Why you should take a cruise ride on Lake Brienz

Interlaken in Switzerland is a gateway to some epic scenery: charming mountain villages of Grindelwald,  Lauterbrunnen, Wengen and Mürren, majestic peaks of Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau and the stunning lakes of Brienz and Thun. Looking at the names above you can imagine how impressive the “Things to do in Interlaken” list is. A cruise ride on Lake Brienz is an experience I recommend very highly. Be ready to be mesmerized by its turquoise waters, surrounding mountains and villages. Moreover, it’s absolutely free if you have a Eurail Pass or a Swiss Travel Pass!

Cruise ride on Lake Brienz

Interlaken means ‘between lakes’; on one side is Lake Thun and on the other is Lake Brienz. The latter is known for its breathtaking turquoise waters, thanks to the glacial particles from Aare River. Boat service on Lake Brienz dates back to 1839. Only the boats have changed but not the charm. The ride begins at Interlaken and after making brief halts at a couple of villages, ends at Brienz (the village from which Lake Brienz takes its name). Honestly, while waiting at the terminal, the water did not seem to be turquoise because of the reflections from the surrounding boats and structures. It was only a after a few minutes into the ride, one starts to notice the shade.

It’s a 75 minute journey from Interlaken to Brienz and every minute of it is photo worthy. The sun brings out the turquoise colour of the lake. Combine that with Swiss chalets on the shore and Alps in the background, you have a beautiful moment registered in your mind for the rest of your life! I will let the pictures do the talking now for words can’t do it justice.

Lake Brienz – Useful information

• How to book the tickets

  1. At the terminal – You can easily buy tickets at the cruise terminal/dock which is just 200 metres away from the Interlaken Ost train station. The cruises are operated by a company named BLS. It’s not required to purchase the ticket in advance, just show up at the dock and you can easily get one.
  2. Online – You can purchase the tickets in advance on this website

• Cruise Timetable

Find the latest timetable click here under Lake Brienz. Scroll down and you will find a PDF version of the detailed timetable as well.

• Prices/Fare

For the latest fares, visit this page . Under single tickets, you will find the prices listed under Brienzersee (Lake Brienz in German). One way (einfach) and return prices (retour) are mentioned for 1^st and 2^nd class. The difference between 1^st  and 2^nd class is that you get access to the upper deck in 1^st class (highly recommended). Please note that the cruise ride on Lake Brienz and Lake Thun is free if you have a Swiss Pass or a Eurail Pass.

• Activities around Lake Brienz

There are a few activities around Lake Brienz which can be combined with the boat ride

1. 1. Brienz Rothorn Bahn – From Brienz Station, take the Brienz Rothorn train to a mountain peak to witness a stunning panoramic view of the lake. You will need to set aside 3 hours in total for this excursion (1 hr each for going up and coming down and 1 hr to spend time at the top). For complete details about the timetable and prices, visit this webpage
   2. Kayaking – Rent a kayak and explore the lake at your own pace.
   3. Walking – Walk along the shore from Iseltwald to Giessbach. It’s a 5.4 km walk which takes around 1 hr 30 mins. From Giessbach you can take a boat back to Interlaken

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