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.
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.
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 Aer Lingus, SWISS, American Airlines and other airlines departing from Ireland. The shortest flight to Interlaken from Ireland departs from Dublin and takes around 23h 25m.
SBB is the most popular train carrier serving Interlaken, followed by ÖBB. The train journey from Interlaken to Zurich takes 1h 02m and costs around €31 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Geneva, expect to pay about €29 for a 1h 44m 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.
Another option to get to Interlaken is to pick up a car hire from Geneva, which is about 142 km from Interlaken. You’ll find branches of Alamo and Europcar, among others, in Geneva.
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Interlaken, including FlixBus, BlaBlaBus and Regiojet. From Karlsruhe, the bus ride to Interlaken takes 491 km and will cost you around €29. From Lyon, the ticket costs about €20 for a journey of 547 km.
Average rates range from around €167 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to €362 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Interlaken Youth Hostel and Post Hardermannli.
Expect to pay €1.93 per litre in Interlaken (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between €23.11 and €30.81. The most frequently booked car type in Interlaken is Full-size (Class Full-size SUV or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact car hire (Ford Focus or similar) is, on average, 40% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.