Trains: Milan to Interlaken/Lauterbrunnen

This is not worth a day trip to do on your own by train if you do not get up at the crack of dawn it is too far. And then having to think to go back worried about missed connections. What if you get there and it is raining?
If you got the dough and must see the area take the guided tour with someone driving. And check to weather the fog will ruin it.

It would seem you would get more out of it taking the train yourself if you stayed over night in Murren or Lauterbrunnen instead of running to get back to Milan the same day

Thanks for the response and suggestion. The correct amount for the one-day tour, which includes a ferry on Lake Thun, is $164 (not euros). The return is on a tour bus from Spiez to Milan.

Patrick,

Train travel from Milan to Interlaken ranges from 3.5 - 5 hours each way with a minimum of two changes, so that's not a good solution for a day trip. If you've found a tour for €164 that will get you there and back in one day, that's a better option. You'll be on their schedule though, which will only allow a brief look at the area. You can decide from that if you want to plan a longer visit in future.

You don't have enough time to do a return trip via Luzern and the Brunig Pass, although you may be able to return that way if you leave the Berner Oberland after only a short time. So let's go via Spiez and see what we get.

The (earliest possible) 07:23 EC50 train from Milano Centrale to Basel stops in Gallarate, Domodossola (8:48), Brig (9:20), Visp and arrives at Spiez at 9:53 in platform 3. The next train to Interlaken Ost is a regional originating from Spiez platform 2 at 10:05 making all 4 stops to Interlaken Ost arriving at 10:28. Over to the narrow gauge platforms, follow the signs and onto platform 2A for the BOB train to Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. Make sure you get in a carriage saying Lauterbrunnen on the door or your train will split and take you where you don't want to go. It leaves at 10:35 and arrives in Lauterbrunnen 20 minutes later at 10:55. How does that sound.

The connections in Spiez and Interlaken Ost are quite easy and you should have no trouble making them. If you miss the train at Spiez there is another every few minutes and there is another BOB train up the hill every half hour but you should have no trouble.

If you say to yourself it is a beautiful day and you may as well keep going up, yu can walk from the train in Lauterbrunnen over to the cable car up to Grütschalp which goes at 11:08, up to the top at 11:12, walk off and go with the crowd 20 feet onto the tiny train waiting for you which leaves as soon as the last person boards or 2 minutes whichever is later (usually the 2 minutes) and gets you along the cliff edge to Mürren BLM station at 11:28, just enough time to stroll through the village and pick up a picnic at the Coop supermarket.

So, yes, you can do it if you get up early, are patient, understand your connections and can follow signs and herds.
I wouldn't worry about missing the trains in Switzerland, it truly is like a Swiss clock and all parts function together to give you a great trip. Your bottom may be sore by the time you get back to Milan though....

Returning, it is a bit more complicated and slower. The last train from Mürren that works comfortably is at 12:58 because all the later ones take over 6 hours and have even more changes.

So

Mürren BLM dep 12:58

Grütschalp dep 13:13

Lauterbrunnen BLM arr 13:17

Lauterbrunnen dep 13:32 platform 2

Interlaken Ost arr 13:53 platform 2A

Transfer time 7 min.

Interlaken Ost dep 14:00 platform 5

Spiez arr 14:21 platform 2

Transfer time 15 min.

Spiez dep 14:36 platform 3 IC 818 Intercity Direction: Brig

Brig arr 15:11 platform 6

Transfer time 33 min. so time to stretch your legs and get a pastry from the bakery near the ticket office

Brig dep 15:44 platform 7 EC 39 Eurocity Direction: Milano Centrale

arrives Milano Centrale 17:37.

Granted not much more than a peek, perhaps best done fro the valley floor in Lauterbrunnen but doable it is.

Thanks to all. Very helpful. Thank you, again!