Getting from Zurich to Interlaken is expensive; a one-way train ticket costs 73 CHF. I would recommend doing a multi-day trip or getting a Swiss Travel Pass for longer stays.
Interlaken is indeed a beautiful town, nestled between two stunning lakes, Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. Interlaken reminded me of Lake Atitlán in Guatemala. Interlaken is, of course, more luxurious and really expensive, though.
Day 1
I would recommend hiking along the tram line towards Harder Kulm, a viewpoint overlooking the town. The hike is about 5 miles, takes 3 hours, and is moderately difficult.
I went to St. Beatus Waterfall in the evening.
There is a statue of Yash Chopra, The famous Indian film director, in Interlaken.
Day 2
Take the 11-CHF 1-hour train from Interlaken to Grindelwald, a beautiful mountain village. I would recommend hiking from here to the other side of the valley to Kleine Scheidegg and taking a 49-CHF train via Lauterbrunnen to go back to Interlaken. The hike is about 9 miles long and takes about 5 hours, going through beautiful alpine scenery.
Note
- Food is expensive. Even low-end food is as expensive as prices in New York City or San Francisco. Cards are accepted everywhere, even for small amounts.
- I would recommend staying at Backerpackers Villa Sonnenhof, a nice hostel with good amenities.
- An Interlaken to Bern train ticket is 1-hour long and costs 31.2 CHF one-way.
- Your hotel/hostel might offer the Interlaken Guest pass which covers free public transport and free access to the public pool. Take Bus 21 to go around the town.