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Interlaken train station

Hi everyone
We bought train tickets to Lauterbrunnen and there is a transfer for 10 mins at Interlaken. A bit nervous on the short time frame. Is this train station small and Hope the 10 mins is doable.
Thanks for any advice

Posted by
8135 posts

Doable and nothing to worry about as you can just get on the next train to Lauterbrunnen probably leaving fifteen minutes later.

Posted by
687 posts

The train stations in Interlaken are very small. The main station is Interlaken Ost also known as East. There is also Interlaken West. Regardless of which one you’re ticketed to transfer through you’ll have plenty of time. My experience has been that the Swiss trains run on time.

Posted by
74 posts

Interlaken Ost would be your transfer to Lauterbrunnen. Only 2 platforms so 2 minutes is all that would be needed.

Posted by
4765 posts

it's one of the smallest stations you'll ever see, in fact if you do some Youtube you can quite easily see it and become comfortable.

Note that there are large signs warning you that certain passes will not work past a certain point in the station ...

Posted by
17271 posts

There are more than 2 platforms at Interlaken Ost. The track numbers go up to at least 8. I see trains coming from Spiez using tracks 5, 7, and 8 tomorrow. Trains from Luzern use Track 4.

In any of these cases, you need to go down the ramp from the platform to the corridor below, that passing under the tracks, and come up at Track 2.

The train to Lauterbrunnen always departs from 2A, which is one end of Track 2. They split the train at Zweilütschinen, with the front half going to Lauterbrunnen and the back half to Grindelwald. So make sure you are boarding the train in the correct area along the platform.

Posted by
21015 posts

Short transfer times are the norm in Switzerland. They operate on the theory that people want to get to their destination ASAP. 6 minutes is the normal transfer time coming from Spiez. If you have rolling luggage, there are ramps to make it easier. A few years back, I moved 62 people with heavy luggage, some even carrying skis, on this transfer and everyone made it on the correct carriages. The Swiss have been doing this for quite a while and know how long it takes.

Posted by
21 posts

Thank you Thank you everyone!!! I so appreciate you taking your time to calm my nerves regarding the transfer!!
Have a great day

Posted by
2442 posts

I do this transfer regularly. 10 minutes is more than twice what you need. The default MCT for all but a few stations in Switzerland is 3 minutes. 10 minutes is not a short connection at all. It is borderline inefficient...

A few tips:
- There are two underpasses between the tracks. Only one of those has a ramp though. I you have heavy luggage and do not want to drag it up and down stairs look for the underpass with a ramp. (there are signs).
- You do not need to hurry. The conductor of the train to Lauterbrunnen keeps a lookout, and he will not leave with his train is there are still people coming up from the IC. So even if that is delayed by a few minutes there is no issue. The train to Lauterbrunnen will even wait a few minutes if the IC is delayed.

However your train to Interlaken is delayed more than a few minutes the R to Lauterbrunnen will normally not wait, as there is one every half hour, so you in that case just take the next one. In the evening however the R always waits for a delayed IC.

Posted by
2442 posts

Note that there are large signs warning you that certain passes will
not work past a certain point in the station ...

Those signs are gone, as the Eurail/Interrail pass is now valid till Wengen, Murren and Grindelwald.

Posted by
33621 posts

and bear in mind that there are two Interlaken stations. Coming from Bern and Spiez you first arrive at Interlaken West. Don't get off there. Wait one more to Interlaken Ost a couple of minutes later. There will be announcements. On the IC trains English is one of the 4 or 5 languages on the announcements.

Interlaken Ost is a dead end station for trains and ships. Last stop on the standard gauge trains from Bern and Spiez. Also last stop on the narrow gauge (1000 mm) from Luzern and Meiringen. Also last stop on the ships from Brienz and other stops on Lake Brienz (Brienzersee). First (and last) stop on the train to Lauterbrunnen.

Follow the crowds, but don't follow them down the stairs - use the ramp.