Lakes & boats

Discover the Lake Brienz region by boat

Idyllically nestled between the imposing mountain scenery of the Bernese Oberland is turquoise-coloured Lake Brienz.

Discover the enchanting Lake Brienz region the easy way by taking a leisurely boat ride. On board the nostalgic “Lötschberg” paddle steamer, for example, which was built in 1914. The landing stages are often right next to the top attractions, which makes it the perfect choice for a voyage of discovery around the lake.

Scheduled cruises have been travelling on Lake Brienz since 1839, linking Interlaken with picturesque Brienz. From here, the oldest steam cog railway in Switzerland will take you up the Rothorn with its fantastic views. Or you can stop off in Giessbach, visit the impressive waterfall and enjoy some culinary delights in the nostalgic Hotel Giessbach.

The Interlaken Ost and Brienz landing stages are close to the station. If you travel by train, you can plan your boat trip independently of your departure and arrival points.

Boat trip experiences

The gentle breeze in your hair, the sun on your face and the soothing sound of the waves in the background – on a boat trip on Lake Brienz you can completely relax and take in the natural beauty as it passes you by. You can quench your thirst and satisfy your hunger in the on-board restaurant.

Culinary delights

During the summer, there are also special culinary cruises in addition to the regular routes. For example, you could kick your excursion off with a delicious breakfast on board the boat or combine the return journey with a fine dinner from the galley.

Lake Brienz breakfast boat

Further culinary offers

Combined tickets (boat trip + excursion)

If you would like to visit one of the following excursion destinations, we recommend that you purchase a combined ticket. This includes the boat trip with lunch or the steam cog railway.

Giessbach (boat trip and lunch at the Grandhotel Giessbach)

Brienzer Rothorn (boat trip and steam cog railway)

Children’s offers

On the “Lötschberg” paddle steamer you’ll find the supervised Globi play cabin. Here, children from the age of four can play, paint, do handicrafts and sometimes listen to the popular Globi stories.

Globi play cabin on Lake Brienz

Nature experiences

The boat trip takes you past wonderful shorelines, a secret island and the mighty roaring Giessbach waterfall. Along the way, the captain regularly stops to moor up at scenic spots, where you can leave the boat for an excursion and rejoin later on.

Brienzer Rothorn

The oldest steam cog railway in Switzerland takes you on a spectacular trip through forests and meadows right up to the summit of the Rothorn, where, in clear weather, an incredible panoramic view of 603 mountain peaks awaits. For hiking enthusiasts there are a variety of short and longer hiking routes, and gourmets can indulge in culinary delights found at the Berghaus.

Discover the Brienzer Rothorn

Giessbach waterfalls

The Giessbach falls over 500 metres down the crag face into Lake Brienz. From the landing stage, a path takes you to and then under the world-famous waterfall. At the foot of this natural spectacle is the historical Grandhotel Giessbach, which was opened in 1874. The Giessbach Funicular, which was opened in 1879, is the oldest funicular railway in Europe and is only used by tourists. It connects the “Giessbach Lake” boat station with the hotel situated around 100 metres above Lake Brienz.

Discover the Giessbach falls

 

Fancy topping off your excursion on Lake Brienz with a fine lunch at the Grandhotel? Then the combined ticket (boat trip & lunch menu) is the ideal solution.

Lake Brienz lakeshore paths

Iseltwald–Giessbach

The lakeside path from Iseltwald to the Giessbach waterfalls is particularly beautiful. The route goes along the emerald-green Lake Brienz and takes you through a beautiful forest. The path is one of the most beautiful hiking trails in the Bernese Oberland. After about an hour and a half, you reach the roaring Giessbach waterfalls.

Niederried–Interlaken

Another easy hike goes from Niederried to Interlaken. Varied and idyllic, the path winds its way along the water, where you’ll come across shady sections of forest and hike past inviting barbecue and bathing areas.

Cultural experiences

When it comes to customs and traditions, the Lake Brienz region has a lot to offer. A visit to the Ballenberg Swiss open-air museum is always a great experience. A tour around beautiful Brienz with its famous Brunngasse, crowned the “most beautiful street in Europe”, is well worth it. 

Bönigen & Iseltwald

Bönigen is characterised by its historic village centre. The little alleyways and the carved wooden houses from the 16th to 18th centuries make this Bernese Oberland village unique. Bönigen’s village museum and a guided tour reveal fascinating insights into this village, which is over 800 years old.

The fishing village of Iseltwald lies on a peninsula situated on the left bank of Lake Brienz. Its trademark is the Seeburg, a little castle that has been standing on the banks of the lake since 1907. Enjoy the peace and quiet on a sunny terrace with a serving of fresh fish. Or hire a rowing boat and explore the nearby “Schnäggeninseli” (snail island).

Brienz and woodcarving

The typical chalet village of Brienz with its long quay is surrounded by green meadows and forests and is flanked by rocky mountains. Here you can experience the impressive interplay between mountain and lake. Take a stroll along the long lakeside promenade and visit the old part of the village with its typical wooden houses. Discover the world of woodworking. This centuries-old tradition lives on thanks to the School for Wood Sculpture and the Swiss School of Violin Making. On a visit to the Swiss Woodcarving Museum you’ll learn lots of interesting facts about this ancient custom.

Ballenberg Swiss open-air museum

On a visit to the Ballenberg Swiss open-air museum, you can immerse yourself in the culture, travelling around the whole of Switzerland in just one day. Discover over 100 residential and commercial buildings: rustic stables, barns, storehouses, wash houses and drying ovens exemplify the life of past times. The oldest house in Ballenberg is over 700 years old. At that time, it was built in the canton of Schwyz. You can look around the houses at your leisure and get an idea of how people lived back then, what activities they did and how they coped with their everyday lives. Along the way, you’ll meet different farm animals and regularly pass secluded spots and cosy barbecue areas.

Ballenberg Swiss open-air museum

Availability Today (Saturday) open

The boats on Lake Brienz will operate from April 13 to October 20, 2024.

Rates

Combined ticket from Interlaken onwards

You can buy individual tickets for a specific route directly in the online timetable together with your train ticket. Or you can buy your ticket directly on the boat when boarding.

Day tickets for boat trips on Lakes Thun and Brienz

First class

  • CHF 119.00 Adults
  • CHF 59.50 Half-Fare travelcard
  • CHF 24.00 Children, 6–15.99 years
  • CHF 179.00 Globi family day ticket 2 adults / 4 children
  • CHF 89.50 Globi family day ticket with Half-Fare Card 2 adults / 4 children

Second class

  • CHF 79.00 Adults
  • CHF 39.50 Half-Fare travelcard
  • CHF 15.00 Children, 6–15.99 years
  • CHF 119.00 Globi family day ticket 2 adults / 4 children
  • CHF 59.50 Globi family day ticket with Half-Fare Card 2 adults / 4 children

Saver Day Passes for train, bus and ship

Travel around Switzerland all day long on public transport from CHF 29.00*

Early birds are rewarded – those who book the earliest pay the least. Travel around Switzerland all day long on public transport from CHF 29.00* – by train, bus or boat.


Vouchers & savings tips

Here you will find BLS Schifffahrt vouchers and interesting savings tips.

How to get there

Travel comfortably by train to Thun, Spiez or Interlaken West.

The boat stations are located in the immediate vicinity of the train stations and can be reached in a few minutes on foot.

2 reviews 3 of 5 stars

Rate
Additional ratings

Standort

Tickets & Timetable
Ähnliche Angebote
Lakes & boats
Schifffahrt Thuner- & Brienzersee
Discover the Lake Thun region by boat
Benefit
Food & drink
Drei fröhliche Maître Sommer an der Vorführung beim Kambly Backevent
Kambly baking event in Trubschachen
Experience
Special offers
Aare-Schifffahrt bei Büren
Aare boat trip Solothurn-Biel
Discover
Leisure activities
Aussteigen Schwarzwasser Tipps
Krimi-Trail Schwarzwasserbrücke–Schwarzenburg
Entdecken
Angebote in der Nähe
Boat Charter Lake Brienz
MS Interlaken 1
MS «Interlaken» 106 banquet seats
more
Railway adventures
RegioExpress Loetschberger Kambly Zug
Kambly round trip
benefit
Hiking & nature
Marbachegg: atemberaubende Aussichten auf die herrliche Bergwelt und Ausgangspunkt für gemütliche aber auch spektakuläre Wanderungen.
Marbachegg
Experience
Food & drink
Sonnenuntergang auf dem Niederhorn
Culinary delights on the Niederhorn
Experience
Newsletter
Download PDF
0 of 0 Media files