Schynige Platte
Zipping up to the awe-inspiring 2000m Schynige Platte on a rack-and-pinion railway is the best short trip from Interlaken, and one of the finest mountain excursions in the country.
On arrival, you're greeted by perfect views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Meanwhile, the Botanischer Alpengarten close to the summit is one of the few places you're sure to see a genuine living edelweiss.
To beat the crowds, pre-book a trip to the Schynige Platte.
Staubbach falls, Lauterbrunnen
At nearly 300m, the Staubbach falls are the highest in Switzerland, and gush over a sheer cliff like a lacy decoration on the rugged precipice.
To get an up-close view, head south from the station to reach a walkway that leads to a narrow ledge right behind the curtain of water.
Great day tours and excursions in the Jungfrau region
Touring the Alpine passes
The configuration of roads over the High Alps means it’s straightforward to put together a looping, day-long driving tour of the highest roads in Europe, bringing spectacular scenery from every angle.
From Interlaken, lakeside roads run to Brienz and on to Meiringen, just beyond which you'll find a split of mountain routes. To the east lies the Susten Pass, while south is the stunning climb to the Grimsel Pass.
You could also head down the valley of the young Rhône and branch off near Oberwald to the Nufenen Pass. Continue with a scenic drive to Airolo, up over the Gotthard Pass to the Alpine hub town of Andermatt.
Alternatively, from Gletsch another hairpin route leads steeply up on a breathtaking drive over the Furka Pass and on down to Andermatt. From Andermatt, continue north through the Reuss gorges to Wassen, where a road climbs west up over the Susten Pass and back to Meiringen.
It makes sense to do these journeys by buying a pass from the tourist office at Interlaken – round trips that cover either three Alpine passes or four (Grimsel, Nufenen, Gotthard and Susten).
This is not a tour as such – you’re on regular public transport all the way – but purchasing a pass means you don’t have the hassle of buying separate tickets for each part of the journey.
Grütschalp and the Mürren railway
At the entrance to Lauterbrunnen village, a gondola run by BLM (“Mürrenbahn”) crests the west wall of the valley to Grütschalp.
From here a train trundles its way along the cliff edge, in full view of the snowy giants across the way, to Mürren. This really is one of the most scenic rides in Switzerland.
Active types might want to consider walking the steep path up to Grütschalp (2hr walking time) to take advantage of the panoramic stroll alongside the tracks to Mürren.