If you're planning a trip to Switzerland, there's a good chance Interlaken is already on your radar.
It appears in countless Switzerland itineraries and is often described as the gateway to the Jungfrau region.
But is Interlaken actually worth visiting, or is it simply a convenient base for visiting places like Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald and Jungfraujoch?
After staying in Interlaken for two nights and using it as a base to explore both Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald, my answer is yes.
Interlaken is absolutely worth visiting, especially if you want somewhere practical, easy to get around and well connected by public transport.
However, I also think it's worth being honest. Interlaken itself isn't as dramatic as Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald. For me, its biggest strength is not that it's the most beautiful place in the region, but that it's one of the easiest and most useful bases for exploring it.
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Yes, Interlaken is worth visiting.
I really enjoyed staying there.
It has plenty of restaurants, shops, cafés and accommodation options, and it's easy to explore on foot. It also has a lively feel without being overwhelming.
Compared with smaller places like Lauterbrunnen, Interlaken feels much bigger and busier. That can be a good thing, especially if you want more food options, better transport connections and somewhere that still has things going on in the evening.
It also has a younger, backpacker-friendly feel, with plenty of hostels, outdoor activities and travellers using it as a base for the surrounding mountains.
Interlaken sits between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz in central Switzerland.
The name literally means “between lakes”, and the town is surrounded by mountains, rivers and alpine scenery.
It has two main train stations:
- Interlaken West
- Interlaken Ost
Interlaken Ost is the station most visitors use for journeys towards Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald and the wider Jungfrau region.
The town itself is easy to walk around, with shops, restaurants, supermarkets, hotels, hostels and plenty of tour operators.
It doesn't feel like a tiny Swiss mountain village. It feels more like a lively base town surrounded by incredible scenery.
For me, this is Interlaken's biggest strength.
If you're planning to visit several places in the Jungfrau region, Interlaken makes everything very easy.
From Interlaken, you can easily reach:
During my stay, I used Interlaken as a base for both Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald and found the transport incredibly simple.
Lauterbrunnen is just 22 minutes away by train.
Grindelwald is around 36 minutes away by train.
That makes Interlaken a really practical choice if you want to visit several places without constantly moving accommodation.
Interlaken is a great choice if you're travelling around Switzerland by public transport.
You don't need a car at all.
The train connections are excellent, the stations are easy to use and many of the main areas in town are walkable.
I travelled through Switzerland by train and found Interlaken one of the easiest places to use as a base.
If you're visiting Switzerland for the first time and feel nervous about getting around, Interlaken is a good place to start.
One thing I liked about Interlaken was that it had plenty going on.
There are lots of restaurants, cafés, takeaways, supermarkets and shops, which makes it much easier if you're staying for a few nights.
This is especially useful if you're travelling on a budget.
I picked up picnic supplies from Coop near Interlaken Ost before heading to Grindelwald, which helped keep costs down.
In the evening, there were plenty of places to eat without needing to plan too far ahead.
Interlaken is very popular with backpackers and younger travellers.
There are lots of hostels, activity companies and outdoor adventure options, including paragliding, canyoning and mountain excursions.
I stayed at Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof and found Interlaken worked really well as a solo traveller.
It felt lively and sociable, but not overwhelming.
If you're travelling solo, with friends or as part of a longer rail trip, Interlaken is a very easy place to base yourself.
One of the best things about Interlaken is how close it is to Lauterbrunnen.
The train from Interlaken Ost to Lauterbrunnen takes just 22 minutes and runs regularly throughout the day.
I visited Lauterbrunnen in the evening during summer and it ended up being one of my favourite parts of the trip.
The village itself is much more dramatic than Interlaken, with cliffs, waterfalls and traditional Swiss scenery.
But staying in Interlaken made getting there incredibly easy.
Grindelwald is also very easy to reach from Interlaken.
The train journey takes around 36 minutes and is simple to do as a day trip.
I visited Grindelwald from Interlaken and had originally planned to go up to Grindelwald First. However, the weather was poor and visibility was almost zero, so I changed plans and visited Grindelwald Glacier Canyon instead.
This is one of the advantages of basing yourself in Interlaken. You can be flexible and make decisions depending on the weather.
Yes, Interlaken is beautiful, but I think it's important to explain what type of beautiful it is.
Interlaken has mountain views, pretty streets, green spaces and access to two lakes.
However, if you're imagining dramatic cliffs and waterfalls right outside your door, that's more Lauterbrunnen than Interlaken.
If you're picturing a mountain village surrounded by huge peaks, that's more Grindelwald or Wengen.
Interlaken is scenic, but its real beauty is in its location and access to the surrounding area.
I liked Interlaken, but I wouldn't say the town itself was the most beautiful place I visited in the region.
I don't think Interlaken is overrated, but I do think it can be misunderstood.
If you visit expecting Interlaken itself to be the highlight of the Jungfrau region, you might feel slightly underwhelmed.
But if you visit knowing it's a practical base for exploring the lakes, mountains and nearby villages, it makes complete sense.
For me, Interlaken is not overrated as a base.
It may be slightly overrated as a destination in its own right.
The magic of staying in Interlaken is how easily it connects you to everywhere else.
Yes, Interlaken is an excellent base.
In fact, this is the main reason I would recommend staying there.
It works especially well if you want to visit more than one place in the Jungfrau region.
From Interlaken, you can easily visit Lauterbrunnen one day, Grindelwald the next, and still have time for Harder Kulm, Lake Brienz or Lake Thun.
It's also useful if you're travelling by train through Switzerland, as Interlaken connects well with other destinations including Montreux, Lucerne and Zurich.
If you're planning a first Switzerland trip and don't want to keep changing hotels, Interlaken is a very sensible choice.
This is where I think the decision gets interesting.
Interlaken is better if you want:
Lauterbrunnen is better if you want:
I loved visiting Lauterbrunnen.
It is only 22 minutes further on the train from Interlaken and is very easy to reach.
If I returned to the region, I would seriously consider staying in Lauterbrunnen next time, especially for the scenery.
If I was visiting Switzerland for the first time, I'd probably still choose Interlaken because it's so easy to get around and gives access to everything.
However, now I've experienced both, I think I'd personally stay in Lauterbrunnen or Wengen next time.
The scenery is simply more dramatic and accommodation seemed slightly better suited to families.
That said, the difference is only around 22 minutes by train, so whichever you choose, you're never far from the other.
Interlaken and Grindelwald offer very different experiences.
Interlaken feels more practical.
Grindelwald feels more dramatic.
Interlaken is better if you want:
Grindelwald is better if you want:
If I was planning a short first trip and wanted to see as much as possible, I'd probably choose Interlaken.
If I wanted a more scenic mountain stay, I'd choose Grindelwald.
Yes, I would stay in Interlaken again.
However, if I returned tomorrow, I would also look seriously at Lauterbrunnen or Wengen.
Not because I didn't enjoy Interlaken, but because I think those places offer more of the dramatic scenery many people imagine when planning a trip to Switzerland.
I also found that accommodation around Lauterbrunnen and Wengen seemed to offer more family-friendly options, while Interlaken felt more hotel and hostel based.
For my solo trip, Interlaken worked brilliantly.
For a family trip, I might choose differently.
Interlaken is expensive compared with many European destinations, but it isn't unusually expensive for Switzerland.
Accommodation can be pricey, especially in summer, but there are hostels and more budget-friendly options available.
I stayed at Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof, which worked well for my solo trip.
Food can also add up quickly, but there are ways to keep costs down.
Supermarkets such as Coop are useful for picnic lunches, snacks and simple meals.
If you're travelling on a budget, I would suggest mixing supermarket food with the occasional restaurant meal rather than eating out for every meal.
In my experience, yes.
I visited as a solo traveller and felt safe walking around Interlaken, using the trains and returning to my accommodation in the evening.
Like anywhere, it's sensible to take normal precautions, especially around stations and busy tourist areas, but I didn't feel unsafe at any point.
Switzerland generally feels very safe and Interlaken was no exception.
Yes, Interlaken can work well for families, especially if you want an easy base with good transport links.
The town has plenty of restaurants, supermarkets and activities nearby.
However, for a longer family stay, I would also compare accommodation in Lauterbrunnen, Wengen and Grindelwald.
Interlaken accommodation felt more hotel and hostel based, whereas the surrounding villages may offer more apartment-style stays depending on your dates and budget.
I stayed for two nights and felt that worked well.
With two nights in Interlaken, you could:
- Explore Interlaken itself
- Visit Lauterbrunnen
- Visit Grindelwald
- Take a lake cruise
- Visit Harder Kulm
If you only have one day, Interlaken is still worth visiting, but I would be selective.
If you have three or four days, it becomes an excellent base for the wider Jungfrau region.
Some of the most popular things to do in and around Interlaken include:
- Visit Harder Kulm
- Walk through the town centre
- Take a boat trip on Lake Thun or Lake Brienz
- Go paragliding
- Visit Lauterbrunnen
- Visit Grindelwald
- Take the train towards Jungfraujoch
- Explore cafés, restaurants and shops
For me, the main appeal wasn't one specific attraction in Interlaken itself.
It was the fact that everything was so easy to reach.
Interlaken is a good choice for:
- First-time visitors to Switzerland
- Solo travellers
- Backpackers
- Younger travellers
- Train travellers
- Anyone visiting without a car
- People who want one base for several day trips
- Visitors planning to see Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald
It may be less ideal if you're looking for a quiet, traditional mountain village.
In that case, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen or Grindelwald may suit you better.
Yes, Interlaken is worth visiting.
I really enjoyed my stay and found it one of the easiest places to use as a base in Switzerland.
It has restaurants, shops, hostels, excellent train connections and plenty going on without feeling overwhelming.
However, I wouldn't describe Interlaken itself as the main highlight of the Jungfrau region.
For me, the best reason to stay in Interlaken is how easy it makes everything else.
If you want convenience, Interlaken is a brilliant choice.
If you want the most dramatic scenery, I'd also look at Lauterbrunnen, Wengen or Grindelwald.
Yes.
Would I stay there again?
Yes, especially on a solo or rail-focused trip.
Would I automatically choose it over Lauterbrunnen or Wengen next time?
Not necessarily.
And that, I think, is the most honest answer.
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