Day Trip to Grindelwald and Interlaken from Zurich
Day Trip to Grindelwald and Interlaken by Bus and Train from Zurich
So, you’re in Zurich, sipping fancy coffee and trying to pronounce Bahnhofstrasse without sounding like a malfunctioning GPS. Life’s good. Everything is going according to plan. But what if I told you that just a few hours away lies a snow-globe-perfect alpine dream? What if someone tells you that your plan can get so much better? Yes, I’m talking about Grindelwald and Interlaken—the Beyoncé and Jay-Z of Swiss day trips. And you can totally pull this off in one glorious day.
Let’s go full Swiss mode (with chocolate in one hand and a train ticket in the other).
Morning Departure: The Early Bird Catches the Views
Set your alarm. No, really—this is not a “hit snooze” type of adventure. Grab your daypack, throw in snacks (and possibly a Toblerone for survival), and head to Zurich HB (that’s Zurich’s main train station, not a high-tech version of a bee).
Catch a train to Interlaken. It’s around two hours, and trust me, this is not a boring ride. The Swiss countryside looks like someone hired Pixar to animate it—rolling meadows, happy cows, and mountain peaks so pointy they look photoshopped.
Interlaken: Where Paragliders Float Like Confetti
You’ll land in Interlaken first. This place is sandwiched between two lakes (hence “Inter-laken”), and the views are straight-up jaw-dropping. If you’re into action sports, you’ll see paragliders lazily swirling above like they’ve got nowhere better to be (because honestly, they don’t).
If you’ve got an hour to kill before your Grindelwald train, stroll down Höhematte Park, pretend you’re starring in a Swiss rom-com, or grab a pretzel the size of your face. No judgment.
All Aboard to Grindelwald: Cue the Jaws Dropping
Next, hop on the train to Grindelwald—it takes around 35 minutes, but you’ll spend every one of them trying not to cry from sheer beauty. This mountain village is basically a postcard that got bored of being flat and decided to go 3D.
Grindelwald is the kind of place where even the souvenir shops are scenic. You’re nestled at the foot of the Eiger (yes, that Eiger), with hiking trails, cable cars, and enough mountain air to make your lungs throw a party.
Lunch with a View: Calories Don’t Count at This Altitude
Find yourself a cozy mountain hut or a terrace restaurant and order Rösti, Switzerland’s answer to hash browns but 400% more majestic. Wash it down with a Rivella (Swiss soda made from milk whey, don’t ask—just drink).
Back to Zurich: Tired Legs, Happy Soul
Eventually, reality calls (ugh). Take the train back the same way you came: Grindelwald to Interlaken, Interlaken to Zurich. It’s like rewinding the best movie you’ve ever seen.
By the time you’re back in Zurich, you’ll be blissfully exhausted, full of cheese, and scrolling through photos thinking, “Did I just spend the day in a Swiss travel brochure?”
Yes, yes you did. And now you know how to day trip like a legend.
