Paragliding is the one big Interlaken activity no pass touches. Trains, boats, even half the cable cars are covered or discounted — this is pure cash, typically CHF 180 to 230, and the flight itself lasts about fifteen minutes. Whether that is good value comes down to three decisions most people make badly: what time of day you fly, which flight length you buy, and whether you agree to the photo package before you understand what it costs.
Planning essentials
Tandem paragliding in Interlaken at a glance
| Typical price | Around CHF 180–230 for a standard tandem flight |
| Swiss Travel Pass | Not covered — no discount of any kind |
| Time in the air | Roughly 10–20 minutes on a standard flight |
| Total time needed | About 2 hours including check-in and the drive to take-off |
| Take-off | Usually Beatenberg, on the slope above Lake Thun |
| Landing | Höhematte, the big park in the centre of Interlaken |
| Experience needed | None — you run a few steps and then sit down |
| Runs | Year-round, entirely weather-dependent |
The three decisions that actually matter
Morning or afternoon
Morning air is smooth and stable. Calmer flight, better for nervous first-timers or anyone prone to motion sickness, and the light on the lakes is cleaner.
Afternoon thermals give lift, so pilots can stay up longer and carve turns. More thrilling, bumpier, and the haze is heavier over Lake Thun.
Standard or “long” flight
Operators upsell longer or higher flights for a substantial premium. Be honest about what you want: the view does not change much, you simply stay in it longer.
For most people the standard flight is enough — fifteen minutes of hanging in silence over two lakes is not a short experience when you are actually in it.
The third decision, and the one that catches everyone: photos and video are almost never included. The pilot films you on a boom camera during the flight and offers the footage after you land, typically for another CHF 40 or so — at exactly the moment you are elated and least likely to say no. Decide before you take off, not after.
What you actually see
Take-off at Beatenberg faces southwest across Lake Thun, so the first minutes are all water, with Thun and the Niesen pyramid in the distance. As the pilot turns for Interlaken the whole picture opens: Lake Brienz appears behind you in a completely different colour — deeper, greener, glacier-fed — with the two lakes separated by the narrow strip of town.
Behind that, the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau fill the horizon. It is the only vantage point where you see both lakes and the full massif in one frame, which is precisely why this flight is worth doing here rather than anywhere else in the Alps.
Practical points
- Book for early in your stay, not the last day. Flights cancel for wind and cloud with no notice, and if you have three days left you can rebook. If you have one, you lose it.
- There is a weight range, usually somewhere around 35 to 110 kg depending on operator and conditions. Check when booking rather than at check-in.
- Wear proper shoes. You run a few steps downhill on grass at take-off — sandals are genuinely a problem.
- Landing is in the middle of town, which means you walk back to your hotel rather than waiting for a transfer. Useful when planning the rest of the day.
- Nothing is refundable for weather beyond a rebooking, so allow flexible days.
Is it worth it against a mountain day?
Straight comparison, because they cost about the same: a tandem flight is roughly the price of a Jungfraujoch return with a Swiss Travel Pass, and rather more than Schilthorn or Grindelwald First once the pass discount applies.
The honest answer is that they are not substitutes. The mountains give you height, ice and a whole day. Paragliding gives you fifteen minutes of something you cannot get any other way, and most people who do it rank it above the excursion they paid the same for. If the budget only stretches to one, ask yourself whether you would rather have the photograph or the feeling.
When not to book it for that day
One piece of planning advice matters more than everything else here.
- Book it early in your stay, never on your last day. Flights are cancelled for wind and cloud far more often than visitors expect, and a cancellation on your final morning means it simply did not happen. Booking it on day one or two leaves room to be moved.
- Check the operator’s limits before you pay. Weight and age requirements differ between companies, and they are checked at the launch site rather than at booking. Confirm yours in advance rather than discovering it on the hill.
How this fits the rest of your trip
Interlaken is the base for all of it — our 3-day Interlaken itinerary covers Thun, Brienz and the Schilthorn, and both lakes have boat services included with your pass, which makes for a good low-cost afternoon after a morning flight. See the boats, buses and mountain discounts guide for what is covered.
For the bigger mountain days from here, Schilthorn is the best value on a pass and Jungfraujoch the biggest occasion. Getting to Interlaken in the first place, the Lucerne–Interlaken Express is the scenic approach and costs nothing extra.
Interlaken paragliding questions
Is paragliding covered by the Swiss Travel Pass?
No. Tandem paragliding is a private activity with no pass coverage or discount of any kind. Expect to pay roughly CHF 180 to 230 for a standard flight, entirely separate from anything your pass includes.
How long is a tandem paragliding flight in Interlaken?
Usually 10 to 20 minutes in the air on a standard flight, with about two hours total once you include check-in and the drive up to the take-off point at Beatenberg.
Is morning or afternoon better for paragliding?
Morning air is smooth and stable, which suits nervous flyers and gives cleaner light over the lakes. Afternoon thermals allow longer, more dynamic flights but the air is bumpier and the haze heavier. Choose by temperament rather than schedule.
Do I need any experience to paraglide in Interlaken?
None at all. On a tandem flight the pilot handles everything — you run a few steps downhill at take-off, then sit back in a harness for the duration. The only real requirements are being within the operator’s weight range and wearing proper shoes.
Are photos included in the price?
Almost never. Pilots film the flight on a boom camera and offer the footage after landing, typically for around CHF 40 extra. Decide whether you want it before you take off, because the offer comes when you are least inclined to refuse.
What happens if the weather cancels my flight?
You rebook rather than get a refund in most cases. That is why it is worth booking early in your stay instead of on your final day — with days in hand you can move the flight, otherwise you simply lose it.
Travel Interlaken on one pass
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