[Anonymous]

19 April 2017 at 15:31:41 #811461

Hello!

I am travelling to Interlaken next month with my husband. We only have 3 days 2 nights in Interlaken and have planned to go to the following places:

Day 1

-Arrive Interlaken. Check in to Hotel Central. Go to Harder Kulm, Unterseen. (any more places to go? as I think we still have some free time since we will arrive Interlaken around noon)

Day 2

– Jungfrau early in the morning / Schilthorn (round trip will take around 3 hours?)

– Lake Brienz (cruise journey about 3 hours?)

Are those 2 places enough for the second day? If I can afford to slot in more places, where else can we go?

Day 3

– 9 am train to Luzern

Thank you in advance!

Lisa

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[User]

Reply 1 of 9 • 20 April 2017 at 5:09:27 #861808

Hi Lisa and welcome to MySwissAlps!

Day 1: I am not sure you would have much more time to see other sights if you are arriving around noon and then exploring Interlaken/Unterseen and then heading up Harder Kulm. Did I understand your schedule for this day?

Day 2: You won’t have time to do what you have planned here – Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn can be done together (2 hours to Jungfraujoch then about 2.5 hours to get over to Schilthorn and 1,5 hours back to Interlaken – so one long day here without trying to add in a lake cruise on Lake Brienz (unless you look for a dinner cruise and you have started your day quite early.)

Your itinerary is nice for a quick trip to Interlaken, but I wouldn’t try to fit more in. As it is you may have to drop a mountain visit or the lake cruise – depending on how rushed you want to be (or not be) :).

Lucas

[User]

Reply 2 of 9 • 20 April 2017 at 9:13:07 #861809

Hi Lisa-

here is the boat schedule for the Brienzersee (Lake Brienz.)

http://www.bls.ch/-/media/bls/pdf/fahrpla ene/schiff/fahrplan-2017.pdf?la=en&vs=1

See page 7.

Look carefully at the red letter coding for which service is available on which day.

Although the entire schedule on the Thunersee changes part way through May, on the Brienzersee, some of the the service starts in April and has the same schedule through the 30th of June. Not all. The last boat from IO to Brienz is at 1607, but that service only starts on May 13th.. The last boat with some kind of restaurant service is at 1407 and it is routinely a steam powered paddlewheeler. I cannot figure out definitely from the schedule on what date that service begins. Probably May 20th, but i’d ask them or a tourist office.

As Lucas noted, there is a fair amount of time required in transit for your desired destinations. If all you want to do is go to each place and step off the train or cablecar, then step back on, you still would have trouble making the 1407.

To be sure, use the timetable and work out exact connections. It should be possible to catch the 1607, but don’t plan on taking much time to explore or enjoy either of the mountains. I agree with Lucas…you are trying to do too much to fully enjoy the experiences.

If you wish to spend more time in the mountains, consider staying in Wengen or Lauterbrunnen, instead of interlaken. Remember that May is the tail end of Winter at high altitudes, and the “low” season. Some restaurants and hotels near the Jungfrau only opening for the Summer in early to mid june, after closing for a break sometime in April when the skiing conditions deteriorate. The transport to the Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn will be running.

Slowpoke

[User]

Reply 3 of 9 • 20 April 2017 at 14:19:49 #861810

Thanks for the helpful advices, Slowpoke and Lucas 🙂

I will only visit Jungfrau or Schilthorn and won’t be doing 2 places due to time constraint. Have more or less decided to go up Jungfrau and I suppose I still have time for Lake Brienz? Planning to start early in the morning on Day 2.

And for day 1, Lucas understood it correctly. But will probably go Harder Kulm and in the evening, explore Interlaken/Unterseen

[User]

Reply 4 of 9 • 20 April 2017 at 14:25:07 #861811

By the way, I read that the boat ride from Interlaken to Brienz is 75 mins and I can take a train back from Brienz to Interlaken? Is that a cogwheel train? How long is the train ride back to Interlaken?

Thanks much 🙂

[User]

Reply 5 of 9 • 20 April 2017 at 15:29:03 #861812

Hi Lisa-

the Timetable will answer your question about trains.

it is immensely useful:

http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable,

so I’ll let you try it out.

If you have trouble, let us know.

The train from Brienz to Interlaken Ost leaves from a station very close to the ship landing, and runs along the lake shore. Since it is essentially a level journey, it does not need a cograil system.

If you have time in Brienz, you might enjoy a visit to Jobin. About 10 minute walk from the station.

http://www.jobin.ch/cms/cms.a sp?LF=3&p=ASP\

They are the premier wood carvers in a town known for its carvers.

I always stop and buy my granddaughter a music box there when I am in Brienz. They have an excellent selection.

These maps may help you in your travels in Switzerland. Mapsearch does not show altitudes. “Wanderland” does. Altitude matters.

map.search.ch/?pos=646700,178048&z=64 &poi=bergbahn,halteste lle,zug

Mouse over the station icons.

map.wanderland.ch/?lang=en&route=all&bgLa yer=pk&resolution=20&X =637240&Y=174240&layer s=Wanderland%2CStation

You can turn off the stations in the menu on the left.

Slowpoke

[User]

Reply 6 of 9 • 21 April 2017 at 1:09:44 #861813

Have you considered incorporating the cruise on Lake Brienz into your journey to or from Interlaken? That would free up some time while actually in Interlaken.

For example:

Depart Interlaken Ost by boat to Brienz 9:07

Arrive Brienz 10:20

Train Brienz to Luzern 10:25 or 11:25

To make that 5 minute connection at Brienz, you would need to be ready to disembark pretty smartly when the boat arrives at Brienz, but it is a very short, level walk to the station, and not at all a problem with luggage. The SBB timetable suggests the walk between wharf and station takes 2 minutes. I have attached two photos – one showing the station as seen from the wharf, the other showing the wharf as seen from the station – to give you an idea of what is involved in transferring between the two.

Alpenrose

[User]

Reply 7 of 9 • 21 April 2017 at 9:15:44 #861814

Thanks, Slowpoke for a detailed explanation

Thanks, AlpenRose for the suggestion. That’s a good idea. But how’s the punctuality of public transport in Switzerland? I read that they are very punctual? That’s because I have a train to catch from Luzern to Austria after that. I am just afraid if there will be delays during the boat ride.

[User]

Reply 8 of 9 • 21 April 2017 at 14:22:38 #861815

In general it is extremely punctual but there are always exceptions..what are the timings involved?

Lucas

[User]

Reply 9 of 9 • 22 April 2017 at 8:13:17 #861816

>> Day 3 – 9 am train to Luzern

>> I have a train to catch from Luzern to Austria after that. I am just afraid if there will be delays during the boat ride.

If you have reservations for your trip to Austria, and therefore need to take a particular train, then I would not risk that short connection at Brienz. The 9:07 boat from Interlaken Ost to Brienz is the first for the day, so you could not take an earlier one.

Alpenrose