There are many transportation options available when searching for how to get to Lauterbrunnen and it all depends on where you are traveling from within Switzerland.
I have put together this complete guide on the best ways to get to Lauterbrunnen from the 7 major cities and villages in Switzerland.
OVERVIEW – HOW TO GET TO LAUTERBRUNNEN
Here is a brief overview of how to get to Lauterbrunnen from the following cities:
- Zurich to Lauterbrunnen
- Lucerne to Lauterbrunnen
- Bern to Lauterbrunnen
- Geneva to Lauterbrunnen
- Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen
- Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen
- Wengen to Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen Valley
GETTING AROUND SWITZERLAND
When planning a trip to Switzerland, one of the best and most popular ways to get around the country is by using the all-in-one Swiss Travel Pass.
Get the all-in-one Swiss Travel Pass!
Get unlimited rides on trains, buses, and boats throughout Switzerland with an all-in-one Swiss Travel Pass!
Simply show your Swiss Travel Pass e-ticket on your smartphone to instantly start your rail adventure.
Once you have purchased the Swiss Travel Pass online, you’ll receive an email with your tickets which you can print out or save to your smartphone.
I also recommend downloading the SBB Mobile app from the App Store. You can use this app to check all train, bus, and boat timetables in Switzerland when you’re on the move.
HOW TO GET TO LAUTERBRUNNEN FROM ZURICH
When visiting Lauterbrunnen, if you are coming from outside of the country, it is quite likely that you will first fly into the city of Zurich.
So the next journey to plan on your agenda is how to get from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen.
There are three main options on how to get from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen which are either taking a train, catching the bus, or renting a car.
Buses and trains run frequently from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen Valley and tickets can be booked online in advance so it’s quite likely you will be able to secure a travel time that suits your plans when arriving in Zurich.
BY TRAIN:
There are two route options for traveling on the train from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen.
You can get the train from Zurich which passes via Lucerne or via Bern, both journeys require a change of train in these towns, and also both have a change at Interlaken.
Both routes offer fantastic scenery the whole ride and it’s an unforgettable journey whichever route you choose.
The journey via Lucerne takes around two hours in total and the one via Bern takes around three, however, depending on what time of year you travel, the train via Bern can sometimes work out a little cheaper if you are on more of a budget when traveling from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen.
Both journeys on the train from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen will cost you around $60.
RELATED GUIDE → Where To Stay in Zurich – The Best Areas
BY BUS:
If you prefer to travel by bus you will travel the same roads as you do in the car, via Lucerne, however you will need to get train transfers at the end of your journey.
When looking for how to get by bus from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen, you would need to get the bus from Kloten and travel through the mountains to Interlaken.
In Interlaken, it is then a short train ride into Lauterbrunnen.
The bus journey takes just under two and a half hours and the train transfer from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen takes just twenty minutes, with these trains running every hour.
BY CAR:
If you have a car or are hiring a car and driving from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen then your best route through the mountains is through Lucerne.
Although a twisty journey with some narrow roads, this is a fantastic choice of transport to get some beautiful views of Lauterbrunnen Valley and also the mountains en route, while enjoying the ability to stop when you want to along the way to take it all in.
Non-stop, the journey from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen by car should take you around 1 hour and 45 minutes.
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HOW TO GET TO LAUTERBRUNNEN FROM LUCERNE
Getting from Lucerne to Lauterbrunnen offers you the choice of taking the train, catching the bus, or driving.
All routes offer spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.
BY TRAIN:
The train from Lucerne to Lauterbrunnen takes around two and a half hours and involves a change at Interlaken for the last twenty minutes of your travel. The journey will cost you around $30 in total.
Check Prices → Swiss Travel Pass
BY BUS:
Getting to Lauterbrunnen from Lucerne follows the same road route as if traveling by car, however, there is a stop in Interlaken and the journey takes about an hour longer due to the stop and the slower traveling speed of the bus.
This is a cheap and easy journey from Lucerne to Lauterbrunnen costing around $8.
BY CAR:
Lauterbrunnen is only a 1-hour car ride away from Lucerne, through the mountains, and along the lakeside, this is an enjoyable and beautiful way to travel from Lucerne to Lauterbrunnen.
HOW TO GET TO LAUTERBRUNNEN FROM BERN
Now let’s move on to how to get from Bern to Lauterbrunnen.
Bern is only a short car ride from Lauterbrunnen and there are a few travel options for you including the train, bus or night bus, car, or taxi.
The journey is a beautiful one with spectacular scenery whichever route you choose.
BY TRAIN:
Trains run quite frequently throughout the day from Bern, however, there is one change in Interlaken for the last twenty minutes of your journey.
The trains from Interlaken run hourly so depending on your arrival time from Bern, it may require a small wait for the next train.
In total, you are looking at around 1 hour and 30 minutes of travel time to get the train from Bern to Lauterbrunnen.
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BY BUS:
Buses from Bern to Lauterbrunnen offer both day and night bus options with them both running fairly frequently, it is highly likely that you will be able to find one that suits your timings particularly well.
Busses follow the same route as the car journey but with a change in Interlaken, you can expect the total travel time to be just over 2 hours.
BY TAXI:
Taxi services in Bern offer a transfer to Lauterbrunnen and although this is one of the quickest ways to reach your destination, in under an hour, it’s also very costly.
You can be expected to pay around $300 for your trip from Bern to Lauterbrunnen in a taxi.
BY CAR:
If you have the use of a car or are hiring a car for your visit, the journey from Bern is fairly straight forward and you can expect to be in Lauterbrunnen in around 50 minutes non-stop.
If you do choose to stop along the way, you can take in the breathtaking views of the Swiss Alps.
Search All → Car Rentals in Bern
HOW TO GET TO LAUTERBRUNNEN FROM GENEVA
Geneva is another popular place to fly into when first arriving in Switzerland, although a little bit further out than Zurich, there are still plenty of options for your travel from Geneva to Lauterbrunnen.
There are many gorgeous roads and views to take in around the lakes and mountains on your way from Geneva to Lauterbrunnen!
BY TRAIN:
When taking the Geneva to Lauterbrunnen train, you get to sit back and enjoy the amazing lakeside railway lines around Lac Laman and then the spectacular mountain approach to Lauterbrunnen.
There are two changes along the way, one in Bern and one in Interlaken and you can expect your whole journey to be around 4 hours.
Tickets for the Geneva to Lauterbrunnen train can be bought in advance online to save you on your fare and the cost is around $70.
Buy Now → Swiss Travel Pass
BY BUS:
The bus journey from Geneva to Lauterbrunnen is a long one with two changes along the way in Fribourg and Interlaken.
You can expect your travel time to be around 5 hours and 30 minutes in total but this is by far the cheapest option if you are looking to travel on a budget.
Tickets can be bought online in advance to save money and will cost around $20.
BY CAR:
Traveling by car from Geneva to Lauterbrunnen is by far the quickest option as it cuts out all transfers and changes and also offers you the ability to stop and really take in the wonderful countryside you will be traveling through.
Driving nonstop from Geneva to Lauterbrunnen will take you around 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Search All → Car Rentals in Geneva
HOW TO GET TO LAUTERBRUNNEN FROM GRINDELWALD
Now let’s look at how to get from Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen.
Grindelwald is a gorgeous small town not far from Lauterbrunnen and if you are looking to travel between the two you have several options available.
BY TRAIN:
There are two train routes from Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen, one via Gundlischwand and the other via Kleine Scheidegg. Both routes change trains in these towns.
Via Gundlischwand, the train will take you around 1 hour and via Kleine Schidegg it will take you around 2 hours as the is a much longer and twistier route through the mountains.
BY BUS:
You can get a bus from Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen but this will only take you as far as Gundlischwand and you would have to take the train from here into Lauterbrunnen.
This is possibly the cheapest option and will take you around 50 minutes.
BY CAR:
Driving is quick and easy and takes around twenty minutes on fairly straightforward roads via the town of Gundlishwand.
You also have the option of taking a taxi for this short journey but for that, you can expect to pay around $85 to travel from Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen.
Search All → Car Rentals in Grindelwald
OTHER ROUTES:
Due to their locality, it’s possible to take other routes from Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen.
There are hiking trails that will take you around 3 hours to complete and there is also a cycle route that will take you around 1 hour.
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HOW TO GET TO LAUTERBRUNNEN FROM INTERLAKEN
Interlaken is relatively close to Lauterbrunnen so again lots of travel options when traveling between the two, including the opportunity for you to hike or cycle the distance.
BY TRAIN:
If you are visiting Lauterbrunnen from the nearby city of Interlaken, there are hourly trains that depart from Interlaken East Train Station, and using the Swiss Travel Pass, taking a train to Lauterbrunnen Railway Station couldn’t be easier.
The train from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen takes only twenty minutes and you’ll disembark right in the center of upper Lauterbrunnen Valley.
BY BUS:
Buses run frequently throughout the day and are the cheapest option for travel to get from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen.
You can expect the journey to take around 20 minutes and only cost you around $3.
BY CAR:
It is just a 15-minute journey from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen making this the quickest option for travel.
You can also get a taxi for this route and it will cost you around $65.
Search All → Car Rentals in Interlaken
OTHER ROUTES:
Traveling from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen can also be done on foot or on a bike when searching for alternate ways of getting to Lauterbrunnen.
The hiking trails will generally take you around 3 hours to complete but the cycling routes can be done in around 1 hour.
HOW TO GET TO LAUTERBRUNNEN FROM WENGEN
Wengen is a car-free village just east of Lauterbrunnen, having no car limits options for travel from Wengen to Lauterbrunnen but there are still a few available to you.
BY TRAIN:
The train runs throughout the day and is just a 15-minute journey from Wengen to Lauterbrunnen, making it a quick and simple journey.
OTHER ROUTES:
To walk between the two villages of Wengen and Lauterbrunnen along the hiking trails would take you around 45 minutes and if you are looking to take one of the cycle routes you would look to complete this in around 30 minutes.
THINGS TO DO IN LAUTERBRUNNEN
I have put together a separate guide on 15 AMAZING Things To Do In Lauterbrunnen that you might like to check out.
My Lauterbrunnen travel guide includes epic waterfalls, thrill-seeking activities, hiking and cycling, the best day trips from Lauterbrunnen, and lots more!
Lauterbrunnen Valley in Summer
WHERE TO STAY IN LAUTERBRUNNEN
There are dozens of accommodation options to choose from in Lauterbrunnen Valley and it can be overwhelming trying to decide where to stay.
To make your selection easier, I have narrowed it down to a few of the best hotels that are suitable for luxury travelers, budget backpackers, and everyone in between.
LUXURY: APARTMENT STAUBBACH
MID RANGE: HOTEL SILBERHORN
BUDGET: VALLEY HOSTEL
For More Options, See My Complete Guide On Where To Stay In Lauterbrunnen
BEST TIME TO VISIT LAUTERBRUNNEN
The best time to visit Lauterbrunnen depends on what you plan to do.
I personally prefer the spring and summer months in Switzerland (April – September) when temperatures are warm and the landscapes are vividly green.
However, visiting in winter (December – March) is absolutely magical because the landscapes are completely covered in glistening white snow.
Visiting Lauterbrunnen in winter means you can go skiing in the Swiss Alps.
WHAT TO PACK FOR SWITZERLAND
When visiting Switzerland, here is a list of items I highly recommend bringing with you.
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More Switzerland Travel Guides
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FINAL THOUGHTS – ZURICH TO LAUTERBRUNNEN
I hope you found this article useful and if you have any questions, please drop me a comment below this post and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
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THANKS FOR READING
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