Train stations in Interlaken

Choose Interlaken Ost for mountain trains and Lake Brienz, or Interlaken West for hotels on the west side and Lake Thun.

Choose the station for the next part of the trip

Two Interlaken stations matter to most visitors: Interlaken Ost and Interlaken West. Ost is the one for Berner Oberland-Bahnen trains to Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald, the direct train to Lucerne and Lake Brienz boats. West makes more sense for a hotel near Bahnhofstrasse or the western end of Höheweg, and for Lake Thun boats.

GoldenPass Express breaks that simple pattern. Direct trains from Montreux serve both Interlaken West and Interlaken Ost, so get off at the station shown on the booked journey. There is no reason to transfer to Ost when the same train already stops closer to the hotel.

Type the full station name into the booking search. Match it to the hotel, onward train or boat quay, then open the journey details and inspect every connection before paying.

Interlaken Ost is the main mountain interchange

For most Jungfrau-region trips, start at Interlaken Ost. Berner Oberland-Bahnen services run every 30 minutes from Ost via Zweilütschinen to Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. Wengen requires a change at Lauterbrunnen. Jungfraujoch, Kleine Scheidegg and other higher destinations need further connections, so one train or fare will not necessarily cover the whole journey.

The Luzern-Interlaken Express also ends at Ost. Zentralbahn runs the direct train hourly via Meiringen and Brienz, with a journey time of about 1 hour 50 minutes. A normal route ticket is valid, and reserving a seat is optional.

Lake Brienz boats leave close to Interlaken Ost. They are seasonal rather than a year-round connection. Check that the sailing runs on the travel date before building the rail arrival around it.

Leave a workable margin when changing from a long-distance arrival to a BOB or Zentralbahn train. Luggage slows the walk between different parts of the station. Inspect the platform and connection time on the chosen journey before accepting a tight change.

Interlaken West suits the west side and Lake Thun

Interlaken West is often the better arrival for a hotel near Bahnhofstrasse or the western and central stretches of Höheweg. It can save a walk back across town, but BOB trains to Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald do not leave from West. Neither does the Zentralbahn route to Lucerne.

Lake Thun boats use the landing stage at Interlaken West. Lake Brienz boats leave from Ost. Mixing up the two quays adds a cross-town transfer, so check the boat's departure point and timetable before buying the rail ticket.

Many trains from Spiez stop at West before Ost, and GoldenPass Express stops at West as well. Get off at West when it is the stop nearest the hotel.

The two stations serve different onward journeys

Choose	Best fit	Mistake to avoid
Interlaken Ost	BOB trains to Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald, the Luzern-Interlaken Express and Lake Brienz boats	Booking West when a short mountain connection leaves from Ost
Interlaken West	Hotels closer to Bahnhofstrasse or western Höheweg and Lake Thun boats	Continuing to Ost when West is already the closer stop
Either station, depending on the train	GoldenPass Express and many through trains from Spiez	Assuming every departure calls at both stations

Start with the table, then inspect the full itinerary. The booked train's stopping pattern decides which station works.

Main routes reach Interlaken in different ways

For travel in 2026, direct long-distance trains run from Bern and Basel via Spiez to Interlaken West and Interlaken Ost. From Zurich, there are direct IC81 departures as well as journeys with a change, commonly at Bern. Compare the whole itinerary because the quickest pattern depends on the departure time.

From Lucerne, the hourly Luzern-Interlaken Express runs directly to Interlaken Ost. From Montreux, four GoldenPass Express departures a day run directly to Interlaken, while other GoldenPass Line journeys require a change at Zweisimmen. Look at the selected train to see whether it calls at West, Ost or both.

Direct ICE trains from Germany run only on selected departures. Treat them as date-specific options. When a through train does not suit, compare connections at Basel or Bern and leave enough time for the onward service.

Mountain journeys begin with the complete itinerary

Search from the actual origin to Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald, not only as far as Interlaken. Before paying, inspect the itinerary and ticket details for the BOB segment rather than assuming travel beyond Interlaken Ost is included.

Wengen requires a change at Lauterbrunnen. Grindelwald and Grindelwald Terminal are separate stops, and travel to Jungfraujoch continues through Eigergletscher. Pick the stop used by the hotel, cable car or onward train. A ticket to the wrong Grindelwald stop can create an avoidable local transfer.

Pass rules change across the region. Mainline trains, BOB services, the higher Jungfrau railways, lake boats and panoramic trains can have different inclusion, discount and reservation terms. Check every segment rather than applying the first train's rule to the rest of the trip.

Passes and reservations need separate checks

The Swiss Travel Pass covers the Luzern-Interlaken Express and the GoldenPass Express journey, but a panoramic seat reservation is separate. It also covers much of Switzerland's train, bus and boat network. Some higher mountain journeys are discounted instead. Use the current validity map to check the exact Jungfrau segment.

For travel in 2026, Interrail and Eurail include SBB and BLS trains to Interlaken, BOB routes to Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald, Zentralbahn to Lucerne and BLS boats on Lakes Thun and Brienz. The Wengernalpbahn between Lauterbrunnen and Wengen is included too, while other Jungfrau rail and cableway sections receive stated discounts. Add each train to the pass trip and confirm the current map before travel.

A standard GoldenPass Express reservation costs CHF 20 per person in first or second class. It is strongly recommended rather than compulsory. Prestige is different: the CHF 49 reservation is compulsory, and the passenger also needs a valid first-class ticket. Neither reservation replaces the travel ticket.

Ordinary Swiss trains use another set of rules. SBB offers optional CHF 5 reservations on reservable InterCity trains, while many regional trains have unreserved seating. Read the timetable symbol for the exact service instead of buying a reservation by habit.

Moving between Ost and West is straightforward

The walk between the stations takes about 20 minutes through central Interlaken. It works without heavy bags, but a train or bus is the more comfortable choice in poor weather or before a short connection.

The one-stop train ride takes about three to four minutes. Several trains run in many hours of the day, but this is not a continuous shuttle. Town buses also serve both station areas. Check the next live departure before relying on either option, especially early or late.

Deal with a wrong-station ticket before travel. Reach Ost for a BOB train or Lake Brienz boat. West is often the more useful stop for a Lake Thun boat or an address near western Höheweg.

Facilities and accessible routes need advance checks

Both stations have staffed ticket services and lockers that remain accessible around the clock, although the staffed opening hours differ. West also provides staffed luggage services. Confirm the current hours when the trip depends on personal help or handing over bags.

Station-specific accessibility information covers the arrival and departure platforms. Check it before travel, along with any temporary lift or platform changes. A short connection becomes much harder when the step-free route is not the direct one.

Match the station to the hotel, onward train and boat landing stage before paying. That is the check that prevents most Interlaken station mistakes.