Lucerne to Interlaken and Grindelwald: day trip guide

Lucerne to Interlaken and Grindelwald: day trip guide

Quick answer

How do you get from Lucerne to Interlaken?

Take the Zentralbahn over the Brünig Pass to Interlaken Ost — a scenic 1 hour 50 minute journey through the pre-Alps. No change needed. Covered by Swiss Travel Pass. From Interlaken, connect to Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen in 25-35 minutes.

Lucerne to Interlaken: the Brünig Pass route

The train from Lucerne to Interlaken crosses the Brünig Pass — a mountain railway journey in its own right. The Zentralbahn climbs through the forested foothills above Lake Lucerne, crosses the 1,007-metre pass between the cantons of Obwalden and Bern, and descends to Lake Brienz and on to Interlaken. The journey passes through Sarnen, Giswil, Lungern (with a brilliant blue reservoir lake), and Brienz — a traditional wood-carving village on the eastern shore of the Brienzersee.

The result is that the 1 hour 50 minute journey from Lucerne to Interlaken is genuinely worth taking for the scenery alone, not merely as a means to an end. The Brünig route is not as dramatic as the Gotthard or the Bernina, but it has a consistent beauty — wooded gorges, meadows, the turquoise lakes — that makes it one of the nicer unremarked scenic railways in Switzerland.

From Interlaken, the entire Bernese Oberland opens up: Grindelwald and the Eiger, Lauterbrunnen and its 72 waterfalls, the Jungfraujoch summit railway, and a network of hiking trails that could fill a week without repetition.

Getting from Lucerne to Interlaken

Route: Lucerne HB → Interlaken Ost on the Zentralbahn (same train as the Engelberg service, different branch).

Journey time: 1 hour 50 minutes. Direct, no change required.

Frequency: Approximately hourly.

Swiss Travel Pass: Covers the full journey, Lucerne to Interlaken Ost.

Individual return ticket: Lucerne to Interlaken Ost: approximately CHF 68.

First useful departure: The 07:07 from Lucerne arrives in Interlaken Ost at 08:57 — giving a full day in the Bernese Oberland. For a relaxed start, the 08:07 (arrives 09:57) still allows a full day if you plan efficiently.

Book a guided day trip from Lucerne to Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen — this guided option handles all the Bernese Oberland connections and includes commentary about the landscape and the local Alpine culture.

The Brünig Pass railway: highlights en route

Lungern (Lungerersee)

The Lungerersee is a reservoir lake created in 1836 by raising the natural lake with a dam — one of the earliest Swiss hydroelectric projects. The colour of the water is an intense blue-green that photographs almost artificially vivid. The train passes directly above the lake on a section of track that gives excellent views.

The village of Lungern has a distinctive church spire visible above the lake, and the surrounding slopes have good hiking trails in summer. Worth a brief look from the train window even without stopping.

Brienz

The train descends from the Brünig Pass to Brienz on the eastern shore of Lake Brienz. Brienz is a traditional village famous for two things: wood carving (the Swiss Open-Air Museum in nearby Ballenberg demonstrates traditional crafts) and the Brienz Rothorn — a 2,350-metre peak accessed by the last remaining coal-fired steam rack railway in Switzerland.

If you have time (the steam railway takes 1 hour to the summit), Brienz Rothorn is one of the most unusual excursions in Switzerland. The cogwheel steam locomotive puffs up through the forest with genuine steam — not a diesel disguised as steam, but a real coal-fired boiler. The summit view is excellent. The Rothorn steam railway is not covered by the Swiss Travel Pass (around CHF 68 return).

Lake Brienz (Brienzersee)

The lake between Brienz and Interlaken is a distinctive milky turquoise colour, caused by glacial rock flour suspended in the water. On a sunny day the colour is vivid enough to seem artificial. The train runs along the southern shore of the lake from Brienz to Interlaken, and a lake steamer (covered by the Swiss Travel Pass) also makes this crossing — the steamer is slower (about 1 hour) but gives a completely different perspective.

What to do in Interlaken

Interlaken is the tourism hub of the Bernese Oberland — a town of moderate size built on the flat land between the two lakes, with the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau visible from the main promenade (the Höheweg) on clear days. Most visitors treat Interlaken as a transit point rather than a destination in itself, and that is not unreasonable — the surrounding valleys are the attraction.

However, Interlaken has its own merits:

Jungfraubahn Park: The central park on the Höheweg between the two stations gives the best free view of the Bernese Alps from any town in Switzerland. On a clear morning, all three 4,000-metre peaks are visible simultaneously. The park has large lawns and benches — a good place to sit and get your bearings.

Interlaken old town (Unterseen): The adjacent village of Unterseen (across the Aare from Interlaken East station) has the oldest buildings in the area and a charming church square. Less visited than the main promenade — good for a quiet half-hour.

Adventure sports: Interlaken is the adventure capital of Switzerland. Skydiving, paragliding, canyoning, rafting, and bungee jumping are all offered by multiple operators. Most activities are walk-in or same-day bookable. Paragliding tandem flights (approximately CHF 170-200) over the Lauterbrunnen valley are a particularly good experience.

Grindelwald: the Eiger village

The train from Interlaken Ost to Grindelwald takes 35 minutes by the Bernese Oberland Railway (BOB). Swiss Travel Pass is valid.

Grindelwald sits beneath the north face of the Eiger — at 3,967 metres, with a nearly vertical 1,800-metre face of dark limestone rising directly above the village. Standing in Grindelwald and looking up at the Eiger is one of the more dramatic experiences in Switzerland, comparable in emotional weight to Zermatt and the Matterhorn.

Key activities in Grindelwald:

  • Grindelwald First gondola (25 min, CHF 36 return): alpine meadows at 2,168 m, cliff walk, mountain restaurant
  • Männlichen gondola (30 min, additional cost): ridge viewpoint between Grindelwald and Wengen valleys
  • Kleine Scheidegg (train from Grindelwald Grund, 1 hour, covered by Swiss Travel Pass): pass below the Eiger with close-up views of the north face

For the Jungfraujoch cogwheel railway to the Top of Europe, Grindelwald is the starting point for one approach (via the Grindelwald Terminal gondola to Eigergletscher, then the tunnel railway). This is the most expensive add-on from Interlaken — approximately CHF 145 return with Swiss Travel Pass from Interlaken Ost.

Lauterbrunnen: the valley of waterfalls

The train from Interlaken Ost to Lauterbrunnen takes 25 minutes (Swiss Travel Pass valid). The valley is a glacially carved trench so deep and narrow — 300-400 metres of sheer cliff on each side — that 72 waterfalls fall directly from the cliff tops into the valley. The Staubbach Falls (297 m) above the village are the most famous and most photographed.

Key activities in Lauterbrunnen:

  • Staubbach Falls walk: free, 20-minute path to the base of the falls and behind them via a tunnel
  • Trümmelbach Falls: glacial meltwater through a cliff interior, extraordinary scale (CHF 14, 2.5 km from village)
  • Valley floor walk toward Stechelberg: flat, beautiful, free
  • Mürren (clifftop car-free village above the valley): cable car from Stechelberg, about CHF 35 return, not Swiss Travel Pass covered — spectacular situation above the valley
  • Wengen (sunny shelf above the valley): narrow-gauge train from Lauterbrunnen, CHF 8 one-way, good views of Jungfrau

Doing both valleys in one day from Lucerne

Visiting both Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen from Lucerne in the same day is possible but requires an early start and efficient planning. Here is a realistic timetable:

  • 07:07 — Depart Lucerne HB on Zentralbahn (Brünig route)
  • 08:57 — Arrive Interlaken Ost
  • 09:05 — Train to Grindelwald (arrive 09:40)
  • 09:40-12:30 — Grindelwald: village, Eiger views, optional Grindelwald First gondola (if time allows)
  • 12:30 — Train from Grindelwald toward Interlaken Ost (arrive 13:05)
  • 13:10 — Train Interlaken Ost to Lauterbrunnen (arrive 13:35)
  • 13:35-15:30 — Lauterbrunnen: Staubbach Falls, valley walk, Trümmelbach Falls (bus there and back, 40 minutes)
  • 15:45 — Train from Lauterbrunnen to Interlaken Ost
  • 16:08 — Zentralbahn from Interlaken Ost toward Lucerne (Brünig route)
  • 17:58 — Arrive Lucerne HB

This is a full and active day. It works well if you skip the Grindelwald First gondola (save that for a dedicated Grindelwald day). If Jungfraujoch is your priority, do not attempt to combine it with a full Lauterbrunnen visit — the Jungfraujoch alone fills a day from Lucerne.

Suggested itinerary: Lucerne to Interlaken relaxed day

If you want to enjoy the Brünig scenery and focus on one valley rather than rushing:

  • 08:07 — Depart Lucerne, sit on the right-hand side of the train for Lungernsee views
  • 09:57 — Arrive Interlaken Ost. Walk to the Höheweg park (10 minutes) for the mountain view
  • 10:15 — Train to Lauterbrunnen (25 minutes)
  • 10:40-13:30 — Lauterbrunnen: Staubbach Falls walk, Trümmelbach Falls visit (bus), valley floor walk, lunch in the village
  • 14:00 — Return to Interlaken Ost
  • 14:08 — Train to Grindelwald (35 minutes)
  • 14:43-16:00 — Grindelwald: coffee in a terrace café below the Eiger, village walk, souvenir shopping
  • 16:30 — Train from Grindelwald to Interlaken Ost (35 minutes)
  • 17:05 — Zentralbahn from Interlaken Ost toward Lucerne
  • 18:54 — Arrive Lucerne HB

Lake Brienz steamer option

On the return journey, consider taking the Zentralbahn to Brienz (20 minutes from Interlaken Ost) and then the lake steamer (CGN, covered by Swiss Travel Pass) from Brienz to Interlaken West — a beautiful crossing of the turquoise lake in reverse. Return to Lucerne from Interlaken West or Interlaken Ost by the standard Brünig train.

Alternatively, stop in Brienz for 45 minutes to walk the village and see the wood-carving workshops before continuing to Lucerne.

The Brünig Pass: geology and landscape

The Brünig Pass (1,007 m) sits on the boundary between the Central Alps and the Bernese Oberland, marking the geological divide between the Helvetic nappes and the Aar massif. In practical terms, this means the landscape changes noticeably as you cross the pass: the rounded pre-Alpine hills on the Lucerne side give way to the more dramatic limestone faces of the Bernese Oberland on the Interlaken side.

The pass has been a significant route since prehistoric times — Bronze Age artefacts found near Brünig Hasliberg suggest regular use of the crossing over 3,000 years ago. The medieval trading route connecting the Gotthard (via Lucerne) with the Bernese Oberland and Rhone valley crossed here, and the Zentralbahn follows the same alignment.

The railway up to the pass uses a rack section at the steepest portion — the Lambach viaduct near Lungern is a visible engineering feature, carrying the train on a curved viaduct over a narrow gorge before the final climb to the summit. The pass station (Brünig-Hasliberg) has a café and gives access to hiking trails through the Hasliberg area — a beautiful plateau above the pass with excellent views in both directions.

The wood-carving tradition of Brienz

Brienz, on the return journey from Interlaken, deserves more attention than a passing glance through the train window. The town has been a centre of wood carving since the 18th century, and the tradition is still very much alive — the Schnitzlerschule (school of wood carving) trains professional carvers, and several workshops in the town allow visitors to see work in progress.

The most accessible demonstration of this tradition is the Swiss Open-Air Museum Ballenberg, 3 kilometres from Brienz — a 66-hectare open-air museum with over 100 historical buildings from all Swiss cantons, staffed by craftspeople demonstrating traditional skills including wood carving, cheese making, pottery, and textiles. It is one of the most comprehensive folk museums in Europe and requires 3-4 hours minimum to see properly. Entry around CHF 30.

For wood carving products, the shops in Brienz sell everything from small decorative bears (CHF 15-25, a classic Swiss souvenir) to elaborate hand-carved scenes of Alpine life (several hundred francs for significant pieces). The quality is generally high — this is not mass-produced tourist goods but genuine craft work.

William Tell country: the historical backdrop

The Uri arm of Lake Lucerne and the area south of Brunnen are historically known as the “Tell Country” — the landscape associated with the William Tell legend. Tell is Switzerland’s most famous folklore hero: the crossbowman compelled by the Habsburg bailiff Gessler to shoot an apple from his son’s head, who subsequently killed Gessler and became a symbol of resistance to tyranny.

The historical Tell is almost certainly fictional — the legend appears in Swiss chronicles from the late 15th century but not in any earlier document, and the core story of the apple-shooting is found in several other European traditions. Nevertheless, Tell became Switzerland’s national symbol through Friedrich Schiller’s 1804 play Wilhelm Tell, one of the most performed German-language dramas in history.

The Tell landscape is visible from the lake steamers on Lake Lucerne: the Rütli meadow (the founding site of Switzerland), the Tellskapelle (a lakeside chapel built on the rock where Tell allegedly leapt from Gessler’s boat), and Brunnen (where the lake narrows into the Uri arm) are all on the route. If you take the lake steamer from Lucerne rather than the train on the outward journey (add about 2 hours), you see the Tell Country directly.

Food and practicalities

Interlaken: Good bakeries and supermarkets near both stations. Several street food options on the Höheweg. Sit-down restaurants are plentiful but tourist-priced.

Grindelwald: The Co-op on the Dorfstrasse is good for picnic supplies. Terrace restaurants in the village have Eiger views and reasonable food.

Lauterbrunnen: A small selection of restaurants and cafés in the village. The Hotel Staubbach has a reliable kitchen. Bring food from Interlaken for a picnic on the valley floor.

Budget note: The Bernese Oberland is Switzerland’s most touristic region and prices reflect that. A packed lunch from a Lucerne bakery or the Co-op in Interlaken saves CHF 20-30 compared to eating at every destination.

Practical tips

Weather in the Bernese Oberland: The Eiger is visible from Grindelwald only on clear days — the north face attracts its own cloud. Check meteoswiss.ch specifically for Grindelwald. Lauterbrunnen valley can be in shadow by early afternoon in summer — the waterfalls are most dramatic in morning light.

Photography from the Brünig route: The Lungernsee and the Lake Brienz sections are the best photographic opportunities on the train. Right side of the train departing Lucerne for the Lungernsee (about 1h in), left side for Lake Brienz (about 1h 30m in).

Season: The Bernese Oberland is excellent in all seasons. Spring (May-June) offers peak waterfall flow in Lauterbrunnen. Summer (July-August) is peak crowding. Autumn (September-October) has beautiful golden light and fewer visitors. Winter gives a completely different, dramatic landscape.