10 Tourist Mistakes to Avoid in INTERLAKEN, SWITZERLAND | What to know before visiting Interlaken
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- čas přidán 8. 09. 2022
- Hey guys! Heading to Interlaken, Switzerland? This video will cover the top 10 tourist mistakes to AVOID on your trip to the Interlaken region. We'll help make sure you don't waste your money OR your time and tell you everything you need to know before visiting Interlaken.
→ Interlaken Operating Schedules: www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/live/op...
→ Interlaken Train pass Guide: • TRAIN PASSES FOR INTER...
→ Mountain Webcams: www.jungfrau.ch/de-ch/live/we...
→ Berner Oberland Pass: www.getyourguide.com/interlak...
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Bienvenue & Willkommen! We are Lex & Louis - and together we are The Traveling Swiss. We're an international couple (USA + Switzerland) who have recently moved from NYC to Switzerland. Come travel with us - we'll give you tips and guides, and hopefully have a few laughs along the way. Our goal is to show you that borders are meant to be crossed!
Keep up with us!
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→ Email: thetravelingswiss@gmail.com
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This channel is a labor of love, if you enjoyed the video please make sure to subscribe!
xx Lex & Louis
If you need more personalized help, from a detailed itinerary to a 1:1 call, or FREE assistance selecting a train pass - head to our website to learn more: www.thetravelingswiss.com
Get help from the tourist information kiosk at Interlaken station. You pull a number and wait for your turn to be called. They are SO helpful, as they were able to recommend where to go for the day and make the most out of it, especially with the weather!
You both have so so helpful with my planning journey to Switzerland!!
This helps a lot. Thanks for all the info provided.
Thank you so much for the tips!! Your videos are so helpful.
Very helpful. Thanks.
Yes! An honest, insiders perspective of a tourist hotspot is always very much appreciated!
Another awesome video. I really love you two, keep doing what you are doing. Thank you.
Thanks for the info Guys! May God Bless You both ♥️
This was good information. Just what I needed. Thanks!
Very helpful - thanks! Looking forward to more "mistake" videos.
Thank you very much!!!
Thank you so much I'm visiting this month with my family and excited 😊
your vidéo is very helpful, thanks 👌🏻👍🏻
Thanks for another helpful video that might be help us explore Interlaken in our upcoming visit.
Great video!! I would like to see the same video on tourist mistakes not to make in Lucerne- Switzerland.
love it!
Well done! I have been traveling to Switzerland for 50 years and you still show us new things! Thanks
Thank you for information !! And big hug from me for your Mr and Mrs ..sucesfull
great list, I was a. tour guide in the region for a few years and I agree.. I would add to always bring rain gear. It might be war and dry in Interlaken but once you travel up it might get colder and wetter.. I miss the region so much..
Love these vlogs. I haven't been to Sw. in almost 20 yr and am dying to go back soon. Looking at last 2 weeks of April and first two weeks of May. Will email you two to perhaps assist planning when I have more info. Ty for your channel and such practical info
This is a good time for the Berner Oberland because most of the cool rides will be open (the Schynige Platte train, the Rothorn train, the cable car from Wengen to Männlichen, etc.) AND it will be all pleasantly un-crowded. Do research the various passes as over a 2 weeks' period literally hundreds of Swiss francs can be saved, esp. if you intend to use cable cars and boats and trains and such. For one standard example, the HalfFare pass almost pays for itself with just one ride to the Jungfraujoch. Another tip: if you happen to use the credit card and the checkout terminal asks you if you want the charge in Swiss francs (CHF) or in your domestic currency, _always select the local currency (CHF),_ NOT your home one. This forces the international interbank exchange rate which is _always_ the best (you never get this good rate at your friendly hole-in-the-wall exchange bureau).
@@JanPBtest Great advice!
We are enjoying your vlogs. We are planning an epic Switzerland travel next summer after my daughters HS graduation. We have traveled to challenging Japan in 2019 but this travel will be challenging for us as well. We are studying the various passes and as such, but we will need your assistance on this one. Keeping our stress level low as possible by watching your videos, keep up your good work Louis and Alexis. Thank you so much.
If you are going to travel our passes, you will for sure be at the "oberaĺp" in case this happens dont miss to hike to the source of the rhine. You won't regret it
Hi , will be traveling soon, would love a vlog of shops such as h&m, Zara and similar prices in Zurich.
Thanks!
Thank you so much! Hope it was helpful
A video on natural hot spring in Switzerland would be very interesting.
Just back from this area 2 weeks ago. We skip interlaken all together and went straight to grindelwald and lauterbrunnen. Amazing view from these two places. Gondola from lauterbrunnen to murren's also very cheap with breathtaking view.
Hi , can you please tell me how much did you pay for gondola ?
Thank You
your last tip saved my gf and i, exactly the days we were supose to be there we could not take a gondola to Oeschinen Lake, so we changed our destination from Kandersteg to Interlaken, and ALSO the trains were not riding the exact days between interlaken - grindelwald :P, so we had to rent a car which was to be honest much nicer to go around
Hi Alexis & Louis, can you please make a video on tourist mistakes in Zurich and another video on prepaid SIM cards that tourists can purchase at the airports and before they travel to Switzerland, thank you
Ok i take it then.... zurich is the place almost every swiss citizen dislike.... good choise to start your journey there. In Zurich you can be a total d1ckhe4d and nobody would care. Hope you get out of it as soon as possible to enjoy the beauty of switzerland. 😉😊 tuat mr laid züri aber das het müessa si
I recommend Lycamobile from the usual hole in the wall type places (so not at the airport!), you'll see the Lycamobile logo on those little shops selling soft drinks, postcards, etc. You tell the person how many days you want, pay, and that's that. OTOH _contracts_ with companies like Salt, Sunrise, etc. tend to be limited not by time but by amount of CHF left on the account. I found this mode to be much more annoying, constantly afraid to use the phone lest it run out of funds. Alexis & Louis are residents so their POV is different but maybe they have a better idea for tourists.
Thanks. A video on where to buy and what kind of SIM data mobile to buy will be great for overseas tourists
We got confused what station to use from Grindelwald to Schynige Platte. Was really surprised to discover there were no parking spaces for the handicapped next to the trainstation, at least we couldn't find them. Instead we opted to drive to Schynige Platte. Grindelwald Terminal has lots of parking spaces for the handicapped. But it's a bit of a walk to get to the station part of the terminal.
Hi! I love your videos. I will be visiting Interlaken in Feb next year - will any of the regional passes be available then? They help me save more money than the swiss travel pass does, but I heard they are not available in winter.
HEY; the Interlaken West train station has a good little store in it, and you can buy great sandwiches, snacks, etc in it.
Very helpful!
What pass do you recommend if we want to explore JungFrao region and also go to Zermatt and see Oeschinensee area?
Wonderful video and advice, thank you! My family will be staying on a farm in Saulcy in July. We plan to visit Interlaken on a day trip. My kids are 15 and 11, could you recommend a mountain coaster? Thanks!
Hi. I like this Video Thanku for this information.🌷✨🌷✨🌷✨🇩🇰🇵🇰👋👋
I still went to Jungfrauyoch despite I had watched this video before. Regretted because it was cloudy and snowing up there even though it’s sunny down there. 😢
Love your videos! What pass would you suggest I buy if I'm staying in Oerlikon for 6 full days and I want to explore a different towns each day? I want to stay within 2 hours by train so I want to go into Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Luzerne, Locarno, Thun etc.
Hi, my wife and I love your videos. We are planning to visit Lake Como in April 2023. We want to visit Switzerland for a couple of days… any suggestions of places and trains we can take? Thank you so much in advance for your help.
Hi guys, amazing video-thanks. Just wanted to ask - if I’m going to do a day-trip to Interlaken from Geneva , should I get any kind of rail cards?
Tomorrow 6 February i will visit Jungfraujoch Berg!
Lovr your video on mistakes. We are planning to come over in February which is winter and have been deliberating to get Europass to suffice since we are hopping from Vienna into Interlaken Ost, Lucerne and to Zurich to fly home. Have downloaded SBB Mobile and really think we should play it by ear to splash on 120 franc Half fare. Guess public transport and regional pass like Jungfrau pass suffice. Doesn't Eurail pass give free if not discount on cruises on Lake Thun, Lakr Brienz and Lake Geneva?
Hi love your videos, great fun and really helpful so thanks. I'm booked to come next June and staying in Grindlewald (getting Jungfrau Pass) however increasingly starting to wonder if maybe i'd do better to stay in Interlaken. What would be your preference? Cheers and keep up the good work 😀
Both are convenient to get to things in the other (Grindelwald more convenient for certain things, interlaken more convenient for others - but overall both are very well positioned): We prefer Grindelwald as a base not because of the location, but because its a much more charming and picturesqsue village in our opinion.
@@TheTravelingSwiss Cheers guys that's really helpful, I'll stick with Grindlewald then. Looking forward to the next instalment keep up the good work. 👍😀
My dream country to visit if not this year will be next year 😍
Please make a video activity during winter :)
Hi! We have a full playlist dedicated to Switzerland in the winter that you may find helpful! :)
Hello gorgeous couple! We'll be there on the 2nd week of November and will be staying in Wengen for 3n4d. What is the best pass for us to get. We're planning to visit the sisgriswil bridge, iseltwalt, grindelwald....and maybe more.. zermatt. Thanks!
where is your link to the camera on the mountains?
Nice work! Can we have a Swiss greeting instead of the "Hey, guys!" one time?
Louis, nice work plugging Thun over Interlaken. Interlaken by position is a basecamp and overpriced. Thun is much more scenic, less crowded, and has a Ferris Wheel in it's center which assists with elevated photos of the area.
Ideas for future segments on your channel:
1) Castle Tour. Take your viewers to Oberhofen, Thun and Spiez Castles. Make sure to include the ferry view of the properties/grounds for Spiez and Oberhofen, and that Thun has an elevator up & down.
2) Water Tour. Profile the pool complexes at Spiez and Thun. River swimming in Thun. The rafting of the Aare River (cost, access & exit so you don't lose your viewers under the bridge in Bern!)
3) Cycle Tour. There are many places = narrow to the best/most scenic.
4) Full Moon Dining. Mt. Niesen (The Swiss Pyramid) has it by reservation. Maybe some other locales around, too?
Excellent informative video, thank you very much for sharing this useful information, I'm traveling with my wife there in April do you know if I need to purchase 1 Half fare card for each of us or I can purchase both tickets for trains, boats and gondolas with only 1 card, Thank you
Please advice in regard to travelling to switzerland/interlaken in October🙏🏻
Thanks! I'm planninf to visit in Mid-September this year. Is the weather foggy and rainy in September?
Hi Lex and Louis, Im planning to travel next year probably in March or April. What kind of weather should I expect? And is it worth it if I dont spend anything on transportation pass and rent a car instead, since im travelling in a group of four.
Thanks for this video. Mistake #11 would be staying in Interlaken? Is it more expensive than the other surrounding towns? Thanks in advance.
Super - thank you! I'll check-out your links; in the meantime, does anyone have any thoughts on how to find a guide for Interlaken? I often use local guides because I find they make such a huge difference to my visit...any thoughts, anyone?
Y’all are the best! I’m going to Switzerland for the first time at the end of September and your videos have been super helpful!! Have you done the Schynige Platte to First hike? I’m looking forward to this hike but nervous about the weather since it looks like it’s been very rainy these past few weeks. Also, do you just use google maps or is there a more helpful app to navigate around this region?
Do you guys ever do Q&As?
we've done a few video q&as previously! They're on our channel. we often do AMAs on our IG stories as well
Hi. If I'm going tomorrow to jungfrauch in the morning when do I check for the weather?
Do you have any recommendation on how to get from Interlaken to Como, Italy?
Hi , we are planning to visit Interlaken next week. We are coming from Germany by car, can you please recommend us which pass is best for us ? and if you know some budget hotels around ?
Thank you , I appreciate your work 🥰
What is the interlaced weather right now? I saw it is snowing, and I have travel coming up in may, how is interlaken at this time? Is the visibility low? And if yes, should I end up spending more time in Lucerne instead?
I would like to know if the joinery from Interlaken ost to Grindelwald covered in Swiss travel pass ?please reply
Hi i will be in Switzerland nxt week and i wanna see Interlaken , Grindelwald, Jungfraujoch can you recommend a ticket where i can use for Train to travel different places and also for fairy? And how many hrs is the travel by train from Lauterbrunnen and Müren?
very beautiful 😍🥰🇨🇭😍🥰🇨🇭
Hi i already booked our hotel at Lucerne , thinking I’m closer to the Berner Oberland area because I plan to buy the pass. Is it advisable to book a hotel just overnight stay as we explore the coverage of the pass in different areas like interlaken, Bern etc. we are only staying 4 days . The reason we chose interlaken it’s because it’s closer to Zürich airport . Pls advise
So if one stays near the grindelwald terminal, the train from the terminal goes to interlaken as well?
Hi! What budget hotel would you recommend near interlaken ost to have a view of lake and jangfrau. Thank you
Hi Louise, hotels in Interlaken can be very pricey - even the cheaper ones will be $200+, I would look into staying outside of interlaken to get better deals, the trains make it easy to get around
How and where can I book a seat on a boat? Do we need a reservation ?
hi, i'm planning to go to Interlaken on mid oct for 2 days. May i know the best pass to buy?
Hi thanks for all this but just wanted to know if u could provide a link for point # 10 where I can find out which places will b open which time of d year ... thanks....
The link to the operating schedules for Interlaken region is in the description box
@@TheTravelingSwiss thanks for ur quick response... also just wanted to know that ppl suggested me that go to Zurich first n then on go to all other places from their on n return back in d night.... is this right ...
Hi, thanks for these great videos. We are planning a 4-day June trip, so can you suggest whether it would be better to stay 2 days each in Interlaken and Lucerne or would it be better to base ourselves in one of these places and cover everything from there? In the second case, would Lucerne or Interlaken be the better choice?
As a Swiss I‘d say it depends on what you‘re planning to do. If you plan to visit Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen or Wengen, I‘d recommend staying a night in Interlaken so you can start your day trip in the morning and have enough time to enjoy the area. Lucerne of course is pretty as well, from there you could visit mountains like Rigi or Pilatus (with great views) on day trips, including using boat, cogwheel trains, cableways etc.
If only you had made this video last week I wouldn't have made the same mistake as yours Alexis and got off the train at Terminal!
what is the best way to go Annecy,France for a day trip from geneva holiday inn express airport hotel pls?
Bus 272 goes to Annecy from the Geneva airport
Confused as to what is the best way to get to Top of the Europe?
What I am reading, I am supposed to be taking a train from Interlaken. There seems to be no details on this trip up to Top of Europe.
Alexis, you are gorgeous thanks guys
Going there in August for two weeks. Can you recommend how to buy train ticket. One week in Lucerne and a few day in edelberg. Recommendation on using train from airport in Zurich
Download the SBB app! you can buy tickets, get directions, etc. its super easy to use
Hi. Will be going to Interlaken from Lucerne on Sept 19. I will be staying in Interlaken from Sept 19-23. Between those days will probably travel around Jungfrau, Grindewald etc. Do you think getting the Swiss pass is a good choice or do you have any other recommendation? Thinking of getting the swiss pass bec On the 23rd going back to Zurich as that’s where my flight will be.
I just got back from Switzerland. Based on your itinerary, the Jungfrau travel pass or the Berner Oberland pass might be better. Then pair it with a half fare card. But you have to work out your costs for the specific mountain gondolas, boats and attractions to judge what makes sense to you.
Also do note, I think none of the passes includes the trip all the way up to Jungfraujoch.
People from outside Switzerland or even outside Europe need to take a swiss travel pass. Your suggestions may be good for local travelers or even some European travelers but not all.
Also when someone is coming from outside Switzerland or Europe they need to plan the trip long early and will have no option to continue a Jungfraujoch trip even though the weather is not good.
Checking the weather to visit Jungfraujoch is only possible for locals or the rich people who can stay in Switzerland for maybe a month!
And in mountains the weather is really unpredictable. When you are at Grindelwald you might have a clear sky at Jungfraujoch and when you reach Jungfraujoch it's cloudy or vice versa!
Luck matters.
I don't agree at all but appreciate the feedback! The Swiss travel pass is a really awful value if you're spending most of your time in the Interlaken region or the alps. Jungfraujoch, Mannlichen, Grindelwald First, Schilthorn, Harder Kulm, etc. are not included in the Swiss Travel Pass and are only discounted - that can quickly be hundreds of dollars additional.
and to your point, because the weather is so unpredictable, checking the webcams help you to pivot during your week trip. First might have no clouds while schitlhorn is too high and in the fog and vice verse
@@TheTravelingSwiss I am talking from the point of view of an outsidet.
Yes those are not included but except Jungfraujoch all other have 50% discount against the swiss travel pass. Jungfraujoch provides a 30% discount. If you add up it is almost the same as a 3 day Jungfraujoch pass. Definitely what you are saying is true for a local with a car but not for outsiders.
As someone from outside Switzerland I can never reach Interlaken directly. I need to go via Geneva or Zurich. It's impossible to buy tickets for each train and they are costly too. Consider the golden pass express to reach Interlaken from Geneva.
Also if I am coming from outside I will definitely cover some other parts too. Galacier paradise, Gornargrad also provides 50% discount against swiss travel pass.
More over those tourists who don't know local language swiss travel pass is the lifeline!
I appreciate your video but disagree on this point
Hey guys! We're planning this fall to visit interlaken. I heard the weather is pretty bad right now.
Autumn is a tough time of year in Switzerland for weather unfortunately!
I really appreciate your prompt reply.
We're going to make the best out of it. Any suggestions? please.
@@TheTravelingSwiss no why you say that? Engadin in autumn is such a beauty...
Please add comments for tips/ideas for best activities for people with disabilities or mobility limitations. Thanks.
Louis, je suppose que tu es un Suisse-Romand. C'est vrai ? D'ailleurs, ton anglais est exceptionnellement parfait pour un "francophone" de langue maternelle.
Hello, we will just be visiting Interlaken from thursday til saturday in july (coming from Basel with train) and the hotel will give us the Interlaken Guest Card.. is this card useful or do we need to buy the swiss pass?
the card is useful for local transit (buses, etc) but none of the big ticket items like gondolas or funiculars
Hi Louis and Alexis, does your #8 mistake of staying in Interlaken for home base still apply if you are renting a car?
What do you need a car for? If you are staying in the area it will only be a headache and cost. OTOH a car is good for certain destinations or if you are with small children/larger group.
@@JanPBtest we need a car because we are visiting 3 different countries and have booked 9 different hotels in a two-week time frame
If I have to chose Between interlaken and Lauterbrunen what would you recommend?
I‘d say it depends on the time you want to spend there. Interlaken is a convenient base for trips to Grindelwald, Wengen, Lauterbrunnen, Thun, Bern etc, since many express trains stop in Interlaken. Lauterbrunnen is more beautifully located, more remote, quiet and less crowded than Interlaken. Either choice will do, of course … Traveling from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen will take approx. 30 minutes by train.
hi may i know which mountain is completely free with STP? tq
Whats stp?
Hey you two! So I’ve been watching so many of your videos. I have learned so much!My daughter and I are heading to the Interlaken region in the beginning of June for her high school graduation gift. I noticed that you had said thun is a better place to stay than interlaken? Is it just as easy to get to the Lakes, Grindenwald, lauterbrunnen(I apologize if my spelling is wrong).also would like to do top of Europe. I almost booked an Airbnb in Interlake today but now I am rethinking about staying in Thun. Also what they have fair pass and the Oberlin pass be a good combination for that area
Grindelwald and Interlaken would be the best options as a base. Interlaken is very well connected but doesn’t have the charming feel if a Swiss village like thun or Grindelwald, but thun is a bit less connected. Staying in Interlaken as a base is great, you can visit all of these areas from therr easily
@@TheTravelingSwiss Thank you so much that’s very helpful! Love your channel keep doing what you do!
Sorry last question I know you guys are busy people. Would Buying a half fair card and then the oberland card be a good option for that area. Do want to do a couple of gondola trips and the jungfrau of people don’t say it’s not worth it.
@@amyervin9381 yes if you arent doing jungfrau then definitely
But can you suggest how we go from Zurich to Interlaken I mean which pass we can use for that!! 3 days we stay in this region . But we have to go back Zurich as well !!!! Please answer.
Then just buy a train ticket from Zurich to the start of the pass validity area. Same on your return.
Bernese oberland pass is valid from Lucerne / Bern to Interlaken and all throughout. You'd need to buy a ticket from Zurich to one of those two places, or directly to interlaken
@@thegeneral011 Spot on! This is what I would do.
Can you recommend this day trip from Zurich to grindelwald and Interlaken at Viator?
So I can't get around with Swiss Travel pass??
Unfortunately there are many notables exclusions in the Interlaken region for the Swiss Travel Pass. Jungfraujoch, Harder Kulm, Grindelwald First, Brienzer Rothorn are all among some of the destinations that are not included.
The Airbnb's provide the Interlaken guest card for free
The worst mistake you can do in Interlaken: go there. I will never understand why people go there. There is nothing to see or do, unless the overpriced activities you can do everywhere else too.
"groups of gypsies" Is a better and more realistic way of describing the pickpockets. They arent Swiss and are easy to spot. This isnt NY, no need to be politically correct here.