte Restaurant Crystal offering Swiss classics such as Rösti.
With its high alpine ambience and spectacular views overlooking Aletsch Glacier, you won’t be disappointed by this dining experience.
Grindelwald First is full of adventure
The adventure continues as we head up to the top of Grindelwald First.
Take the train from Interlaken Ost to Grindelwald and walk to the Grindelwald First Lift station. This will take you to the top of Grindelwald First passing by Bort and Schreckfeld station.
My recommendation is to enjoy the scenic mountain hike to Lake Bachalpsee which takes around an hour and a half to complete as a round-trip walk.
For the adrenaline junky in your life, you can opt for a Grindelwald First adventure package. This is truly the most fun way to get back down to the bottom from the top of Grindelwald First.
You can select up to four adventures: Whiz through the air with the First Flyer or First Glider, hop onto the fun First Mountain Cart and take the Trottibike for a spin to reach the bottom. The package includes unlimited rides on the gondola lift.
Take the Golden Pass Express train from Interlaken to Montreux
Why not end your trip in style by taking the scenic Golden Pass Express train from Interlaken to Montreux?
You can use your Swiss Travel Pass on this route for no additional cost.
The journey time is just over three hours and will take you through some of the most scenic parts of Switzerland from the comfort of your seat.
Why not upgrade yourself from first class to prestige class for the cost of an additional seat reservation and travel in pure style?
What a wonderful way to end my adventure in Interlaken, Switzerland!
Highly recommend this journey if love travelling by train, it’s one of the top rail experiences in Europe.
Thank you for reading my blog post about my adventure to Interlaken, Switzerland
Thank you for passing by my blog and reading my one-week adventure itinerary to exploring Interlaken, Switzerland With Tui Lakes and Mountains.
I hope you found this article useful towards planning your next adventure in Switzerland.
Have an amazing time discovering Switzerland, it truly is an incredible place!
If you have any further questions about my trip, please feel free to email me; I will be more than happy to help.
This blog post was put together in collaboration with With Tui Lakes and Mountains to help you plan your next adventure.
