Interlaken Transportation Tips by globetrott

my selfmade postcard

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Transportations around Interlaken are quite expensive, but at least you may save some money, when you buy one of the special ticket, available in a big variety : In case that you are lucky with perfect weather and stay in the area around Brienzersee & Thunersee for at least 3 days , it really makes sense to buy the "Regionalpass Berner Oberland" :
This train-pass is valid 7 (220,-sfr) or 15 days (265,-sfr) and during 3 of these 7 or 5 of these 15 days you may use that ticket for unlimited travels, only for a tour to Jungfraujoch you pay 50 sfr extra and for Schilthorn 30 sfr extra - the Brienz Rothorn is totally included !!
The tickets are for 7/15 consecutive days, BUT you may choose any 3 (or 5) days of unlimited travels by yourself - you simply stamp your ticket at any trainstation into a machine on these days.
During the rest of the days you pay half of the ordinary prices.
This ticket includes also all trains and ships around Brienzersee and Thunersee, trains till Brig, Lenk i.S., Adelboden, Meiringen, Gstaad and halfprice all days to Zermatt, Luzern, Bern etc...
I had such a ticket with 7 days and could save a lot of money, although I had only 3 days with excellent weather-conditions !!.
See more details about that ticket on my link below !!

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Website: http://www.regiopass-berneroberland.ch/

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Transportation: Jungfraubahnen-pass is another great trainpass

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Written by globetrott

on Apr 13, 2006

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Jungfraubahnen-pass is another great trainpass

When staing for a longer period in Interlaken it might make sense to calculate also this special offer : It will depend on the duration of your vacation and of course also on a good weather-forecast and it might make sense to buy this train-pass :
Jungfraubahnen-pass is a special pre-paid train-ticket for 6 consecutive days and it is valid for the whole area between Interlaken Ost and Grosse Scheidegg, Kleine Scheidegg,Maennlichen, Wengen,Muerren,First,Grindelwald, Busalp, Harder Kulm and Schynigge Platte.
You may use all of these trains and buses totally for free for 6 days, only for the train between Kleine Scheidegg and Jungfraujoch you pay 50 sfr extra.
For the Schilthorn you have to pay the full price !! - In case that you intend to go to Schilthorn and/or Brienzer Rothorn as well , I may recommend to buy the "Regionalpass Berner Oberland" instead of Jungfraubahnen-Pass !!
The Jungfraubahnen-pass is 190 sfr for the 6 consecutive days !

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Website: http://www.jungfraubahn.ch

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Transportation: Interlaken Ost - mainly for local trains

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Written by globetrott

on Apr 13, 2006

'Mode': TO
Category: Train
Getting TO/AROUND: Interlaken OST is the biggest train-station of Interlaken and it is situated at the east-end of Interlaken. This is, where all of the trains, coming from Luzern & Bruenig-Pass will end, because they will use another rail-system. Also all of the trains in direction to Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald will start at this station. In a walking-distance of just 3 minutes you may go from this station to board the ships, cruising Brienzersee / Lake Brienz.
At the end of track #4 you will find the hall of Ballenberg-bahn, an old steamtrain !

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Website: www.sbb.ch

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Transportation: Interlaken WEST

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Written by globetrott

on Apr 13, 2006

by globetrott , 3 more photos

'Mode': TO
Category: Train
Getting TO/AROUND: Interlaken WEST is a lot smaller that the Ost-station, just 5 or 6 rail-tracks and all of the international trains arriving via Spiez or Bern will arrive here and might also go on to Interlaken Ost and end there. Around the station of Interlaken West you will find the centre of the village, most of the shops, a giant MIGROS-supermarket and restaurant. In a walking-distance of just 3 minutes you may change from the train to the ships, cruising Thunersee / Lake Thun.
The train to Interlaken Ost takes about 3 minutes, the ordinary fare would be 2,20 sfr !

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Website: www.sbb.ch

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Transportation: Autobahn-Vignette - Fee to be payed on the highway

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Written by globetrott

on Apr 13, 2006

by globetrott

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: Driving with your own car in Interlaken and its surrounding is quite ticky, because the road along the southern bank of Brienzersee is ment to be a highway, although it does not look that way and you will have a single track for several km. For using the AUTOBAHN / highway in Switzerland - you will have to pay a " vignette " - a sticker or ticket to be attached behind your windscreen.
There are only 1-year-tickets available for the price of 40 sfr / 32 Euros and be aware, that there are high penalties, when they catch you without such a sticker on your windscreen.
Buy them at newspaper stands or directely at the border.
When arriving in Switzerland ON the Autobahn from another country, there will be an exit for all those NOT WILLING to buy a vignette...
I may highly recommend to buy this sticker, simply because many of the fast roads like the road along the southern shore of Lake Brienz are included in the highway-system, although there is only 1 track in each direction and only a very few places, where you may overtake others. And still you save 30 minutes driving-time between Brienz and Interlaken. Also in other parts of Switzerland you may get on a highway without realizing immediately !!

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Transportation: the funicular to the Grandhotel Giessbach

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Written by globetrott

on Apr 13, 2006

'Mode': TO
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: A unique means of transportation will be waiting for passengers, when you take the ship to Giessbach . The old funicular taking you up from the ship-station to the Grandhotel Giessbach is just 345 meters long and takes you up 90 meters in height. This lovely funicular dates back to the glorious time of 1879, when most of the noble tourists arrived by steam-ship and would never have thought a second about taking a little walk uphills....
Still today you will always have a connecting funicular going down to the ship-station 5 minutes prior to the arrival of the ships and afterwards again a funicular going up to the hotel . Such a funicular is always connected by a thick rope with the oncoming wagon and they will meet in the middle of the track. In case of Giessbach-funicular only that wagon will be accessible, that is going TO the ship or FROM the ship.
The one-way-ticket is 4,50 sfr / return is 6 sfr
For holders of a "Regionalpass berner Oberland"
the returnticket is 4,50 sfr.
the funicular will only be operated, when a ship is arriving or leaving,because the ship-station is a "cul the sac" a place with a dead end.

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Website: http://www.giessbach.ch/

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Transportation: Rothornbahn - take steam-trains of 19th century

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Written by globetrott

on Apr 13, 2006

'Mode': TO
Category: Train
Getting TO/AROUND: Not far from Interlaken you may take one of the most spectacular steam-train-rides in Switzerland : Brienzer Rothorn-Bahn (BRB) dates back to the year 1891 and many of the trains of that time are still in use nowadays. In the 19th century the Rothorn-Kulm used to be the highest train-station in the world.
On top of Rothorn you may enjoy local specialities in 2 restaurants , walk up to the peak of Rothorn or hike down to Soerenberg at the north-side of Rothorn or go down to Soerenberg by cablecar. On the way to the top of Rothorn there are 3 stations with passing-places for the oncoming trains of the Rothornbahn, and at the 1st such station ( Planalp) the trains get fresh water and oil and you may get out for about 5 minutes in order to take some photographs !
Try to be at the station 20 minutes before the trains are leaving !
When going up the seats at the left will offer the best views in my opinion !
The 1st and maybe 2nd train in the morning are Diesel-trains !
Don't forget rain-gear and good walking-shoes !!
The weather may change all of a sudden on top of Rothorn !
The trains run between may 21st and October 23rd in 2005
for other years : take a look at the web-page below !
An ordinary return-ticket is 62 sfr / Halbtax: 50 sfr ! , and it is 100% included
in the "Regionalpass Berner Oberland"

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Phone: +41(0)33952 2222
Website: http://www.brienz-rothorn-bahn.ch

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Transportation: The Ballenberg museum-steam-train

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Written by globetrott

on Apr 13, 2006

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Train
Getting TO/AROUND: At the end of track #4 at the station Interlaken Ost you will find an interesting shed with an old steam-train : Ballenberg-Bahn is a museum-steam-train that used to go east of Brienz on a regular schedule many years ago. When you are lucky, there will be someone there to let you inside the shed, otherwise you may see at least the old wagons in front of the shed or you return on any friday at 02.00p.m., because every friday afternoon the shed is open for visitors !!
In summer the steam-train will make special tours according to these timetables :
http://www.dampfbahnen.ch - you may use the link below !
for prices click on "Preise" - it is a pity that everything is just in german, but I guess you may understand most of these infos anyway.
Several train-rides are done each year in July, September and October between Interlaken Ost and Giswil ( that is halfway between Brienz and Luzern - with a scenic ride going through Brienz and over the Bruenig-Pass)

Be careful, I spoiled one of my jackets , when I touched the steam-train in order to make the picture of the driver's place - coal-dust is everywhere and it will be hard to clean your clothes again !!

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Website: http://www.dampfbahnen.ch

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Transportation: How to get to Schilthorn / Piz Gloria

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Written by globetrott

on Apr 13, 2006