Niesen: the must-knows

  • The Niesen is a pyramid-shaped mountain and a great panoramic viewpoint south of Lake Thun, with a hotel/restaurant and playground.
  • You can get there by a steep, spectacular funicular ride.
  • This excursion is less expensive than the more famous mountains in the Bernese Oberland.
  • Due to its steep slopes, the Niesen isn’t the best place for easy hikes.
  • The trip is discounted with a Swiss Travel Pass and Swiss Half Fare Card, and even for free with several regional passes.
Min. time required: 2:00
Season: late April to mid November
Recommended season: late April to mid November
Max. altitude: 2362 m (7749 ft)

What is the Niesen? Copy link to clipboard

The Niesen is not as famous as many other mountains in Switzerland, but it actually is one of the best viewing points in the Bernese Oberland. It's easy to reach, for example from Thun, Interlaken, Bern, and Kandersteg. The excursion is relatively affordable.

You can reach its top by a steep funicular ride from Mülenen in the Kander Valley, south of Lake Thun. At the top, there's a hotel, a restaurant, a playground and most importantly: a magnificent 360°-view over the lakes and mountains of the Bernese Oberland.

Ticket prices and reservations Copy link to clipboard

Niesen ticket prices 2024

The standard fare for a return trip Mülenen-Niesen is CHF 59 per adult. Many rail passes offer discounted or even free traveling.

Where to buy your Niesen tickets

Tickets for the funicular can be purchased online and at the valley station in Mülenen.

Reservations

You don't have to make reservations for a trip to Niesen. Advance reservation for a culinary evening ride is recommended though.

Find your tickets Copy link to clipboard

Niesenbahn ticket from Mülenen
Niesenbahn ticket from Mülenen
Hiking
The Niesenbahn takes you from Mülenen to the Niesen in 30 minutes. The funicular has an intermediate station in Schwandegg.

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Get discounts for Niesen with your rail pass Copy link to clipboard

The below rail passes offer discounted or even free trips to the Niesen.

PassDiscount
Berner Oberland Pass Free:
  • Mülenen to Mount Niesen (funicular)
Day Pass Discount 50%:
  • Mülenen to Mount Niesen (funicular)
Swiss Half Fare Card Discount 50%:
  • Mülenen to Mount Niesen (funicular)
Swiss Travel Pass Discount 50%:
  • Mülenen to Mount Niesen (funicular)
Swiss Travel Pass Flex Discount 50%:
  • Mülenen to Mount Niesen (funicular)

How to reach the Niesen: direction and map Copy link to clipboard

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How does the timetable work?

You first need to travel to Mülenen. There, you'll switch to the funicular.

Traveling to Mülenen

Mülenen is a village in the Kander Valley, south of Spiez on Lake Thun. Mülenen can be reached by car or by train (5 minutes from Spiez). It's a 4-minute walk from the train station to the funicular station.

Traveling from Mülenen to the Niesen

The funicular crosses the river Kander immediately after departure. Then it creeps up the forested slopes until it reaches the mid-station Schwandegg after about 10 minutes. That's where you'll switch to another funicular that takes you along the slightly shorter second leg of the trip to the top. The entire funicular trip is completed in half an hour.

Funicular route to Niesen on a map

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Map

Operation dates, schedules and timetable Copy link to clipboard

2024 operation dates for the Niesen

The funicular operates from 27 April until 11 November 2024.

Planning your trip in the timetable

You can check the Niesen timetable through the link here. Planning your trip with the Swiss timetable is possible too. The below names are used:

  • The destination is called "Niesen Kulm".
  • The train station of Mülenen is simply called "Mülenen".
  • The funicular valley station is "Mülenen (Niesenbahn)".
  • The mid-station is "Schwandegg".

Best months to visit Niesen Copy link to clipboard

An excursion to Niesen can be made from late April to mid November. We think the trip is a good option in this entire period:

  • The most striking contrast between vegetation in the valleys and snow-capped mountain tops can be seen in April to June (spring) and October (fall).
  • July, August, and September are perfect if you want a refreshing break from high temperatures in the valleys.
  • From October, the sun is in the right position for the Niesen to cast its nearly perfect triangular shadow over Lake Thun.
  • In November, vegetation in the valleys isn't at its best, and it's usually too early to expect a significant amount of snow on the mountains. But Niesen is one of the few peaks that can be reached until mid-November, which makes it an excellent choice if you're visiting the Bernese Oberland in this period. Many other mountains plan maintenance and low-season breaks from mid-October.

Weather forecast and tips Copy link to clipboard

The Niesen 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. Take along sunglasses.

It is essential to check the weather forecast. There's no point in going up if clouds are blocking the views from the top of the Niesen, and you definitely need good weather if you want to do some hiking.

5-day weather forecast for the Niesen

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What to expect from an excursion to the Niesen

  • You’ll make a spectacular steep funicular ride. The views get better and better as you slowly creep up the mountain.
  • At the top, it’s an easy 5-minute walk from the funicular station to the viewing platform.
  • From the platform, you’ll have a magnificent 360°-view over Lake Thun, the Kander Valley, the towns of Spiez, Thun, and Interlaken, plus the rest of the Bernese Alps. Even the Jura mountain range in the far north-west can be seen if the sky is clear.
  • There’s a hotel, a restaurant, and a playground.
  • The funicular normally operates until late afternoon. On many Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights you can visit the Niesen in the evening as well, when the restaurant serves typically Swiss dishes during special culinary events.

How long an excursion to Niesen takes

In many cases, a trip to Niesen takes about half a day.

A single funicular ride from Mülenen to the top takes 30 minutes. So if you spend an hour at the mountain, count on 2 hours in total from Mülenen. Your total excursion time depends on where you’re traveling from. Some examples of a 1-way trip duration from popular towns:

Hiking to and from Niesen

There are several hiking trails from the valley to the top. Note that the Niesen is shaped like a pyramid. The slopes are steep and so are the trails. These are no beginners’ walks.

There is a funicular station called Schwandegg halfway up the mountain, so you can walk part of the route up or down if you want. We prefer going up. Even though this requires more effort, it’s much easier on the knees than descending.

What else to do on the same day

If you spend half a day on your excursion to Niesen, you can add more activities. Our suggestions:

  • Visit Thun and make a boat trip on the lake. If you plan well, you could even add a trip to the mountain Niederhorn on the opposite side of the lake.
  • Visit Bern.
  • Make a train ride to Kandersteg and visit the Oeschinen Lake (“Oeschinensee”) or the Blausee.
  • Enjoy a part of the Lötschberg Mountain Railway.

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Annika
Page author: AnnikaSince early childhood I've been visiting Switzerland during my holidays and I just fell in love with the country. I spent many summers in the Bernese Oberland, which still feels like my second home, and then started to explore other areas. Traveling, hiking and photographing in the Swiss Alps are my absolute favorite activities.