How much time do I need to make train connection in Interlaken Ost?

5 minutes is normal for Switzerland. And if you look at the other changes you make along the way, they are all in the 5 to 8 minute range.

What date and time are you looking at? 30 minutes later may have more quick changes along the way to Winterthur. You may have to wait another hour if you are planning on the single connection in Bern and want to keep that.

Very few people get seat reservations in Switzerland because of the frequency of the trains. They are used to just going to the station and hopping on the first train that gets them to where they are going. As our friend WengenK likes to say, "Its mass transportation".

On our recent trip we did 73 train rides and only missed one connection which was when the train broke down.
Additionally I don’t recall that we saw a single seat with any reservation marked on it.

73 train rides! Whoa. The train I was looking at was an 11:30 train with only one connection in Interlaken Ost. It looks like there's another one at 1:30, depending on how leisurely I'd like our day to be. We'll be coming from Murren. Although there's more room for error if we catch the earlier train. Should I play it safe?

We will have luggage with us so I thought a reservation would make that easier? But maybe that's only necessary if it says the train will be busy?
Thanks,
Laurie

We have traveled by train extensively in Switzerland for decades. We travel with two smaller backpacks and two larger backpacks. I cannot recall a time we missed a connection due to short connecting times. We are at the door ready to leave the train when the door opens or I open it (My DH would say I get to the door too early but my timing works for me :) ). By looking of the SBB app we already know which platform we need to travel to and don't delay going there. If I am unfamiliar with a station before we start our trip I'll look on the SBB site to become familiar with the layout. I always check when I get to the next platform that the platform hasn't changed or the train is late or cancelled. Trains typically do not run late in Switzerland but accidents and other situations do arise from time to time. I have a wonky knee which sometimes causes me to be slower so I often use the ramps (with seem to be available at most stations). But if I need to use the stairs for some reason I can use them safely. Oh, and we've never had a reservation for any train.

All that being said, you do what's most comfortable for you and your travel companions.

Have a great trip! Switzerland is a wonderful place.

Traveler Girl

In Switzerland 99% of all passengers making a connection, make it. The system is really very reliable. And the short connections are a well appreciated feature.

You are correct that if you miss a connection you take the next train. On domestic Swiss trips I would not bother reserving seats. You will anyway be boarding this train at the start of its run, where loads will be light. What you can do is walk to the end of the train.

I travel through that station a lot. Usually I am on the platform still 3 minutes before departure, and that gives me enough time to walk to the end where 1st class is, if it is at the back (as it often is). Remember that in Switzerland you have till the actual departure time to board, no "be on board 2 minutes before departure" nonsense like in some other countries.

However one thing: Two weeks ago I missed my connection in Interlaken. And that for the first time since I live here. Recently the trains in the Bernese Oberland have become a bit less reliable, because they are now transporting a lot more people than normal, and the tourists are a bit difficult to herd at times. So missing connections does happen. So if you are connecting through Interlaken as part of a trip that involves a train that is not that frequent (eg. going to Paris, or catching a night train) then I would take an earlier train to reduce the risk.

However travelling within Switzerland to a place that has frequent service I would not add padding. You are still most likely going to be fine.

If I opt for the five minute connection and miss the train, I assume I
can catch the one a half hour later.

Yes. You can take any train that day on that route.

If I reserve a seat, I would just lose that portion of the ticket,
right?

Correct. CHF 5.00

The train I was looking at was an 11:30 train with only one connection
in Interlaken Ost.

I wonder what you mean. 11:30 leaving from which station? Trains from Interlaken Ost going in this direction leave at :29 and :59 each hour.

Follow Travelergirl’s advice - get ready and be at the door before you arrive in Interlaken Ost. You will exit this train on the right hand side. If I am in a hurry I usually look out the window as we arrive at the train station to see when we pass the stairs or ramp down so that I know which way to start walking once I exit the train.

I have had the train from Lauterbrunnen arrive in Interlaken Ost a few minutes late. It has happened a few times and each time they made an announcement on the train that the train toward Bern (the one you want to catch) would wait for a few minutes longer.

Lots and lots of people try to make this connection. You will not be the only one.

We will have luggage with us so I thought a reservation would make
that easier?

At only 5.00 per seat, you can certainly just get them if you want to. In the overall expense of your vacation, this is certainly nothing. You will then have to find that exact carriage on the train, easier to do from the outside (I reserve seats all the time in Germany, but never in Switzerland). If you are running late just jump on the train as soon as you can, then worry about finding your exact seats.

Thanks so much for all the reassurance. The train is actually at 11:31. I will follow all your excellent advice. Since we will have suitcases, I'm hoping they have ramps or elevators at the platforms.

Thanks again,
Laurie

There are ramps. And you will have seen them on the way in...

Thanks. Good to know. And sorry for the confusion. The initial train leaves from Lauterbrunnen at 11:31 with a connection in Interlaken.

Ok. I'm so sorry, but I'm back. I've been very confused and have made several mistakes so I just want to make sure I'm doing this right. I have the BOP pass and the HFC. Does the BOP cover the portion of the trip from Lauterbrunnen to Interlaken Ost? Or only the HFC? I assume only the HFC covers the Interlaken Ost to Winterthur portion.

Thanks,
Laurie

I have the BOP pass and the HFC. Does the BOP cover the portion of the trip from Lauterbrunnen to Interlaken Ost? Or only the HFC? I assume only the HFC covers the Interlaken Ost to Winterthur portion.

BOP covers from Lauterbrunnen (and of course your starting point of Mürren) until Bern. Here is the map of validity

https://www.berneseoberlandpass.ch/maps-bernese-oberland/

Your HFC will apply for the Bern - Winterthur portion. You do not need to purchase your ticket already, you can easily go to any train station counter when you are in Switzerland and get them to help you purchase this ticket. Just do it whenever you have the time during your stay in the Lauterbrunnen area. Any train counter in all of Switzerland can help you with this.

If you want to do it yourself, then purchase only Bern - Winterthur and be sure that you have chosen Half Fare Travelcard in your personal details section of the app. You can save the entire journey for easy reference as you travel, but only buy a ticket for the Bern to Winterthur portion.

One more thought Laurie, you mentioned as one of your options to head to Interlaken Ost one train earlier and have half an hour to spare.

This is actually something that I purposely do when on a day trip in this area. Interlaken Ost has a very large Coop store right across from the train station. It has a lot more choice than the smaller shops in the Lauterbrunnen area. You could stop by there for snacks, or any chocolates you want to take home as gifts - the selection is very large.

Head to the second floor restaurant for a coffee if you want to. Then head to the train station 15 minutes before your departure time for Winterthur.

Interlaken Ost is the originating departure station - the train is not coming from elsewhere, but rather arrives at the platform early and is empty. I am not exactly sure how early it is there...but definitely before the arrival of the train from Lauterbrunnen, in my remembrance it is a lot earlier.

Find yourself a seat and a place for your luggage before the hoards arrive from the connecting Lauterbrunnen train. If you walk the platform to the furthest car in your class you will have the fewest people join you - most will enter at the front of the train as they are in a hurry and just want to get on.

Save yourself the reservation fee and the stress…if this seems good to you.

It’s worth noting that the train from Lauterbrunnen to Interlaken Ost has been running late almost every time I’ve ridden it this summer. With the amount of tourists here, the boarding process is taking longer, especially in Lauterbrunnen where it’s so crammed that people can barely get off the train to let the new people on, which is causing ripple effects that affect the Interlaken/Grindelwald/Lauterbrunnen line all day.

With that in mind, if you have anywhere you HAVE to be, such as a connection in Interlaken to the airport or your next base, I’d highly recommend taking the 30 minute earlier train. Often the typical 5 minute connection that’s tight but doable gets shrunk to 1-2 minutes because of these delays. Not a huge deal for casual day trips where you just catch the next train, but if it’s time sensitive like the airport, not worth the stress.

I had an interesting experience where the train from Lauterbrunnen was delayed, and in the train they announced that because of the delay the IC in Interlaken Ost would be missed.

I walked to the platform for that IC anyway, and found out that it was still there, and that the conductor was actually keeping the train a few minutes to give everybody a chance to change. So it appeared that there had been a miscommunication.

But yes, the system is under some strain at the moment, and it will be another couple of years till they can have everything running on 15 minute headways.

Good advice from SwissNomad and wanderweg. Since you really want to make that direct train from Interlaken Ost to Winterthur, just leave Muerren a half hour early and you will be the first to board an empty train.

I truly don’t know how I could plan this trip without all of you. I cannot thank you enough! So I did the math and now I realize that if I take the train from interlaken ost to Winterthur it’s more expensive than if I take advantage of the free interlaken ost to Bern and then just pay half fare from Bern to Winterthur. Even if it’s less direct it’s still worth it because I like the idea of the half hour cushion in Interlaken to shop and grab a seat before the train gets crowded. There is still just five minutes to catch the Bern train to Winterthur but if we miss it there’s another one in a half hour. And we will plan on getting to Lauterbrunnen early also. We are overnight in Winterthur and then taking the train to Zurich airport in the morning. Thank you again!!! And if I still don’t have it right, please let me know.
Laurie

You are missing something important here: Tickets are not for trains but for routes.

Wether you buy a ticket Mürren to Winterthur, or just Bern to Winterthur and use the BO pass till Bern you will be on the same trains. The direct train from Interlaken Ost to Winterhur also stops in Bern. In order to take a train you do not need a ticket for that train, What you need is a ticket, or tickets, that cover the route the train is running over.

So in order to get from Interlaken Ost to Winterthur you can still take the direct train. Till Bern your presence in that train will be covered by the BO pass. And for the part from Bern to Winterthur you need a ticket, And if you wanted you could even buy that ticket already in Mürren...

Exactly - The direct train goes through Bern so when you’re on the direct train if someone comes through checking tickets between Interlaken and Bern, you show your BO pass as your ticket and if they check between Bern & Winterthur you show your paid ticket. You don’t have to get off at Bern and get back on to another train and when they’re randomly checking tickets they don’t care where your final destination is, they only care that you have a ticket or coverage via pass for the section you’re currently on at checking time.

Oh, boy. Am I ever going to get this right? Thank you for clarifying...
Laurie

Don't worry to much.

Here is what you should do:

• Look up times Mürren - Winterthur. Look for the direct train Interlaken - Winterthur.
  • Then plan on leaving Mürren half an hour earlier than the train you were shown, to have a buffer in Interlaken.
  • Then just buy a ticket Bern - Winterthur. For a normal ticket it does not even matter which train you select, as a ticket is for a route, not a train.

Anyway, don't overthink this. This is mass transit.

So final question, just to verify. As it turns out my BOP has ended by the time I leave so I'll just use my HFC to get a ticket from Murren to Winterthur. I know you have said this over and over, but just to make sure, when I go to get a ticket on the app and pick a departure time from Murren, all the routes and times that follow are just suggestions. I can take any train that day if I want to play around with the schedule, correct?

I can take any train that day if I want to play around with the schedule, correct?

Yes, exactly.

Yes, as long as you don’t get a SuperSaver Ticket. Those are discounted and are only good on that specific route AND time.

In the past when we bought tickets we wouldn't even know the schedule. There was no internet, and our local station would not have everyone's printed timetable.
So we bought a ticket to eg. Paimpol, and figured out the trains along the way :-) Tickets were for a route, and nowadays they still mostly are.

Anyway. A normal ticket in Switzerland will have just the origin and destination on, class and category of passenger, and a validity that goes from 0:00 on day on to 5:00 the next day. You are flexible in what trains you take, and can even lay in breask, to eg. Have a look around in Bern.

If you buy a supersaver ticket however the ticket will indeed mention the trains you need to take, and will only be valid on those. But those tickets you can't buy at the station, only online. But even with a supersaver if you miss a connection because of a delay you can take the next train. No problem.

Got it. Thank you so much for your patience!
Laurie

So yesterday I went down to Interlaken to do some shopping. The train down from Lauterbrunnen left 4 minutes late, as there was a huge crowd that wanted to get on. But it made up some time, and arrived in Interlaken only 2 minutes late, which means that everyone who had a connection made it. I saw the IC leave with a few minutes delay anyway. The conductors have some leeway where it comes to holding a train if they see there are still passengers transferring.

Then on my way back the in bound train arrived spot on time, and we left spot on time to Lauterbrunnen, where the train to Wengen was also spot on time. That has been a bit rare lately. They usually run a few minutes late these days, because, well, tourists.