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Season: early June to late October
Recommended season: early June to late October
Max. altitude: 2244 m (7362 ft)
➤ Info about prices and reservations 
Brienzer Rothorn price 2026
The standard fare for a return trip between Brienz and Brienzer Rothorn is CHF 98 per adult. A seat guarantee costs an additional CHF 8 per person.
Many rail passes allow discounted or free travel. The main ones:
- With a Swiss Travel Pass (Flex) and Swiss Half Fare Card, you can buy a 50% discounted return ticket for CHF 49.
- The ride is free with a Berner Oberland Pass.
Where to buy your Brienzer Rothorn tickets
- Tickets for the steam train can be purchased online or at the valley station in Brienz.
- If you plan to do the round trip via Schüpfheim: cable car tickets can be bought at the valley station. Bus tickets can be purchased online in advance or from the bus driver.
Reservations
- Make sure to book seats for the steam train in advance if you're traveling in a group of 10 or more travelers. Do so at least two days in advance, but preferably earlier than that.
- For individuals and smaller groups, reservations of CHF 8 per person are optional. I recommend making them though, especially if you're traveling in July or August, or on weekends with beautiful weather. The popular steam train has limited capacity and can get busy. Without a reservation, you may not be able to board your preferred train. With a reservation, you'll have a guaranteed seat for your specific departure time. Show up at the turnstiles 30 minutes before the scheduled departure.
- Reservations for the cable car from Sörenberg aren't required.
➤ Discounted steam train tickets with your rail pass
The below rail passes offer discounts or even free traveling to Brienzer Rothorn.
| Pass | Discount |
|---|---|
| Berner Oberland Pass | Free:
|
| Day Pass | Discount 50%:
|
| Swiss Half Fare Card | Discount 50%:
|
| Swiss Travel Pass | Discount 50%:
|
| Swiss Travel Pass Flex | Discount 50%:
|
| Tell-Pass Summer | Free:
|
How to reach Brienzer Rothorn: directions and map
Steam train Brienz-Brienzer Rothorn
Brienz can be reached by car, by train (20 minutes from Interlaken, 90 minutes from Lucerne), or by boat from Interlaken.
From the train station, you only need to cross the street to reach the steam train station. From the boat dock, it's about 2 minutes on foot to the steam train station.
Cable car Sörenberg-Brienzer Rothorn
There's also a cable car to Brienzer Rothorn. It leaves close to the bus stop "Sörenberg, Rothornbahn", on the other side of the Brünig Pass. Sörenberg can be reached by a train ride to Schüpfheim, which is in the Emmen Valley between Bern and Lucerne. Then take a bus to "Sörenberg Post" and "Sörenberg Rothornbahn".
Round trip via Schüpfheim and Sörenberg by train, bus, cable car, steam train, and boat
Instead of going up and down the mountain by the cogwheel train, you can also make a beautiful round trip and use 5 different modes of transport. You can do so from Lucerne or Interlaken.
Assuming your start and end in Interlaken:
- Take a train along the GoldenPass route to Lucerne.
- Change for the train to Schüpfheim in the Emmen Valley.
- Change to the Postbus that takes you "Sörenberg, Post" and "Sörenberg, Rothornbahn".
- Take the cable car up to the Brienzer Rothorn.
- Ride down by cogwheel train to Brienz.
- Walk over to the boat dock and take a boat to Interlaken. Alternatively, you can take a train.
Operation dates, schedules, and timetable
2026 operation dates for Brienzer Rothorn
- The cogwheel train from Brienz operates up to mid-station Planalp from 9 May to 25 October 2026.
- The cogwheel train from Brienz goes all the way up to the top station from 6 June to 25 October 2026.
- The cable car from Sörenberg to Brienzer Rothorn operates from 20 December 2025 to 29 March 2026, and from 4 June to 1 November 2026.
Planning your trip in the timetable
You can check the separate steam train, cable car, and bus timetables through the links here. Alternatively, you can plan your trip in the Swiss timetable.
These are the destinations to enter to plan your cogwheel train trip:
- "Brienz" for the railway station of Brienz
- "Brienz (See)" for the boat dock of Brienz
- "Brienz BE, Bahnhof" for the main bus stop next to the Brienz railway station and steam train valley station
- "Brienz BRB" for the valley station of the steam train
- "Brienzer Rothorn" for the top station of the steam train
And these are the official names to use when planning the cable car ride from Sörenberg:
- "Brienzer Rothorn (Seilbahn)" for the top station of the cable car from Sörenberg
- "Schüpfheim" for the train station at which you'll change for the buses to Sörenberg
- "Schüpfheim, Bahnhof" for the bus stop next to the Schüpfheim rail station
- "Sörenberg, Post" for the bus stop at which you'll sometimes have to change for another bus to the cable car valley station
- "Sörenberg, Rothornbahn" for the bus stop close to the valley station of the cable car to Brienzer Rothorn
- "Sörenberg-Schönenboden" for the cable car valley station in Sörenberg
Find schedules for the boats on Lake Brienz here.
Best months for Brienzer Rothorn
An excursion to Brienzer Rothorn is best from early June to late October. These are the months in which the steam train to the top operates, as well as the cable car from Sörenberg and the bus from Schüpfheim to Sörenberg.
The chance of a combination of snow-capped mountain tops in the distance and beautiful vegetation on the lower hills is best in June (late spring) and October (fall).
Weather and forecasts
Check the weather forecast below to make sure that the top of the mountain isn't in the clouds, and that the skies are clear enough to enjoy the wide views.
The Brienzer Rothorn is not exceptionally high for Swiss standards. There will normally be no snow on the top in late spring, summer, and early fall. It can still be chilly though, as the top is fully exposed to the wind. Dress in multiple thinner layers so that you can adapt to whatever circumstances you will encounter. Bring along your sunglasses.
What an excursion to Brienzer Rothorn is like
The steam train
It’s a real pleasure to board the train in Brienz, and travel to the top the same way that’s been used since 1891. This by a steam locomotive pushing the carriages up the mountain on a cogwheel railway. It takes an hour to reach the station on the top of the Brienzer Rothorn, at an altitude of 2244 m. Diesel locomotives are available too, which will be used if there are lots of travelers or technical issues.
Scenery during the ride
The scenery along the way is extraordinary: the train winds its way up the mountain, crossing meadows and forests. Once the mid-station of Planalp has been reached, the forests make place for alpine meadows, rocks and sharp ridges.
What to see and do at the top
At the top, there is a tremendous view of Lake Brienz deep down in the valley, the Bernese Oberland in the south, and Central Switzerland in the north. There’s a shop and restaurant with regional products, plus a mountain lodge to spend the night in.
The piazza provides views of the region and interactive information about the Entlebuch Biosphere, which is located on the northern side of the mountain. A small indoor theatre displays movies about this area too.
Special steam train experiences
Apart from the normal rides, there are special excursions that require booking in advance. Examples are:
- a “Salon Rouge” ride, including a look behind the scene at the steam train depot and nostalgic multiple-course catering during the ride;
- a “‘Full Moon” ride: an evening trip with dinner in the top restaurant;
- a “Footplate” ride in the steam train locomotive.
Brienzer Rothorn FAQ
-
How long does the trip to Brienzer Rothorn take?
Allow at least an hour at the top to fully enjoy the views, and at least 3 hours for the full trip from Brienz. The round trip via Schüpfheim takes at least 6 hours.
-
What’s the best side of the train to sit on?
I recommend the left side when departing from Brienz to get the majority of good views.
➤ Book your Brienzer Rothorn tickets here
Promotions
There are currently no promotions available.
Schedules
- www.brienz-rothorn-bahn.ch: Brienzer Rothorn train timetable
- www.soerenberg.ch: Brienzer Rothorn cable car timetable
Prices
- www.brienz-rothorn-bahn.ch: Brienzer Rothorn ticket prices
- www.brienz-rothorn-bahn.ch: Brienzer Rothorn seat reservations
- www.soerenberg.ch: Brienzer Rothorn cable car price
Boat Lake Brienz
GoldenPass
Schynige Platte
Brienz
