Interlaken

Interlaken is a town in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. It lies in the Bernese Oberland between Lake Thun to the west and Lake Brienz to the east, and is surrounded by the peaks of the Bernese Alps. The name means “between the lakes.” The town is a major tourist hub and a gateway to the Jungfrau region.

Located at about 570 meters above sea level, Interlaken sits in a broad valley at the heart of the Alps. The area has ancient settlements, but it developed rapidly as a resort in the 19th century with the advent of railway links to Spiez, Bern, and other parts of the Bernese Oberland. The opening of the Jungfraubahn in the early 20th century reinforced its role as an alpine base.

Today, tourism dominates the local economy. Visitors come for lake cruises on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, hiking, paragliding, and access to mountain railways and cable cars that reach Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Mürren, and the Jungfrau massif. Interlaken serves as a base for trips to Jungfraujoch, the “Top of Europe.” The town features a pedestrian-friendly center along Höheweg, views from the Harder Kulm viewpoint, and easy access to outdoor recreation year-round.

Interlaken is the administrative center of the Interlaken-Oberhasli district and has a resident population of around several thousand. It is well connected by rail, road, and boat services, with two main railway stations, Interlaken West and Interlaken Ost, and frequent services to Spiez and beyond.