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
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Interlaken in July, when the average temperature is 17 °C, and the highest can go up to 23 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as -4 °C, with an average temperature of -1 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in August, when precipitation is around 145 mm. In contrast, January is usually the driest month of the year in Interlaken, with an average rainfall of 75 mm.
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 Air Canada, Lufthansa, SWISS and other airlines departing from Canada. The shortest flight to Interlaken from Canada departs from Toronto and takes around 7h 55m.
Train
ÖBB is the most popular train carrier serving Interlaken, followed by SNCF. The train journey from Interlaken to Basel takes 1h 12m and costs around C$ 30 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Geneva, expect to pay about C$ 70 for a 2h 41m trip. Located 0.6 km from the city centre, Interlaken Ost is the busiest station in Interlaken. Another popular train station is Interlaken Interlaken West, located 1.0 km from the centre.
Car
Another option to get to Interlaken is to pick up a car rental from Zurich, which is about 92 km 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 Basel, the bus ride to Interlaken takes 105 km and will cost you around C$ 11. From Bern, the ticket costs about C$ 14 for a journey of 145 km.
Airlines serving Interlaken
Where to stay in Interlaken
Average rates range from around C$ 319 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to C$ 623 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Interlaken Youth Hostel and Post Hardermannli.
Where to stay in popular areas of Interlaken
Most booked hotels in Interlaken
Renting a car in Interlaken
Renting a car in Interlaken costs C$ 123 per day, on average, or C$ 246 if you want to rent it for 2 days.
You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 37% more expensive than at Zurich.
Expect to pay C$ 2.86 per litre in Interlaken (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between C$ 34.30 and C$ 45.73. The most frequently booked car type in Interlaken is Economy (Class Economy Car or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini rental cars (Fiat 500 or similar) are, on average, 53% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.