Getting to the lakes

How can I get from Interlaken to Lake Brienz?

Take the BLS boat from the pier next to Interlaken Ost station. It runs down a short stretch of the Aare and out onto Lake Brienz.

The Interlaken Ost landing stage is at Lanzenen 1, a few steps from the platforms. Boats reach the open lake through about 1.3 km of navigable Aare, so the first minutes of the trip are a slow river cruise between trees. In 2026 Lake Brienz boats run from 3 April to 6 December, with the full summer timetable from 23 May to 11 October.

If you only want to stand on the shore, the lake is closer than it looks: Bönigen, the first village, is about 10 minutes by bus from the station. To get out on the water without a timetable, the jetboat and kayak tours start there.

Which pier do Lake Thun boats leave from?

Interlaken West. The landing stage on the Kanalpromenade is next to the station, and Lake Thun boats run all year.

Like its twin in the east, the West pier sits on a canal rather than the open lake, and the boat reaches Lake Thun after a few minutes. From there it zigzags down the lake to Thun in about 2 hours, calling at stops such as Neuhaus, Beatenbucht, Merligen, Gunten, Spiez, Oberhofen and Hilterfingen. The summer timetable runs from 9 May to 11 October 2026, and a reduced service keeps going through winter.

Changing lakes takes a short hop: about 20 minutes on foot through the centre, or 3 to 4 minutes on the train. The BLS day ticket for both lakes includes Libero zone 750, so that train and the town buses are already covered.

Is there a boat between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz?

No. The two lakes have separate fleets and separate piers. To do both in a day, take a boat on one lake, cross Interlaken by train or on foot, and board on the other.

The table shows how the main trips compare. Boat times are from the 2026 BLS timetable; train times are typical SBB journeys.

Sources: BLS Schifffahrt 2026 timetable; Trainline and everyrail for typical train times; myswissalps for the Lake Thun crossing.

How long is the boat ride from Interlaken to Brienz?

About 1 hour 13 to 1 hour 15 minutes end to end, for example leaving Interlaken Ost at 9:07 and arriving at 10:20. The train does it in under 20 minutes.

The boat calls at Bönigen on some courses, then Iseltwald and Giessbach See, with Ringgenberg, Niederried and Oberried on the north shore on some sailings, before tying up in Brienz. The train runs straight along the south shore, about twice an hour.

The classic plan uses both: boat out in the morning, a stop at Giessbach or Iseltwald, then the train back. Brienz station and the pier are side by side, which is also where the Brienz Rothorn railway starts. Yes, there is a ferry from Brienz to Interlaken: the same BLS boats run the route in reverse. Our Lake Brienz cruise guide has the stops in detail.

Can I take a boat from Thun to Interlaken?

Yes. The BLS boat from Thun to Interlaken West takes about 2 hours, all year. The Thun pier is beside the station; the train takes about half an hour.

Thun's landing stage is at Seestrasse 9, next to the station, and Lake Thun is the lake that never stops: winter, spring, summer and autumn timetables follow each other through 2026.

Spiez is the other good boarding point. The pier is about a 15-minute walk down from Spiez station, through the village to the bay below the castle, so allow for it when you change from the train. Coming back up is the steeper part.

How do I get to Bönigen for the jetboat and kayak tours?

Take bus 103 from Interlaken Ost to the stop "Bönigen, See": about 10 minutes, then a 2-minute walk to the quay.

That's the route Outdoor Interlaken gives for its jetboat base on Am Quai. Hightide's kayak base is on the same quay at Am Quai 1, and the fondue float leaves from the jetboat base too. Parking near the quay is paid. Bönigen is also a stop for the BLS boats on some Lake Brienz courses.

Keep Bönigen in mind for another reason. In low-water periods, the Lake Brienz boats can leave from Bönigen instead of Interlaken Ost. The bus is then the way to the boat.

Ten minutes on the bus from Interlaken Ost, then 50 minutes across the lake to Giessbach Falls and back.

★ 4.7 · 45 to 50 minutes · from $144

Explore the Lake Brienz jetboat ride → Tour details

How do I get from Zurich to the Interlaken boats?

By train in about 2 hours to Interlaken Ost, with direct trains via Bern and Thun. Get off at Thun or Spiez instead and you can finish the trip by boat.

Direct trains from Zurich HB take about 1 hour 55 minutes to 2 hours 25; others change in Bern or Spiez. Many visitors with a Swiss Travel Pass break the trip at Thun and ride the last two hours on the lake, arriving at Interlaken West. The longer way via Lucerne and Brienz takes about 2 hours 45 and sets up the same trick on Lake Brienz, from Brienz pier to Interlaken Ost.

Luggage is the catch. There are no seat reservations, and a suitcase on a busy summer deck gets in the way. Our guide to passes on the boats explains which tickets already cover that last leg.

What if the weather or the water level changes the boats?

BLS can change the timetable for storms, fog, or water that is too high or too low. Check the departure board at the pier on the day.

The 2026 timetable says so in its own small print. Low water mostly affects the Interlaken Ost end of Lake Brienz, where the boat has to come up the Aare; then departures can move to Bönigen. Lake Thun is the one to fall back on outside the Lake Brienz season, from December to early April.

• Before you go: check the BLS online timetable that morning.
• At the pier: the board shows changes and the replacement stop.
• Booked a tour: watch for a message from the operator on stormy days; every trip on this site has free cancellation.

Frequently asked questions