Lake Thun & Lake Brienz Boat Day Pass, Interlaken

Interlaken, the town between two lakes

Interlaken sits on a narrow strip of land between Lake Thun to the west and Lake Brienz to the east, which is why it is the natural base for a lake cruise. Boats for Lake Thun leave from the pier at Interlaken West and first glide along a short canal before the lake opens up; boats for Lake Brienz leave from the pier beside the Aare river at Interlaken Ost station.

Both piers are a few minutes on foot from the platforms, so a Lake Thun boat trip or a Lake Brienz cruise fits easily around train journeys to Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen. With the day pass you can sail one lake in the morning, cross town by train or bus in a few minutes, and sail the other lake in the afternoon. Plan the day with the printed timetable or the official lake app, because boats run on fixed schedules rather than on demand.

Lake Thun cruise: Spiez and Oberhofen castles

Lake Thun is about 17 kilometres long and is dominated on its southern shore by the perfect pyramid of Mount Niesen. The boat from Interlaken to Thun takes roughly two hours and zigzags between villages on both shores, with the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau rising behind you on clear days.

Two stops stand out. Spiez has a medieval castle and a Romanesque church on a hill above a small bay full of sailing boats; the castle grounds and the terrace give one of the best views on the lake. Oberhofen Castle, with its slim tower standing right in the water, is one of the most photographed sights in the Bernese Oberland and has a lakeside park open to visitors in season. Near Sundlauenen, a stop leads to the St. Beatus Caves, and at Beatenbucht a funicular climbs to Beatenberg. Entrance fees for these sights are not part of the pass.

Thun, the old town at the end of the lake

At the western end of the lake the boat arrives in Thun, where the Aare river leaves the lake and flows through a lively old town. Above the roofs stands Thun Castle, a twelfth-century keep with four corner turrets that now houses a historical museum, and the climb up the covered stairway rewards you with a view over the lake and the Alps.

The main street has an unusual two-level design, with shops on the ground and a raised pavement running along the first floor. Covered wooden bridges and a lock with rushing water cross the Aare. Many visitors ask whether it is worth sailing all the way to Thun: if you have a full day and like old towns, yes; if you prefer to stay close to Interlaken, Spiez is a good turning point. You can also return to Interlaken by train in under an hour.

Lake Brienz cruise: Iseltwald and the Giessbach Falls

Lake Brienz is about 14 kilometres long and is famous for its milky turquoise colour, created by fine rock flour carried down by glacier streams. The scenery is wilder than on Lake Thun, with steep wooded slopes, waterfalls and few roads on the southern shore. The boat from Interlaken Ost to Brienz takes around an hour and a quarter.

Iseltwald, a small village on a peninsula, is one of the most popular stops; many people ask how to get to Iseltwald without a car, and the boat is the most scenic answer. Its little wooden jetty has become a sought-after photo spot, and access to it is controlled by a small turnstile charge. Further east, the Giessbach stop sits below the Giessbach Falls, which tumble down the cliff in a series of cascades; a historic funicular from the 1870s links the landing with the viewpoints.

Brienz, the woodcarving village

At the eastern end of the lake lies Brienz, a village of dark timber chalets known across Switzerland for its woodcarving tradition; you will see carved figures in windows and workshops along the lakeside street. Behind the village rises the Brienzer Rothorn, reached by a steam cog railway that runs in summer, and a short bus ride away is Ballenberg, an open-air museum of rural Swiss houses.

The best time to visit Lake Brienz is from late spring to early autumn, when the boats run on the full timetable, the water is at its most turquoise and the upper decks are pleasant. In early October the light is soft and crowds are thinner. From mid-October to early April only Lake Thun is covered by this pass, so plan winter days around Spiez, Oberhofen and Thun.