Reichenbach Falls Waterfall

Address: Reichenbachfälle (Reichenbach Falls), near Meiringen, Canton of Bern, Switzerland

Hours: Accessible year-round; facilities (funicular/museum) seasonal

Admission: Free to view; fees may apply for funicular or museum

Reichenbach Falls are a series of waterfalls and cascades on a mountain stream in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland, near the town of Meiringen. The falls form a steep, rocky gorge with multiple drops and have long attracted visitors for their dramatic scenery.

The site is internationally known for its association with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes story ‘The Final Problem’ (1893), in which the falls are the setting for Holmes’ fatal struggle with Professor Moriarty. This literary connection has made the falls a popular stop for fans and general tourists alike.

Visitor infrastructure includes paths and viewpoints that allow access to the upper and lower sections of the falls, and a short mountain railway/funicular service links the town area with the falls’ viewing points. The falls have been a local attraction since the 19th century and remain one of the better-known natural sites in the Bernese Alps region.

Geographically the falls sit above Meiringen in the Haslital valley of the Canton of Bern and are accessible by short local transport links and on-foot trails from the town.

• Literary link: The falls became a popular visitor destination after being used as the setting for Sherlock Holmes’ confrontation with Professor Moriarty in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s story published in 1893.
• Access: Paths and viewing platforms provide access to different cascades; the site is reachable from the town of Meiringen by short walk or public lift and funicular services.

What to See#

• Reichenbach Funicular: A short mountain railway that carries visitors from the town area to a viewing point near the falls, making the upper reaches accessible without long climbs.

Reichenbach Falls is accessed from the village of Meiringen in the Bernese Oberland. Take the Zentralbahn (Brünig line) or InterCity trains to Meiringen from Interlaken or Lucerne; from Meiringen the falls are a walk of roughly 20-30 minutes uphill, or you can take the short Reichenbachfallbahn funicular that runs from Meiringen up to the falls (seasonal service may apply).

• Plan your visit from Meiringen and take the short funicular or the marked hiking path up to the viewing platforms-these give the best vantage points over the falls and are how most visitors access the site.
• Visit outside the busiest summer hours if you want less crowded viewpoints; the walk down to the lower platforms is steep and the spray makes for dramatic photos in the morning light.
• Combine the falls with Meiringen's Sherlock Holmes attractions (museum and plaques) and the nearby Aare Gorge for a full-day outing that most travelers overlook.