Most visitors to the Bernese Oberland go straight to Interlaken and miss the town where the Aare leaves Lake Thun. Thun has a castle on a hill, a medieval old town with streets on two levels and a lake boat that doubles as public transport — and it is reachable from Montreux in about two hours without a car.
Thun at a glance
- What
- Castle town at the point where the Aare river leaves Lake Thun; the keep of Thun Castle dates from around 1190[1]
- From Montreux
- Roughly 2 hours by train via Lausanne and Bern; a longer scenic route runs via the GoldenPass line to Zweisimmen and Spiez (check SBB)[3]
- Old town
- Obere Hauptgasse is famous for its raised pavements, with shops on two levels[2]
- Lake
- BLS passenger boats run on Lake Thun; a Swiss Travel Pass normally covers them (verify before boarding)[4]
- Best for
- A castle-and-lake day without the Interlaken crowds; good in light rain
- Allow
- A full day (about 6 hours on site)
Short answer: yes, Thun works as a day trip from Montreux. Allow roughly two hours each way by train (the quickest route runs via Lausanne and Bern), spend the morning in the old town and castle, and take a BLS boat on Lake Thun in the afternoon. Return by a different line for a scenic loop.[3]
Photo: Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In this guide
What Thun offers
Thun Castle was built around 1190 by Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen and still houses a museum inside the keep, with views over the town and lake from its towers.[1] Below it, the old town spreads along the Aare. The best-known street, Obere Hauptgasse, has raised pavements above the roadway, so the shops sit on two levels.[2] Thun has roughly 45,000 inhabitants and a compact centre that you can cover on foot.[5]
Getting there from Montreux
The quickest route is the intercity along Lake Geneva to Lausanne, on to Bern and then a short regional hop to Thun; plan roughly two hours in total with one change. A second option is the GoldenPass line from Montreux to Zweisimmen, then a regional train to Spiez and Thun. It takes longer but is among the prettiest rides in the country (see our GoldenPass guide). We could not pull a live timetable for this article, so confirm times on the SBB app.[3]
A one-day plan
- 09:00 — leave Montreux. Take the intercity via Lausanne and Bern.
- 11:00 — the old town. Walk the Obere Hauptgasse and the island shopping street of Bälliz between the two arms of the Aare.
- 12:00 — castle. Climb the covered stairway to the castle and visit the museum and keep.
- 13:30 — lunch by the river or in the old town.
- 15:00 — boat on Lake Thun. Ride to Spiez or Oberhofen and look at the shoreline castles from the water.
- 17:30 — return. Take the train from Spiez via Zweisimmen and the GoldenPass line for the scenic way home, or go back via Bern.
The lake boat
BLS operates the passenger boats on Lake Thun between Thun, Spiez, Interlaken and other lakeside stops.[4] The Swiss Travel Pass normally includes them, and a Half Fare Card gives a discount, which can tip the numbers in our Swiss Travel Pass vs Half Fare Card comparison. Boat timetables are seasonal, so check the BLS website for the day you travel.
When to go
Late spring to early autumn gives the fullest boat timetable and the best terrace weather. Outside the main season, boats run less often and some castle hours are shorter, so check the castle and BLS sites before you leave.[1][4] In rain, prioritise the castle museum and the covered stairway, and keep the boat for a clearer window.
Where to stay
Thun is a good day out rather than a base: from Montreux you return to a quieter lakefront in the evening. If you are weighing the Bernese towns against each other, read our guides to Bern’s old town and Interlaken and the Bernese Oberland. Owners curious about the town as an investment can read our Thun short-term rental income guide.
Base yourself in Montreux
Bern, Thun, Lausanne and the Alps are all a train ride away. Kitchens for early starts and the lakefront when you get back.
See our apartmentsRelated reading: Bern old town · Interlaken & the Oberland · GoldenPass train
10+ years in hospitality. BBA Hospitality (Glion), MSc Tourism (FHGR), MSc Data Science (HSLU).
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get from Montreux to Thun?
Roughly two hours by train via Lausanne and Bern, with one change. A longer, more scenic route runs on the GoldenPass line to Zweisimmen and then via Spiez. Check the SBB app for exact times.[3]
Is Thun worth a day trip from Montreux?
Yes, if you want a castle, a medieval old town and a lake boat without the Interlaken crowds. It suits a full day, particularly in late spring to early autumn.[1]
What is Thun famous for?
Thun Castle, built around 1190, and the old town’s Obere Hauptgasse with its raised pavements, plus its position where the Aare leaves Lake Thun.[2]
Does the Swiss Travel Pass cover the Lake Thun boats?
It normally covers the BLS boats on Lake Thun, and a Half Fare Card gives a discount. Conditions can change, so verify on the BLS site before boarding.[4]
Can I visit Thun from Montreux without a car?
Yes. The train takes you into the centre, the old town and castle are walkable, and the lake boat starts nearby, so a car adds nothing.[3]
Sources
- Schloss Thun (schlossthun.ch) — castle history (keep from around 1190, Zähringen) and museum — schlossthun.ch
- MySwitzerland (myswitzerland.com), “Thun” — old town, Obere Hauptgasse raised pavements, Bälliz — myswitzerland.com/en/destinations/thun
- SBB (sbb.ch) timetable, Montreux → Thun — journey time varies by route, verify on the SBB app before travelling — sbb.ch
- BLS (bls.ch), Lake Thun boats; Swiss Travel System (swisstravelsystem.com), Swiss Travel Pass coverage — seasonal timetables, verify on the day — bls.ch
- Swiss Federal Statistical Office (bfs.admin.ch), population of the municipality of Thun (roughly 45,000) — bfs.admin.ch