Switzerland Campervan Itinerary: 5 Days in Interlaken Road Trip (2026 Tips)
If you’ve ever dreamed about going on a campervan trip around Switzerland, but don’t know where to start, this 5-day route through Interlaken and the Bernese Oberland is a great place to start!
Earlier this summer, we had the pleasure of spending a week travelling around this part of Switzerland by campervan, and it quickly became one of our favourite road trip destinations. From turquoise lakes and dramatic mountain scenery to waterfalls, hiking trails and charming alpine towns, the Interlaken region is made for a van trip.
In this article I have outlined everything you need to know about exploring Interlaken and the Bernese Oberland by campervan.
I included our detailed day-by-day itinerary, with drive times and camping suggestions, as well as useful tips for campervan travel in Switzerland, average costs and frequently asked questions about Swiss van life.
So what are you waiting for? Read on, and start planning your epic Switzerland campervan trip!
Our 5-day Switzerland camper van itinerary at a glance
Before I dive into the details of my itinerary and suggestions for making the most of van travel in Switzerland, here is an overview of our Switzerland road trip itinerary.
| Day | Destination | Main Highlights | Driving Time |
| 1 | Oeschinensee | Hike to one of Switzerland's most beautiful alpine lakes, mountain views and turquoise water | |
| 2 | Lauterbrunnen & Trümmelbach Falls | Explore Lauterbrunnen Valley, see Staubbach Falls and visit the impressive Trümmelbach Falls | ~30 mins |
| 3 | Brienz & Thun | Wander two picturesque lakeside towns and enjoy views over Lakes Brienz and Thun | ~1 hr total |
| 4 | Augstmatthorn | Hike one of the most spectacular viewpoints in the Bernese Oberland overlooking Lake Brienz | ~2 hr total |
| 5 | Lungern | Visit the turquoise waters of Lake Lungern & its cute town before returning your campervan |
Before you go: Switzerland campervan tips
I will include detailed information further down in this article, but before we dive into our day-by-day itinerary, there are a couple things about campervan travel in Switzerland you need to know about.
Don’t forget your Vignetta: Switzerland doesn’t have physical kiosks to collect highway tolls, but that’s not to say highways are free. You need to purchase a “Vignetta”, which is a sticker that costs 40 CHF and is valid for a year, to put on your windshield.
There are cameras on the highway that will check if you have it or not, and give you a fine if you don’t. If you rent your campervan in Switzerland it’s likely it’ll already come with the van, but since we picked up our campervan in Italy, we had to buy a Vignetta as soon as we crossed the border.
Switzerland has strict and clear van rules: One of the things I liked about travelling Switzerland by campervan was how clear everything was. There are no grey areas that leave you wondering if you can spend the night or not.
Every parking area we saw had clear signs that indicated the restrictions for campervans. Some allowed you park during the day but not by night, and if they did allow spending the night, it was always clear how and where to pay.
Our campervan itinerary in the Bernese Oberland
We rented our campervan on Camperdays and picked it up in Milan, Italy, and then drove over to Switzerland.
I recognise that this isn’t the most efficient way to do this itinerary, so we’re going to ignore the first day during which we just drove to Switezrland, and start the itinerary directly in Kandersteg.
Day 1: Hike at Oeschinensee Lake
Start in Kandersteg
Kandersteg is a lovely town, with picturesque alpine architecture, cute streets and towering mountains all around it. The rules of where you can park and camp in this town are very strict, so aim to get there early so you can get a spot at one of the two overnight parking areas.
If you can, try to get a spot at this camping area. We spent a night here and loved it, as it was a little outside the town, with gorgeous views over the waterfall, river and surrounding countryside.
However, there are only 3 spots for camper vans, as its a private area, so you have to be lucky. It’s also very affordable, we paid 24 CHF for 24 hours.
Hike to the Oeschinensee Lake viewpoint
Once you’ve settled into your camping area and enjoyed the town of Kandersteg, it’s time to get ready to hike!
There are lots of different hikes that you can choose from at Oeschinensee Lake, of varying lengths and difficulty levels. We chose to take the gondola up to save time, then hiked trail D towards the lake, branched off onto trail G until the first major viewpoint, and returned to trail D and the lake.
After a swim in the lake we then walked back to Kandersteg on trail A. We found this to be a perfect balance, as it allowed us to see the lake from above, but without doing the whole trail G and E which can get very long. By walking back into town we also saved on the return fare of the gondola.
There are parts of the hike that can be quite steep, but overall it’s relatively easy as it’s all very well marked and easy to follow. Lots of people just stick to trails D and C to get to the lake, but if you can do it, I highly recommend doing at least part of trail G, as the views of the lake from above are stunning.
Oeschinensee Lake has a bright turquoise colour, which paired to the steep mountains that surround it, creates a very beautiful visual effect. The hike through the pine trees to get there is also very scenic, and well worth it.
Day 2: Explore Lauterbrunnen & its waterfalls
After the previous days hike, we slept in a bit and took our time leaving Kandersteg, enjoying the countryside views around our campsite. We set off for our next stop around mid-morning.
Wander the streets of Lauterbrunnen
Our first stop for today was the famous village of Lauterbrunnen. It’s only about 50km from Kandersteg, which took us about 1 hour to drive. The drive there through mountains and lakeside at Thunersee is simply gorgeous.
The village itself is very cute, and there are a couple of very photogenic spots with Staubbachfall in the background, but admittedly there’s not an awful lot to do in this village. After a couple of hours walking around the village, taking photos, checking out the stores, maybe enjoying a fondue at one of the local restaurants, you’ll be ready to drive on.
Admire the powerful Trümmelbach Falls
About a 15 minute drive away from Lauterbrunnen you will find Trümmelbach Falls. I can confidently say that Trümmelbach Falls is one of the most impressive things I’ve ever seen in my life.
Trümmelbach Falls is a series of 10 waterfalls hidden inside a mountain. You can’t see them at all from the road! Entrance costs 16 CHF and they’ll take you up and inside the mountain with an elevator built into the mountain.
From there, you can then walk through a series of tunnels and staircases to admire the glacier-fed waterfalls. The waterfalls are incredibly powerful, and seeing how they shaped the surrounding rock over thousands of years is incredible.
Even if you visit in summer, make sure to bring a jacket, as it gets very cold and wet inside the mountain.
Where to sleep
The valley where Lauterbrunnen is located is also very strict with campervans, but at least it offers a few proper campsites to choose from. We picked Camping Breithorn, just a short drive onwards from Trümmelbach Falls.
We paid around 30 CHF for one night for two people, and made the most of all the services (showers, toilets, emptying grey and black water tanks, and refilling water). While we enjoying wild camping and spending as little as possible on overnight parking, sometimes a campsite is just what you need.
Besides having all the services, this one was particularly nice, with spacious plots and gorgeous mountain views all around.
Day 3: Explore Brienz and Thun
After two days of hiking and nature related activities, today we decided to take it easy and explore some iconic Swiss towns.
Brienz
The drive from Lauterbrunnen to Brienz only takes half an hour, and it’s a beautiful lakeside drive. There are various places in Brienz where you can park the campervan (not overnight) and just pay via the PayByPhone app.
Brienz is a small village, but extremely beautiful. You can easily spend a few hours walking along the lake and getting lost in its picturesque streets. Here you’ll find that typical Alpine architecture, with houses with the wooden roofs and balconies.
The lakeside is also gorgeous, with the incredible mountain views, and lots of cool spots to explore along the lake. Like educational games for children, free sun loungers that you can take to sit and relax, and traditional artisan stores.
Thun
After a while exploring Brienz, we drove on to Thun on the lakeside roads, which takes about 50 minutes, and you’ll enjoy gorgeous views over Brienzersee, Thunersee and the surrounding mountains.
Thun is much bigger than Brienz and is considered a city, but the historical old town centre is still walkable. One of our favourite things to do in Thun was to see the locals surfing in the river at the historical bridges just outside the old town.
As surfers ourselves, it was so cool to see a completely different type of surfing! You can then cross these ancient bridges, and walk into the old town proper, to explore the cobbled streets and distinctive architecture.
We walked all the way up to the castle and cathedral, from which you get sweeping views over the rooftops of Thun and the surrounding lake and mountain views.
At the end of the day we drove to this parking area. It has no services, but we paid only 4 CHF for the night.
Day 4: Hike up Augstmatthorn
The hike to Augstmatthorn is one of the most famous in Switzerland, and it’s easy to see why. This trail has incredible mountain views on the way up, and once you get to top, you’ll find yourself hiking on a narrow ridge, with epic views over the bright turquoise Lake Brienz on one side, and the valleys and mountains on the other.
Similarly to Oeschinensee, there are lots of different routes that you can hike to get to Augstmatthorn, but personally we think the Lombachalp Route, starting here from the parking of Restaurant Jägerstübli, is the best one.
Some argue that it’s not the full Augstmatthorn loop, but it’s easier, cheaper, and still has the best views. It’s a win-win on every aspect if you ask me!
From Thun you will have to set off early in the morning, as it takes about an hour to drive there and the parking area at the restaurant is small, so if you can’t fit a spot you’ll have to park in the previous town and walk more.
The first section is relatively easy, through fields and some trees, until you get to a fork on the trail with a sign, and you can choose between going straight up, or an apparently more gradual path on the right.
It’s very important that you go straight up! Because even though the other path will still get you to Augstmatthorn, what seems like a more gradual path, actually becomes even steeper at the end, with a very rocky way up!
The way up is pretty steep, there’s no denying it, but once you get to the top, you’ll be on the ridge with epic 360 views and it’s all worth it. You can walk on to Augstmatthorn, and then on to Suggiture, from where you then head back down.
We took lots of breaks along the way, and it took us about 5-6 hours to hike Augstmatthorn. Once we returned to our campervan, we devoured a delicious traditional cheese fondue at the restaurant.
Unfortunately you can’t spend the night here, so you’ll have to drive on once you’ve rested a little from your hike. If you’re tired you can sleep at this parking area, although it’s quite pricey for what it is (30 CHF + 3CHF per person for no services), but if you can handle, I recommend driving on to Lungern, as this free overnight parking spot was the best we stayed at in Switzerland.
Day 5: Explore Lungern
After four days driving around and hiking up mountains in Switzerland, we enjoyed a lovely relaxing day in Lungern. This free parking spot is brilliant, right on the edge of the lake, so we woke up with gorgeous lake and mountain views.
The lake has a gorgeous bright turquoise colour due to the glacial water, and the picturesque town nestled on its shores with lush green fields around it makes for an incredibly idyllic scene.
From the parking area we walked all around the lake and into the village, spending some time enjoying the cute streets and lake scenery. If you’re brave enough you can even go for a dip in the alpine lake!
After a lovely morning and lunch, we then drove back to Italy so we could be ready to return our van on the next day first thing in the morning.
How much does a Switzerland campervan trip cost?
The price of a Switzerland campervan trip will vary wildly depending on the kind of parking or camping areas you choose for spending the night. On our trip we stayed in some free overnight parking areas, but also paid 40 CHF for a camping with services.
The campervan you choose will also influence your final price. Smaller vans without a toilet are obviously cheaper, whilst bigger and more modern ones with all the services are obviously more expensive. Prices vary from 70 CHF to 150 CHF per night depending on the van and season.
As previously mentioned, you need a “Vignetta” for the highways, but that has a fixed cost of 40 CHF. Fuel will depend on how much you drive. For a week driving around Interlaken and the Bernese Overland we spent around 150 CHF.
Similarly, another big factor on your travel budget will be food and excursions. If you choose to cook in your van, you will obviously spend less than if you eat out every day. We ate out once when we wanted to enjoy a fondue and spent 60 CHF for two people, after that we decided to cook more in the van.
Excursions are another item that could heavily impact your Switzerland travel budget, but the good news is that you don’t have to pay for any if you don’t want to. Many hikes are entirely free, you only pay if you choose to take a cable car for part of the journey (which can be quite expensive, factor at least 20 CHF per cable car journey).
Taking all that into account, a week-long Switzerland campervan trip for two people can cost anywhere between 800 CHF to 2,000 CHF, depending on your choices, with a realistic budget sitting somewhere in the middle around 1,500 CHF.
Where to stay in a camper van around Interlaken
I already linked above all of the camping and parking areas we stayed each day, but here they are again listed:
- Kandersteg
- Camping Breithorn near Lauterbrunnen
- Thun
- Habkern
- Lungern
They’re the spots that worked best for our itinerary, but the beauty of a campervan trip is that you don’t have to stick to a fixed itinerary. You’re free to change things up if you want to.
I recommend you check the app Park4Night, as it will help you find parking and camping spots, as well as places where you can do all the van services like emptying the toilet and grey water, alongside reviews and photos by other van travellers so you can see if the spot works for you.
Best time for this Switzerland campervan itinerary
The best time to do this Switzerland itinerary is from late spring to early autumn. Even though the lakeside parts of this itinerary won’t see an awful lot of snow in winter, it will still be cold, and possibly rainy.
So you’re better off doing this itinerary in or around summer, when the mountain views are green and lush, the temperatures are warmer and the days sunnier.
FAQs about campervan travel in Switzerland
Can you wild camp in Switzerland with a camper van?
Generally speaking, no. It’s not a nationwide ban, and it will depend on the rules in each canton and municipality, but most places in Switzerland ban wild camping. Some towns will allow you to park overnight for free and spend the night, but you can’t “camp” in the sense of taking out chairs, table, awnings etc.
Is Switzerland good for van life?
Despite the general ban on wild camping, yes I found it really good for van life. We found lots of parking areas where we could spend the night, both free and paid, and the services they provided (like toilets) were always clean.
Is it difficult to drive a campervan in Switzerland?
Driving a campervan in Switzerland is pretty easy. Most of the roads are what you’d expect everywhere in Europe (if not better), with wide roads, well paved, clean and well marked.
If you’re trying to get to a remote mountain village, or hiking trail, there might be some narrow and winding mountain roads to get there, but even those will be well paved and marked.
Where can you empty a campervan toilet in Switzerland?
We found plenty of places around Switzerland that offer the campervan services like emptying the toilet and grey water, as well as refilling fresh water, both paid and free.
You will always find a place for services inside campsites, and it will usually be included for the price of the campsite. We found a place to empty the campervan toilet in Thun that was free, and others at gas stations that you had to pay for.
You can use the app Park4Night also to find service area stops and where to empty your campervan toilet in Switzerland. The reviews by other travellers will tell you whether it’s paid or not and what to expect.
Is five days enough for Interlaken and the Bernese Oberland?
Yes. While you could obviously spend much longer in the area, exploring all the little lakeside and mountain towns, and going on lots of epic hikes, five days is the bare minimum to get a good feel for the Bernese Overland and Interlaken.
Do you need to book campsites in Switzerland in advance?
Some of them yes, you do. We had no issues rocking up at the campsite in Lauterbrunnen without a booking, but others we checked online were fully booked or asked for a minimum stay of two nights.
It also depends on when you’re travelling, in peak summer season they can get booked out early on, but in shoulder season you can still find spots on the same day.
Do you need a Vignetta for a campervan in Switzerland?
Yes. If you plan to drive on motorways, you will need a Vignetta to pay for them. If you rent your campervan in Switzerland, it’s likely that it will already be included. But if you rent it outside Switzerland like we did, you’ll likely have to purchase it for 40 CHF.
How do you pay for parking areas in Switzerland?
This isn’t just for campervans, it applies also to parking cars. I downloaded the app PayByPhone and managed all the payments through that app. Often you can also pay directly at a parking column, which gives you a ticket to put in your windshield.
Final thoughts on our Interlaken campervan trip
That’s a wrap on my ultimate Switzerland campervan guide! I hope you found it useful, and if you have any questions about this Interlaken campervan itinerary, just let me know in the comments below!
Switzerland is an incredibly gorgeous country, especially the Bernese Oberland and Interlaken area. The lush green valleys, towering mountains, bright blue lakes and picturesque towns will make you feel like you’ve stepped into a movie.
And exploring this region by campervan is one of the best ways to do so, as it gives you so much freedom to move around and truly immerse yourself in this stunning nature.
Considering I grew up in Milan, which is only a few hours away from Switzerland, I couldn’t believe it had taken me so long to visit it! I’m very grateful to Camperdays for the opportunity to do so.
So what are you waiting for? Book a campervan, and start planning your Switzerland campervan road trip!
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