Zurich to Interlaken by train

By the Viamo editorial team · Editor Terje Moy · Last updated July 2026 · 4 min read

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Interlaken sits between two lakes at the gateway to the Bernese Oberland, and from Zürich it is a straightforward, genuinely scenic train journey of around two hours — one of Switzerland's easiest and most rewarding intercity hops, with the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau visible from the train on a clear day.

The obvious choice: SBB InterCity

SBB (Swiss Federal Railways) runs direct InterCity trains from Zürich Hauptbahnhof to Interlaken Ost roughly every hour throughout the day, with the journey taking around 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours. The route runs via Bern, and the final stretch alongside the Thunersee (Lake Thun) is one of the loveliest short rail journeys in the country — worth choosing a window seat on the lake side if you can.

As with all Swiss InterCity trains, no seat reservation is required. Simply buy a ticket and board the next departure; both first and second class are comfortable for a journey of this length. Interrail and Eurail pass holders travel free of any reservation supplement, and the route is fully covered by the Swiss Travel Pass, which is worth considering if Interlaken is one stop on a longer Swiss itinerary — see our Swiss Travel Pass guide for the details.

Interlaken Ost station is the gateway for onward mountain railways into the Jungfrau region — connections to Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald and up to the Jungfraujoch depart from the same platforms, so many travellers treat Zürich–Interlaken as the first leg of a longer Alpine trip rather than a destination in itself.

Interlaken West vs Interlaken Ost

Interlaken has two stations: Interlaken West, closer to the town centre and most hotels, and Interlaken Ost, the interchange for onward mountain trains. Trains from Zürich call at both, a few minutes apart, so check which one is closer to your accommodation before you arrive — if you are heading straight on to Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen, staying on to Ost saves a change.

Driving

The drive from Zürich to Interlaken is about 120 km and takes roughly 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes on the A3 and A6 motorways, similar in door-to-door time to the train once you account for parking. You will need a Swiss motorway vignette, and parking in Interlaken itself is limited and not cheap — many visitors who drive this far choose to park up and use local trains, buses and cable cars for the mountain excursions rather than negotiating narrow valley roads. For a longer road trip through the region, see our guide to driving in Switzerland.

A car has little advantage over the train for the Zürich–Interlaken leg itself, since the railway is fast, frequent and delivers you right into town — but it becomes useful if you plan to explore villages off the main rail lines once you're in the Bernese Oberland.

Onward from Interlaken: the Jungfrau region

Most visitors are heading beyond Interlaken itself, into the mountains that made the region famous. Lauterbrunnen, with its 72 waterfalls cascading down a sheer-sided valley, is about 20 minutes from Interlaken Ost by local train; from there, further trains and cable cars climb toward Wengen, Mürren and the Jungfraujoch — Europe's highest railway station. Grindelwald, on the other side of the valley, is reached directly from Interlaken Ost and is the base for the modern Eiger Express gondola. None of this requires a car: the whole Jungfrau region runs on an excellent, if not cheap, network of connecting trains, cable cars and cogwheel railways, most of it covered or discounted by regional passes and the Swiss Travel Pass. For more of Switzerland's classic scenic lines, see our guide to the GoldenPass Line, which also runs through this part of the country.

Practical tips

• Buy your ticket before boarding — Swiss trains use proof-of-payment enforcement, and buying on board, where even possible, carries a surcharge.
• The train from Zürich has generous luggage space near the doors; if you're continuing into the mountains, consider Switzerland's luggage-forwarding service so you're not hauling bags up cable cars.
• If you are day-tripping to Interlaken and the mountains beyond, start early — the onward mountain trains and cable cars add significant time, and the Jungfraujoch excursion alone is most of a day.
• Weather in the high mountains changes fast; check conditions before committing to a Jungfraujoch or high-cable-car trip, since cloud can obscure the views you're paying for.

Which should you choose?

For getting from Zürich to Interlaken, the SBB InterCity train is the clear choice: fast, frequent, scenic and requiring no reservation. A car offers little benefit for this specific leg and becomes a liability once you're exploring the mountain valleys, where trains and cable cars are the establishment mode of transport. For a look at getting around the wider region, see our guide to Switzerland by train and Zürich to Lucerne for another classic short Swiss hop.

Frequently asked questions

How long does the train from Zürich to Interlaken take?

Around 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours on the direct SBB InterCity, running roughly hourly throughout the day.

Do I need to book a seat in advance?

No. Swiss InterCity trains do not require reservations — buy a ticket and board the next departure.

Should I get off at Interlaken West or Interlaken Ost?

Interlaken West is closer to the town centre and most hotels; Interlaken Ost is the interchange for onward mountain trains to Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen and the Jungfraujoch.

Is the Swiss Travel Pass worth it for this trip?

If you're combining Interlaken with other Swiss cities and mountain excursions, yes — it covers the train from Zürich and discounts many of the Jungfrau region's cable cars and cogwheel railways.