Interlaken Ost to Wengen is it included in Eurail

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    21 June 2018 at 11:18:49 #886668

    Hi AusCol,

    Don’t worry – all questions are always answered here! 🙂

    You can find the printed schedule for the Lake Thun boat cruise here: https://www.myswissalp s.com/boatlakethun under more information on other websites.

    Page 24 on the The PDF file shows the symbols and what they mean so you can see which departure is a paddle steamer.

    Reservations are not possible on any boats.

    The ferry terminal is next to the train station in Thun, and you can leave your bags at the station in lockers (about 7chf with coins only). Thun is a lovely city to grab lunch and explore: https://www.myswissalp s.com/thun

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    21 June 2018 at 13:22:22 #886669

    Hi – thank you for the link. I opened it and bring up the month of August & click on 28th, but it keeps defaulting back to todays departure.

    Also, cant find any information as to how early you need to be at the Departure wharf in Thun. Will I need to email them? Couldn’t discover anything under passenger information & nothing came up in the ‘search’ area. I’m guessing passengers would need to be there 30 minutes prior to all be boarded so the Paddle Steamer can depart on time.

    Cruise No. 13 from Spiez at 12.28 I feel sure its is just a Ferry as doesn’t have a paddle steamer symbol.

    So to summarize, Tickets and reservations can’t be made on the Paddle Steamer Thun – Interlaken West. We just turn up & hope to get on? It would be the best option, being the most scenic & leisurely? as opposed to taking the Ferry Spiez to Interlaken?

    Any hints on where we should sit …. we have 1st Class Eurail, but is the view better at the front or back, top deck, or bottom deck … and which side should we head for?

    sorry about all the questions – hopefully they’ll help someone else too. Cheers, AusCol

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    21 June 2018 at 16:27:20 #886670

    Are you clicking on the printed PDF timetable? It is by season, so you need to scroll down to summer season for Thun. The steamer runs daily from Thun to Interlaken at 12:40 (Spiez departs at 13:28). There is an earlier departure on Sundays only.

    Every time I’ve taken a boat cruise I’ve shown up 5-10 minutes prior. It is run as a ferry service not cruise per se, so it isn’t a long boarding process. Earlier arrivals can be better in case the boat is very busy and they are full before you get on-board.

    Correct, reservations aren’t possible and you don’t need tickets as you have the Eurail (select or Global) Pass.

    I don’t know if there is one side of the top deck that is best – views from anywhere are great I thought. Another member may contradict me if they like! 🙂

    andrew
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    22 June 2018 at 0:35:38 #886671

    Well said, Lucas. As I said before, it’s easy to think things are complicated when, in fact, they’re straight forward. Just turn up with your passes and luggage and board the ship.

    Yes, the views are good all around and you can move about freely especially with first class tickets. If you’re lucky you may be able to find an empty deckchair on the first class fore deck of the Blümlisalp but it can get a bit ‘breezy’ if the temperature is low.

    All the “ferries” are comfortable and more like mini cruise ships but on Thunersee there is only one paddle steamer. The 11:40 service from Thun (12:28 from Spiez) is usually, but not always, the motorship Berner Oberland which is finely appointed. The paddler sails at 12:40. The 10:10 Sunday sailing goes non-stop to Spiez but does not sail the full length of the lake. You can learn about all the ships from the BLS website and even view live webcams. In Thun they all sail from the canal which is only across the road from the Station. You can’t miss them although the paddler is sometimes a short way along.

    There’s no point getting to the ship too early as it’s normal to start boarding only about 10 minutes before departure. Of course, your chance of a deckchair is better if there’s a queue and you’re near the front.

    Andrew

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    22 June 2018 at 2:50:02 #886672

    Hi all – once again, super helpful information. It seems the Paddle Steamer will be a highlight, so I’ll plan our rail journey from Zermatt via Kandersteg to take us to Thun in place of Spiez on Tues 28 Aug. board the Paddle steamer, to Interlaken & on to Wengen via Lauterbrunnen.

    I imagine we’ll follow Andrews instructions of get in position (right hand side of the boat looking forward) for a quick disembarkation a minute or two before reaching Interlaken West. When the boat arrives at Interlaken West 14.53 , walk forward from the boat, turn right into the underpass and up the stairs or lift to the platform.( we will have purchased the Interlaken Ost to Wengen section in Zermatt)

    Interlaken West depart Platform 1 14:53

    Interlaken Ost arrive Platform 7 14:57

    Interlaken Ost depart Platform2A 15:05

    Lauterbrunnen arrive Platform 2 15:25

    Lauterbrunnen depart 15:37

    Wengen arrive 15:39

    One thing could be tight … the train will be departing at the same time as we arrive in Interlaken West. So I may have to re-think the plan and do the following

    Interlaken West depart Platform 1 15:23 IC61 1073 Intercity 61

    Interlaken Ost arrive Platform 7 15.28 R173

    Interlaken Ost depart Platform2A 15:35 R 373

    Lauterbrunnen arrive Platform 2 15:55

    Lauterbrunnen depart 16.07

    Wengen arrive 16:19

    What would you recommend to do with the remainder of our day in Wengen? We won’t go up to the top as too expensive, but wish to take in the best of Wengen and surrounding area. Is there a great place to take in Sunset?

    Thanks so much – AusCol

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    23 June 2018 at 6:02:01 #886673

    Hm I’m not sure about sunsets in Wengen…Usually the higher the better. 🙂

    Are you looking for non-mountain activities in Wengen? IE in the town itself or are you looking at hikes etc? Have you see are activity and hiking page for Wengen? https://www.myswissalp s.com/wengen/activitie s

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    23 June 2018 at 8:54:25 #886674

    Yes I had a look – but as we won’t have have a lot of time, we are open to suggestions. We don’t mind an easy Hike … or going somewhere to see some beautiful views. Or should we explore the village of Wengen more. We wont go to the expense of going up to the top … but open to suggestion of paying a little extra to see awesome sites we shouldn’t miss. Sorry to be so general.

    andrew
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    23 June 2018 at 11:05:59 #886675

    Weather permitting, there are excellent views to be had from the Wengen itself, both up to the mountains or down into the valley. We stay in Wengen in the winter for the skiing and the views, and in Spiez in the summer for the views, walks, lake and trips further afield. I’ve attached a couple of winter sunset pictures (compressed for MySwissAlps use) which were taken from our Wengen hotel bedroom balcony.

    There’s a pleasant, gentle walk that you’d have time for out to Mary’s Cafe and beyond. Look for signposts near the station. Follow the road down from outside the Co-Op. Most signposts for paths show the time taken rather than the actual distance.

    Andrew

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    24 June 2018 at 4:32:22 #886676

    >> Is there a great place to take in Sunset?

    The alpenglow doesn’t happen every evening, but when it does, it is beautiful. A good place from which to watch the sunset is the lookout at Wengen. For directions and a map, please see my post of Jun 9, 2018 – 11:35 PM on the following page:

    http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/proposal-in-lauterbrunnen

    I have attached a series of photos taken over a period of 20 minutes one evening in Wengen. They were taken from the terrace of the Hotel Bellevue while I was having dinner, but the Wengen lookout is nearby and the view from there is essentially the same.

    Alpenrose

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    25 June 2018 at 17:34:08 #886677

    Thanks so much for all of your beautiful pictures and helpful information. An Easy Walk . back in time and view sunset sounds the way to go

    any hints on a good, inexpensive place to eat that night?

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    26 June 2018 at 3:47:26 #886678

    >> any hints on a good, inexpensive place to eat that night?

    Well, I don’t know about inexpensive, but the following have been enjoyed by contributors to this forum:

    • Da Sina Italian restaurant, specialising in pizza (near the lookout, shown on Google Maps as Sina’s Pub)

    http://www.dasina.ch/en/about -us.html

    • Pasta and More (in the main street, adjacent to the Victoria-Lauberhorn hotel)
    • I have enjoyed a meal at the Victoria-Lauberhorn Hotel on a couple of occasions, but I usually sign up for half-board at my hotel and eat there.

    http://www.hotel-victoria-lauberhorn.ch/en/hotel /food-restauraunts/

    • There is also a new Indian Restaurant that has opened up, called Golden India Wengen. That is up in the area near the lookout as well.

    goldenindia.ch/about-goldenindia-wengen/

    All are marked on Google Maps.

    Alpenrose

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