It is on the Thunersee line of the BLS AG, and is one of two stations in the town, the other being Interlaken Ost.

[1] The lines through the station are standard gauge and are electrified at 15 kV AC.

Ships of the BLS-owned fleet on Lake Thun serve a quay at Interlaken West, which they access via the 2.75-kilometre (1.71 mi) long Interlaken ship canal.

Originally known simply as Interlaken, Interlaken West was the first station to be opened in the town, when the Bödelibahn railway reached it from Därligen, on Lake Thun in 1872.

Two years later the railway was extended to Bönigen, on Lake Brienz, via Interlaken Zollhaus station.