Booking choice: The Giessbach and Iseltwald boat day, from $183 per person. Check dates Tour details
Iseltwald sits on a small peninsula on the south shore of Lake Brienz. The Korean drama Crash Landing on You filmed key scenes on its jetty in August 2019 (PostAuto), and fans have been coming ever since. Since 2023 a turnstile charges CHF 5 to step onto the pier.
The BLS boats from Interlaken Ost stop at Iseltwald from early April to early December, and the next stop along is Giessbach. Put the two together and you have one of the best half-days on the lake.
The quick answer
Take the BLS boat from Interlaken Ost (a 4-minute walk from the station) to Iseltwald: CHF 21 one way in 2nd class in 2026, free with a Swiss Travel Pass. The jetty costs CHF 5 at a card-operated turnstile. From Iseltwald a 5.3 km lakeside path leads to Giessbach Falls in about two hours, and the boat takes you back to Interlaken Ost.
How do you get to the Iseltwald jetty by boat from Interlaken?
Take the scheduled BLS boat from the Interlaken Ost pier, a 4-minute walk from the station, and get off at Iseltwald. Boats run daily from 3 April to 6 December 2026.
Interlaken Ost is the Lake Brienz pier; boats from Interlaken West go the other way, onto Lake Thun. The boat reaches the lake along a short stretch of the Aare, calls at Bönigen on some courses, then crosses to Iseltwald on the south shore. Swiss Travel Pass, GA, Berner Oberland Pass and Eurail/Interrail holders (date entered) ride free; Half Fare holders pay half.
The 2026 BLS fares for the Iseltwald and Giessbach route:
| BLS fare, adult (2026) | 2nd class | 1st class |
|---|---|---|
| Interlaken Ost to Iseltwald, one way | CHF 21 | CHF 35 |
| Giessbach to Interlaken Ost, one way | CHF 31 | CHF 51 |
| Interlaken Ost to Iseltwald, then Giessbach back to Interlaken Ost | CHF 52 | CHF 86 |
| Brienz to Iseltwald, then Giessbach back to Brienz | CHF 37 | CHF 61 |
| Lake Brienz day ticket | CHF 75 | CHF 112 |
How much does it cost to walk onto the Iseltwald jetty?
CHF 5. A turnstile went in on the jetty in spring 2023, and you pay by card to pass through.
The village introduced the fee in 2023. Blue News worked out about 50,000 passes in 2024 from the CHF 244,000 the turnstile took that year. The most recent reports we found, from 2025, still give CHF 5; a change for 2026 has not been published.
The fee covers the jetty only. The village, the lakeside promenade and the shore around the peninsula are free to walk, and the boat landing stage is separate from the film jetty.
Can you walk from Iseltwald to Giessbach Falls?
Yes. A 5.3 km gravel path follows the shore from Iseltwald to the foot of Giessbach Falls. BLS calls it easy; allow about two hours, or up to two and a half with stops.
BLS describes the route on its own page: out of Iseltwald past the lido, then through woodland and meadows above the water, with a barbecue spot about halfway. At the end you can climb to the falls and the terrace of the Grandhotel Giessbach before taking the boat back.
The falls drop about 400 m over 14 steps into the lake (MySwitzerland). The Giessbachbahn, from 1879 and described as the oldest tourist funicular in Europe, links the boat station with the hotel from April to October. The loop walk around the falls takes 30 to 45 minutes.
Should you do Iseltwald or Giessbach first?
Do Iseltwald first on your own: boat out to Iseltwald, walk to Giessbach, boat back from Giessbach. BLS sells that exact round trip for CHF 52 in 2nd class.
That order puts the jetty early, before the day's boats bring the crowds, and leaves the falls and a drink on the hotel terrace for the end. Check the last boat from Giessbach before you set off, especially after mid-October, when the autumn timetable has only a few sailings.
The other way round works too, and it is how the guided day runs: boat to Giessbach, funicular up, walk to Iseltwald, then the boat back or PostBus line 103, the quicker way to Interlaken Ost. Our Lake Brienz cruise guide covers the other stops on the lake.
Prefer someone else to plan the day? A local guide takes you from Interlaken Ost to the falls and on to the jetty.
Check dates for the Giessbach and Iseltwald boat dayWhat does the guided Giessbach and Iseltwald day include?
A local guide for about 5 hours, at most five guests: the boat across Lake Brienz, the Giessbach funicular, the path behind the falls and the forest walk to the Iseltwald jetty. The boat ticket and the funicular are not in the price.
The day starts at the Coop supermarket by Interlaken Ost and runs in the morning (other times on request). The guide, Jonathan, speaks German, Spanish and English, and a small grilled Swiss raclette outdoors is sometimes part of it, depending on the group. Snacks and drinks are not included. Pass holders ride the boat free; everyone else buys a BLS ticket, and the funicular has its own fare. From Iseltwald you take the boat or the bus back.
What you book is the guide and a day planned for you. The one review so far, from Catherine and Bryan in Jun 2025, reads: "Similar to spending the day with a good friend from the area!"
Boat, funicular, falls and the Iseltwald jetty with a local guide, for five guests at most, from Interlaken Ost.
Explore the Giessbach and Iseltwald boat day Tour detailsCan you visit Iseltwald and Giessbach without the boat?
Yes. The Iseltwald, Giessbach and Brienz tour goes by road in about 4 hours with hotel pickup, and runs all year, including the months when the Lake Brienz boats stop.
It picks up within 10 km of Interlaken, stops at the Iseltwald jetty for photos, reaches Giessbach Falls by a short forest walk and ends in Brienz, the woodcarving village at the east end of the lake. Entry tickets are on the inclusions list; meals are not. Guides speak English and German.
Want Iseltwald from the water at speed instead? The jetboat ride runs from Bönigen past Iseltwald to Giessbach Falls and back in 45 to 50 minutes.
Iseltwald's jetty, Giessbach Falls and Brienz in one morning by road, with hotel pickup, all year round.
Explore the Iseltwald, Giessbach and Brienz tour Tour detailsFrequently asked questions
How much is the Iseltwald jetty?
CHF 5 per entry, paid by card at the turnstile. The fee has applied since 2023.
Which boat goes to Iseltwald from Interlaken?
The scheduled BLS boat on Lake Brienz from the Interlaken Ost pier. In 2026 it runs from 3 April to 6 December, and a one-way 2nd-class ticket costs CHF 21.
Is the boat to Iseltwald free with the Swiss Travel Pass?
Yes. The scheduled BLS boats on Lake Brienz are fully covered by the Swiss Travel Pass, the GA and the Berner Oberland Pass.
How long is the walk from Iseltwald to Giessbach?
5.3 km on an easy lakeside path. Allow about two hours, a little more with stops.
Ready to book
Choose your trip
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Boat to Giessbach Falls & Walk to Iseltwald
A guide, the old funicular and the Iseltwald jetty
Iseltwald, Giessbach Falls & Brienz Tour
The Crash Landing on You jetty, the falls and Brienz
Boat Day Pass: Lake Thun & Lake Brienz
- Day pass on the Lake Thun boats
- Lake Brienz boats too: early April to mid-October on this pass
- Hop on and off at any pier
