Interlaken, Swiss Alps
Swiss Alps

Interlaken

Interlaken is the classic lake town set between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, beneath the famous trio of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau. It is the gateway base for the Jungfrau Ski Region, with frequent train connections climbing up to Grindelwald, Wengen and Murren. From the town you reach three linked ski areas without ever needing a car.

Find a hotelSnow reportscenicpanoramiccity access
Altitude
568 - 2970 m
Vertical drop
2402 m
Pistes
210 km
Lifts
50
Snow score
84/100
Season
Dec 7 → Apr 13

Interlaken is a ski resort in Switzerland, in the Swiss Alps. The village sits at 568 m and the lifts top out at 2970 m, with 210 km of pistes and 50 lifts. Its BestSnowHotels snow score is 84/100, and the season usually runs Dec 7 → Apr 13.

How we score and classify resorts

Researched by the BestSnowHotels team

Pistes and lifts

What you can ski here
AlpineSnowboard
60 marked runs
Green
6
Blue
18
Red
28
Black
8
Average snow by month
125cm
Dec
180cm
Jan
225cm
Feb
215cm
Mar
135cm
Apr

Run counts and piste kilometres are indicative. Green runs only exist in France, Spain, Andorra, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Japan, the United States, Morocco, Algeria, Lesotho, South Africa, Egypt, Canada, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Chile; Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Germany start at blue. Indicative average snow depth near the top of the resort, in cm.

Where to stay

A handful of well-rated hotels in and around the resort. Pick one, then compare live prices across Booking, Expedia and Hotels.com.

Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa
4.62.9k reviews
185
Top pick

Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa

Excellent · 2.9k reviews

Why we like it

A long-standing favourite in Interlaken, trusted by thousands of guests before you.

Guests rate this hotel as excellent (4.6/5 from 2,855 reviews). A upper-scale option for Interlaken, with live nightly rates shown for your exact dates so you always see the best price.

Upper-scale
From
185/ night
Check availability
Hotel Royal St. Georges Interlaken - MGallery Collection
4.62.5k reviews
190

Hotel Royal St. Georges Interlaken - MGallery Collection

Excellent · 2.5k reviews

Why we like it

Moments from the lifts in Interlaken, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.

Upper-scale
From
190/ night
Check availability
Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof - Hostel Interlaken
4.71.4k reviews
180

Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof - Hostel Interlaken

Excellent · 1.4k reviews

Why we like it

Moments from the lifts in Interlaken, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.

Upper-scale
From
180/ night
Check availability
Hotel Interlaken
4.51.3k reviews
175

Hotel Interlaken

Very good · 1.3k reviews

Why we like it

Moments from the lifts in Interlaken, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.

Mid-range
From
175/ night
Check availability
Hapimag Resort Interlaken
4.51.3k reviews
180

Hapimag Resort Interlaken

Very good · 1.3k reviews

Why we like it

Moments from the lifts in Interlaken, so you can ski back to the door and skip the morning queues.

Upper-scale
From
180/ night
Check availability
Salzano
4.51.1k reviews
185

Salzano

Very good · 1.1k reviews

Why we like it

A long-standing favourite in Interlaken, trusted by thousands of guests before you.

Upper-scale
From
185/ night
Check availability
Grand Hotel Beau-Rivage
4.11.4k reviews
155

Grand Hotel Beau-Rivage

Great · 1.4k reviews

Why we like it

A long-standing favourite in Interlaken, trusted by thousands of guests before you.

Mid-range
From
155/ night
Check availability
Adventure Hostel Interlaken
4.6424 reviews
205

Adventure Hostel Interlaken

Excellent · 424 reviews

Why we like it

A dependable, well-reviewed choice for a stay in Interlaken.

Upper-scale
From
205/ night
Check availability
Funny Farm Backpackers
4.0590 reviews
145

Funny Farm Backpackers

Great · 590 reviews

Why we like it

A dependable, well-reviewed choice for a stay in Interlaken.

Mid-range
From
145/ night
Check availability

Ratings from Google, prices indicative per night. Live availability and rates via our booking partners.

Ski-in/ski-out

Interlaken is a valley town base, not a ski-in, ski-out resort. You stay in town and take the train up to Grindelwald, Wengen or Murren to reach the slopes.

Get to know the resort

Interlaken suits skiers who want a lively town base with restaurants, shops and lake views rather than a quiet slopeside hamlet. From here you reach the three linked ski areas of the Jungfrau region by train: Grindelwald and Wengen below the Eiger, and the high Murren and Schilthorn sector. The scenery is among the most dramatic in the Alps, and the easy rail access makes it simple to switch areas from one day to the next.

Good to know

  • The terrain is well balanced: 6 green, 18 blue, 28 red and 8 black runs, which suits a mixed group skiing together at different levels.
  • The base sits at 568 m and the top reaches 2970 m, a profile that holds snow well across a normal winter (score 84/100).
  • At 210 km of piste on 50 lifts, it is a substantial mountain that earns a multi-day stay.
  • The lifts typically turn for about 18 weeks a season, planning around late January to late February tends to land the most reliable cover.
Interlaken, Swiss Alps
Interlaken, Swiss Alps

Hotels in Interlaken

Hotels and apartments around the lifts. Compare prices on Booking, Expedia and Hotels.com.

Plan your trip

Keep exploring from here

Everything on our site connected to Interlaken: its area, the lists it makes, head-to-heads and trip guides.

Frequently asked questions

Is Interlaken good for beginners?+

Interlaken offers 210 km of pistes across 50 lifts, from 568 m to 2970 m. Whether it suits beginners depends on the dedicated learner zones at the base of the slopes, so check the local ski-school options for green and blue run access.

When is the best time to ski Interlaken?+

The season runs from Dec 7 to Apr 13, with a snow score of 84/100. Snow is usually most reliable in the heart of that window, deep in winter, while the closing weeks bring longer days and softer afternoon snow.

Where should I stay for true ski-in/ski-out?+

Interlaken is a valley town base, not a ski-in, ski-out resort. You stay in town and take the train up to Grindelwald, Wengen or Murren to reach the slopes.

How big is the Interlaken ski area?+

Interlaken has 210 km of marked pistes served by 50 lifts, between 568 m and 2970 m of altitude.

Is Interlaken more for beginners or experts?+

Interlaken counts about 60 marked runs in total. The colour breakdown above shows how they split by difficulty, a good guide to whether the resort fits your level.

Planning your trip to Interlaken?

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