Interlaken sits between two lakes: turquoise Lake Brienz to the east, bigger Lake Thun to the west.
Spin past Giessbach Falls in a jetboat, paddle below Ringgenberg Castle, or ride a steamer to Brienz.
Pass boat or own boatEach trip says if your Swiss pass covers it
2026 timetablesSeasons and routes from BLS, the boat operator
Free cancellationOn every trip, 24 hours or 3 days before
Both lakes, side by sideBrienz or Thun, summer or winter
Boat trips
Choose your Interlaken boat trip
In the centre, the most-booked ride on the lakes: a jetboat across Lake Brienz. On the left, the official
BLS day pass for both lakes; on the right, a three-hour kayak tour for up to six. Every card opens a full tour page.
A full day on the scheduled BLS boats: Lake Thun from Interlaken West, Lake Brienz from Interlaken Ost. Get off at Iseltwald, Giessbach, Spiez or Oberhofen and catch a later boat.
What's included
Day pass on the Lake Thun boats
Lake Brienz boats too: early April to mid-October on this pass
The fast way across turquoise Lake Brienz: past Iseltwald to Giessbach Falls, with 360° spins and the captain's stories. Life jacket and splash jacket provided.
Three hours on the water from Bönigen: across the Lütschine outlet to the cliffs and small beaches of the north shore, below Ringgenberg Castle. One coach for every six guests, May to October.
One question sorts most of it: is it the scheduled BLS boat, which Swiss passes already cover, or a boat
of its own? After that it is speed or calm, summer or winter, and budget.
Every trip here cancels free: the kayak tours up to 3 days before, the others up to 24 hours.
A Swiss Travel Pass or Berner Oberland Pass already covers the scheduled BLS boats; the day pass is the ticket for everyone else.
Before you book
Two lakes, two piers.
Interlaken stands on the flat ground between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, and each lake has its own pier. Lake Brienz
boats leave from Interlaken Ost, the east station, and run up the Aare into the lake for Iseltwald, Giessbach and
Brienz. Lake Thun boats leave from Interlaken West for Spiez, Oberhofen and Thun.
The scheduled boats belong to BLS, the same company that runs many of the trains. A Swiss Travel Pass, a GA,
the Berner Oberland Pass or Eurail with the date entered covers them in full, and a Half Fare card halves the fare.
The jetboat, the kayaks and the fondue float are run by other companies with their own boats, so you book those
separately.
260 m
The deepest point of Lake Brienz. Lake Thun is the bigger of the two,
17.5 km long against Brienz's 14.
JetboatKayakPaddle steamersCastles
Giessbach Falls has its own boat stop, and Europe's oldest tourist funicular climbs from it.
01
Ost or West
Lake Brienz from Interlaken Ost, Lake Thun from Interlaken West. The piers sit next to the stations.
02
Your pass
Swiss Travel Pass, GA and Berner Oberland Pass cover the BLS boats. The jetboat and kayaks are extra.
03
Winter gap
No Lake Brienz boats from early December to early April. Lake Thun runs all year.
04
No seat booking
Passes do not reserve a seat. In summer, board early for a spot at the bow.
Your day
A day on Lake Brienz, stop by stop
The classic scheduled-boat day from Interlaken Ost, covered by a Swiss Travel Pass or the day pass.
01
Interlaken Ost
Board at the pier behind the station. A morning boat leaves at 9.07 in summer and reaches Brienz at 10.20.
Morning
02
Iseltwald
Step off for the village and the jetty from Crash Landing on You, which costs CHF 5 to walk onto.
First stops
03
Giessbach Falls
Ride the 1879 funicular to the Grandhotel and walk the loop behind the falls, 30 to 45 minutes.
Late morning
04
Brienz and back
Lunch in the woodcarving village, then the boat or the train back to Interlaken Ost.
Ost to BrienzAbout 1 h 15Scheduled boat, via Iseltwald and Giessbach.
West to ThunAbout 2 hScheduled boat along the north and south shores.
Day ticketCHF 83Both lakes, 2nd class, full fare, 2026.
Lake Brienz season3 Apr to 6 Dec2026; Lake Thun boats run all year.
Iseltwald jettyCHF 5The turnstile fee for the K-drama jetty.
Refund24 h to 3 daysFree cancellation on every trip on this site.
Where it is
Getting to the boat
Interlaken Ost, Interlaken West or Bönigen
Scheduled boats: the piers at Interlaken Ost (Lake Brienz) and Interlaken West (Lake Thun). Jetboat and kayaks: the quay at Bönigen.
Both stations have their pier a short walk from the platforms. Bönigen is on the Lake Brienz shore just east of
Interlaken, a short bus ride or walk from Interlaken Ost, and both the jetboat and the kayak school start there.
4.7★★★★★ 439 reviews · the jetboat, our most-booked trip Quotes below come from several trips
★★★★★
Captain Kat gave us 5 or more 360 degree spins and a lot of swerves and bumpy rides around Lake Brienz. Getting splashed was worth it. It was so much fun.
★★★★★
Our favorite part was when our tour guide provided us the time to swim in Lake Brienz; that was so very refreshing and amazing to swim in a glacial lake!
★★★★★
It was very scenic and a great value, especially with the Swiss 1/2 Pass. It offers a totally different perspective than the trains and/or buses.
★★★★★
The chocolate was delicious! Our guide Emil was great fun we were all chatting the whole time. The water was beautiful and turquoise coloured.
★★★★★
Super good time and the views are insane. Sona was a great guide, she was a ton of fun and super nice. We got some amazing pictures and memories.
★★★★★
It's a lot of fun. It's something different. Very beautiful surroundings, and the guide also tells you a few things about the area.
★★★★★
Highly recommend! The history of the castles was fascinating, and the scenery was beautiful. Our guide, Adam, was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and personable.
★★★★★
Ryan was a fantastic tour guide! He was very knowledgeable about the area, friendly, and a great photographer.
★★★★★
We ended up being the only ones on our tour. Our guide was awesome and answered all our questions. We had an amazing time on the beautiful lake.
One more day
From the lake to the glacier
Most visitors pair a lake day with a mountain day. This is the most-reviewed guided trip up from Interlaken.
The day most visitors pair with a lake day: the cable car from Grindelwald Terminal to Eiger Glacier, the train to Jungfraujoch, the Sphinx terrace over the Aletsch Glacier, reserved seats and a guide. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Two lakes, two piers, one boat company and a handful of private operators. Here is how to read the trips.
Two lakes either side of town
Interlaken means "between the lakes", and the town fills the flat ground the rivers built up between them. Lake Brienz,
to the east, is about 14 km long and up to 260 m deep, and glacial silt from the Lütschine and the Aare turns it milky
turquoise. Lake Thun, to the west, is longer at 17.5 km and greener, with vineyards, castles and the town of Thun at its
far end. Boats have crossed Lake Brienz since 1839.
Each lake keeps its own pier in Interlaken. Lake Brienz boats leave from Interlaken Ost and follow the Aare into the
lake; Lake Thun boats leave from Interlaken West. There is no boat between the two lakes, so a two-lake day means a
short train or bus hop across town, which the BLS day pass for both lakes includes.
Lake Brienz to one side, Lake Thun to the other.
The pass boat or a boat of its own
Most of what floats here falls into two groups. The scheduled boats, white ships and two paddle steamers run by BLS,
are public transport: a Swiss Travel Pass, the GA and the Berner Oberland Pass cover them in full, and the
day pass is the ticket for everyone else.
The second group brings its own boat. The jetboat leaves Bönigen for
45 to 50 minutes of spins below Giessbach Falls. The kayak school next door
takes six guests per coach along the north shore, and in winter the same lake gets a drysuit kayak tour and a short
winter jetboat. None of these are covered by a pass, and none run on the BLS timetable.
For pass holders: you already ride the scheduled boats free, so your lake day is covered.
Add something the pass does not include: the jetboat, the kayak or the fondue float, or a guided day such as
the Giessbach and Iseltwald walk, where the guide is the extra.
What a day on the water looks like
On Lake Brienz, a morning boat from Interlaken Ost calls at Iseltwald early in the run and reaches Brienz in about 1 h 15.
Step off at Giessbach, ride the 1879 funicular up to the Grandhotel and walk behind the falls, then catch a later boat
on. On Lake Thun the run to Thun takes about two hours, with castles at Oberhofen and Spiez, the St. Beatus Caves above
the Sundlauenen pier, and in summer the paddle steamer Blümlisalp.
Every village on Lake Brienz has its own pier.
Timing it
June to September is the full season: the summer timetable on both lakes and both steamers sailing. Late May and early
October are calmer on deck. From early December to early April only Lake Thun has boats, which is when the winter kayak
and the winter jetboat take over Lake Brienz.
Straight answers to what people ask most about boat trips from Interlaken.
Which boat ride is better, Lake Thun or Lake Brienz?
For a first trip, Lake Brienz: it is the smaller, turquoise lake, and the 1 h 15 boat from Interlaken Ost to Brienz stops at Iseltwald and Giessbach Falls. Lake Thun is bigger and greener, with castles at Oberhofen, Thun and Spiez and the old paddle steamer Blümlisalp. The full comparison is in Lake Thun vs Lake Brienz.
How long is the boat ride from Interlaken to Brienz?
About 1 hour 13 to 1 hour 15 minutes from Interlaken Ost to Brienz on the scheduled BLS boat, with stops at Iseltwald and Giessbach on the way. Boats on Lake Brienz run from early April to early December in 2026.
Is the Lake Brienz cruise worth it?
Yes, on a clear day. The water is milky turquoise from glacial silt, Giessbach Falls drops into the lake halfway along, and you can step off at Iseltwald for the jetty from Crash Landing on You. If you hold a Swiss Travel Pass it costs you nothing extra. More in the Lake Brienz cruise guide.
How much does a Lake Thun cruise cost?
A BLS day ticket for both lakes costs CHF 83 in 2nd class and CHF 125 in 1st (2026), half with a Half Fare card; single tickets cost less. The day pass on GetYourGuide starts from $50. With a Swiss Travel Pass or Berner Oberland Pass the scheduled boats are free.
Is the Lake Brienz cruise free with a Swiss pass?
Yes. BLS accepts the Swiss Travel Pass (and the Flex with a date entered), the GA, the Berner Oberland Pass and Eurail or Interrail with the date entered for 100% of the fare in your class. The Half Fare card gives 50% off. Dinner and event cruises are not covered. See Swiss passes and the boats.
Can I take a boat from Thun to Interlaken?
Yes. Lake Thun boats run from Thun to Interlaken West in about two hours, stopping at Hilterfingen, Oberhofen, Spiez, Gunten, Merligen and Beatenbucht. Lake Thun is served all year, with fewer boats in winter.
What is the schedule for the Lake Brienz cruise?
In 2026 Lake Brienz boats run in spring from 3 April, in summer from 23 May to 11 October, and in autumn and winter until 6 December. In summer the steamer Lötschberg sails Wednesday to Sunday. Check the BLS timetable for departures on your day.
Why is the lake at Interlaken so blue?
Lake Brienz gets its turquoise from fine glacial silt carried in by the Lütschine and the Aare. The particles scatter sunlight, and the colour is strongest from spring into autumn on a sunny day.
Which month is best for an Interlaken boat trip?
June to September for the full summer timetable and both paddle steamers. Late May and early October are quieter and still bright. From early December to early April only Lake Thun has boats, so winter visitors go kayaking or take the winter jetboat on Lake Brienz instead. Month by month in the best time to go.
What should I wear on a boat cruise in Interlaken?
Layers. The open deck is windy even on warm days, so bring a light jacket, sunglasses and sun cream for the glare off the water. For the jetboat expect spray (a splash jacket is provided); for winter kayaking you get a drysuit and wear thermals under it.
Can I see the Matterhorn from Interlaken?
No. The Matterhorn stands above Zermatt in Valais, far to the south. From the boats around Interlaken you see the Bernese Alps instead, and on Lake Thun the pyramid of the Niesen.
How far is Interlaken from Lake Brienz?
You are on it. The Lake Brienz boats leave from the pier at Interlaken Ost station and follow a short navigable stretch of the Aare into the lake. Bönigen, where the jetboat and kayak tours start, is on the shore a few minutes east of town. See getting to the piers.
Official BLS ticket
★ 4.21 dayFree cancellation
