Help for a traveler en route in europe right now
 

Thanks in advance- can't think of a better way to get some info fast. I'll also look into it myself but would appreciate your help

22 year old, not very travel savvy friend, just called over- he'll be arriving into Interlaken in a few days from I don't know where, and don't know east or west station.

Wants to get to Kandersteg- is it reasonable/possible to do that later in the evening?

If staying in Interlaken- is there somewhere nearby that would be a better choice for a backpacker/hostel kind of guy?

Thanks in advance~ sorry to be a little short on detail, but I said I'd try to help him.

Enter your cities on the Swiss Rail website. It appears the last connection of the day between the two departs at 11:30 and takes about 1 1/2 hours.
http://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html

For hostel info, I suggest you check either Reids Guides, Time Out or the Thorntree forum on Lonely Planet. All attract a lot of backpackers. Fodor's tends to be an older crowd (not backpackers).

I would just advise him to ask at the train station where the nearest hostel is. And/or ask his question about getting to the next city. There will be clerks at the train station who speak English.

Hostels in Switzerland can be very nice, and reasonably priced for the country, if he was stuck in Vevey/Montreux I could help you out!

There's a famous hostel in Interlaken, Balmer's, which is slightly closer to Interlaken West than Interlaken Ost. And there are other hostels.

As for Kandersteg, you take the train from Interlaken to Spiez and switch to a train going south toward Brig. It's about an hour and 15 minutes depending on connections.

If I'm not too late, there's a brand new hostel next to Interlaken Ost station run by the Swiss Youth Hostel Association. To get to Kandersteg he needs to get the train to Spiez and change there for the local trains to Visp and Brig they run through the old Lotchberg Tunnel and stop at Kandersteg. Times and fares at www.sbb.ch/en or ask at the ticket office in any manned station.

Thank you all!!