Interlaken and the Jungfrau Region

Summer, from late June to September, is the season for hiking, with all the mountain railways running, alpine flowers in the meadows and the lake boats on full timetables; it's also the busiest time, especially in July and August. September is often the best compromise, with settled weather and fewer people. Winter, from mid-December to March, brings skiing and sledging around Grindelwald, Wengen and Mürren. Spring and November are quiet, but some lifts, the Schynige Platte railway, Trümmelbach Falls and Ballenberg close outside their seasons.

Interlaken has two stations: Interlaken West, near the boat landing for Lake Thun, and Interlaken Ost, the hub for Lake Brienz boats and the Bernese Oberland Railway. The train splits at Zweilütschinen, with one branch going to Lauterbrunnen and the other to Grindelwald. From Lauterbrunnen, a cogwheel train climbs to Wengen and on to Kleine Scheidegg, and a cable car and short railway reach Mürren; the bus to Stechelberg connects with the Schilthorn cableway. Interlaken is about two hours by train from Zurich and under an hour from Bern.

Wengen and Mürren are car-free, and parking in Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald fills quickly, so it's easiest to leave a car in Interlaken or come by train. The Swiss Travel Pass covers the trains to Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Grindelwald and Mürren and the lake boats, but most of the higher mountain railways and cable cars, including Jungfraujoch, are discounted rather than included. The regional Jungfrau Travel Pass, valid for three to eight days, covers most trains, lifts and boats in the area, with a reduced fare for Jungfraujoch.

• Check the webcams on the Jungfrau Railways and Schilthorn websites before buying a summit ticket; if the peaks are in cloud, change your plan.
• Jungfraujoch tickets are priced by date and demand, so the cost varies. In summer, a paid seat reservation is required on the Jungfraujoch trains, and the early-morning Good Morning Ticket gives a discount.
• Compare the Swiss Travel Pass, the Half Fare Card and the Jungfrau Travel Pass for your exact plans before buying.
• At high altitude, walk slowly and drink water; the air is thin at Jungfraujoch.
• Bring layers, sunglasses and sunscreen even in summer: it can be below freezing on the glacier while it's warm in the valley.
• Keep to marked trails, close gates behind you and give way to cows on the alpine pastures.
• Book accommodation well ahead for July, August and the Christmas holidays.
• Switzerland uses the Swiss franc; cards are accepted almost everywhere.

Bernese Oberland cooking is hearty mountain food: fondue and raclette, rösti with a fried egg or cheese, Älplermagronen (macaroni with potatoes, cheese, cream and apple sauce) and sausages from local butchers. Alpine dairies sell their own Alpkäse, a firm mountain cheese made in summer from cows grazing high pastures. Mountain restaurants at Männlichen, First, Schynige Platte and the Schilthorn serve lunch with a view, and Brienz is known for meringues and trout from the lake. Prices are high, so picnics from supermarkets are a sensible way to save money.

Interlaken has the widest choice, from hostels to grand old lake-view hotels, and the best transport links for day trips. For mountain atmosphere, stay in Wengen or Mürren, where evenings are quiet once the day visitors leave, or in Grindelwald, which has more hotels and chalets. Lauterbrunnen has a large campsite and simpler guesthouses on the valley floor. Most hotels in the region give guests a card with free local buses and some discounts.

The region has some of the most rewarding and accessible hiking in the Alps, because trains and lifts do much of the climbing for you. Easy favourites include the Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg panorama trail, the walk from First to the Bachalpsee and the path from Mürren down to Gimmelwald. Longer classics include the Eiger Trail along the foot of the north face, from Eigergletscher down to Alpiglen, and the ridge from Schynige Platte to the Faulhorn and First. Mountain huts serve food and some offer simple beds. Check that lifts are running on your chosen day, and turn back if the weather changes.

The north face of the Eiger, a sheer wall of rock and ice about 1,800 metres high, was one of the last great unclimbed faces of the Alps. Several attempts in the 1930s ended in tragedy before the first ascent in 1938, and its history still draws climbers and readers. Even earlier, engineers had begun boring a railway tunnel through the mountain: the Jungfrau Railway took sixteen years to build, and its windows cut into the face give passengers a glimpse of the drop. Today's Eiger Express, opened in 2020, has cut the journey from Grindelwald to the top considerably.

The Jungfrau Ski Region covers three areas: Grindelwald and Wengen, linked over Kleine Scheidegg and Männlichen, and Mürren and the Schilthorn on the other side of the valley. Runs suit all levels, with long, scenic slopes beneath the Eiger. Grindelwald is also known for long sledge runs and winter walking paths, and Interlaken itself is quiet in winter, with the lake boats on reduced timetables.

The Jungfrau region's villages are small, and the pressure of visitors on a few famous spots is real. Iseltwald introduced its pier fee and restricted coach access in 2023 after residents were overwhelmed, and Lauterbrunnen has debated a charge for day visitors who arrive by car. Travelling by public transport, staying overnight rather than racing through on a day trip, and spreading your visit across quieter places and times all help. In the villages, keep off private gardens and farmland when taking photos, keep drones grounded unless you know they're allowed, and take all your rubbish with you from the mountains.