General Info about
Interlaken :
Welcome to Interlaken!
Come to Interlaken - captivating "capital" of Switzerland's
beautiful Bernese Oberland. Interlaken is a delightful destination for
memorable holidays and conventions. The town is located between the lakes of
Thun and Brienz, at the foot of the towering trio of the Eiger, Mönch &
Jungfrau.
Season :
High Season
Summer months June - September as well as Christmas/New Year's.
Mid Season
Springtime and fall, April, May and October.
Low Season
From November until March.
VAT There is a Value Added Tax of 3.6% on accommodation and breakfast, 7.6%
on meals and beverages.
Tipping Service charge is included in prices of hotels, restaurants,
hairdressers and taxis. For extraordinary quality of service small tips are
certainly well appreciated.
Time Zone :
GMT + 1 hr, EST + 6 hrs.
Daylight savings time (+ 1 hr) end of March until end of Oktober.
Tourist Taxes :
Visitors' Card
As a visitor in Interlaken, Matten or Unterseen you are obliged to pay
tourist taxes. In return you will receive from your host or the tourist
office our attractive visitor's card, which entitles you to numerous
reductions in the Jungfrau Region. Consult the listings in the Jungfrau
Magazine upon your arrival.
Tourist Taxes Interlaken / Matten / Unterseen
(Tourist taxes incl. state tax of CHF -.60)
For stays at hotels and apartments
Adults CHF 2.95 per person / per night (summer months)
Adults CHF 2.65 per person / pro night (winter months)
Children 0 - 16 years free!
For stays at camping sites and group accommodations:
Adults CHF 2.20 per person / per night (year round)
Electric Current :
220 Volt , 50 Hertz.
Language :
Interlaken is situated in the german speaking part of Switzerland. In
addition to the German language many locals speak English and French, as
well.
Population :
The population of Interlaken (including the three political communities of
Interlaken, Matten and Unterseen) is approx. 15'000
Opening Hours :
Tourist Information
| Month |
Day |
Time |
| July / August - mid
September |
Mon - Fri |
08.00 - 19.00 |
|
Sat |
08.00 - 17.00 |
|
Sun |
10.00 - 12.00, 17.00 - 19.00 |
| from mid September |
Mon - Fri |
08.00 - 18.00 |
|
Sat |
09.00 - 13.00 |
|
Sun |
closed |
| May / June |
Mon - Fri |
08.00 - 18.00 |
|
Sat |
08.00 - 16.00 |
|
Sun |
closed |
| October - April |
Mon - Fri |
08.00 - 12.00 , 13.30 - 18.00 |
|
Sat |
09.00 - 12.00 |
|
Sun |
closed |
| Shops & Stores
(Standard hours) |
Mon - Fri |
08.00 - 12.00 , 13.30 - 18.30 |
|
Sat |
08.00 - 16.00 |
| Bank |
Mon - Fri |
08.00 - 12.00, 13.30 - 17.00 |
| Money Exchange Desks
(Railway Stations) Station Interlaken West |
Mon - Sun |
07.00 - 20.00 |
| Station Interlaken Ost |
Mon - Sun |
06.00 - 20.00 |
| Post Office |
Mon - Fri |
07.45 - 12.00, 13.30 - 18.15 |
|
Sat |
08.30 - 12.00 |
Tourist Information :
Interlaken
54km (34 miles) SE of Bern, 130km (81 miles) SW of Zurich
Interlaken is the tourist capital of the Bernese Oberland. Cableways and
cog railways designed for steeply inclined mountains connect it with most of
the region's villages and dazzling sights, including the snowy heights of
the Jungfrau, which rises a short distance to the south. Excursion
possibilities from Interlaken are both numerous and dazzling.
This "town between the lakes" (Thun and Brienz) has been a
vacation resort for over 300 years. Although it began as a summer resort, it
developed into a year-round playground, altering its allure as the seasons
change. During the winter, skiers take advantage of the town's low prices.
Interlaken charges low-season prices in January and February, when smaller
resorts at higher altitudes are charging their highest rates of the year.
The most expensive time to visit Interlaken is during midsummer, when
high-altitude and snow less ski resorts often charge their lowest rates.
An Augustinian monastery was founded in Interlaken in 1130 but was later
closed during the Reformation; the ruins can still be seen in a park in the
center of town. Tourism to the area is said to have begun in 1690, when
Margrave Frederic Albert of Brandenburg journeyed into the snow-covered
rocks of the Jungfrau massif. However, tourism as we know it today dawned at
the beginning of the 19th century, when artists and writers -- many of them
British -- were drawn to the town by its scenery. As the country's railroad
and steamer services improved, a steady stream of visitors followed,
including such notables as Mark Twain, Goethe (who seems to have lived
everywhere), Wagner, Mendelssohn, and representatives of European royal
families.
Hotel List :
Hotel Interlaken, Hotel Lötschberg, Hotel Metropole, Hotel Weisses
Kreuz, Lindner Grand Hotel Beau-Rivage, Park-Hotel Mattenhof, Royal St.
Georges, The Swiss Inn, Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa.
Attractions :
The best way to see everything in Interlaken is to walk. You can either
randomly stroll around, enjoying the panoramic views in all directions, or
follow a more structured walking tour.
The Höheweg covers 14 hectares (35 acres) in the middle of town
between the two train stations. Once the property of Augustinian monks, it
was acquired in the mid-19th century by the hotel keepers of Interlaken, who
turned it into a park. As you stroll along Höhenpromenade, admire the
famous view of the Jungfrau mountain. Another beautiful sight is the flower
clock at the Kursaal (casino). You're also sure to see some fiacres, or
horse-drawn cabs. The promenade is lined with hotels, cafes, and gardens.
Cross over the Aare River to Unterseen, built in 1280 by Berthold von
Eschenbach. Here you can visit the parish church, with its late Gothic tower
dating from 1471. This is one of the most photographed sights in the Bernese
Oberland. The Mönch appears to the left of the tower, the Jungfrau on
the right.
Back in Interlaken, visit the Touristik-Museum der Jungfrau-Region, am
Stadthausplatz, Obere Gasse 26 (tel. 033/822-98-39), the first regional
tourism museum in the country. Exhibitions show the growth of tourism in the
region throughout the past 2 centuries. The museum is open from May to
mid-October Tuesday to Sunday from 2 to 5pm. Admission is 5F ($3.25), or 3F
($1.95) with a Visitor's Card. Children are charged 2F ($1.30).
To see the sights of Interlaken, Matten, and Unterseen by fiacre, line up
at the Interlaken West train station. The half-hour round-trip tour costs
39F ($25) for one or two, plus 11F ($7.15) for each additional person;
children 7 to 16 are charged half fare, and those 6 and under ride free.
Other attractions in the area include animal parks, afternoon concerts, and
steamers across Lakes Brienz and Thun. During the summer, visitors can sit
in covered grandstands and watch Schiller's version of the William Tell
story and the formation of the Swiss Confederation. We also recommend the
delectable pastries sold in the local cafes.
