Holidays To Thun - Bernese Oberland

Famed for its picturesque lakeside castles

Lake Thun is without doubt one of the loveliest sights in Switzerland and it is a real pleasure to stay in Thun itself - a small, beautiful town rising from the lake with views over the snow-covered high Alps and an impressive castle towering above the medieval streets. Parts of the Old Town date from the 12th century, with the Castle and the Hauptgasse and its high pavements worth a visit for their unique architecture alone. Take a guided tour to find out more about this historical town. Along the Aare River, Schadau Park has a great view of the lake and Schloss Schadau, Thun's second castle, which is built in the style of the Loire châteaux. 

Shoppers can stroll around the quaint boutiques and upmarket stores, or try the huge weekly market. The town has plenty of inviting cafés and restaurants in which to relax and an absolute must while you are here is a lake cruise on the sparkling waters. Hotel guests benefit from the FREE Lake Thun Panorama Card, allowing you to hop on and off the local buses.

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Contact us to book your holiday

Call us on 0800 619 1200 or email us at info@swissholidayco.com


Thun holiday ideas 2025

Stay in our handpicked Thun hotel 

 
What to see and do from Thun

The Stockhorn will not fail to impress you, with its fantastic panoramic views over 200 alpine peaks, the Jura, the Emmental Valley and Lake Thun. The Stockhorn is reached by rail to Erlenbach and up the mountain by cable car for wonderful walking. Further round the lake, you'll easily spot Niesen - the iconic pyramid-shaped mountain, which has some great walking trails and a mountain lodge at the summit where you can relax with a drink.

The Niederhorn makes for a lovely day out, with its views over the Bernese Oberland. Here you can have a go on the Trotti scooter bikes or visit the St. Beatus caves for a memorable experience. Why not cruise along the lake to Interlaken, from where you can visit the local mountains of Harder Kulm and Heimwehfluh for drinks with a panoramic view. You can even head up to the high Alps to experience the Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe at 3,454m or travel via Mürren to the magnificent Schilthorn-Piz Gloria with its revolving restauant and 360º views. Please click here for our summary of the best the region has to offer.

 
Visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site from Thun

Take a day to visit the amazing Jungfrau-Aletsch Glacier with a stunning mountain rail journey to the Jungfraujoch and awesome views across the glacier from the summit. You can also reach the beautifully historic Old Town of Bern from Thun. Find more Swiss World Heritage Sites here.

 
Explore the Bernese Oberland region with our great value travel passes

Our holidays include the Half Fare Card, which entitles you to a 50% discount on most rail, mountain railways, cable cars, boats and PostBuses across Switzerland.

If you are planning daily outings, it can be well worth pre-booking the Bernese Oberland Regional Pass, as it saves you a great deal of money - and helps you avoid the queues at the ticket office! Other passes such as the Swiss Travel Pass and the Jungfrau Travel Pass are also available. We will be delighted to help you choose the one that's right for you. Call us on 0800 619 1200 for more advice.

 
Scenic rail holidays from Thun

Enjoy a fantastic two or multi centre holiday, with a scenic rail journey connecting your resorts.

Thun is on the route of the Lötschberg Regio Express (for Brig) and has onward connections to the famous Glacier Express to St. Moritz. You can also travel to Spiez to join the GoldenPass Express (for Montreux) or Interlaken for the Luzern-Interlaken Express. 

If you prefer to be based solely in Thun, there are many lakes and mountains journeys to be enjoyed locally. We can tailor make any itinerary you choose, please contact us for details on 0800 619 1200.

 
How to get to Thun

Your ticket wallet will contain comprehensive travel instructions to help you reach your destination with ease, including recommended rail connection times and platform numbers. These are the most common routes for your Thun holiday. 

Fly to Zurich

Flights available from: London, Luton, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow.

Swiss Railways: Zurich Airport > Thun with a transfer time of around 1 hour 40 minutes. 

Fly to Geneva

Flights available from: London, Luton, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle.  

Swiss Railways: Geneva Airport > Bern > Thun with a transfer time of around 2 hours 20 minutes.

Travel by international rail

Rail from: London St. Pancras via Paris to Basel.

Swiss Railways: Basel > Interlaken > Thun with a transfer time of around 1 hour 30 minutes.

 
 

Request your holiday quotation

Call us on 0800 619 1200 or email us at info@swissholidayco.com

View over Thun

Lake Thun Panorama Card

A complimentary card offering free bus travel to Spiez and Interlaken, a free walking tour in Thun and discounts for lake cruises, Thun & Spiez castles and mountain transport for the Stockhorn, Niesen and Niederhorn. More details...

Planning your holiday 2025

Switzerland Call 0800 619 1200
  • Decide where you would like to stay
  • Choose your scenic journeys
  • 1st or 2nd class rail travel in Switzerland
  • How many nights in each resort
  • Decide on bed & breakfast or half board
  • 3, 4 or 5 star hotel accommodation
  • Plan visits with your Half Fare Card
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Thun region video