Day Trip from Lausanne to Interlaken (& Jungfraujoch): Complete Guide
Lausanne sits 1h 40min from Interlaken Ost by direct IC train — 50 minutes closer than Geneva. That extra time matters: it's the difference between a rushed summit visit and a comfortable day with time to explore Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen on the way back.
Getting There from Lausanne
By train: Lausanne → Interlaken Ost, 1h 40min direct (IC train, via Bern). Trains run roughly every 30 minutes. Return: CHF 72 standard, CHF 36 with Half-Fare. Free with Swiss Travel Pass.
By guided coach: Typically 2h each way. Useful if you want the Jungfraujoch bundled and don't have a Swiss Pass. Coach tours often include Harder Kulm or a brief Lauterbrunnen stop.
Interlaken: The Valley Base
Interlaken town (Höheweg, the central boulevard) faces the Jungfrau trio: Eiger (3,967 m), Mönch (4,107 m), and Jungfrau (4,158 m) — all visible from street level on a clear day. It's a compact town; orientation takes about 20 minutes.
Harder Kulm is the quick hit: funicular from Interlaken West station (10 min, CHF 16 return) up to 1,322 m. The Two-Lakes Bridge platform hangs over the viewpoint and gives the famous angle showing both Lake Thun and Lake Brienz simultaneously.
Lake cruises: Brienz (east, turquoise glacial water) and Thun (west, castle-studded shore). 1-hour short circuit cruises run from both Interlaken Ost (Lake Brienz) and Interlaken West (Lake Thun). CHF 30–40 return.
Jungfraujoch from Lausanne
With the shorter journey time from Lausanne, the summit day becomes genuinely relaxed:
- Arrive Interlaken: ~10:00 from a 08:20 departure
- Mountain railway to Jungfraujoch: ~2 hours each way
- Summit time: 2.5 hours
- Back in Interlaken: ~16:00
- Return to Lausanne: ~17:40 (arrive 19:20)
You get the full summit experience and a full hour in Interlaken before/after — comfortable.
Summit cost: Jungfraujoch return from Interlaken Ost: CHF 215.80 standard, ~CHF 108 with Swiss Travel Pass (50% off).
Schilthorn as an Alternative
The Schilthorn (2,970 m) is reached via Lauterbrunnen valley (20 min from Interlaken Ost by train). The rotating restaurant at the summit — Piz Gloria, famous from On Her Majesty's Secret Service (James Bond, 1969) — is unique and less crowded than Jungfraujoch. Return from Stechelberg: CHF 125, no Swiss Pass discount. A solid alternative when Jungfraujoch is sold out or weather is borderline.
Lauterbrunnen Valley
The valley between Interlaken and Jungfraujoch passes through Lauterbrunnen — a narrow glacial gorge with 72 waterfalls dropping from sheer 300-metre cliffs. The Staubbachfall waterfall is visible from the train and free to approach on foot (20-min walk from the station). Mürren village (car-free, cable car from Grütschalp) is the area's most atmospheric mountain settlement.
Many Lausanne visitors who've already done Jungfraujoch choose a Lauterbrunnen valley day instead — different visual landscape, less expensive, equally memorable.
Recommended Itinerary (Summit Day)
- 07:50 Depart Lausanne by IC train
- 09:30 Arrive Interlaken Ost — coffee + quick Höheweg walk
- 10:15 Board mountain railway (via Grindelwald route)
- 12:15 At Jungfraujoch — observatory, ice palace, lunch
- 14:30 Depart summit
- 16:30 Back in Interlaken — Harder Kulm or lake promenade
- 17:40 Train to Lausanne (arrive 19:20)
Practical Tips
- Lausanne departure: The 07:50 IC is the best balance of timing. Earlier trains (06:50) get you there first but may be too early for the funicular.
- Swiss Travel Pass: Mandatory buy for anyone doing Lausanne + Interlaken + summit in the same trip. The 50% Jungfraujoch discount alone covers half the pass cost on a 3-day pass.
- Cloud check: Interlaken Tourist Office publishes a daily mountain weather report. A clear valley doesn't guarantee summit visibility — check at 2,000 m+.