Interlaken Ost is where three railways meet, which is the entire reason a town of 5,700 people works as a base for the Bernese Oberland. The headline Interlaken train trip is Jungfraujoch — Europe's highest railway station at 3,454 m ($338). The best value by a distance is the 1893 Schynige Platte cog railway at $85. And on day trips from Interlaken by train to Lauterbrunnen or Brienz, you don't need a tour at all.
Almost every train trip from Interlaken starts at Interlaken Ost, not Interlaken West. Knowing which line goes where is most of what you need to plan a rail day.
The line that splits at Zweilütschinen — one branch to Lauterbrunnen, one to Grindelwald. Everything high-alpine starts here.
Along Lake Brienz and over the Brünig Pass. This is the Luzern–Interlaken Express, one of Switzerland's great standard-fare rides.
The connection to the rest of the country — Bern in 52 minutes, Zurich in two hours, Geneva in 2 h 45.
Schynige Platte from Wilderswil (1893), Harder Kulm above the town (1908) and the Jungfrau Railway from Kleine Scheidegg (1912).
One record-setter, one bargain, one that removes all the connection stress. Ranked on what you get for the ticket rather than on altitude alone.
Our take: Europe's highest railway station, an ice palace inside the glacier and the Aletsch view. Expensive at $338, and there is genuinely nothing else like it.
Our take: $85 for an 1893 cog railway to a 1,967 m ridge, an alpine botanical garden and the whole Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau wall opposite. The best rail value here.
Our take: The same summit with all three changes handled and the timed slot pre-booked. 4.7★ across 1,825 reviews — the most-reviewed rail day in the region.
Interlaken Ost to 3,454 m and back in about six hours. Summer morning slots fill first; free cancellation up to 24 hours means booking early costs nothing.
Every rail-based ticket and tour we've checked from Interlaken, including the three regional passes. Pass prices are the cheapest validity tier.
Our take: Self-guided, three changes, timed final leg. The rating of 4.6★ across 401 reviews mostly reflects price and crowds, not the experience at the top.
Our take: $324 with the connections handled — cheaper than the self-guided ticket and far less to think about. The most-reviewed option on this page.
Our take: Wooden carriages, 52 minutes of climbing, an alpine garden at the top and a ridge walk. Do this instead of a second summit.
Our take: Eight minutes to 1,322 m and the two-lake panorama above the town. The 3.4★ average is about price for a short ride — the view itself is superb.
Our take: Free travel across the Jungfrau region's trains, buses and boats plus a discount to the summit. Pays off from about four active days.
Our take: Wider coverage than the Jungfrau pass, including Lake Thun. Only 13 reviews at 3.7★ — read the coverage map carefully before buying.
Our take: 4.8★ across 2,059 reviews. Excellent for a multi-city Switzerland trip; poor value for a stay based only in Interlaken.
Our take: 4.8★ across 2,538 reviews. A twelve-hour day, but the only realistic way to reach 3,454 m and be back in Zurich the same night.
Half of the best rail days out of Interlaken need no tour and no reservation — you buy a ticket at the machine and get on. These are the honest one-way times from Interlaken Ost.
Swiss regional trains don't use seat reservations, so none of the journeys below require any planning beyond looking at a departure board. If you're doing three or more of them, price up a regional pass before buying singles — the Jungfrau Travel Pass covers most of this table.
| Route | One way | What's at the end | Ticket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lauterbrunnen | 20 min | 72 waterfalls, Staubbach, cliff villages | Regional fare |
| Grindelwald | 34 min | Eiger village, First cable car, Glacier Canyon | Regional fare |
| Wilderswil → Schynige Platte | 7 min + 52 min | 1,967 m ridge, alpine garden | $85 round trip |
| Kleine Scheidegg | 50 min | The Eiger north face at eye level | Regional fare |
| Jungfraujoch | 1 h 45 | Europe's highest station, ice palace | $338 round trip |
| Brienz | 18 min | Woodcarving village, Rothorn steam railway | Regional fare |
| Thun | 26 min | Castle, old town, lake steamers | Regional fare |
| Bern | 52 min | UNESCO old town, the capital | Standard fare |
| Lucerne | 1 h 50 | Chapel Bridge, Pilatus, the scenic express | Standard fare |
Three passes cover this region and they are not interchangeable. The right one depends entirely on how far your trip ranges beyond the Bernese Oberland.
Jungfrau Travel Pass ($262, 3–8 days). Free travel on the region's trains, buses and boats, with a discount on the Jungfrau Railway's final leg. This is the one that fits a trip based in Interlaken. It starts to pay for itself at roughly four active days.
Berner Oberland Pass ($210, 3–10 days). Broader geographic coverage including Lake Thun, but a thinner review record — 13 reviews at 3.7★. Check the coverage map against your actual plan rather than assuming it supersedes the Jungfrau pass.
Swiss Travel Pass ($317, 3–15 days). Superb if your trip is Zurich–Lucerne–Interlaken–Geneva; poor value if you're staying put. It gives 50% off the Jungfrau Railway rather than free passage, and most Interlaken activities aren't transport at all. We've written the full calculation on our Swiss Travel Pass page.
Jungfraujoch — Europe's highest railway station at 3,454 m, reached by three connecting trains from Interlaken Ost ($338 self-guided, $324 on a guided day trip with the connections handled). For value, the Schynige Platte railway at $85 is the better ticket: an 1893 cog railway to a 1,967 m ridge with the same three peaks opposite.
Yes, and most of the best ones need no tour. Lauterbrunnen is 20 minutes, Grindelwald 34, Brienz 18, Thun 26 and Bern 52. None require a reservation — you buy a ticket at the machine and get on. Interlaken Ost is where the three lines meet, so check you're at the right station.
About 1 hour 45 each way, with changes at Lauterbrunnen (or Grindelwald) and Kleine Scheidegg. The full round trip with time at the top runs six to six and a half hours. The final leg on the Jungfrau Railway runs on timed slots that fill on clear summer mornings.
It is if you accept what you're buying: a record, a glacier view and an ice palace, at a price that reflects a railway bored through the Eiger in 1912. It is not worth it on a cloudy day — check the live summit webcam first. If the budget is the constraint, Schynige Platte at $85 gives you the same mountain wall from a ridge opposite for a quarter of the price.
An 1893 cog railway running from Wilderswil, seven minutes from Interlaken Ost, up to a 1,967 m ridge in 52 minutes. Original-style open carriages, an alpine botanical garden at the top with several hundred species, and a panorama straight across at the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. At $85 round trip it's the best rail value in the region.
Regional trains, no — Swiss domestic services don't use seat reservations and the fare is the same on the day. The Jungfrau Railway's final leg to the summit does run on timed slots that sell out on clear summer mornings, so book that one ahead. Guided rail day trips are worth booking a few days out in July and August.
Ost for almost everything: the Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald lines, the Lucerne express, the Harder Kulm funicular and the Lake Brienz boats all start there. West is the stop for the Lake Thun pier and is slightly closer to the western end of the town centre. The two are about fifteen minutes apart on foot.
Yes — it's a direct, roughly hourly, 1 hour 50 ride over the Brünig Pass and along the full length of Lake Brienz, at a standard fare with no reservation. Sit on the left leaving Lucerne. It is one of the few genuinely scenic Swiss rail journeys that costs nothing extra.
The Jungfrau Travel Pass ($262) if your trip is based in the Bernese Oberland and runs four days or more. The Swiss Travel Pass ($317) if you're covering several cities across the country — it's excellent nationally but gives only 50% off the Jungfrau Railway. For a two- or three-day Interlaken stay, individual tickets are usually cheaper than any pass.
The regional lines to Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald, Brienz and Thun run year round, as does the Jungfrau Railway — the summit station is open 365 days. The Schynige Platte railway and the Harder Kulm funicular are seasonal and close for the winter, so check operating dates before planning a trip around either.
Lauterbrunnen at 20 minutes and Brienz at 18 are the easy wins, both on a standard regional fare. Schynige Platte ($85) is the best paid rail day. Jungfraujoch ($338) is the record-setter. Thun at 26 minutes gives you a castle and an old town, and Bern at 52 minutes is a full change of scene for the price of a ticket.
There is no dedicated Interlaken tour train from Bern — the regular service takes 52 minutes and needs no tour. From Milan, a thirteen-hour Interlaken and Swiss Alps day trip runs by coach at $174, and the Sky Glass bus tour from Zurich ($86) is the closest thing to an Interlaken tour bus within Switzerland.
The eight entries above cover every rail ticket, guided rail day and regional pass we've checked against its live listing, rating and review count. Journey times are the standard timetable from Interlaken Ost, not best-case connections, and pass prices are the cheapest validity tier — longer versions cost more.
Where a journey needs no ticket beyond a regional fare, this page says so rather than pointing you at a bookable equivalent. Last updated: August 2026.
The full calculation for an Interlaken-based trip, and the alternatives that usually beat it here.
The complete review of the region's headline rail trip: what's at the top, what to wear, and whether it's worth it.
Zurich, Geneva, Bern, Lucerne and Milan compared, plus Interlaken Ost vs West.
Book Jungfraujoch if you want the record and the glacier, take Schynige Platte if you want the view for a quarter of the price, and just turn up at Interlaken Ost for everything else. Free cancellation up to 24 hours on the booked trips.
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