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How to take the rail journey from Cologne/Köln to beautiful Interlaken on the daily direct train
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Köln / Cologne / Koeln to Interlaken by train
Ride one of Europe's most breathtaking rail routes by taking the direct train.
Or forsake the delightful scenery of The Rhine Gorge, by rushing to Basel on an ICE train, to connect there into a train on Interlaken.
Though not only is the direct train more scenic, it tends to be cheaper too!
Routes you can take to go from Köln / Cologne / Koeln to Interlaken
When travelling between most cities by train there is only one logical option, though on other journeys there is a choice between different trains or alternative routes. If different options are available you can use the info to decide which is best for you.
Choose one of the following options:
Looking for connections?
Route Information
Option 1: the direct train
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
6hr 48min (approx)
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
1 x direct train per day
Purchase Tickets
ShowMeTheJourney earns a small commission on Trainline ticket sales. It can be a particularly good option for: Comparing different train services; Booking international journeys with connections; Travelling between the UK to destinations beyond Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris - and for international travellers who don't reside in western Europe.
Trainline Guide
Other Ticket Providers
DB Guide
DB is the national railway operator in Germany, so its website can be used for booking journeys by German express trains; the ICE and IC trains and it doesn't charge booking fees.
It also sells tickets for journeys by direct trains on all international routes from Germany regardless of whether DB is operating the train service.
It also sells an extensive range of end-to-end journeys which involve making connections both within Germany and in neighboring countries, but journeys between Germany and Britain cannot be booked on DB.
On journeys within Germany and on most international journeys from and to Germany on trains operated by DB:
- For journeys by the express trains, EC. IC and ICE trains an adult (on German railways an adult is a person aged 15 and over) can take up to four children aged 6 - 14 with them at no additional charge.
- Tickets need to be booked for children aged 0 - 5, but there is no charge for them.
- Those aged 65 and over can take journeys at a discounted rate.
- Dogs, which are too large to be placed in pet carriers, require tickets which cost 50% of the adult rate.
When booking both types of the discounted 'Sparpreis' tickets seat reservations are an optional extra, so need to be added when booking if you want an assigned seat(s).
Travel Information
This daily direct train is usually scheduled to depart from Koln/Cologne at 08:53,
Final Destination: Interlaken Ost
Leave the train (and book tickets to) Interlaken West if your final destination is in Interlaken town centre.
This train also calls at: Olten, [*Bern](/train-travel-info/countries/switzerland/cities/bern/rail-stations/bern/, Thun and Spiez.
This is a direct journey
You will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
The train will reverse direction on departure from Basel SBB and Bern.
A 1st class observation car can be included within this type of train, but sadly there are not usually available on this route.
Journey description:
This is one of Europe's most epic train journeys!
Sit on the left on the train when facing the direction of travel.
After Bonn there are some fabulous views of the Upper Rhine Valley from that side of the train, when facing the direction of travel.
The best of the views on this part occur when the trains travel through The Rhine Gorge between Koblenz and Bingen.
The journey also has another scenic highlight, the final 20 - 25 mins of the journey when the train travels by the beautiful Thunersee between Thun and Interlaken. these views are also on the right.
... though these videos were taken from a train travelling in the opposite direction, but they showcase how fine the views can be on a sunny day...
Then for the final 15 mins of the journey, after departure from Spiez, the train descends down to travel right by the shore of the Thunersee.
You need to be sat on the left in a backward facing seat to make the most of these views between Spiez and InterlakenThe train will reverse direction on departure from Basel SBB and Bern.
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Tickets
This daily direct train is usually scheduled to depart from Koln/Cologne at 08:53, so target that time when looking up this journey
However, due to the length of the journey, this train departure is particularly susceptible to cancellation or alteration due to works on the line.
If you can't see a journey with no changes on your travel date it means that this direct train is not running that day, so you will need to choose from one of the other options.
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date - but this period of time is shorter when looking up journeys in August to October.
A choice of tickets
Four types of tickets are available:
Two types of discounted tickets, which will be cheaper the further ahead you book - Sparpreis Europa and Super Sparpreis Europa
Two types of non-discounted ticket - Flexpreis Europa and Flexpreis Plus Europa.
A key difference between these types of tickets is refunds:
- Super Sparpreis tickets are cheapest, but they can't be refunded at all.
- Sparpreis tickets can be refunded for a fee, but the refund will be in the form of travel vouchers to be used for alternative / future journeys.
- Flexpreis Europa and Flexpreis Plus Europa tickets can be refunded at no additional charge.
The other key difference is that both types of Sparpreis tickets are only valid on the specific departures selected when booking, but both types of Flexpreis tickets live up to their name, as they can be used on any departure on your travel date.
Note that none of the tickets can be exchanged to a different departure.
There's no need for this to be available for Flexpreis Europa tickets, as they aren't train departure specific.
If you book a Sparpreis Europa ticket and want to travel by a different departure you can refund it and then use the travel voucher towards the cost of the new booking.
Super Sparpreis Europa tickets can't be exchanged or refunded.
The Sparpreis, Flexpreis and Flexpreis Plus tickets also include 'City tickets', which can be used on public transport between locations in Köln city centre and Köln Hbf.
Seat reservations
Seat reservations are optional on this route - take note if you will be using a rail pass.
They cost €4.90 when travelling in 2nd Class and €5.90 when travelling in 1st class.
Specific seats can be selected from seating plans - you don't have to accept the seat(s) that you will be automatically offered.
They are included within the cost of booking 1st class Flexpreis tickets and both 1st and 2nd class Flexpreis Plus tickets.
Though despite seats being automatically assigned when booking these three types of ticket - and these tickets being valid on any departure, you will need to pay to re-book the reservations, if you subsequently decide to travel on an alternative train.
So because you won't save by booking these types of tickets in advance, it can be a good idea to wait until you are sure when you will want to travel.
When booking Super Sparpreis, Sparpreis and 2nd class Flexpreis tickets, you have the option of purchasing seat reservations later.
It can be worth re-looking up a journey a week or two ahead of travel, because the DB website will indicate how busy this train will be.
Though typically reservations are highly recommended for this journey if you'll be travelling 2nd class or with a rail pass - it's worth it to ensure that you have an assigned seat for the entire trip.
But this is a journey when travelling 1st class can pay off, you'll have greater opportunities to switch sides across the coach on the train, to ensure that you're always seeing the best of the views.
Booking on the DB website
When looking for tickets from Köln Hbf on the DB website type ‘K‘ or 'COLOGNE' into the ‘from‘ box and not ‘Ko‘.
You can find these direct trains more easily by making a proactive selection of 'Direct Trains Only'.
Or to see all the combinations of trains and journey options, most of which will be faster, take off the 'fastest connections' default.
Route Information
Via stations: Basel SBB / Bâle CFF
Option 2: connecting in Basel
Station Guides
Travel Time (approx)
6hr 21min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Info
3 x optimum connections per day
Purchase Tickets
DB Guide
DB is the national railway operator in Germany, so its website can be used for booking journeys by German express trains; the ICE and IC trains and it doesn't charge booking fees.
It also sells tickets for journeys by direct trains on all international routes from Germany regardless of whether DB is operating the train service.
It also sells an extensive range of end-to-end journeys which involve making connections both within Germany and in neighboring countries, but journeys between Germany and Britain cannot be booked on DB.
On journeys within Germany and on most international journeys from and to Germany on trains operated by DB:
- For journeys by the express trains, EC. IC and ICE trains an adult (on German railways an adult is a person aged 15 and over) can take up to four children aged 6 - 14 with them at no additional charge.
- Tickets need to be booked for children aged 0 - 5, but there is no charge for them.
- Those aged 65 and over can take journeys at a discounted rate.
- Dogs, which are too large to be placed in pet carriers, require tickets which cost 50% of the adult rate.
When booking both types of the discounted 'Sparpreis' tickets seat reservations are an optional extra, so need to be added when booking if you want an assigned seat(s).
Travel Information
When looking up this journey if you don't opt to only see the direct trains, there are more than a dosen daily journey options which involve taking more than one train.
Some of these involve making non-guaranteed connections between two ICE trains of less than 15 mins in Mannheim
Opting to taking a chance on making these connections isn't a gamble; unless the transfer is into the final train of the day on to Interlaken - you won't have to re-book tickets if a delayed train results in a missed connection.
Or you can avoid having to make such tightly timed connections between trains by honing in on the journey options, which typically involve an easily timed transfer in Basel of around 40mins between trains.
These are the journey options which usually have an end-to-end journey time of 6hr 21min and involve departing at 06:55, 08:55 or 10:55.
This journey is made up of 1 change.
Train 1
Between Köln/Cologne Hbf and Basel SBB / Bâle CFFYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
These ICE trains travel at up to 285 km/h on Germany's fastest high speed line between Siegburg/Bonn and Frankfurt Flughafen.
They also take another higher speed route later in the journey between Karlsruhe and Offenburg.
But aside from the thrills of travelling at high speed, this isn't a particularly scenic journey.
So if time is on your side, or if you will be travelling with a rail pass, an alternative option is to travel by the EC trains on the exceptionally scenic route through the Rhine Valley.
Train 2
Between Basel SBB / Bâle CFF and Interlaken OstYou will be travelling on one of these trains...
Journey Features
Good to Know
Final Destination: Interlaken Ost
Leave the train (and book tickets to) Interlaken West if your final destination is in Interlaken town centre.
This train also calls at: Olten, [*Bern](/train-travel-info/countries/switzerland/cities/bern/rail-stations/bern/, Thun and Spiez.
Journey description:
Switzerland doesn't have any high speed lines on which trains travel at more than 250 km/h, but south of Olten the train will race at 200 km/h for around 25mins on a fast railway until shortly before arrival in Bern
The train will reverse direction at Bern and then south of Thun there are some fabulous views to be enjoyed over on the left.
... though these videos were taken from a train travelling in the opposite direction, but they showcase how fine the views can be on a sunny day...
Then for the final 15 mins of the journey, after departure from Spiez, the train descends down to travel right by the shore of the Thunersee.
You need to be sat on the left in a backward facing seat to make the most of these views between Spiez and Interlaken; so because of the reversal at Bern, take a forward facing seat on the right hand side when boarding the train in Basel.
Tickets
Book early and save: Yes
Online bookings usually open: up to 6 months ahead of the travel date - but this period of time is shorter when looking up journeys in August to October.
A choice of tickets
Four types of tickets are available:
Two types of discounted tickets, which will be cheaper the further ahead you book - Sparpreis Europa and Super Sparpreis Europa
Two types of non-discounted ticket - Flexpreis Europa and Flexpreis Plus Europa.
A key difference between these types of tickets is refunds:
- Super Sparpreis tickets are cheapest, but they can't be refunded at all.
- Sparpreis tickets can be refunded for a fee, but the refund will be in the form of travel vouchers to be used for alternative / future journeys.
- Flexpreis Europa and Flexpreis Plus Europa tickets can be refunded at no additional charge.
The other key difference is that both types of Sparpreis tickets are only valid on the specific departures selected when booking, but both types of Flexpreis tickets live up to their name, as they can be used on any departure on your travel date.
Note that none of the tickets can be exchanged to a different departure.
There's no need for this to be available for Flexpreis Europa tickets, as they aren't train departure specific.
If you book a Sparpreis Europa ticket and want to travel by a different departure you can refund it and then use the travel voucher towards the cost of the new booking.
Super Sparpreis Europa tickets can't be exchanged or refunded.
The Sparpreis, Flexpreis and Flexpreis Plus tickets also include 'City tickets', which can be used on public transport between locations in Köln city centre and Köln Hbf.
Seat reservations
Seat reservations are optional on the ICE train and on the EC train between Munchen and Innsbruck.
They cost €4.90 when travelling in 2nd Class and €5.90 when travelling in 1st class.
Specific seats can be selected from seating plans - you don't have to accept the seat(s) that you will be automatically offered.
They are included within the cost of booking 1st class Flexpreis tickets and both 1st and 2nd class Flexpreis Plus tickets.
On this journey which involves two trains on which seat reservations are available, the fees cover all trains - if reservations are added when initially booking.
Specific seats can be selected from seating plans, you don't have to accept the seat(s) that you will be automatically offered.
When booking Super Sparpreis, Sparpreis and 2nd class Flexpreis tickets, you have the option of purchasing seat reservations later.
It can be worth re-looking up a journey a week or two ahead of travel, because the DB website will indicate how busy a departure will be.
Though if you opt to add reservations later you will have pay the fees per train..
Booking on the DB website
When looking for tickets from Köln Hbf on the DB website type ‘K‘ or 'COLOGNE' into the ‘from‘ box and not ‘Ko‘.
This second version of ShowMeTheJourney is exciting and new, so we are genuinely thrilled that you are here and reading this, but we also need your help.
We’re striving not to let anything get in the way of providing the most useful service possible, hence a facility has been set up with DonorBox which can be used to support the running costs and make improvements.
Instead of advertising or paywalls, your financial support will make a positive difference to delivering an enhanced service, as there’s a lot of ideas which we want to make happen.
So if you have found the info provided here to be useful, please consider saying thank you.
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