Interlaken takes its name from its position, between the lakes, on the narrow strip of land separating turquoise Lake Thun from deep-blue Lake Brienz. Behind it rise the Eiger, the Mönch and the Jungfrau, three peaks whose north faces form one of the most recognisable skylines in the world. It is the classic base for the Bernese Oberland, and the point where a Swiss trip tips from lakes and villages into genuine high mountains.
The town between the lakes
Interlaken itself is compact and walkable, built around the Höhematte, a wide open meadow deliberately left unbuilt so that the view of the Jungfrau stays clear. From the promenade you look straight up the valley to the snow, and paragliders drift down from the surrounding heights through much of the day.
The two lakes on either side each have their own character. Lake Thun, to the west, is the larger and is dotted with castles along its shore. Lake Brienz, to the east, is smaller, wilder and an extraordinary shade of green, fed by glacial meltwater. A boat on either is one of the calmest ways to take in the region.
Going up: Jungfraujoch, Schilthorn and beyond
The headline excursion is the train to the Jungfraujoch, the highest railway station in Europe at 3,454 metres, reached through a tunnel bored into the Eiger itself. At the top there is an ice palace, an observation terrace, and a view over the Aletsch Glacier, the longest in the Alps. It is a full day and best booked ahead.
For those who prefer an open summit to a tunnel, the cable car to the Schilthorn, with its revolving restaurant, offers a panorama across the whole range. Lower down, the cliff-top villages of Mürren and Wengen, both car-free, and the waterfall valley of Lauterbrunnen give a gentler but no less spectacular version of the same landscape.
Getting there without the logistics
From Geneva or Lausanne, Interlaken is a scenic drive of roughly two and a half hours, much of it along the water. The mountain railways and cable cars beyond it are best reached by starting early, and the connections between them, train to Lauterbrunnen, cable car to Grütschalp, and so on, can take some planning.
A private transfer to Interlaken removes the first and longest leg of that puzzle. You arrive rested at the foot of the mountains rather than after two changes of train, with the whole day still ahead of you for the ascent that brought you here.
Experience it with a private chauffeur
We can take you there in comfort, on your own schedule.
Jungfrau & Interlaken Majesty
