Visiting Harder Kulm on a Cloudy Day – The Waiting Game
Is Harder Kulm Worth Visiting?
One of the questions I asked myself when planning my trip to Interlaken, Switzerland, was, “Is Harder Kulm worth visiting?” After some research, I decided that Harder Kulm was definitely worth visiting, as it would provide a unique view of Interlaken and Lake Brienz. The next question I came up with was, “Is Harder Kulm worth visiting on a cloudy day?” That question seemed to be more difficult to answer.
I purchased my ticket to go to the top of Harder Kulm online, and the ticket could be used whenever, as there was not a particular stated date and time. During my first few days in Interlaken, the weather had not cooperated. During a trip to Jungfraujoch, I ended up not being able to see the top of Europe due to clouds and fog. I decided to wait out the weather and not go to the top of Harder Kulm until there was a window with no clouds. One perk with Harder Kulm is that the observation deck is visible from the base of the mountain. A simple rule of thumb is that if you can’t see the observation deck of Harder Kulm, they cannot see you.
Finally, on my last day in Interlaken, the clouds cleared, and I was able to make it to the top of Harder Kulm. The weather only cooperated for a few minutes, and by the end of my visit, the clouds had returned. I highly recommend visiting Harder Kulm as long as the weather is cooperating and you can see the observation platform from the ground.
Visiting Harder Kulm on a Cloudy Day - Table of Contents
- Is Harder Kulm Worth Visiting?
- How to Get to Harder Kulm
- Arriving at Harder Kulm
- Observation Platform at Harder Kulm
- Returning to Interlaken from Harder Kulm
- Harder Kulm in the Clouds
- Harder Kulm Tours and Packages
- Support Buzzin’ Around the World – Visit Our Affiliates
- Earning Points and Rewards
- Related Content
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How to Get to Harder Kulm
Harder Kulm is located within walking distance of Interlaken Ost station. From the station, follow the signs towards the Harderbahn Station. You can purchase your ticket at the station or online ahead of time. Regular-priced tickets to ride the Harder Kulm train cost CHF 34 ($34) or CHF 17 ($17) with the Swiss Rail Pass.
Once at Harderbahn Station, you can purchase your ticket from the ticket office on the second level. If you already have your ticket, walk up the steps and scan your ticket. The gate will open, and you will enter a queue for the next train.
There are limited seats on the cogwheel train so take the first seat you can find. If you can’t find a seat, there are plenty of places to stand. The ride to the observation area of Harder Kulm takes around 10 minutes.
Before boarding the train, make sure that you can see the observation platform. If the Harder Kulm observation platform is hidden by clouds, you will not be able to see the beautiful views. I took the photo below the day before when the clouds were obstructing the view at Harder Kulm.
Arriving at Harder Kulm
Once you arrive at Harder Kulm, you will need to walk up a slow incline to get to the main observation platform. The walk takes about 5-minutes, and there are benches along the way to stop and rest.
Located along the pathway are some wooden Alpine figures. Below are photos of two of them.
There are some good photo opportunities along the pathway that many people will stop to photograph. I recommend not stopping and walking straight to the observation area to beat the crowd that just arrived on the same train that you took. You can always get the photographs from the path on the way back to the cogwheel station.
After about 5-minutes of waking, you will arrive at Harder Kulm’s main observation area.
There is a restaurant and a small shop located near the observation platform. I didn’t buy anything as the prices were extremely high.
Observation Platform at Harder Kulm
The observation platform at Harder Kulm is the best place to take photographs of Interlaken, Lake Brienz, and the Alps. During my visit, I hurried ahead of the other tourists on the train to beat them to the viewing platform.
There was still a line at the Harder Kulm Observation Platform, but it would get much longer about ten minutes after I arrived.
For those afraid of heights, the Harder Kulm Observation Platform will be quite intimidating. Thankfully, I don’t mind heights and felt perfectly safe the entire time.
For anyone visiting Harder Kulm, you will likely have to wait in line for your turn to take photos at the end of the observation platform. During my visit, it took about ten minutes before it was my turn.
Below are my photos from the edge of the observation platform at Harder Kulm. While I felt extremely safe on the platform, I was glad my camera was strapped around my neck. When I took out my phone to take a selfie, I was slightly worried about dropping it.
You can see in the photos below that the clouds were beginning to move in as I took my photographs. I had timed my visit perfectly, as the clouds would cover the platform by the time I arrived back at the train station.
During my visit to Harder Kulm, multiple hand-gliders came out of the clouds and glided over the skies of Interlaken. It was a unique sight to see and I wondered what their view was like as they glided through the clouds.
Returning to Interlaken from Harder Kulm
To return to Interlaken, I you have two choices. You can either take the Cogwheel train back to Harderbahn Station or walk down a path that would eventually make it to Interlaken Ost.
From my research, I learned that this hike would take three to four hours and was rated hard.
I decided against hiking down the mountain and chose to take the train. The Alpine figure below decided to take the path. I hope he was still smiling when he reached Interlaken Ost.
After retracing my steps, I arrived at the station to return to Interlaken. The train comes every 30-minutes or so, and after a short wait, I was on my way.
It was hard to photograph the train ride as I was unable to get a seat and had to stand. The photo below was the best one I was able to take.
Harder Kulm in the Clouds
I was lucky that I was able to find the perfect window to visit Harder Kulm. If I had arrived 30-minutes later, Harder Kulm’s view would have been covered by the clouds. I highly recommend watching the clouds and waiting for them to break before visiting Harder Kulm.
You can see in the photo below how the clouds ruin the views from the top of Harder Kulm.
Below is a before and after photo of the Alpine figure playing the Alphorn. You can see how much the clouds blocked the view by the time I returned.
Harder Kulm Tours and Packages
I did not take a tour when I visited Harder Kulm. For me, it was easy to book my ticket, and I felt a guide was not needed to enjoy the views of Harder Kulm.
At the same time, I know some people enjoy being led around by a local guide. To the right is a package that caught my eye. This package includes a visit to Harder Kulm.
Please note that I am an affiliate of Viator. If you purchase a package using my link, I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no additional cost to you.
The price is accurate as of June 2023.
 | Interlaken City Tour plus Harder Mountain (Top of Interlaken) Private Tour - $277.96 Enjoy a city tour in Interlaken and a short excursion to the local hill with your private tour guide, just you and your guide! Enjoy a relaxed walk through the main street in Interlaken and enjoy the fantastical view to the mountains from the meadow in the middle of the city center. We'll pass the Casino with it's historical building and we'll cross the Aare river, which connects both lakes. Get same information about developping tourism in Interlaken from your private tourguide. After spending the time in Interlaken, the cable car takes us up to the local peak "Harder", from where you have a spectacular view to the lakes and the high alpine mountains. |
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