Guide · Choosing a boat

Interlaken boat cruise, jetboat, kayak or fondue raft

An Interlaken boat cruise can mean a slow public boat to Brienz, a jetboat spinning across Lake Brienz or a paddle along the shore. Here is how each one works, what it costs and who it suits.

Check availabilityfrom $147 · no cancellation fee

Editorial team, interlakenboattour.comUpdated October 20, 20267 min read40 sources

Jetboat ride on Lake Brienz This guide's tour Jetboat ride on Lake Brienz 4.7 (403 reviews) 50 minFrom the base in BönigenMinimum height 110 cm from$147per person Check availabilityFree to cancel as late as 24 hrs before

The short version

01Thrill in an hour
The OUTDOOR jetboat spends 50 minutes on Lake Brienz from Bönigen, bookable from $147.
02Slow and scenic
A BLS day ticket for both lakes costs CHF 83.00 in 2nd class.1
03Your own paddle
Hightide's guided kayak tour lasts 3 hours, in groups of 6 at most.
04Something sweet
A chocolate fondue on a raft, about 1 to 1.5 hours afloat, from $123.
05Rail pass holders
The Swiss Travel Pass is valid on the BLS boats of both lakes.2

The ways onto the water around Interlaken

Interlaken lies on a plain between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, and each lake has its own pier in town.3 Boats for Lake Thun leave from Interlaken West, opposite the railway station, while boats for Lake Brienz leave from Interlaken Ost, a 4-minute walk from its station.45 Searches for Interlaken Switzerland boat tours bring up very different things under one name: public boats, a jetboat, guided kayaks and rafts with fondue on board.

The public boats belong to BLS, which has been responsible for navigation on both Bernese Oberland lakes since 1913.6 Its fleet counts eight boats on Lake Thun and four on Lake Brienz, three of them steamboats.7 These are scheduled services with landing stages, tickets and timetables, closer to a train than to a tour: you board, choose a seat on deck or inside, and get off wherever the village or the castle looks worth a stop.

Everything else is run by private operators. OUTDOOR runs the jetboat from its base on the quay in Bönigen, Hightide Kayak School guides small groups from the Hotel Oberländerhof in the same village, and self-drive boats are for hire in Iseltwald, Brienz and Neuhaus.89101112 Each asks something different of you: an hour of noise and spray, a few hours of steady paddling, or a boat you steer yourself along the shore.

The jetboat from Bönigen

The ride this site books is OUTDOOR's jetboat on Lake Brienz: 50 minutes on the water, starting and ending at the base in Bönigen, at the BLS port building on the wharf. The listing names Iseltwald and the Giessbach Falls among the sights and lists no stops, while OUTDOOR's own page describes a short pause in front of the falls to admire the waterfall and the hotel behind it.13 Expect 360° spins once the captain has finished the safety talk.

Everyone gets a life jacket, a splash jacket when needed and one free photo, and the minimum height is 110 cm. Handheld cameras stay ashore, with action cameras allowed only on a head strap, and OUTDOOR keeps free lockers at the base for phones and loose items.14 Arrive 10 minutes before your slot, in comfortable shoes and clothes that suit the day, and leave high heels and large bags behind.

Booked here, the ride starts from $147, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before and the option to reserve now and pay later. It is rated 4.70 from 403 reviews. Choose it if your time is short and you want the lake at speed rather than at a stroll. The listing rules it out for pregnant women and for people with back or heart problems, who can still enjoy the same lake from the deck of a public boat.

Side by side

How the options compare

OptionTime on the waterStarts atPrice
Jetboat (OUTDOOR)50 minutesBönigenfrom $147
BLS day ticketAll day, both lakesInterlaken West or OstCHF 83.00
Kayak tour (Hightide)About 2 hoursBönigenfrom $142
Chocolate fondue float1 to 1.5 hoursBönigenfrom $123
License-free motorboat1 hour or moreIseltwaldCHF 75.00

Listing prices are from-prices for the date you pick; the BLS and Abegglen fares are as published.115

Three ways out

Speed, paddle or public boat

Interlaken: Scenic Jetboat Ride on Lake Brienz Spins and spray

Jetboat ride

OUTDOOR, from Bönigen

Time
50 minutes
Minimum height
110 cm
Guides
English, German
Compare
Interlaken: Kayak Tour of the Turquoise Lake Brienz Your own pace

Kayak tour

Hightide, from Bönigen

Time
3 hours
Group
6 at most
Cancel
Free up to 3 days
Compare
Interlaken: Boat Day Pass on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz All day afloat

Boat day pass

Both lakes, hop on and off

Valid
1 day
Piers
Interlaken West and Ost
Cancel
Free up to 24 hours
Compare

Decision helper

Which boat fits you?

Pick the line closest to your plan

The jetboat

50 minutes on Lake Brienz from Bönigen, from $147.

A BLS day ticket

One ticket covers both lakes for CHF 83.00 in 2nd class.1

The kayak tour

3 hours with a guide, in groups of 6 at most.

The fondue float

Chocolate fondue and wine for about 1 to 1.5 hours afloat.

The scheduled boats

BLS lists free travel on scheduled cruises in the class you hold.1617

A first highlight is the stop at the Giessbach Falls. Here, the boat takes a short break so you can admire the waterfall and the hotel behind it.

Outdoor Switzerland AGSource 13

The public boats on both lakes

A BLS boat in Interlaken is the gentle way to see the lakes. The crossing from Interlaken Ost to Brienz takes about 1 hour 15 minutes, with the train back taking about 20 minutes, and the trip from Thun to Interlaken West takes around 2 hours 10 minutes.1819 Lake Brienz has 8 landing stages and Lake Thun 15, and you can step off at any of them for a village walk, a castle or a café on the shore.2021

A 1-day ticket for both lakes costs CHF 83.00 in 2nd class and CHF 125.00 in 1st class, and half of that (CHF 41.50 and CHF 62.50) with a Half Fare card.122 Booked here, a boat day pass for Lake Thun and Lake Brienz starts from $52, with free cancellation until 24 hours ahead. Look at the timetable before you pay: the listing itself warns that fewer boats run in spring, autumn and winter.

Most boats have two classes, 2nd on the main deck and 1st on the upper deck, and every BLS boat apart from the motor vessel Interlaken is wheelchair accessible.2324 Picnics are allowed on board, while the restaurant tables are kept for guests who eat there and are best reserved.2526 Sit outside on the open deck when the sun is out; on a gray day, the shoreline still slides past the windows of the saloon.

Checklist

Before you head to the pier

01

For the jetboat

  • Comfortable shoes and clothes for the weather
  • Arrive 10 minutes before your slot
  • Phones go into a free locker at the base14
02

For the public boats

  • Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare card at hand
  • A day ticket if you plan more than one stop
  • A jacket for the open upper deck
03

For the kayak

  • Swimsuit and a change of clothes
  • Sunglasses, sun hat and sunscreen
  • Free cancellation up to 3 days before

Cost calculator

What a booked trip costs your group

Enter your group size to compare the bookable trips.

People 2

Total from$294

per guest from $147

Check availabilityfree cancellation

A total multiplies each listing's lowest GetYourGuide fare by your group size, turned into your currency at today's ECB rate; checkout shows the final figure.

Video

DISCOVERING INTERLAKEN'S LAKES: What to do on Lake Brienz and Lake Thun | Travel Guide + Tips

Nothing loads until you tap play.

Paddling instead of riding

Hightide Kayak School runs a summer kayak tour on Lake Brienz from May to October and a winter tour from November to April.27 The summer tour lasts 3 hours, about 2 of them on the water, starting with simple coaching and moving at a relaxed pace with pauses. Groups are limited to 6 participants and guided in English and German, from the base at the Hotel Oberländerhof in Bönigen.

Booked here, the summer tour starts from $142, and you can cancel free up to 3 days before. It is rated 4.88 from 265 reviews. On its own site Hightide charges CHF 115 for adults and sets a minimum age of 12.2829 The tour goes out in most conditions, rain included, and if it cannot go ahead you can reschedule or take a full refund. Pack a swimsuit, a change of clothes, waterproof footwear and sunscreen, and plan for a wet seat even on a calm day.

For a shorter outing, a 1.5-hour kayak experience in Bönigen keeps close to the shore and stops for a swim when conditions allow, from $105. Paddling suits travelers who enjoy quiet water and a steady rhythm more than speed, and who would rather hear the paddle than an engine. A kayak also brings you closer to the color of the lake than any deck can. On the 3-hour guided tour you see the north shore up close, crossing the outlet of the Lütschine with views of Ringgenberg Castle along the way.

Fondue afloat and boats you steer yourself

An unusual option is OUTDOOR's chocolate fondue float, which starts at the same jetboat base in Bönigen. After a life jacket and a safety briefing you settle under a fleece blanket with Swiss chocolate fondue, fruit, marshmallows and wine, for about 1 to 1.5 hours on the water. The minimum age is 8, and children under 14 join only with an adult. Dairy-free options are not available, so anyone avoiding milk should pick another trip.

It starts from $123, lasts 2 hours in total, stays free to cancel until 24 hours ahead and lets you reserve now and pay later. It is rated 4.82 from 89 reviews. OUTDOOR also runs a cheese fondue version from September to April, leaving at 18:00.30 Both suit a cool evening better than a hot afternoon, with a blanket over your knees and the mountains turning dark around the lake.

If you would rather hold the wheel, the Canton of Bern requires a boat license for engines of more than 6 kW, and several rental firms offer boats that need none.311012 In Iseltwald, Abegglen rents license-free motorboats from CHF 75.00 for 1 hour, and in Neuhaus, Mountainsurf rents boats of 8 hp from CHF 110 for 1 hour to drivers aged 18 or over.153212 Plan your route before you set off, keep a margin for the way back, and bring a jacket: the wind on open water feels colder than on the shore.

Matching the boat to your day

Start with the time you have. A free hour fits the jetboat, with 50 minutes on the water and back to Bönigen. Half a day fits the summer kayak tour, which takes 3 hours, or the boat from Interlaken Ost to Brienz, about 1 hour 15 minutes, followed by a 20-minute train ride back.18 Either way you are back in town for lunch or for a train up into the mountains. If the weather looks uncertain, the jetboat and the public boats keep running in most conditions, while a cloudless morning is worth spending on the water.3334

A whole day belongs to the public boats. A complete Lake Thun round trip takes 4 hours 40 minutes including a 20-minute stop in Interlaken West, and the day ticket includes Libero Zone 750, which covers the train between Interlaken West and Interlaken Ost and the town buses.1935 Add Spiez Castle, a 5-minute walk from the boat station, or the St. Beatus Caves, a climb of 20 to 25 minutes from their landing stage.3637

Then think about who is coming. Children under 6 ride the BLS boats free and children aged 6 to 15 pay half price.38 The jetboat asks for a minimum height of 110 cm, the summer kayak tour a minimum age of 12 and the fondue float a minimum age of 8.29 With small children the public boats are the easy answer; with teenagers who want a story to tell afterwards, the jetboat gives them one.

Your turn at speed

The Giessbach Falls are waiting across the lake.

Pick a starting time, meet the crew in Bönigen and cancel free up to 24 hours before.

Check timesfrom $147 · no cancellation fee 4.7 · 403 reviews, verified

You ask,we answer.

How long does the jetboat stay on the lake?

50 minutes. It starts and ends at OUTDOOR's base in Bönigen, and you should arrive 10 minutes early.

Do I need a ticket for each lake?

No, one day ticket covers both. The BLS 1-day ticket for Lakes Thun and Brienz costs CHF 83.00 in 2nd class and CHF 125.00 in 1st.1

Is the Swiss Travel Pass valid on the lake boats?

Yes, on scheduled BLS boats. BLS lists free travel on scheduled cruises in the class printed on your pass.1617

Can children join the kayak tour?

From age 12. Hightide sets a minimum age of 12 and a maximum weight of 120 kg for its summer tour.29

Where does the Lake Brienz boat leave from?

Interlaken Ost. The pier is at Lanzenen 1, a 4-minute walk from the railway station.395

Can I drive a boat without a license?

Yes, a small rental boat. Bern requires a license above 6 kW; Mountainsurf's 8 hp boats need none, for drivers from 18.3112

Do the public boats run in winter?

On Lake Thun, yes. BLS runs Lake Thun all year but does not operate Lake Brienz cruises from 7 December.40

Sources

Evidence for this guide

  1. 1
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Tickets | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  2. 2
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Frequently asked questions | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  3. 3↩
  4. 4
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Sunset Cruise Lake Thun | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  5. 5
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Lake Brienz Breakfast Cruise | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  6. 6
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Geschichte BLS Schifffahrt - BLS AG
    ↩
  7. 7
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Lake Cruise | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  8. 8↩
  9. 9↩
  10. 10
    Abegglen Werft AG (Bootsvermietung Iseltwald)Bootsvermietung Iseltwald
    ↩
  11. 11
    Pirate Bay Nautical Center GmbHMotorboot - Pirate Bay Nautical Center
    ↩
  12. 12
    Mountainsurf Interlaken GmbHMotorboat Rental Interlaken - Mountainsurf
    ↩
  13. 13↩
  14. 14↩
  15. 15
    Abegglen Werft AG (Bootsvermietung Iseltwald)Motorboote ohne Führerschein - Bootsvermietung Iseltwald
    ↩
  16. 16
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Tickets | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  17. 17
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Tickets | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  18. 18
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)About Lake Brienz | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  19. 19
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)About Lake Thun | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  20. 20
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Welcome on board | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  21. 21
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Welcome on board | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  22. 22
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Tickets | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  23. 23↩
  24. 24
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Barrier-free travel | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  25. 25
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Frequently asked questions | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  26. 26
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Frequently asked questions | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  27. 27↩
  28. 28↩
  29. 29↩
  30. 30
    Outdoor Switzerland AGCheese Fondue Float @ OUTDOOR
    ↩
  31. 31
    Strassenverkehrs- und Schifffahrtsamt des Kantons BernRund um den Schiffsführerausweis
    ↩
  32. 32
    Mountainsurf Interlaken GmbHMotorboat Rental Interlaken - Mountainsurf
    ↩
  33. 33↩
  34. 34
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Frequently asked questions | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  35. 35
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Tickets | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  36. 36
    Stiftung Schloss SpiezLocation & how to get here
    ↩
  37. 37
    St. Beatus-Höhlen (Beatus Caves Co-operative)Info centre | Opening hours & prices St. Beatus Caves
    ↩
  38. 38
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Frequently asked questions | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  39. 39
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Boat landing stages | BLS-Schiff
    ↩
  40. 40
    BLS Schifffahrt AG (BLS Lake Cruise Ltd.)Frequently asked questions | BLS-Schiff
    ↩

Keep reading

More guides to the Interlaken lakes

Interlaken to Brienz by boat across Lake BrienzInterlaken to Brienz by boat across Lake Brienz Interlaken to Thun by boat on Lake ThunInterlaken to Thun by boat on Lake Thun Boat day pass and the Swiss Travel Pass on the Interlaken lakesBoat day pass and the Swiss Travel Pass on the Interlaken lakes Jet boat in Interlaken: the ride on Lake BrienzJet boat in Interlaken: the ride on Lake Brienz
Jetboat ride on Lake Brienz 4.7 (403) · Free cancellation Usually sells out 6 days ahead from$147 Check availabilityfrom $147 · pay at a later date