Schynige Platte

• Attraction type: Natural site, Mountain top, By train
• Escort: independent (no guide)
• Region: Jungfrau region (Bernese Oberland)
• Duration: 1 day or less

What is Schynige Platte?

Schynige Platte is a plateau near Interlaken, at an altitude of 1967 m. The ride to get there is an attraction in itself. A narrow gauge historical cogwheel train gets you up the mountain in 50 minutes, offering spectacular views along the way. Sometimes an authentic steam train is operational on this route.

The train departs from Wilderswil at 584 m. After the ride, you can enjoy wonderful views of the Jungfrau region and, if you walk a little, of Lake Thun and Lake Brienz.

What to see and do on the Schynige Platte

This is what to expect:

• You'll have wonderful views of the Bernese Alps, including the famous Jungfrau, the Schreckhorn, Finsteraarhorn and many more.
• There are lots of hiking options for even more views. One of them is the Swiss Flower & Panorama trail, starting from the train station. Another famous hike is the long and famous route to First.
• You can have a break at the restaurant with its terrace. There's a hotel too.
• In the Alpine Garden you'll encounter hundreds of different kinds of flowers.
• Alphorn players offer a free concert around lunch time.
• The train also stops in Breitlauenen, half-way up the mountain. This is merely a place to start hiking. There are no attractions, other than the views and a bistro.
• You can book a ride in the driver's cab and experience lots of technical details about the steam train ride. You even get to load and fire the coal.

Preparation

It is essential to check the weather forecast. There's no point in going up if clouds are blocking the views from the plateau. Dress in multiple thinner layers so that you can adapt to the different temperatures throughout the day. Take along sun glasses.

Solid shoes are important if you also plan to do some hiking. We strongly recommend to do so at Schynige Platte!

Allow at least an hour on the top to enjoy the views. A quick visit can be done in half a day. With hiking included, a visit to Schynige Platte deserves a full day.

Did you like your trip to Schynige Platte?

If you liked the train ride up to Schynige Platte, the cogwheel train to the Brienzer Rothorn may interest you too.