When my husband and I were considering a trip to Europe we knew we wanted to visit France. I’ve written previously about how much we loved the sights and tastes of Paris. As we were contemplating another location to add to the itinerary, several people strongly suggested we visit Switzerland, and this region specifically. I’m so glad they did! It’s a fantastic jumping off point to the unbelievably beautiful Alps.
Interlaken is located in the middle of Switzerland, and literally means “between lakes”. If you look closely at the map, you’ll see two lakes (Thun and Brienz).
I am still reeling over the beauty of this area. I felt like I was an extra in The Sound of Music the whole time we were in this incredible valley.
The town itself is charming and picturesque, and the lakes are lovely too. The main reason we made it a point to visit Interlaken: it’s a gateway to The Mountains. The talllllllll Alps. Jungfrau and Schilthorn peaks, specifically. Or, “The Hills”, as Rodger & Hammerstein casually refer to them.
Now, before we get any further… we need to address the elephant in the room:
THIS TITLE FEELS LIKE AN OXYMORON. ‘How did the phrases “Swiss vacation” and “budget” come to exist anywhere near each other?’ you may be wondering.
Switzerland is well-known for being one of the most expensive countries to visit in the world. And once we got there, I could see why it earned that reputation. Food, in particular, is very expensive. However, I think with the right circumstances (killer flight deals!) and careful planning/saving ahead… this trip could work for many individuals and couples.
Do be aware that the costs for families will skyrocket quickly! Each individual rail pass, airline seat, etc. will add up…so compared to a road trip in a van your total cost will be $$$!
MY TOP TIP:
Keep your Itinerary Short & Sweet! Paying for lodging each night + 3 expensive meals/day will add up quickly. Make the most of your time by planning meticulously ahead of time. We only spent 2 nights in Interlaken, and that was enough to make it worth it. Could you spend longer and find more to do? YES! I’m sure one could spend weeks or months hiking and exploring, if funds allowed. (Our grad student budget definitely didn’t!)
Know Your Stuff:
Do a good amount of research before booking anything! We talked to some friends who had visited at a similar time of year, and I read Rick Steve’s guide. I really like his published book because it was so thorough and provided a wide variety of very practical info for all different budgets (not sponsored, just really loved it). He also has some YouTube videos to check out… OK OK Enough about Rick!
Also, be aware that there’s a HUGE difference in tourist on/off seasons in Switzerland, as far as what will be open or closed. Which leads me to…
When to Go:
In the mountainous regions of Switzerland (such as Interlaken) ON SEASON = end of June to end of August…give or take. The reliably warm weather and clear skies make it the most coveted (and most $$) time to visit. There’s also ski season in the winter which is apparently equally busy and thrilling, but which will not be covered in this budget-conscious guide (for obvious reasons).
You can save quite a bit of money by visiting OFF season. We visited the third week of May, and it was beautiful. We lucked out with great weather. However, there were many closed restaurants, limited lift schedules, etc. There are trade-offs to consider!
Average temperatures in May are 65 F (18 C) and in September are 67 F (19.5 C) (Holiday to switzerland)
April would’ve been even cheaper, but the cable cars are not consistently and reliably open for the year yet at that point. September is another great month…it would be warm still, but not peak crowds and prices. October would be risky for weather and activities — but again– cheap prices may be worth it to you.
How to Get There
Soarin’, Flyin’
Unless you’re living in Europe, you’ll likely need to book some flights. The two most obvious options would be to fly into Bern Airport (45 minutes by car/ 1.5 hours by train) or Zurich Airport ZRH (just under 2 hours by train, or longer depending on the route).
Zurich is the larger and busier airport of the two, which will generally provide lower cost options. We flew in through Zurich because the flights were extremely reasonable ($450 round trip from the U.S. East Coast, so somehow cheaper than visiting the U.S. West Coast!). You can either travel through Bern or Lucerne if traveling by train from Zurich. We loved touring Lucerne. The views on the train rides between Interlaken and Lucerne were GORGEOUS.
Kayak, Skyscanner, and Google Flights are great places to search for cheap flights!
We found the flight itinerary we wanted on Google Flights but booked directly through the United Airlines website. We booked about 4 months in advance, and I wouldn’t cut it much closer than that. Even if flight deals are still around, lodging options will book up and you’ll be paying more there.
As always, having a flexible schedule will allow you to take advantage of the best prices.
Train Travel within Switzerland
Learn all about the Swiss Federal Railway system here. The Swiss Rail System is called the SBB…which apparently stands for Schweizerischen Bundesbahnen! I cannot come remotely close to the proper pronunciation… but enjoyed trying! 😉
There are a ton of different ticket options to choose from, so you can customize to pay for exactly what you need- and no more. To save money and hassle, you may want a pass that bundles other modes of transportation too (buses, boats).
Night trains are popular travel options for those on a budget. Kill 2 birds with one stone by avoiding the cost of a hotel night and getting to the next location on your trip while you sleep! The only bummer would be missing the incredible views you gain during the daytime.
Where to Stay
There’s a variety of lodging in Interlaken. Be prepared for every option to be pricier than a hotel of similar size/quality in another country. There were several established hotels and resorts along the main street of town that seemed lovely (but $$$$).
We looked on AirBnb and settled for a quaint basement apartment attached to a kind woman’s Swiss home. It was pretty small, and the furnishings were dated… which was perfectly fine for our needs. We didn’t go to Switzerland to spend time indoors anyways!
Another popular route in Europe is to find a hostel. When we visited I noted several that looked pretty promising. Hostel World shows several highly ranked hostels that will only put you out $30/night during off-season if you’re up for bunking with strangers! (Which…I personally am not haha).
Budget Lodging Breakdown:
- Hostel ROOMS ranging from $60-85 USD/ night
- AirBnb apartments $85-300 USD(depending on size & updates)
- Established hotels & resorts are $130- 500+ per night
Getting Around:
Something to consider when choosing your lodging is LOCATION. It’s very helpful to be near one of the major train stations (Interlaken Ost or West). The vast majority of tourists won’t have a rental car in Interlaken, and buses don’t run around the clock…as we learned very quickly upon our midnight arrival. 😉
Plan on a mixture of:
- walking (short distances)
- public buses (within Interlaken and to get to the base to the mountains)
- regional trains (to take you from Interlaken to other destinations within Switzerland)
The map below shows how close our AirBnb was to the Interlaken Ost train station. I wouldn’t have wanted to be too much farther from a train station. If possible, the West station is even closer to the center of town.
The Peaks: Expensive but Worthwhile
Jungfrau is the King of the Bernese Alps… the highest peak of them all. You should definitely add a summit to the “Top of Europe” to the Top of your to-do list. 😉
Shilthorn is another peak that you can summit while in Interlaken. It’s famous for its appearance in the 007 movie “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”. Blog post on that experience coming soon!
Both experiences will require a combination of either a rail pass, bus, or cable car to get you…you know, WAY UP THERE.
Plan to spend at least $100 USD and the majority of a day for each summit experience.
Cheap Activities
The whole point of visiting Interlaken is definitely to get up into the mountains. I would highly recommend going up the cable cars to at least one of the famous peaks. I found hiking to be a great complement to the cable car rides. It gave us a closer look at the cliffside villages and we could take our sweet time enjoying the views, and feel a little less sluggish from my snack choices (Swiss chocolate plus more Swiss chocolate).
In addition to the mountain explorations, there are some low-cost activities you can use to fill out your itinerary while in Interlaken itself.
- You could walk or jog, depending on how sore your legs are after the mountainous terrain!
- If the weather is nice you can spend time on the lake with an established boat tour or by renting a small watercraft.
- Although the restaurants and shops are pretty pricy, you can always wander the main streets of town and enjoy some classic window shopping.
- If you’re a photographer, you could capture some great scenery and architecture. The attention to detail in this charming town is next-level.
Food
Switzerland is known for a few things: excellent watches, staying neutral in foreign affairs, gorgeous scenery, delectable chocolate, and (Swiss) cheese. Other than those two foods (chocolate and cheese), we didn’t have anything major on our bucket list to try while here.
Budget Talk:
Obviously the cheapest food you’ll find in Switzerland is food you didn’t buy in Switzerland. If possible, I’d bring some hearty snacks in your suitcase with you! Beef jerky, trail mix, and peanut butter are all great hiking staples to supplement between meals. BUT… you’re also in Europe for goodness sakes! And we were backpacking (like…sharing one large backpack with all of both of our clothes and jackets and souvenirs for the 6 day trip) with zero extra space. I would guess many other travelers would be in a similar situation. SO…
Here’s what we did to keep costs more reasonable:
We bought breakfast, lunch, & snacks at local grocery or convenience stores. I remember yogurts, packaged deli sandwiches, bananas, and obviously Swiss chocolate bars to try & enjoy while up in the mountains. We also found some delicious homemade treats & jam available to purchase from local shop-cottages while hiking down the mountains (like the Brezeli pictured below). Brezeli is an incredibly fun word to say. Try it. Right??
We got McDonalds once while there too and I will say right here and right now that it was the highest quality McBurger I’ve had the experience of tasting. Thank you, Swiss cows, for providing that deliciousness.
We splurged one evening on a sit-down dinner of cheese fondue. It was just bread and cheese. Truly only those two things. I had expected other dippers or sides to be included…but no! It was good and fun to try it out, but definitely overpriced for what we got. In a busier season I hear there are more options available though!
There were some cute chocolatier shops that were fun to admire, too. We enjoyed these chocolate-covered strawberries at Funky Chocolate Club. They also offer interactive classes & demonstrations!
Did I miss anything? If you’ve been to Interlaken, what would you add? Are the Swiss Alps on your bucket list (as they were on mine, thanks to Julie Andrews!)??
Adieu!
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