Harder Kulm｜Transport, Tickets & the Culture of the Alphorn

Updated on 27/11/2025 ｜ Published on 19/10/2025

Harder Kulm is Interlaken’s most classic viewpoint. In just 10 minutes, the funicular takes you up to an altitude of 1,322 metres — the “Top of Interlaken” — where you can enjoy a breathtaking panorama of Lake Brienz and Lake Thun. This guide covers transportation, ticket prices, the best times for photography, and restaurant recommendations. It also introduces the traditional Swiss instrument, the Alphorn, which is often performed at the summit — giving travellers a glimpse into the Alpine spirit through both landscape and culture.

Why Visit Harder Kulm?

Most travellers think of Harder Kulm simply as “a place to go up the mountain for the view”; but from the city’s perspective, it is actually one of the core pieces in Interlaken’s tourism structure.

Interlaken has very favourable geography: Lake Brienz on one side, Lake Thun on the other, and an entire wall of the Alps and the Jungfrau behind it. The problem is that if you only stay on the valley floor, no matter how pretty the town is, what you see will always be fragmented.

The existence of Harder Kulm neatly solves this problem of perspective:

• Its height is not so extreme that you need serious mountaineering gear, yet it is high enough to take in both lakes and the surrounding mountains in a single view;
• the funicular compresses “going up the mountain” into about ten minutes of everyday movement, instead of a full day of physical effort;
• and the “Top of Interlaken” label directly ties the city’s brand to this viewing experience.

For travellers, Harder Kulm offers an entry point to “see the whole of Interlaken with the least effort”; for the town itself, it gathers scenery that is originally scattered in all directions into a single, easily understood and more memorable picture.

Transport & Ticket Information

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Reaching Harder Kulm is simple, with almost no hiking required.

• From Interlaken Ost station, walk about 10 minutes to the Harderbahn funicular station.
• Operating season: Late April to late November (subject to snow conditions).
• The funicular takes only around 10 minutes to reach the summit platform.

Ticket prices (2025):

• Return ticket (adult): CHF 38
• Swiss Travel Pass：50% off
• Children (6–15 years): 50% off; free with Swiss Family Card

A charming wooden ticket booth stands beside the station. During peak season, it’s best to book online in advance to save queueing time.

Best Time to Visit & Photography Tips

May–August: Sunset hours are the golden time at Harder Kulm. The light spills between the two lakes, illuminating Jungfrau and Eiger in a warm glow — a scene straight out of a painting.

September–October: Early mornings offer a magical blend of mist and clouds, sometimes revealing a sea of fog.

Photography tips:

• The viewing deck features a glass platform suspended over the cliff — perfect for dramatic shots.
• The terrace in front of the restaurant is ideal for sunset photos.
• Bring a wide-angle lens and tripod to capture both lakes in full composition.

Cultural Note｜The Alphorn on the Summit

Many people, when they see performers playing the Alphorn at the top of Harder Kulm, instinctively assume it is a prop created purely for tourists.

But this wooden horn, which is 3 to 4 metres long with a deep tone and long resonance, actually originated in the pastoral life of the Alps and was once a very practical everyday tool.

Herdsmen used it to call cattle across valleys and to send messages over long distances; its sound could travel several kilometres through the mountains. It existed entirely for “work needs”, not for stage effect.

As farming and communication methods changed, the Alphorn’s practical function gradually faded, and it slowly shifted from a working tool in the hands of herdsmen to a sound and image symbolising Alpine mountain life.

It is no longer just a horn used to call cattle in the valley, but in festivals and tourist performances has become the sound that many visitors associate with “this is Switzerland”, and it has been repeatedly reproduced in adverts, posters and tourism campaigns, turning into a reinforced national symbol.

At Harder Kulm, this transformation is pushed to its fullest expression.

You stand on the viewing platform, watching performers in traditional costume with the twin lakes, mountains and sunset as a backdrop, while the sound of the Alphorn echoes through the valley.

This scene is, on one level, a tribute to the old pastoral way of life, and on another, a carefully constructed piece of staging: it lets travellers take home the landscape, the sound, and a deliberately packaged idea of what “Switzerland” is supposed to feel like.

Harder Kulm Panorama Restaurant

Located right beside the viewing deck, this restaurant is another highlight of Harder Kulm. The building resembles a classic Swiss chalet, with 270-degree floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor terrace seating.

Recommended dishes:

• Traditional Swiss cheese fondue
• Rösti (Swiss potato pancake)
• Local craft beer and homemade desserts

Dining tips:

• Book in advance for summer sunsets — dusk hours are the most popular.
• You can take the evening funicular down after dinner to enjoy the night view.

Weather & Practical Information

• Check the Harderbahn official website’s live webcam before departure to see real-time weather and visibility.
• The summit temperature is usually 5–8°C lower than in town, so bring a light jacket.
• For fewer crowds, ride the funicular before 9 a.m. or after 6 p.m.

Nearby Attractions｜Paragliding, Free Boat Rides & “Crash Landing on You”

After descending from Harder Kulm, explore Interlaken’s nearby scenic spots:

• Tandem paragliding with professional pilots for a bird’s-eye view of the Alps.
  • Tandem paragliding flight (with pilot)
• Boat cruises on Lake Thun or Lake Brienz — free with a Swiss Travel Pass.
• The lakeside pier at Iseltwald, made famous by Hyun Bin’s piano scene in Crash Landing on You, is now a popular photo spot. Visitors can take a boat to Iseltwald pier and walk to the iconic wooden jetty for the best photos.