Boat and Ferry Travel

In warmer months, round-trip boat cruises around Lake Thun and Lake Brienz provide an ever-changing view of the craggy foothills and peaks. Boats run in winter, too, though on a reduced schedule.

The round-trip from Interlaken to Thun takes about four hours; the trip one way takes about two hours and includes stops for visits to the castles of Oberhofen, Spiez, and Hilterfingen. A round-trip from Interlaken to Brienz takes around 2½ hours, to Iseltwald about 1¼ hours. These boats are public transportation as well as pleasure cruisers; just disembark whenever you feel like it and check timetables when you want to catch another.

Tickets are flexible and coordinate neatly with land transit: you can cruise across to Thun and then take a train home for variety. Buy tickets and catch boats for Lake Thun at Interlaken West station. For Lake Brienz, go to Interlaken East. The official boat company for both lakes is Schiffsbetrieb BLS Thuner- und Brienzersee.

Boat and Ferry Information

BLS Schifffahrt Berner Oberland (Lachenweg 19, Thun, 3601. 058/3274811. www.bls.ch.)