Guide · Getting there

Zurich to Lauterbrunnen by train, and the other ways in

Every route from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen ends the same way: a short ride up the valley from Interlaken Ost. Here is how to get there from Zurich, its airport and Lucerne, which part of the train to sit in, and what to know if you drive.

Check availabilityfrom $273 · no cancellation fee

Editorial team, lauterbrunnenvalleyhiking.comUpdated October 20, 2026Reading time about 6 minutes45 sources

The matching tour Guided hike Grütschalp to Mürren with Trümmelbach Falls 5.0 (1 review) 6 hoursTrümmelbach Falls entry includedPick-up at Interlaken Ost from$273per person Check availabilityCancel for free until 24 hrs ahead

Quick answer

01Last leg: Interlaken Ost to Lauterbrunnen takes 24 minutes from platform 2A.¹
02From the airport: Direct trains every two hours to Interlaken Ost, others change in Bern.²
03From Lucerne: The Luzern-Interlaken Express, roughly two hours, hourly.³ ⁴
04Sit at the front: The train splits at Zweilütschinen; the rear goes to Grindelwald.¹
05By car: 20 to 30 minutes from Interlaken; car park under the station.⁵

The route in one paragraph

Getting from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen by public transport means reaching Interlaken Ost first, then riding the Berner Oberland Bahn up the valley. Lauterbrunnen Tourism gives that last leg as 24 minutes from platform 2A at Interlaken Ost, and warns to board at the front, because the rear section continues to Grindelwald from Zweilütschinen.¹

Interlaken Ost is the gateway station for the whole Jungfrau Region, with the Bernese Oberland Railway running on to Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen.⁶ Jungfraubahnen says there are train connections to the airports and to Bern every half hour.⁷ So wherever you start, the plan is the same: get to Interlaken Ost, then take the front of the blue and yellow train.

Lauterbrunnen station itself is modern and barrier-free, and it connects on to Wengen and Mürren.⁸ From the platform the cogwheel trains climb to Wengen, and a cable car rises towards Mürren from beside the station.⁹ Your hotel or the trailhead is rarely more than a few minutes away.

From the airport

Zurich Airport to the valley floor

Start

Zurich Airport

Direct train to Interlaken Ost every two hours.²
Approx. 2 h

Interlaken Ost

Wengen Tourism's time for the direct train.¹⁰
Change

Platform 2A

Front part of the Berner Oberland Bahn.¹
Junction

Zweilütschinen

The train splits; stay at the front.¹¹ ¹
24 min later

Lauterbrunnen

Barrier-free station in the valley.¹ ⁸

From Zurich Airport

Coming from Zurich Airport to Lauterbrunnen, you can avoid a change for most of the way. The valley's tourism office describes a direct service from Zurich Airport to Interlaken Ost every two hours, plus other connections via Bern, and puts the whole trip to the village at approx. 3 hours.²

Wengen Tourism quotes the same direct train every two hours and a journey time of approx. 2 hours as far as Interlaken Ost.¹⁰ The difference between the two figures is the last stretch up the valley plus a connection, so plan on roughly half a day from landing to arriving in Lauterbrunnen, and longer if you have to wait for a train.

For other airports, Lauterbrunnen Tourism gives approx. 3 hours from Basel Airport and approx. 4 hours from Geneva Airport, with a change in Bern.¹² Whichever you fly into, a rail pass or a through ticket bought in advance keeps things simple, and luggage can travel with you on every train.

Journey times

Approximate journey times into the valley, in hours

Airport times to Lauterbrunnen from Lauterbrunnen Tourism; the Lucerne figure is Switzerland Tourism's time to Interlaken, to which the 24-minute last leg is added.² ¹² ³ ¹

Routes compared

Which way into the valley

From	Route	Time	Note
Zurich Airport	Direct to Interlaken Ost	Approx. 3 h	Every two hours
Lucerne	Luzern-Interlaken Express	About 2 h to Interlaken	Hourly
Interlaken Ost	Berner Oberland Bahn	24 min	Sit at the front
Interlaken by car	Valley road	20 to 30 min	Parking limited

From Lauterbrunnen Tourism and Switzerland Tourism; check the SBB planner on the day.² ³ ⁴ ¹ ⁵ ¹³

Let someone else drive

Three guided ways into the valley

Zurich: Guided Tour Grindelwald, Interlaken & Lauterbrunnen

Both valleys

From Zurich

Coach day tour

Time: 12 hours
Start: Sihlquai Bus Station
Price: from $121

See the tour

Both valleys

From Lucerne

Coach day tour

Time: 10 hours
Start: Bus Parking Landenberg
Price: from $118

See the tour

Hike Lauterbrunnen-Mürren with Trümmelbach Waterfalls Visit

This site's hike

From Interlaken Ost

Guided hike

Time: 6 hours
Pick-up: Interlaken Ost
Price: from $273

See the tour

Decision helper

How should you travel in?

Start from where you are

Direct train to Interlaken Ost

Every two hours, then change.²

Luzern-Interlaken Express

Hourly, roughly two hours.³ ⁴

Berner Oberland Bahn

24 minutes from platform 2A.¹

Park at the station, then take the train

Parking in the valley is limited at peak times.¹³

A coach tour

12 hours from Zurich with free time in Lauterbrunnen.

Don't forget that the station is idyllically located in one of the most spectacular trough valleys. Both sides of the valley offer beautiful sun terraces in addition to the famous 72 waterfalls, and both are accessible by train.

Jungfraubahnen (Jungfrau Railways)Source 14

From Zurich city

The official tourism pages describe the airport connection rather than Zurich's main station, but the principle is the same: you travel to Interlaken Ost and change there for Lauterbrunnen. Jungfraubahnen's note that connections to Bern run every half hour means there is rarely a long wait for a train heading towards the Bernese Oberland.⁷

Use the SBB journey planner on the day for exact times and changes, since routings vary through the day. Allow time at Interlaken Ost to find platform 2A and the front of the Lauterbrunnen train; with luggage, that is the moment people miss a connection.¹ Buy tickets for the whole journey before you set off, or check that your pass covers every leg, so that a short change at Interlaken is not spent at a ticket machine. Trains in Switzerland leave on the minute.

If you would rather not handle the trains, coach day tours run from Zurich. The tour this page features from Zurich leaves Sihlquai Bus Station near Zurich main station and gives free time in Interlaken, Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen in 12 hours. It starts from $121, with 8,318 reviews averaging 4.65.

Map

The Lauterbrunnen Valley from Grütschalp to Stechelberg

The valley floor, its two terraces and the summits above it, then the wider region with Interlaken, Grindelwald and the Jungfraujoch.

Map of the Lauterbrunnen Valley with Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Mürren, Gimmelwald, Stechelberg, the falls and the Schilthorn — The valley

Map of the region from Interlaken Ost to Grindelwald and the Jungfraujoch — The region

1
Lauterbrunnen
The village sits at 795 m in a trough-shaped valley; from its station the cogwheel trains climb to Wengen and a cable car rises towards Mürren.¹⁵ ⁹
In Google Maps ↗
2
Staubbach Falls
Lauterbrunnen's landmark drops about 297 metres right beside the village; the path to its foot is open in summer only.¹⁶ ¹⁷
In Google Maps ↗
3
Trümmelbach Falls
Ten glacier falls inside the mountain, reached by a tunnel lift, about 3 km beyond the village; bus 141 stops at the entrance.¹⁸ ¹⁹ ²⁰
In Google Maps ↗
4
Stechelberg
End of the valley road and valley station of the cable car to Mürren, which climbs 775 metres in about 4 minutes.²¹
In Google Maps ↗
5
Grütschalp
Top of the 4-minute cable car from Lauterbrunnen, at 1486 m, and start of the walk to Mürren.²² ²³
In Google Maps ↗
6
Winteregg
Middle station of the little railway to Mürren, at 1578 m, where the trains pass each other.²⁴ ²⁵
In Google Maps ↗
7
Mürren
Car-free village on a terrace high above the valley; Schilthornbahn gives it 1638 m.²⁶ ²⁷
In Google Maps ↗
8
Gimmelwald
Car-free hamlet at 1,367 metres between Stechelberg and Mürren, the start of walks into the Sefinental.²⁸
In Google Maps ↗
9
Wengen
Car-free village at 1,274 metres on the sunny side, reached by the Wengernalp Railway from Lauterbrunnen.²⁹
In Google Maps ↗
10
Kleine Scheidegg
Pass at 2061 m where the Wengernalp Railway meets the Jungfrau Railway, below the Eiger North Face.³⁰ ³¹
In Google Maps ↗
11
Männlichen
Top of the cable car from Wengen and start of the Panorama Trail to Kleine Scheidegg, 4.5 km.³² ³³
In Google Maps ↗
12
Schilthorn
Summit at 2,970 metres with the revolving restaurant Piz Gloria, by cable car from Stechelberg via Mürren and Birg.³⁴ ³⁵
In Google Maps ↗
13
Interlaken Ost
Where the Berner Oberland Bahn starts: Lauterbrunnen is 24 minutes away from platform 2A.¹
In Google Maps ↗
14
Zweilütschinen
The junction where the BOB train splits: the front runs on to Lauterbrunnen, the rear to Grindelwald.¹ ¹¹
In Google Maps ↗
15
Grindelwald
Village at 1,050 metres at the foot of the Eiger, around 30 minutes from Interlaken Ost by train.³⁶ ³⁷ ³⁸
In Google Maps ↗
16
Jungfraujoch
Europe's highest railway station at 3,454 metres, reached by the Jungfrau Railway from Kleine Scheidegg.³⁹ ³¹
In Google Maps ↗

Open the map in Google Maps

Checklist

For the journey in

On the train

Front section at Interlaken Ost
Your pass or through ticket
The time of your last connection

Arriving

Lockers at Lauterbrunnen station
Barrier-free platforms
Park and Ride if you drive

Cost calculator

Price a guided day for your group

Enter how many are coming to compare three guided days.

From Zurich12 hoursfrom $121 From Lucerne10 hoursfrom $118 From Interlaken Ost6 hoursfrom $273

People 2

Total from$242

each from $121

Check availabilityfree cancellation

Group totals here multiply the lowest per-person price GetYourGuide quotes for each valley outing by the number in your party, converted at the European Central Bank's daily rate; the booking step shows the binding amount.

Video

Ride Swiss Trains Like a Pro! | How To Get From Zurich Airport to Interlaken | SBB Train Tickets

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From Lucerne on the panoramic line

The trip from Lucerne to Lauterbrunnen has the most scenic first leg. The Luzern-Interlaken Express takes roughly two hours between the two towns and passes five mountain lakes on the way.³ Trains leave hourly, and holders of a Swiss Travel Pass, its Flex version or a GA travel card ride the whole way without a supplement.⁴

At Interlaken Ost you change to the Berner Oberland Bahn for the last 24 minutes up the valley, sitting at the front as always.¹ Book a window seat on the express if you can, because the lakes and mountains slide past the glass for most of the way.

From Lucerne there is also a guided coach option. A tour by the same operator as the Zurich one leaves the Bus Parking Landenberg near Lucerne station and visits Interlaken, Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen in 10 hours. It starts from $118, with 1,080 reviews averaging 4.51.

Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen, the last stretch

You may ride from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen more than once, so it pays to know the trip. The Berner Oberland Bahn leaves Interlaken Ost from platform 2A and reaches Lauterbrunnen in 24 minutes.¹ At Zweilütschinen, the junction of the line, the train divides: the front continues to Lauterbrunnen and the rear to Grindelwald.¹¹ ¹

If you are heading on to Wengen, Wengen Tourism gives 37 minutes from Interlaken Ost, with a change in Lauterbrunnen to the yellow and green trains of the Wengernalp Railway.⁴⁰ For Mürren, change in Lauterbrunnen to the cable car to Grütschalp and the little railway beyond.⁴¹

The guided hike sold on this site starts right here. Its pick-up is at Interlaken Ost train station, in front of the Coop entrance, and guests staying in Lauterbrunnen can meet at the station instead. It lasts 6 hours with Trümmelbach entry included and starts from $273.

Driving and parking

If you drive, the road from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen takes 20 to 30 minutes depending on the season, and in winter you should expect snow and black ice.⁵ There is a multi-storey car park directly below Lauterbrunnen railway station, and Jungfraubahnen lists 975 parking spaces there.⁵ ⁴² Another car park sits by the church.⁴³

Parking is the weak point. Lauterbrunnen Tourism says spaces in Lauterbrunnen and Stechelberg are limited at peak times and recommends Park and Ride at Matten or Wilderswil, continuing by public transport.¹³ On a fine summer weekend that advice is worth following from the start.

Remember that the best places up the valley cannot be driven to. Wengen is car-free and cars stay in the Lauterbrunnen parking garage, and Mürren is car-free too.⁴⁴ ²⁷ Once you arrive, the car stays put and the trains and cable cars take over. If you plan to drive on to Grindelwald later, remember that the two valleys meet only at Zweilütschinen, so the road takes you back down before it climbs again.

Tips for the journey

Check which railcard you hold before buying anything. Swiss Travel Pass holders ride the Luzern-Interlaken Express at no extra cost, and regional passes such as the Jungfrau Travel Pass include Lauterbrunnen, Wengen and Kleine Scheidegg.⁴ ⁴⁵ A pass that covers the valley lines changes the cost of every day you spend there.

Travel light if you can. Lauterbrunnen station has lockers, 12 small and 9 large by Jungfraubahnen's count, useful if you arrive before check-in or leave after check-out.⁴² The trains have room for luggage, but the cable cars and the narrow village lanes are easier with one bag.

Above all, remember the front of the train at Interlaken Ost. The official advice on how to get to Lauterbrunnen repeats it, because the rear carriages end up in Grindelwald.¹ If it happens to you, do not worry: the trains link the two valleys, and you will simply arrive by a longer and more scenic route.

Your day above the valley