Interlaken Field Guide — Viblyhappybundl Alpine Atlas

Interlaken Junction

Literally "between the lakes." The premier adventure staging ground situated on the alluvial Bödeli plain, bordered by the glacier-fed waters of Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, and backdropped by the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau massifs.

View of Interlaken landscape surrounded by pristine alpine peaks and turquoise lake waters

Canton

Bern (BE)

Valley Elevation

566 m (1,857 ft)

Key Peak Access

Jungfraujoch (3,454 m)

Twin Lakes

Thunersee & Brienzersee

Main Stations

Interlaken Ost & West

Reserve

1. The Two-Lake Geography: Brienz vs. Thun

Interlaken occupies a unique geographic position between two distinct bodies of water. Lake Brienz to the east is famed for its saturated turquoise pigment—the result of microscopic glacial rock flour suspended in the icy waters flowing from the Aare glacier. Lake Thun to the west is expansive, deep blue, and flanked by five historic medieval castles (Thun, Oberhofen, Schadau, Hünegg, and Spiez).

Jungfraujoch Expedition via Eiger Express

Step 1: Take the Bernese Oberland Railway from Interlaken Ost to the ultra-modern Grindelwald Terminal (29 min).

Step 2: Board the 3S Eiger Express tricable gondola, which sweeps directly past the sheer 1,800m Eiger North Face in just 15 minutes.

Step 3: Connect to the historic cogwheel train through the Eiger tunnel to arrive at Jungfraujoch—Europe's highest railway station at 3,454m.

2. Harder Kulm: The Interlaken Balcony

For travelers seeking immediate panoramic orientation, the Harder Railway funicular ascends 755 meters in just eight minutes. From the cantilevered "Two Lakes Bridge" viewing platform at the summit, observers can take in the entire town of Interlaken, both lakes simultaneously, and the triumvirate of alpine giants: the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau.

3. The Springboard to Valley Cascades

While Interlaken provides luxury hotels, world-class watch boutiques along the Höheweg promenade, and paragliding launch pads, its true strength lies in its rail links. A brief 20-minute train ride transports explorers into the deep, vertical cliff sanctuary of Lauterbrunnen.