Brienzer Rothorn Switzerland

You may not know what this title means, but this post is all about the Brienzer Rothorn hike in central Switzerland. I was there last weekend to experience this amazing hike that I had heard about for several years. We drove two hours from our house to reach the small village of Brienz which is located on Lake Brienz near Interlaken.

Brienz Village
Brienzer Rothorn Railway
Brienz Rothorn Peak
Brienzer Rothorn Hike to Turren
Turren to Lungern
Summary

Brienz Village

After we checked into our quaint hotel right next to the lake, we took off by foot to walk along the lakeside. The sun was starting to set, and the views were gorgeous. We stopped at a restaurant to have a drink and enjoy the mild weather for early September.

This was a Friday evening and we didn’t find it too busy with tourists in early September.

I highly recommend the 3-star Hotel Weisses Kreuz for the friendly staff and convenient location. We had a room with a balcony and view.

We had dinner reservations at our hotel at 8:30pm. The meal turned out to be delicious.

Brienzer Rothorn Railway

I had been to this area a few times before but had never organized the full day trip to the top of the mountain. I wanted to experience the famous Brienzer Rothorn Railway, which is a steam locomotive train that climbs the steep face of the mountain.

The Brienz Rothorn Railway, a rack-and-pinion steam railway, was founded in 1891 and opened in 1892, offering scenic journeys to the Brienzer Rothorn summit. It faced challenges from competitors and stopped operation in 1914 but resumed in 1931 and maintained its steam-powered tradition when most Swiss railways electrified.

The views along the ride were jaw-dropping and despite the loud noise and bad smell, it was totally worth it. We paid 70 Swiss francs per person for the one-way trip. I also had to pay 10 Swiss francs for my dog. I felt sorry for her ears when we went through the echoing tunnels. My advice for anyone taking this train is to sit in the front away from the loud engine in the back. Bringing ear plugs may also be a good idea!

Brienz Rothorn Peak

The ride took one hour to reach the summit station at 2,350 meters (7,710 feet). We had reserved the tickets online in advance (highly recommend) with a seat reservation. Our train left at 8:36am. There is an earlier one and the others leave each hour. It doesn’t matter which side of the train you sit on as the views are nice from both sides.

There is a nice restaurant at the top and a souvenir shop. If you walk further up the path, there is another small restaurant with a terrace.

Don’t miss the terrace above the smaller restaurant where they have a big swing to pose for pictures.

Map showing the route of the Brienzer Rothorn Railway

Brienzer Rothorn Hike to Turren

We followed the signs to get on the right path that would lead us to Turren where we planned to take the cable car down to Lungern. The signs said it would take 3 hours but it actually took us 4 hours of walking time to reach Turren.

There is another photo op spot along the path with a big wooden heart. It was such a lovely day and the temperature was perfect at around 20c.

The hiking path was mostly downhill but there were some steep uphill parts. I was glad I brought my hiking poles to help me navigate the mountain paths. There are areas with loose rocks and the poles were useful to maintain balance.

If you have vertigo or are afraid of cliffside walks, I would not recommend this hike. The paths were good but narrow in some spots.

The chart above shows the profile of the hike, and you can find more details on AllTrails.

After about three hours into the hike, we stopped at the Berghaus Schönbüel for a light lunch. They had a band on the terrace playing typical Swiss music. It was a welcomed break before the last hour walking downhill to the Turren cable car.

By this time it was 3pm and we still had to get the cable car down to Lungern, walk 20 minutes to the Lungern train station, and take the normal train back to Brienz (42 minute ride).

Turren to Lungern

We arrived to Turren just 2 minutes before the next car descended. It was useful to show our guest card from the hotel to get a small discount on the fare. You don’t need to buy your tickets for the cable car in advance.

The views were fantastic as we enjoyed the 7-minute ride. I had spent some time in Lungern before, but it was nice to see it again briefly. It’s a small lake and cute village worth visiting.

Summary

All in all, we had a super day in the Bernese Oberland mountains! I am so glad I organized this overnight trip at the last minute. Weather is a major key to having the best experience. If you need additional information about this adventure, just drop me an email here!

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If you are looking for assistance to plan your next trip, I am here for YOU! I love to plan travel itineraries for myself and others. For more details on how I provide this service, please check out my Itinerary Planning page and drop me a quick email at jan@janadventures.com to get started!

If you are looking for other ideas on what to see in Switzerland, you will want to see my other posts below!