You step off the forest path and there it is — a lake so clear and still it looks like glass, mirroring amber and fire-red larches leaning over its edge. The water is an impossible, saturated blue, yet you can see every stone at the bottom, ten meters down. No wind. No sound except falling leaves. You almost forget to breathe.
📍 Location & How to Get There
Blausee (Blue Lake) sits in the Kandertal valley near Kandersteg, Bernese Oberland.
By car: ~1 hour from Bern via A6/A8; large car park right at the entrance covering 20 hectares of traffic-free park area , roughly a 300-metre walk to the lake.
By train + bus: BLS train from Bern to Spiez, transfer to Kandersteg, then bus number 230 to the “BlauseeBE” stop, with the park entrance right by the road.
Opening hours: 9am–9pm spring through autumn, 9am–5pm in winter .
🎟️ Tickets & Parking
Admission is charged, with prices varying by season and day of the week. Recent visitor reports put adult entry roughly in the CHF 8–13 range, cheaper for evening tickets after 6pm and pricier on peak days.
Children under 6 enter free, ages 6–15 pay a reduced fee, and 16+ pay the full adult price . Visitors get free admission on their birthday if they bring ID.
The Bernese Oberland Pass or a Kandersteg/Adelboden/Lenk guest card gives a 50% discount — Half-Fare, GA Travelcard, and Swiss Travel Pass do not offer a discount .
Parking is paid separately at the entrance car park, commonly cited around CHF 6 flat rate regardless of duration — though hotel guests can use the visitor car park without a parking ticket by giving their car registration on arrival.
Buy tickets online in advance, at the on-site ticket machine, or in the shop at the entrance.
🏨 Accommodation
The on-site Grand Hotel has 21 rooms, a restaurant, café, large terrace, and a spa overlooking the lake — ideal for a romantic overnight stay right beside the water, waking up before the day-trippers arrive.
Check-in from 3pm, check-out at 11am, with breakfast always included in room rates ; early check-in or late check-out is available for an extra CHF 50 .
For more variety, Kandersteg village (10–15 min away) offers a wide range of hotels, chalets, and guesthouses at lower cost.
📖 The Story Behind Blausee
In 1864, the wife of a Zurich businessman named Samuel Klopfenstein bought this romantic, tranquil lake, and it later became one of Switzerland’s most beloved glacial lakes. Local legend tells of a blue-eyed girl who wept endlessly over her shepherd lover’s death, her tears pooling to form the lake — giving Blausee its nickname, the “Sapphire of the Alps.” The lake and surrounding landscape were originally formed 15,000 years ago by a massive rockfall from the Fisistock mountain .
🌅 What to Expect When You Visit
Best autumn window: mid-to-late October, when larches peak in gold and copper.
The lake loop takes about 20–30 minutes on foot , flat and easy for all ages.
Arrive early morning or late afternoon for calmer water and thinner crowds — one visitor noted the trails can get crowded with people setting up spots for the “best Instagram photo,” so timing matters if you want a peaceful shoot.
The entrance fee includes the picnic and barbecue areas, a natural children’s playground, and a visit to the organic trout farm , plus a ride on the glass-bottom rowing boat in summer.
🗺️ Nearby Places Worth Exploring
Kandersteg Village — charming alpine base, gateway to the wider region.
Oeschinensee — a larger, more magnificent and peaceful alpine lake , reachable by cable car and hike from Kandersteg.
Gasterntal Valley — untouched wilderness, waterfalls, far fewer tourists.
BLS Lötschberg Railway — one of Switzerland’s iconic scenic rail journeys through the region.
Thank you for visiting and if you have any comments ir request please let me know.
Regards,
Hendrik