Zurich to Interlaken by Train: Times, Tickets and the Best Route

Zurich to Interlaken by train takes about 2 hours, with one change in Bern. Trains leave Zurich HB every 30 minutes, and in 2026 a full-fare second-class ticket costs around CHF 76 (about $94), less with a Supersaver ticket or a Half Fare Card, and nothing extra with a Swiss Travel Pass. If you have time, there is a slower and far prettier option via Lucerne on the Luzern-Interlaken Express. We put travelers on both routes every week, and here is how we choose between them.

Quick answer

• Fastest: Zurich HB to Bern on an InterCity (about 56 min), then Bern to Interlaken Ost (about 50 to 55 min): 1 h 55 min to 2 h 10 min in total.
• Price in 2026: about CHF 76 one way in second class at full fare, roughly 1.7 times that in first; Supersaver tickets from about CHF 29 to 39; fully covered by the Swiss Travel Pass.
• How often: two connections an hour, all day.
• Stations: Zürich HB to Interlaken Ost (the train also stops at Interlaken West). Use Ost for Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen and the Jungfrau trains.

Zurich to Interlaken: every option compared

There is no flight, and no bus worth considering. For most travelers we book the train via Bern on travel days and keep the Lucerne route for when the journey itself is part of the plan.

The fastest route via Bern, step by step

1. Board at Zürich HB. InterCity trains to Bern leave every 30 minutes; the track is shown on the boards and in the SBB app. If you are coming straight from Zurich Airport, many Bern trains start or stop there, which adds 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Ride to Bern. About 56 minutes on a double-deck InterCity, much of it on the high-speed line through the Mittelland.
3. Change in Bern. The connecting train to Interlaken usually leaves 6 minutes later. Swiss connections are timed for this; you will often find your next train on a nearby platform, and the boards show it as you step off. Some are German ICE trains that continue from Bern to Interlaken.
4. Ride along Lake Thun. The train calls at Thun and Spiez, then follows the shore of Lake Thun to Interlaken West and Interlaken Ost.
5. Arrive at Interlaken Ost. The Bernese Oberland trains to Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen leave from the same station.

Check engineering works before you travel: in autumn 2026, for example, buses replaced trains between Interlaken West and Interlaken Ost from October 19 to December 12. The SBB app shows these changes on the connection.

The scenic route via Lucerne

Take a direct train from Zurich to Lucerne (about 41 to 50 minutes), then the Luzern-Interlaken Express over the Brünig Pass, which takes 1 hour 50 minutes and runs hourly. The line passes Lake Sarnen, Lake Lungern and Lake Brienz before reaching Interlaken Ost. The train is fully covered by the Swiss Travel Pass; a seat reservation is optional and cost CHF 16 between May and early November 2026 and CHF 12 the rest of the year.

This is the route we book when travelers have a full day, or when they want a few hours in Lucerne on the way. Store your bags at Lucerne station, walk across the Chapel Bridge, have lunch by the lake, then continue in the afternoon.

Where to sit

• Bern to Interlaken: sit on the left-hand side in the direction of travel from Thun onward for Lake Thun, the Niesen pyramid and, on clear days, the Jungfrau massif ahead. The upper deck is best.
• Luzern-Interlaken Express: Zentralbahn recommends the right-hand side in the direction of travel, whichever way you go.

Tickets, passes and booking windows

• Where to book: sbb.ch or the SBB Mobile app. Tickets go to your phone, and there is no need to book a specific train on a standard ticket.
• Supersaver tickets are tied to one train and get cheaper the earlier you buy. Full-fare tickets cost the same whenever you buy them.
• Swiss Travel Pass: covers this route in full, including the Luzern-Interlaken Express. In 2026 the 3-day pass costs CHF 254 (about $315) in second class. Our Swiss Travel Pass calculator shows whether it beats single tickets for your route, and our guide to the Swiss Travel Pass vs Half Fare Card explains the choice.
• First class: worth it in summer, when second class on the Bern to Interlaken leg fills with hikers and their bags.

Stops worth making on the way

• Bern: the arcaded old town is a UNESCO site, and the Zytglogge clock tower is a 10-minute walk from the station. Leave bags in the station lockers and catch a later train.
• Thun: a castle above the River Aare and the start of the Lake Thun boats.
• Lake Thun by boat: from Thun or Spiez, the boats continue to Interlaken West, and they are covered by the Swiss Travel Pass. It turns the last hour of the trip into a cruise in summer.
• Brienz: on the Lucerne route, a woodcarving village on the lake, and the starting point of the Brienz Rothorn steam railway.

Accessibility on the Zurich to Interlaken trains

Zürich HB, Bern and Interlaken Ost all have step-free access to the platforms with lifts or ramps, and the double-deck InterCity trains have a wheelchair area with an accessible toilet. Book help through the SBB Contact Center Handicap at least one hour before you travel (0800 007 102 free in Switzerland, +41 800 007 102 from abroad, daily 5 a.m. to midnight), and staff will meet you with a ramp at Bern for the change. On the Luzern-Interlaken Express, wheelchair spaces and low-floor access are in coach 3, in the middle of the train.

How we handle this transfer on a private trip

On the trips we design, we usually avoid Zurich to Interlaken on an arrival day: we prefer one night in Zurich or Lucerne first, then a late-morning train. We book first class, and we often ship the larger suitcases ahead with the SBB luggage service so you travel with a day bag only. When the change in Bern is a concern, we arrange a private driver instead, or a driver from Lucerne over the Brünig Pass with stops at Lake Lungern and Brienz.

Not sure whether to base yourself in the Jungfrau region or by the lake? Our Interlaken vs Lucerne comparison helps, and our guide to Jungfraujoch, Gornergrat and Schilthorn covers the excursions once you arrive. Both Switzerland in 7 Days and our 12-day Switzerland by train itinerary include this route, and more ideas are on our Switzerland page.

For a version built around your dates and pace, ask one of our designers.