Schifffahrt Thuner- und Brienzersee (BLS) · Thun, Interlaken West or Ost, Brienz
A day pass for the scheduled BLS boats on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, sold by the boat company itself. Start at Thun, Interlaken West, Interlaken Ost or Brienz, get off where you like and catch a later boat.
This is the regular boat ticket, not a tour. The provider on the listing is the BLS lake shipping company, and the pass covers a day on its scheduled boats on Lake Thun and, from the beginning of April until mid-October, on Lake Brienz too. There is no guide and no fixed route: you read the timetable, choose your piers and go. Lake Thun boats leave from Interlaken West, Lake Brienz boats from Interlaken Ost.
A word on passes, because it saves some people money. If you already hold a Swiss Travel Pass (or the Flex version with the day entered), a GA, a Berner Oberland Pass, or a Eurail or Interrail pass with the date entered, the scheduled boats are already covered and you simply board. The Half Fare card gives 50% off. Everyone else needs a ticket for the boats anyway, and this day pass is that ticket, for both lakes at once.
Know the limits. There is no boat between the two lakes: Interlaken West and Interlaken Ost are separate piers, so you change lakes by train or on foot through town. Seats are not reserved. Food and drinks are sold on board but are not included, and neither are entry tickets for castles, caves or the Giessbach funicular. Fewer boats run in spring, autumn and winter, so check the BLS timetable for your date before you buy.
Pick your date and look up the BLS timetable. The Lake Brienz part runs from the beginning of April to mid-October on this pass; Lake Thun boats run all year.
Start at Thun, Interlaken West, Interlaken Ost or Brienz. Have the ticket QR code ready on your phone when you board.
From Interlaken Ost the boat runs about 1 hour 15 to Brienz, calling at Iseltwald and Giessbach See on the way. The Giessbach funicular climbs to the Grandhotel from the landing stage.
No boat links the lakes. Take the train or walk through Interlaken between Interlaken Ost and Interlaken West.
From Interlaken West the boat takes about 2 hours to Thun, past Beatenbucht, Spiez, Oberhofen and Hilterfingen. The Thun pier is next to the station.
Ride the last boat back, or take the train if the timetable thins out. One guest's advice: boat one way, train back.
★★★★★It was a fun experience. Be advised that you will need to take a smaller boat, train, or walk over to Interlaken West. Or if you're going the other way go to Interlaken OST.
★★★★★Very nice day cruising Lake Thun. The boat was very clean and comfortable with nice amenities. Everything was on time and the scenery was stunning. I highly recommend.
★★★★★Great cruise, punctual departure, easy booking
★★★★★It was amazing! Since we didn't have a car this was a good option for us. We wouldn't have been able to have seen the falls otherwise.
Read next:
No. The Swiss Travel Pass (Flex with the day entered), the GA, the Berner Oberland Pass and Eurail or Interrail with the date entered already cover the scheduled BLS boats. The day pass is the ticket for travellers without one of these.
Yes, from the beginning of April until mid-October, per the listing. Lake Thun is covered all year.
No. Lake Thun boats leave from Interlaken West and Lake Brienz boats from Interlaken Ost. You change between them by train or on foot.
Yes. You can hop on and off at any pier on the day, then catch a later boat. Check the timetable for the last departures.
Ready to book
A full day on the scheduled BLS boats on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz: hop off at Iseltwald, Giessbach, Spiez or Oberhofen.
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