After the Luzern Marathon: Interlaken

The Route: Lucerne → Interlaken → Zürich Airport Logistics: The Luzern–Interlaken Express over the Brünig pass, then a train to Zürich Airport. Marathon Month: October Duration: 2 nights

Lucerne ──(~2 hrs Luzern–Interlaken Express)──> Interlaken Ost
                                                      │
Zürich Airport (ZRH) ◄──(~2.5 hrs by train, changes likely)──┘

The SwissCityMarathon finishes on a Sunday in late October, and the Luzern–Interlaken Express starts from the same station you will have used that weekend. The Zentralbahn runs the line through Sarnen, over the Brünig pass and down to Brienz and Interlaken. The journey takes around two hours, and the line is the attraction: the track follows lakes and climbs through forest before dropping to the Lake Brienz shore. Check the timetable, luggage arrangements and fares at zentralbahn.ch; this is a half-day move, so do not plan a full afternoon around the arrival.

October in Interlaken: the summer crowds are gone and the lakes are quiet. Foliage on the slopes is turning, and snow often sits on the higher peaks, though the Jungfrau massif is not always visible in cloud. Some mountain railways and lifts in the region are closed for maintenance in late October and November, and the Ballenberg open-air museum near Brienz closes at the end of its season, so check each operator's calendar before planning a day around them.

Nights One and Two: Interlaken

Interlaken sits on a narrow strip of flat land between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, which is where its name comes from. The recovery asset is the Höheweg, a long, flat, paved promenade that runs between the two railway stations through a park, with benches along the way. It is about a kilometre and a half end to end. The view south is toward the Jungfrau when the cloud lifts.

For an easy excursion, take a train to Brienz and spend a couple of hours in a village known for wood carving, or ride a lake boat on Thun or Brienz. Boats run to reduced autumn timetables, so check the BLS operator site on the day. Avoid the long cableway days; they are best left until your legs have recovered.

The Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa stands on the Höheweg, and Hotel Interlaken, on the same promenade, is among the older hotels in town. Compare rates and cancellation terms. For dinner, look for rösti with Bündnerfleisch, cheese fondue or lake fish in the old streets of Unterseen across the river.

Getting to Zürich Airport (ZRH)

Trains from Interlaken to Zürich Airport usually change at Bern or at Lucerne. Allow around two and a half hours and check sbb.ch for the timetable and fare. Book an early train for a morning flight and leave a margin of at least an hour for any change.