Other Services and Amenities
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- Casino Interlaken (Strandbadstrasse 44)
- Parcel Delivery Service
- Die Post (Swiss Post) - main office at Bahnhofstrasse 1
- Tech Repair Services
- Interdiscount or Mobilezone in the city center
- Table Tennis Spots
- Public tables at Höhematte park
- Language Classes
- Migros Clubschule (Bern or Thun branch)
- Libraries & Study Spots
- Bibliothek Interlaken (Schloss 9)
- Community Centers
- Aula-Interlaken community events hall
- Gaming Lounges
- None; local hobby groups meet at cafes
Essentials
- City
- Interlaken, Canton of Bern, Switzerland
- Population
- Approx. 6,000 (Local), 15,000 (Agglomeration)
- Internet Speed
- High-speed fiber widely available, average 100-500 Mbps via Swisscom or Quickline
- Currency & Banking
- Swiss Franc (CHF). 1 CHF ≈ 1.13 USD, 1 USD ≈ 0.88 CHF
- Tap Water
- Drinkable, high-quality alpine spring water from every tap
- Power
- 230V, 50Hz, 🔌 Type J (three-pin) and Type C
- SIM Card
- Swisscom (Best coverage), Salt, or Sunrise. Pre-paid SIMs approx. 20 CHF
- Banking for Expats
- UBS, Credit Suisse (UBS Group), Revolut, and Neon (Digital-first)
- Accommodation
- Airbnb, Booking.com, and local agencies like Interhome
- Cashless Friendly
- Yes, cards and mobile payments (TWINT) accepted everywhere
- Short Term Rentals
- Airbnb and local furnished apartments starting at 2,000 CHF/month
- Budget Accommodation
- Balmer's Hostel (Hauptstrasse 33) approx. 40-60 CHF for dorms
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Höhematte / City Center for proximity to shops and sights
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Unterseen or Matten bei Interlaken for a quieter, residential feel
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- Impact Hub Bern (closest major hub, 50 min train) or local shared offices at THE LAB (Bernastrasse 5)
- Best Cafe for Work
- Velo Cafe (Rosenstrasse 7) - Great coffee, WiFi, and laptop-friendly atmosphere
- Networking Events
- Interlaken Tourismus Business Events and occasional expat meetups at Husi Bierhaus
- Social Events for Expats
- Expats in Switzerland Facebook groups and local 'Stammtisch' at Brasserie 17
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- Uber is limited; use local 'Taxi-Interlaken' or 'Bödeli Taxi' app
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- Flying Wheels (Höheweg 133) - E-bike rentals approx. 50 CHF/day
- Best Beach Nearby
- Strandbad Bönigen on Lake Brienz or Neuhaus on Lake Thun
- Top Regional Airline
- Helvetic Airways (operating via Zurich/Bern)
- Top International Airline
- SWISS International Air Lines
- Highway Access
- A8 motorway connecting Spiez to Brienz/Lucerne
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Interlaken Ost (East) and Interlaken West stations
- Public Transport Passes
- Interlaken Guest Card (free local bus) or Swiss Half Fare Card (120 CHF/month)
- Regional Travel
- SBB Trains to Bern (50m), Thun (30m), and Lauterbrunnen (20m)
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- fmi-Spital Interlaken (Weissenaustrasse 27, Unterseen)
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- Yoga Interlaken (Jungfraustrasse 44) - Drop-in classes approx. 30 CHF
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- Fitnesspark Bödelibad Interlaken for gym and indoor/outdoor pools
- Laundry Services
- Jet Laundry (Marktplatz 1, Unterseen) - Self-service
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- Just Eat Switzerland (Eat.ch)
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Raclette or Rösti at Restaurant Laterne (Obere Gasse 1)
- Best Dessert Spots
- Schuh Chocolatier & Restaurant (Höheweg 56) for Swiss chocolate
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- Aldi Suisse or Lidl (Matten bei Interlaken) for lowest prices
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Galaxus.ch and Digitec.ch (The Swiss Amazon alternative)
- Grocery Delivery
- Coop.ch or Migros (LeShop) online delivery
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Husi Bierhaus and Balmers Club in the Matten area
- Local Brewery
- Rugenbräu AG (Wagnerenstrasse 40) - Tours and direct sales
- Wine Bars
- Spatz - Gastro & So (Postgasse 4)
- Street Food Stalls
- Top Fried Chicken (Bahnhofstrasse) and various stalls at the Marktplatz
- Popular International Cuisine
- Little Thai (Hauptstrasse 19) for authentic Thai food
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- Harder Kulm viewpoint and the Höhematte Park
- Museums & Art Venues
- Tourism Museum Interlaken (Stadthausplatz 1)
- Historical Sites
- Interlaken Monastery and Schloss (Castle) area
- Religious Sites
- Schlosskirche Interlaken (Castle Church)
- Annual Events
- Greenfield Festival (June) and Jungfrau Marathon (September)
- Cultural Districts
- Unterseen Historic District (Altstadt)
- Theater Venues
- Tell Open-Air Theater (Tell-Freilichtspiele) in Matten
- Local Markets
- Weekly market at Marktplatz Unterseen every Tuesday
- Music Scene
- Live music at Brasserie 17 or festivals at Rugenbräu
- Street Art
- Limited; focus is on traditional Alpine architecture and woodcarving
- Cooking Classes
- Swiss Food World / Funky Chocolate Club chocolate workshops
- Art Galleries
- Galerie Kunstsammlung Unterseen
- Historic Buildings
- Bödelibad building and Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel
- Local Heritage
- Alphorn making and traditional Swiss wrestling (Schwingen)
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- Lombachalp Moorland or the banks of the Aare River
- National Parks Nearby
- Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch (UNESCO World Heritage site)
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- Lakeshore path from Interlaken to Iseltwald
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Harder Kulm (Top of Interlaken) accessible by funicular
- Birdwatching Locations
- Neuhaus Nature Reserve at Lake Thun
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Designated BBQ pits at Lake Brienz shore (Bönigen)
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 12,500 CHF per m² (e.g., 35 m² = 437,500 CHF)
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 9,000 CHF per m² (e.g., 35 m² = 315,000 CHF)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 11,500 CHF per m² (e.g., 60 m² = 690,000 CHF)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 8,500 CHF per m² (e.g., 60 m² = 510,000 CHF)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. 11,000 CHF per m² (e.g., 85 m² = 935,000 CHF)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. 8,000 CHF per m² (e.g., 85 m² = 680,000 CHF)
- Corporate Tax
- Approx. 21.6% (Combined Federal, Cantonal, and Communal for Bern)
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 35% (Refundable for residents)
- Tax System
- Residence-based taxation on worldwide income
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- Approx. 41% (including federal tax in Canton Bern)
- VAT
- 8.1% (Standard rate), 2.6% (Reduced rate)
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- No specific CFC rules, but anti-abuse provisions exist
- Property Tax
- Yes, 1.5‰ of the fiscal value in Canton Bern
- Property Transaction Tax
- Handänderungssteuer (Transfer Tax) approx. 1.8% of purchase price
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- No 0% tax; potential for 'Lump-sum' taxation for very high net worth individuals