Interlaken, a city I’ve passed numerous times but only got the opportunity to explore during my most recent travel. In this post, I’ll first introduce to you the Harder Kulm – Top of Interlaken, and then I’ll talk a bit about my holiday there.

1. Harder Kulm

1.1 How to get there

1.1.1 Hike

1.1.2 Funicular train

1.2 What to expect

2. Interlaken

1. Harder Kulm

Situated 1,322 meters above sea level, the Harder Kulm (the viewing platform and the Harder Kulm Panorama Restaurant) provides amazing views of the city of Interlaken, Lake Thun, Lake Brienz, and most importantly the famous giant trio of the High Alps –  Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.

1.1 How to get there

In general, there are two ways to reach the Harder Kulm, by hiking or by funicular train.

1.1.1 Hike

• The trail is 4.09 km long (ascent 759 m, descent 4 m) and takes about 2.5 hours to finish.
• It is a mountain trail (white-red-white) and is categorised as medium.
• The trail starts from Interlaken Ost railway station and runs along the River Aare to the valley station of the Harder Railway. Then in many (sometimes very steep) turns through the Bleiki forest to the Falkenfluh – a lookout point located above the Hardermannli rock face. The rock below the railings is practically perpendicular. The trail then continues in a pleasant climb over wide Alpine meadows, with a view of Lake Thun and the pyramid-shaped Niesen. After passing the Harder Kulm Panorama Restaurant, the trail leads to the Harder Railway summit station.
• I have an average amount of hiking experience in the Alps and for me, a medium mountain trail is already quite challenging (tiring and sometimes the route can be a bit dangerous). Therefore, hiking boots with good soles and walking sticks are recommended for the hike.
• The trail is open from late-April to mid-October.
• Please note: the terrain off the marked trail is very steep and exposed, especially above the Hardermanndli rock face. Therefore, DO NOT leave the trail!

1.1.2 Funicular train

Having to hike on a medium mountain trail for 2.5 hours to reach the Harder Kulm probably discourages most tourists who come to Interlaken for a relaxing holiday, but now I’ll bring you a piece of good news. With the Harder Railway, you can reach the Harder Kulm with a funicular train in less than 10 mins.

• The railway normally operates from April to November, and although on the official timetable it shows that the trains run every half an hour, in the high season or when there are a lot of tourists, the trains actually run continuously (every 15 mins).
• The standard ticket for a round trip on the Harder Railway costs 40 CHF but if you buy the ticket in advance or have some passes (such as Halbtax, GA, Swiss Travel Pass etc.), you can get a discounted price. If you stay in a hotel in Interlaken, you can also get a voucher and take the funicular train (round trip) for 30 CHF. Please click here to calculate how much you should pay depending on when you travel and which pass you already have.
• It is recommended to book your ticket in advance because in the high season, there will be a lot tourists and there’s one line for people who already have the ticket and one for those who don’t.
• If you want to explore the Jungfrau region for more than two days, I strongly recommend you to take a look at the various passes provided by the Jungfrau Railway, some of which are very good deals.
• Usually from July to October, the Harder Railway also runs at night (with the last train going down to Interlaken at 21:10 or 21:40), providing a great opportunity for those who want to photograph or simply enjoy a starry night.

1.2 What to expect

I believe a picture speaks louder than a hundred words, so in this section, I’ll show you what you can experience at the Harder Kulm.

So far, I’ve only been talking about what you can see from the Harder Kulm, but if you want a bit action, there’s the Harder round trail, which tells strange tales surrounding Interlaken’s home mountain.

• The trail starts and finishes at the Harder Kulm (Harder Kulm – Hardergrat – Wanniwald – Elfenweg – Harder Kulm).
• It is 2.78 km long (ascent: 154 m, descent: 154 m) and takes about 1 hour to finish.
• The broad panorama path (rated as an easy path) offers an expansive panoramic view of Lake Brienz and Lake Thun, the Bödeli between the two lakes and the majestic summits of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.

2. Interlaken

In this section, I’ll tell you a bit about my most recent holiday in Interlaken. Situated between lakes Thun and Brienz, Interlaken is the entrance to the Jungfrau region, which in my opinion is the best area for admiring the High Alps. I’ve passed the town numerous times on my way to the Bernese Oberland and this is the first time I actually stayed here and explored it. With a few parks and many hotels and restaurants, it’s easy for one to realise that this is a holiday town. However, probably because of the Corona situation, although I visited it in the high season, it wasn’t crowded at all. At night, I had a walk between Interlaken West and Interlaken Ost (15 mins away) and for a moment, I even felt I was in France or Italy, probably because of all the restaurants with outdoor seating and live music.

Transportation:

From Interlaken, you can conveniently visit the towns of Thun and Spiez, the lakes of Thun and Brienz, Beatenberg and most importantly (at least in my opinion) the Jungfrau region. If you want to visit the Jungfrau region for more than two days, I strongly recommend you to choose one of the Jungfrau Railway passes because there are some really good deals. Please note, the 3-day or 4-day Jungfrau Travel Pass doesn’t cover the section between Interlaken Ost and Interlaken West (although it’s just 3 mins by train), but if you stay overnight in Interlaken, your hotel should give you a pass for the public transport between the two stations.

Overnight stay:

There are many many hotels in Interlaken and the price varies. I stayed in Hotel Krebs close to the Interlaken West station (I paid for the room myself so I’m not just advertising for it) and I have to say I’m very satisfied with it. The room I booked had Jungfrau view and was very spacious. More surprisingly, even toothbrushes, disposable razors and slippers were provided, which made my trip lighter and more convenient.

Shopping:

There are many many shops in Interlaken and the most popular ones are souvenir shops and watch shops. I didn’t really do much shopping there but I can recommend you the Top of Europe Flagship Store, which is the same as the one on the Jungfraujoch (but much bigger). By the way, there’s a ticket machine on the first floor, where you can buy and print out your Jungfrau Railway tickets.