Things to Do in Interlaken in May
May weather, activities, events & insider tips
Low Season · Budget Friendly
May Weather in Interlaken
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
65°F (18°C)
High Temp
46°F (8°C)
Low Temp
4.8 inches (122 mm)
Rainfall
70%
Humidity
Is May Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
Advantages
- + Alpine meadows ignite. Purple gentians and white narcissus carpet the Lauterbrunnen Valley in a bloom you will not catch after June. Walk early. The color fades fast.
- + May delivers the year's most stable thermals. Paragliders stay airborne 20-25 minutes, almost double the 12-15 minutes you get once summer arrives. Book the morning slot.
- + Hotel rates drop 30-40% below July-August peaks, and rooms sit empty at mountain hotels like Mürren's Belle Epoque properties. Grab a balcony room.
- + Hiking trails above 1,800 m (5,900 ft) unlock mid-month, minus the July parade that turns the Eiger Trail into a subway platform. Start early, finish smiling.
- + The Jungfrau Railway rolls out vintage 1950s coaches on select mornings, a perk reserved for shoulder season. Ride up, feel the era.
Considerations
- − Weather swings hit hard. You can begin in a t-shirt at 9 AM and hunt for gloves by 3 PM when a cold front skids across the Bödeli plain. Pack layers.
- − Cogwheel trains to Jungfraujoch shut for maintenance 2-3 days per week, usually Tue-Thu, so keep a backup plan ready for those bucket-list views. Check first.
- − Many high-alpine restaurants keep doors locked until June, so your Harder Kulm visit ends with instant coffee instead of proper espresso. Bring your own flask.
Best Activities in May
Top things to do during your visit
Paragliding Flights over the Bödeli Plain
May's thermal conditions hand you the longest flight time of the year, typically 20-25 minutes versus summer's 12-15. The snowline rests at 2,000 m (6,560 ft), so you glide over green valleys while peaks stay white. Morning flights launch at 9 AM when thermals are gentle. Afternoon lifts at 2 PM give stronger rise but bumpier air.
Booking Tip: Reserve morning slots 3-5 days ahead. Afternoon flights can be booked same-day if weather holds steady. Operators gather at the Interlaken Ost train station meadow. Look for pilots carrying Swiss Hang Gliding Association certification.
Alpine Meadow Hiking from Mürren
Trails like the Northface Trail open mid-May, when edelweiss and alpine roses color meadows that brown out by July. The four-hour loop from Mürren to Grimmelwald delivers Eiger North Face views without summer crowds, and the mountain huts you pass crave early-season cash. Expect homemade rhubarb cake that vanishes from menus by June.
Booking Tip: Cable cars leave every 30 minutes from Stechelberg to Mürren. Hit the trail by 9 AM to outrun afternoon clouds that usually pile in around 2 PM.
White Water Rafting on the Lütschine River
May snowmelt cranks the Lütschine into Class III-IV rapids, the wildest water you will see all year. The river glows milky turquoise from glacial silt, and you will paddle past waterfalls that shrink by August. Water temperature holds at 5°C (41°F), so the wetsuit they hand you is not optional.
Booking Tip: Rafts shove off at 9 AM and 1 PM from Wilderswil, 5 km (3.1 miles) south of Interlaken. Morning runs ride gentler flows. Afternoon trips catch peak snowmelt.
Harder Kulm Sunset Viewing
May sunsets strike the perfect angle to ignite both the Eiger and Jungfrau at once, a sight summer's high sun erases. The funicular runs until 9:30 PM, gifting two hours of golden light without the July tour-bus invasion.
Booking Tip: Reach the summit by 7 PM for an 8:30 PM sunset. The Panorama Restaurant keeps late hours in May, closing at 9 PM in winter, 10 PM in summer.
Jungfraujoch Glacier Tour
The Sphinx Observatory stays open year-round, yet May has a bonus: temperature inversion traps warm air in the valleys while the summit sits at -5°C (23°F). You will stroll through the Ice Palace in loaner boots, then step into air so clear you can pick out the Black Forest 150 km (93 miles) away, visibility that summer haze swallows.
Booking Tip: Study the maintenance schedule before you buy. The cogwheel railway closes for track work 2-3 days each week in May. Early departures at 8 AM from Interlaken Ost beat the noon cloud build-up.
Where to Stay in Interlaken in May
Hand-picked hotels across price tiers for May travellers.
Public Holidays in May
Dates that affect opening hours, transport and crowds
Tag der Arbeit
Known in English as Labour Day. A public holiday in these regions only: CH-ZH, CH-SO, CH-BS, CH-BL, CH-SH, CH-NE, CH-JU.
Auffahrt
Known in English as Ascension Day. Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Pfingstmontag
Known in English as Whit Monday. A public holiday in these regions only: CH-ZH, CH-BE, CH-GL, CH-FR, CH-BS, CH-BL, CH-SH, CH-AR, CH-AI, CH-SG, CH-GR, CH-AG, CH-TG, CH-VD, CH-GE, CH-JU.
Fronleichnam
Known in English as Corpus Christi. A public holiday in these regions only: CH-LU, CH-UR, CH-SZ, CH-OW, CH-NW, CH-ZG, CH-FR, CH-SO, CH-AI, CH-AG, CH-VS, CH-JU.
Tag der Arbeit
Known in English as Labour Day. A public holiday in these regions only: CH-ZH, CH-SO, CH-BS, CH-BL, CH-SH, CH-NE, CH-JU.
Auffahrt
Known in English as Ascension Day. Observed nationwide as a public holiday.
Packing Checklist
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Climate-specific gear, brand recommendations, and what to leave at home.
View Interlaken Packing List →Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Insider Knowledge
Hotel owners in Interlaken usually cut prices 15-20% for walk-ins after 6 PM. May's low season hands you bargaining power.
The Coop supermarket at Interlaken West stays open until 9 PM, while others shut at 6:30. Stock up for dawn mountain departures.
Locals hike the Harder Ridge Trail on Wednesday evenings. Join the group at 6 PM from the Harder Kulm station for sunset without headlamps.
The best fondue hides on the Seilpark Interlaken terrace. They melt local Bergkäse over open fire, open to non-climbers after 5 PM.
Avoid These Mistakes
Avoid booking Jungfraujoch tickets more than 3 days ahead. May's maintenance closures demand flexibility to swap dates.
Never wear cotton t-shirts hiking. They stay wet for hours when a cold front slams in, while synthetics dry in 20 minutes.
Ignore wind chill and you'll shiver. That "warm" 65°F (18°C) day drops to 45°F (7°C) at 3,000 m (9,840 ft) once 30 mph (48 km/h) gusts hit. Pack layers. Always.
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