We have been incredibly fortunate to explore much of Europe by train over the last couple of years. Thanks to the amazing Eurail passes, we have traveled through various countries, each with unique characteristics and gorgeous scenery worth experiencing. But despite all of our travels, there is one train journey in particular that continues to stand out in our mind as our favorite. Lucerne to Interlaken by train is by far the most breathtaking journey we have experienced to date.
Zurich Day Trip
European train travel is in itself an amazing experience, regardless of the journey you are taking. There are many benefits to exploring Europe by train but when you have the opportunity to see spectacular panoramic scenery such as that available on the trip from Lucerne to Interlaken…well it’s an absolute no-brainer and definitely something you should consider next time you are visiting Switzerland.
To add a little more incentive to this journey, both of these Swiss towns are beautiful and offer iconic reflections on the Swiss culture.
I also want to mention that our journey from Lucerne to Interlaken was a day trip from Zurich which is yet another reason why this is an epic adventure you won’t want to miss. A short one hour train ride from Zurich saw us arrive in Lucerne by mid-morning.
Our plan was to spend a couple of hours here before heading to Interlaken. Let’s start by taking a look at Lucerne where our journey started.
Things to do in Lucerne
Arriving at Lucerne’s Central Station, we were ready to head and explore this beautiful town sitting on the edge of Lake Lucerne. If you only have a couple of hours to spend here, we recommend donning your walking boots and start exploring.
Here are some of the top attractions worth experiencing in Lucerne before heading on to your next stop:
- Explore Lake Lucerne
- Mount Pilatus
- Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge)
- Musegg Mauer
- Church of St. Leodegar
We urge you to read our post focused on the top things to do in Lucerne if you are interested in spending several hours, or even longer in this beautiful Swiss town. Even in the short time that we spent in Lucerne, we immediately noticed how this was one of the most relaxing destinations throughout Europe.
Imagine relaxing by Lake Lucerne overlooking the gorgeous harbor…it’s enough to make your heart skip a beat and know that this is a spot you will want to revisit time and time again!
The Golden Pass – Lucerne to Interlaken By Train
After spending several hours exploring the stunning views around Lucerne, you may be forgiven for thinking that your afternoon heading into the Swiss Alps couldn’t get any better. Don’t worry, it does get better… A LOT BETTER.
Welcome to the Golden Pass! They don’t call it this without good reason and as you depart Lucerne aboard the panoramic train you soon begin to realize that this is going to be a pretty special journey.
If you have more time, we strongly encourage you to take the Golden Pass line all the way from Lucerne to Interlaken and then on to Zweisimmen or Montreux.
For a little over two hours, you are taken deep into the Swiss Alps aboard a train offering panoramic cars where you can experience the breathtaking scenery from all angles. The journey takes you through steep alpine landscapes across the Brünig Pass that links Central Switzerland with the Bernese Oberland.
Using rack railways to overcome the incredibly steep gradients, the Golden Pass weaves through alpine towns such as Alpnachstad, Giswil, Meiringen and Brienz.
The beauty of this journey is that you are quickly able to experience a myriad of landscapes that typify the Swiss culture. The huge contrasts between city life in Lucerne to the small town quirkiness in the heart of the Swiss Alps is evident in the short 2 1/2 hour train journey to Interlaken.
You can’t help by marvel over the landscapes on either side of the rail car. The difficulty is picking which side to look out of, but fortunately, traveling as a couple we were able to capture the best of both worlds.
I really don’t think words or pictures can do the scenery justice, it’s just one of those journeys you have to take in order to fully appreciate how stunning Switzerland’s landscapes really are.
Passing by Lake Brienz is one of the most rewarding scenes on this journey. Take a moment to paint this picture in your mind. The perfect image of fishing boats docked at the harbor with the sunlight glistening on the surface of the lake, accompanied by the majestic Swiss peaks of Jungfrau among others providing a perfect backdrop.
As the Golden Pass line slowly weaves along the edge of Lake Brienz’s banks, you are left with lifelong memories before the train pulls into the Alpine town of Interlaken.
Things to do in Interlaken
By the time you arrive in Interlaken, you could be forgiven for being exhausted at the amount of natural beauty you have experienced throughout the day. Grab some coffee or whatever you need to boost your energy levels and get ready to explore the gorgeous town of Interlaken.
A wide variety of attractions and activities are available in the small town of Interlaken though perhaps the most famous attraction here is the challenging ski slopes that surround this mountain town. As we strolled around this beautiful town, it’s difficult to avoid visitors holding their skis getting ready to head on the slopes.
The Höheweg promenade is the heart of Interlaken, linking the urban center of Interlaken West to the less active Interlaken East. Both locations have stations and we chose to walk from one to the other to fully explore everything available here.
Here are a couple of things you should consider experiencing while in Interlaken:
- Höheweg Promenade
- Interlaken Castle
- Garden of Friendship
- Riverside Walk
- Roman Catholic Church on Schlossstrasse
- Covered Bridge across the River Aare
Summary
After exploring Interlaken, be prepared to take some time to reflect on your amazing day in Switzerland. We took a number of amazing day trips while in Europe but Zurich to Lucerne to Interlaken (and back) was certainly up there with the very best. This trip had everything from breathtaking scenery to quaint gift shops encouraging us to spend our last Swiss Francs.
The Golden Pass is an epic rail line that inspires this form of transportation. If you are hesitant about purchasing a Eurail pass, simply take a look at our pictures passing through the Swiss Alps. If these don’t convince you, then I am afraid nothing will!
The post Why Lucerne to Interlaken by Train Is the Best Experience? appeared first on A Brit and A Southerner.
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