Is it better to do a day trip to Bern from Lucerne or Interlaken?
Sue is planning a 3-4 week trip to Switzerland in 2026 and is considering day trips to Bern from either Luzern or Interlaken. She needs advice on the most scenic route and feedback on her itinerary, which includes stops in Zurich, Luzern, Interlaken, Montreux, Zermatt, and Chur or St. Moritz.
- Take the scenic route via Langnau when traveling from Luzern to Bern for beautiful views of the Emmental Valley and Swiss farmhouses.
- Consider investing in Swiss Travel Passes for easier travel, especially since you’ll be visiting multiple locations within Switzerland.
- Spending an extra day in Lucerne can enhance your experience and give you time to explore nearby attractions.
- Staying in Chur is favorable for accessing scenic bus routes and day trips, including an excursion to Tirano.
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Hi, We will be travelling in 2026 and I am starting to plan our itinerary of 3 – 4 weeks. I am thinking we may be better to do a daytrip to Bern from either Luzern or Interlaken rather than staying in Bern itself. Which is the most scenic route? We intend to purchase a Swiss Pass for our trip.
Our Itinerary so far is looking like this:
Zurich to Luzern, Luzern to Interlaken, Interlaken to Grindalwald or Lauterbrunnen (or both), Interlaken to Montreux (will do a day trip from Montreux to Geneva), Montreux to Zermatt, Zermatt to either Chur or St Moritz (Will do a day trip to Tirano).Your thoughts on the itinerary and the best location from which to visit Bern would be appreciated.
Sue
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Hello SueB
Welcome to MySwissAlps
Thank you for sharing your advance plans with us. The itinerary is clearly doable.
If you have not already done so get a good old fashioned paper map of Switzerland for your detailed planning.
If you have not already done so, learn to use the Swiss electronic timetable: https://www.myswissalps.com/travel/public-transport/timetable/
Swiss Travel Pass (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-travel-pass/)
As you will be doing a lot of travelling within Switzerland, invest in Swiss Travel Passes. Note the longest period for an STP is 15 days, so each person will need two 15 day passes, or a 15 day pass plus an 8 day pass.
Note that Swiss fares in 2025 were ‘frozen’ at 2024 levels. I would expect fares to go up on 1st January 2026.
Day Trip to Bern (https://www.myswissalps.com/town/bern/)
This can be done from either Luzern or Interlaken.
From Interlaken it takes only about 55 minutes on the train. On the current 2025 timetable trains depart Interlaken Ost at 29 and 59 past each hour. With the departures at 07 29, 09 29 etc, a change at Spiez will be required.
The run is scenic, especially the first bit from Interlaken to Spiez. But note that you will also use this stretch of line on your journey from the Interlaken/Grindelwald area to Zermatt.
There are two routes from Luzern to Bern. Timings are the current 2025 timetable.
There is the fast but uninteresting route via SURSEE. Every hour, on the hour, the IR15 train leaves Luzern bound for Geneva. It takes this train exactly an hour to get to Bern. (In the other direction the IR15 train leaves Bern on the hour, but takes 61 minutes!)
There is the slow but (very) scenic route via LANGNAU. Every hour at 57 minutes past each hour an RE7 leaves Luzern bound for Bern. This journey takes 90 minutes. RE7 Trains return from Bern at 36 minutes past each hour.
Chur to Tirano
On your journey from Zermatt (presumably on the Glacier Express) I suggest you get off at Chur and spend the night there.
On the following day take a day excursion to Tirano. The following itinerary is based on 2025 timings.
08 17 Bernina Express from Chur to Tirano, arrive 12 49. Lunch in Tirano.
13 41 R19 train to St Moritz, arrive 16 11. Time for a short stroll by the lake.
16 53 RE7 to Landquart via Klosters arrive Landquart at 18 39.
18 45 IC3 train to Chur, arrive 18 54.
Best wishes with your detailed planning.
Roger
Hi SueB,
I would recommend doing the day trip to Bern from Lucerne. Take the scenic route via Langnau as suggested by Roger.
On this route, you will travel through the Emmental Valley and Entlebuch with views of Swiss farmhouses and rolling hills. Cows grazing on the lush green meadows supply the milk for the world-famous Emmental cheese with the large holes. If you have time, make a stop enroute: in Schüpfheim, the PostBus “Panorama Route Express” takes visitors to the Lammschlucht canyon and to Sorenberg, where you can take the cable car to Brienzer Rothorn (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/brienzer-rothorn/). The Kambly Experience in Trubschachen, which lets visitors immerse themselves with all their senses into the secrets of pastry art, is worth a visit as well.
Regards,
Anna
Thankyou, Anna.
I will have a closer look at your suggestions. We can stay an extra day in Lucerne, so this looks like a good option.Sue
Thankyou, Roger,
That information is very helpful.
I was thinking of staying in Chur rather than St Moritz as well as doing a day trip to Tirano, so it was good to have your suggestions supporting these plans. The more scenic line from Lucerne to Bern sounds good. I am still finalising our itinerary, so your suggestions are valuable.Thanks again,
Sue
Hello again SueB
Thanks for your kind words.
I would strongly support Anna’s remarks about the Lucerne to Bern line via Langnau.
As to staying at Chur rather than St Moritz, I would strongly recommend that! Chur is a fantastic base for day excursions. (Look at the map.) Note that Chur is the starting point for several scenic BUS routes.
Very best wishes
Roger
Thankyou, Roger.
I’m thinking Chur as well. Have been finetuning the itinerary today. Just need some feedback from our fellow travellers before we start to plan dates, etc.
I have loved the Myswissalps website. It is very helpful for research and planning.
Sue
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