Boat and Ferry Travel

In warmer months, round-trip boat cruises around Lake Thun and Lake Brienz provide an ever-changing view of the craggy foothills and peaks. Boats run in winter, too, though on a reduced schedule. Buy tickets and catch boats for Lake Thun at Interlaken West station. For Lake Brienz, go to Interlaken Ost (East).

The round-trip from Interlaken to Thun takes about four hours; the trip one way takes about two hours and includes stops for visits to the castles of Oberhofen, Spiez, and Hilterfingen. A round-trip from Interlaken to Brienz takes around 2½ hours, to Iseltwald about 1¼ hours. These boats are public transportation as well as pleasure cruisers; just disembark whenever you feel like it and check timetables when you want to catch another.

Contacts

BLS Schifffahrt Berner Oberland. Lachenweg 19, Thun, Bern, 3601. 058/3274811; www.bls.ch.