Switzerland, Interlaken

Interlaken is a municipality in the district of Interlaken in the canton of Bern in Switzerland, a well-known tourist destination in the Bernese Oberland.

Interlaken is located between Lake Brienz to the east and Lake Thun to the west in the area called Bödeli. The town takes its name from its geographical position between the lakes (in Latin inter lacus), but the name was only coined in 1891, replacing the old name Aarmühle (Aare mills).

Interlaken is located at 570 meters above sea level. The original importance of the town was as the site of a convent of the Augustinian Canons; the convent was built in 1130 and lasted until 1528.

The town offers tourists a peaceful base from which to explore the surrounding areas by train or bus. However, the main attraction is probably the magnificent Jungfrau mountain (4158m). Many hotels are located along the Höheweg avenue which offer good views of the mountains.

Despite its small size (population 5,700), the town features two railway stations Interlaken Ost and Interlaken West and two funicular railways, the Harderbahn and the Heimwehfluhbahn. Train connections in Interlaken serve the Jungfrau region via the Berner Oberland Bahn, with the narrow-gauge lines of the Zentralbahn extending over the Brünig Pass to Luzern.

There are also regular bus links to the neighbouring town of Thun. Boat services across Lake Brienz to Brienz and across Lake Thun to Spiez and Thun are operated by BLS Lötschbergbahn.