Cogwheel train to Schynige Platte and its alpine garden

What it is

Schynige Platte is a mountain balcony at 1,967 m above Interlaken, between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz and facing the Eiger, the Mönch and the Jungfrau. You go up on a cogwheel train that has run since 1893 and still runs with historic trains, slowly, through woods and meadows, for an hour. The journey is half the excursion.

At the top there is an alpine botanical garden, a mountain hotel with a restaurant, several paths with views and the start of one of the region's great traverses, the one that goes over the Faulhorn to First.

What you see and do at the top

• The alpine garden: it brings together about 800 plants from the Alps, such as edelweiss and gentians, on a signposted route that takes an hour. The best time is early summer, when most are in flower.
• The flower and panorama path: a walk of about 30 minutes from the station to the hotel, with panels about the plants.
• The panoramic route: a circuit of about 2 h 30 min from the station, which climbs to 2,230 m with views over the two lakes and the three peaks.
• The Skywalk: a viewing platform opened in 2025.
• Lily's riddle trail: a path of riddles for children, new in 2026, with nine stations about the weather. Whoever finds the final word collects a small prize at the restaurant.

The Panorama-Restaurant and Berghotel, with a terrace facing the three peaks, serves Swiss cooking and has rooms; at the top station there is also a bistro.

The traverse to First

From Schynige Platte the high mountain route leaves that passes the Faulhorn and Lake Bachalpsee to Grindelwald-First. It is about 6 hours of walking, with stretches of mountain path: only for people used to walking and in good weather. From First you go down to Grindelwald by cable car.

Season and times

The train runs in summer. In 2026 it began its 133rd season on 13 June, with the first train from Wilderswil at 7:25, and the summer programme at the summit ran until 25 October. Check the year's timetable on the Jungfraubahnen website; out of season the train does not run.

Tickets

Jungfraubahnen publishes the ticket to Schynige Platte from CHF 34. The exact price depends on the journey, single or return, and on your cards: the Jungfrau Travel Pass includes it. On your birthday the journey is free. There are dinner and overnight packages at the mountain hotel.

How to get to Wilderswil

Wilderswil is a few minutes from Interlaken Ost on the Berner Oberland-Bahnen train, the same one that continues to Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. You can also arrive by car. The Schynige Platte train leaves from the same station at Wilderswil.

With children

It is one of the excursions that works best for families: the old train, Lily's riddle trail, the garden and short, easy walks.

How long

Half a day to go up, see the garden and come down: an hour by train each way and one or two hours at the top. If you do the panoramic route, the whole day. And the traverse to First, a long day in the mountains.