Boat Trips on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz: Day Pass or Jetboat?
Updated October 20, 2026 · 4 min read
Short answer
Interlaken sits between two lakes, and you can see them from the water in three different ways. The cheapest is Interlaken: Boat Day Pass on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz at €44.77 per person, rated 4.2 stars from 223 reviews. It is a ticket for the scheduled boats, not a guided tour. The fastest is Scenic Jetboat Ride on Lake Brienz, 50 minutes at €128.37, rated 4.7 from 438 reviews. The longest is Boat Trip to Giessbach Falls & hike to Iseltwald, 5 hours at €158.76, with a single 5.0-star review so far.
Which pier for which lake
According to BLS, the company that runs the scheduled boats, Interlaken West is the pier for Lake Thun and Interlaken Ost the pier for Lake Brienz. Both are within walking distance of their train stations. Lake Thun is served all year; Lake Brienz is not. In the 2026 timetable the Brienz boats run from 3 April to 6 December, so a winter day pass only gets you onto Lake Thun. The day-pass description says the same: Lake Thun all day, Lake Brienz in spring and summer.
The options side by side
| Option | Price | Rating | Duration | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boat Day Pass on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz | €44.77 | 4.2 · 223 | all day | scheduled boats, hop on and off |
| Day Pass for Lake Thun & Brienz Boat Cruise | €117.58 | 4.3 · 16 | all day | all scheduled boats, plus train and bus lines |
| Scenic Jetboat Ride on Lake Brienz | €128.37 | 4.7 · 438 | 50 minutes | fast boat with commentary |
| Winter Jetboat Ride on Lake Brienz | €85.22 | 4.9 · 26 | 35 minutes | shorter winter version |
| Boat Trip to Giessbach Falls & hike to Iseltwald | €158.76 | 5.0 · 1 | 5 hours | boat, historic funicular, hike |
The two day passes
The second day pass costs more than two and a half times the first, and the listings don’t explain why. The description of the dearer one adds that you can “explore train and bus lines too”, which suggests a wider ticket, but it doesn’t say which lines. Before paying more, read the booking page and compare it with the tickets BLS sells on its own website. If you hold a Swiss Travel Pass, ask BLS whether the scheduled boats are already covered; you may not need to buy a day pass at all.
With either pass the boats are public transport. Expect other passengers, fixed timetables and no guide.
Jetboat or scheduled boat
The scheduled boat is slow and cheap. You sit, look at the shore and can get off where you like. The jetboat is the opposite: 50 minutes, a guide’s commentary, and “just the right amount of adrenaline” in the operator’s words. The winter version is shorter, 35 minutes, and €43.15 cheaper. Both run on Lake Brienz, which is 14 km long and up to 260 metres deep. Its colour comes from fine glacial sediment, as we explain in the Lake Brienz kayak guide.
The Giessbach day
Of the listings in this article, this is the only one that combines a boat with walking. It crosses Lake Brienz to the Giessbach Falls, takes the historic funicular up to the Grandhotel Giessbach, and ends with a hike back to Iseltwald. It has one review, so there is little evidence yet. The listing doesn’t say how long the hike is or what shoes you need; ask before booking if you are unsure of your legs.
Who should skip it
If you want something active on the water, paddling is the alternative: see kayaking on Lake Brienz. If you want whitewater, see rafting on the Lütschine. All lake offers are collected under boat trips on Lake Brienz and Lake Thun.
Our pick
For most people, the €44.77 day pass in spring or summer, and check with BLS first whether your rail pass already covers it. For a short thrill, the jetboat.
