Berner Oberland

Planning a trip to the Bernese Oberland Alpine region of Switzerland

The gateway to the Berner Oberland is Interlaken, a bustling resort town in the foothills of the Alps that is flanked by a pair of lakes and is just a one-hour train ride from Bern.

Interlaken itself doesn't have too much to hold your interest, but it makes an optimal base—and a requisite stop—for forays into the Berner Oberland.

The Alps are scattered with tiny villages and quaint resort towns. Two of the most visitor-friendly of these are Mürren and Wengen.

Although I think the region deserves at least three or four days, especially for hikers, on the tightest of schedules you could take an overnight train to Interlaken, switch for a train up to Jungfraujoch to spend the day, and make it back to Interlaken by evening for another overnight train out—but that's pushing it.

Tips

• Book a tour: Our partners at Viator.com can make transfers easy and get you great local tours for great prices (usually at or below the price you'd pay directly):
  • Jungfraujoch - Top of Europe (from Zurich)
  • Jungfraujoch Top of Europe Day Trip from Lucerne
  • Swiss Alps Small Group Day Tour from Zurich
  • Interlaken - Grindelwald in the Bernese Oberland (from Zurich)
  • Interlaken and Grindelwald Day Trip from Lucerne
  • Eiger - Jungfrau Glacier Panorama View (from Zurich)
  • Eiger and Jungfrau Panorama Day Trip from Lucerne