To Interlaken
I departed from Utrecht (NL) at 08:34 in the morning, heading for Basel in the most north western corner of Switzerland. I got onto the ICE 105, an international high-speed train with daily connections between The Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. I booked a seat reservation online through the Deutsche Bahn website for €4.50. Unfortunately, the reservation did not do me much good as the train was missing a few wagons (including the one for which I had a reservation). A little more than six hours later, of which a large part spent on the train floor, I stepped out on to the Basel platform breathing Swiss air for the first time. My next train left half an hour later at 15:28 and would take me to my first destination of the trip, Interlaken. Exactly two hours later, the train stopped at Interlaken Ost and less than nine hours after departing from Utrecht I laid my eyes on the magnificent Swiss Alps. I had booked a bed for two nights (incl. breakfast) at the Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof hostel for 96 CHF. It was the most I had paid ever for a bed, but the record would not stand long. I purchased some food at the Coop, cooked it in the hostel's spacious kitchen and settled down for the night, ready to start exploring the area early the next morning. Interlaken means 'between lakes' in German due to its position between Lake Thuner (Thunersee) and Lake Brienzer (Brienzersee). Both lakes are beautiful in its own way and can easily be visited from the city. In most Swiss destinations, visitors retrieve a travelpass from their accomodation which can be used for travel by bus (and sometimes other means of public transport). After breakfast, I took the bus from the city center to the Beatushöhlen busstop, near the St. Beatus cave. The cave is located in a cliff close to Lake Thuner and is a sight to behold from the outside already.
I did not enter the cave itself, since I wanted enough time for my next stop, but followed a trail that starts near the busstop partially back to Interlaken enjoying some beautiful views of the Thunersee along the way.
Around lunch I was back in Interlaken ready to head up to the Harder Kulm. I purchased a one-way ticket up with the funicular for €17. This viewing platform at 1322m offers a spectacular view of the lakes and the mountain scenery that surrounds it.
However while the view from platform was worth the trip up alone, it was not my primary reason for taking the funicular up. Several trails that lead further up the mountain start (or continue) from here as well. I headed north-east, following a trail up to the Augstmatterhorn. The plan was to see how far I would get, since the path offered multiple lines of descent back into Interlaken. The hike started off through a sometimes steep and slippery forest section in which the trees occasionally open up. When they do, a beautiful view of Lake Brienz below awaits you.
The crowds around Harder Kulm were quickly left behind and I encountered a wild Ibex after some time! As you ascend through the forest, the trees gradually thin out until you reach the ridge. From here you have a great view over Interlaken as well as the green alpine pastures of the Habkern valley.
It had started raining slightly in the last section of the forest and now on the ridge I could see heavier rain clouds coming. I decided to descent into the village of Habkern, situated on the opposite site of the mountain from Interlaken. After about half an hour, the rain intensified and I saw a farmer in the distance making his way for his tractor. We started waving to each other and he kindly offered me a lift down. He dropped me off near his farm and I had only a small way left to Habkern. I strolled past some cattle-filled yards until I arrived at the Habkern busstation. While waiting for the bus, I was surprised to see a herd of cows pass me by on the streets. I rode the bus back to Interlaken and looked back happily on a wonderful day.
To Grindelwald
After breakfast the next morning I said goodbye to Interlaken and headed to the train station to get on a train to my next destination: Grindelwald. This tiny town, also in the Jungfrau region, is situated between several Alpine giants (such as the Eiger) and offers great views of the mountains all around. From Interlaken, it is just a 34 minute train-ride to Grindelwald. The train line between these and several other locations is the Berner Oberland-bahn. Train rides on this line are unfortunately not covered by the interrail pass and must be purchased separately. A 25% discount however is available for interrail pass holders. After the discount, the ticket cost me €8.77. It can be purchased from automats on the station. Half an hour later, I stepped onto the Grindelwald platform, beholding the beautiful wooden houses in the town with the mountains rising sharply behind them.
I had booked a bed in the Hotel Alpenblick which offers both traditional rooms as well as a bed in a dormitory room. I paid €45 for the room (incl. breakfast). Since the summer season was nearing its end, I had the shared room all to myself. There was no kitchen but since I was just there for a single night it was no problem. I dropped off my luggage, got lunch at the supermarket and set out to the Firstbahn station, which is located in the centre of Grindelwald. Gondolas make regular departures from here, taking you up to the top of First mountain (2166m) in three stages. At At the top, there is a restaurant and a viewing platform from which you can admire the valley and the peaks surrounding it. After seeing the prices, I decided to take the gondola to Bort, which is the first stage, for €9.40 (25% Interrail discount applies) and hike the rest of the way up. After reaching the top, I sat down at the outdoor tables of the restaurant and enjoyed the view. It was a beautiful day with a largely blue sky and a very pleasant temperature. The descend back to Grindelwald was absolutely magical. The majestic peaks and steep mountain faces were in constant sight and the slowly setting sun shone its dimmed light over the valley. The route down was a paved road through pastures filled with grazing cattle and the ringing cowbells filled the valley with a peaceful sound.
To Lauterbrunnen
After a great breakfast, I headed to the train station in Grindelwald and purchased a ticket to my next stop: Lauterbrunnen. This picturesque town is situated in a valley which is known for its iconic waterfalls. I purchased a ticket for €6.06 at the station and settled in for a short 30 minute ride. The highest free-falling waterfall in Switzerland, the Staubbach waterfall, immediately strikes your eye when walking into the town.
I had booked a bed at the Valley Hostel for the relatively modest price (by Swiss terms) of E32 (large kitchen, no breakfast). I prepared some food in the hostel kitchen, had lunch and went for a walk through the valley. The first stop was (ofcourse) the Staubbach falls. You can follow some stairs upto a viewpoint in the rockside. From here, you'll find yourself standing almost directly behind the waterfall, separated by an iron fence. After that I visited the Trümmelbach falls. This set of waterfalls can be visited after purchasing a ticket (E5). You follow a route into a cave past the waterfalls, one even bigger and more thunderous than the other. After you have visited all of them you can take an elevator back down again (or reverse the route and start from the top). I had a very relaxed day here, strolling through the valley and enjoying the views all around me.
To Zermatt
The next morning I caught a train to the famous town of Zermatt, which lies all the way in the south of Switzerland at the foot of the iconic Matterhorn. While the previous days had seen short train rides between destinations, the journey to Zermatt took almost three hours due to maintenance on the railway. However, most of the section was fully covered by the interrail pass (only back to Interlaken was not). Unfortunately, when I arrived in Zermatt heavy rain clouds hovered above the town and remained there for most of the day. I had booked a bed in the Zermatt Youth Hostel for €58 (no kitchen, incl. breakfast) and spent most of the day getting to now some other guests and strolling around town. The next day promised better weather and I headed for bed very early. This promise was not broken and the weather was perfect the next day. I woke up very early and the rising sun greeted me, together with the Matterhorn. This iconic peak had been invisible to me the previous day, hidden behind the heavy rain clouds, but now stood in stark contrast to the dark blue sky behind it.
I had some breakfast and headed for the [GGB Station]. From this railway station, the Gornetgrat bahn train makes regular departures to the Gornergrat. This ridge at nearly 3100m altitude offers a fantastic view over several glaciers as well as the Matterhorn. It is also home to the highest hotel and observatory in Switzerland. I took the train up to the Riffelberg (2582m) (€50, crazy I know) and hiked the last section up to the Gornergrat. A thick pack of snow greeted me when I stepped out of the train making the last few hundred meters up more strenuous than I had expected. I arrived at the observatory and took some time to soak up the views. From here, a trail leads all the way back down to Zermatt (1600m). The trail leads you past the Gorner glacier, which is an imposing sight to behold, before continuing down to the Riffelsee. This alpine lake is known for its beautiful reflection of the Matterhorn on clear days and I got lucky! The peak and the blue skies were mirrored beautifully.
After passing the Riffelsee, the trail got quiet. I only ran into a single person the rest of my way down, a very happy garbageman who had to walk the trail once a month to clean up litter. Throughout almost the entire trek, the view of the Matterhorn kept me company. I followed a narrow path down the side of the mountain with stunning views over the valley and distant peaks, and arrived back in Zermatt at the end of the afternoon. This was a truly stunning hike and probably my favorite of the trip. For those who want the extra challenge and save on costs, a hike all the way up can be done as well from an alternative route (making it a circuit). However, I had to catch a train to Zurich at 16:28. After spending two hours in Switzerland's largest city I caught the Öbb nightjet (IC 60402) back to Utrecht, marking the end of my trip. (A seat reservation for this line is mandatory which I booked through the Nightjet website for €3.)
