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 hotel โ†’Snow report โ†’scenicpanoramiccity access
Altitude
568 - 2970 m
Vertical drop
2402 m
Pistes
210 km
Lifts
50
Snow score
84/100
Season
Dec 7 โ†’ 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 โ†’ Apr 13.

How we score and classify resorts

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
โ‚ฌ185
โ˜… Top pick

Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa

Excellent ยท 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). It sits about 450 m from the slopes. A upper-scale option for Interlaken, with live nightly rates shown for your exact dates so you always see the best price.

โ‰ˆ 450 m to the slopesUpper-scale
From
โ‚ฌ185/ night
Check availability โ†’
Hotel Royal St. Georges Interlaken - MGallery Collection
4.62.5k reviews
โ‚ฌ190

Hotel Royal St. Georges Interlaken - MGallery Collection

Excellent ยท 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.

โ‰ˆ 300 m to the slopesUpper-scale
From
โ‚ฌ190/ night
Check availability โ†’
Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof - Hostel Interlaken
4.71.4k reviews
โ‚ฌ180

Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof - Hostel Interlaken

Excellent ยท 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.

โ‰ˆ 250 m to the slopesUpper-scale
From
โ‚ฌ180/ night
Check availability โ†’
Hotel Interlaken
4.51.3k reviews
โ‚ฌ175

Hotel Interlaken

Very good ยท 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.

โ‰ˆ 250 m to the slopesMid-range
From
โ‚ฌ175/ night
Check availability โ†’
Hapimag Resort Interlaken
4.51.3k reviews
โ‚ฌ180

Hapimag Resort Interlaken

Very good ยท 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.

โ‰ˆ 300 m to the slopesUpper-scale
From
โ‚ฌ180/ night
Check availability โ†’
Salzano
4.51.1k reviews
โ‚ฌ185

Salzano

Very good ยท 1.1k reviews

Why we like it

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

โ‰ˆ 2.8 km to the slopesUpper-scale
From
โ‚ฌ185/ night
Check availability โ†’
Grand Hotel Beau-Rivage
4.11.4k reviews
โ‚ฌ155

Grand Hotel Beau-Rivage

Great ยท 1.4k reviews

Why we like it

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

โ‰ˆ 400 m to the slopesMid-range
From
โ‚ฌ155/ night
Check availability โ†’
Adventure Hostel Interlaken
4.6424 reviews
โ‚ฌ205

Adventure Hostel Interlaken

Excellent ยท 424 reviews

Why we like it

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

โ‰ˆ 1.6 km to the slopesUpper-scale
From
โ‚ฌ205/ night
Check availability โ†’
Funny Farm Backpackers
4.0590 reviews
โ‚ฌ145

Funny Farm Backpackers

Great ยท 590 reviews

Why we like it

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

โ‰ˆ 750 m to the slopesMid-range
From
โ‚ฌ145/ night
Check availability โ†’

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.

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Keep exploring from here

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

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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. The best conditions are usually from late January through February, while spring skiing in March and April brings longer days and softer afternoons.

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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