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We were really looking forward to visiting Schilthorn on our trip to Switzerland. However, we have since found that the cable car is closed from Wengen to Schilthorn at the time of our visit and unfortunately to other commitments we cannot change our Switzerland dates. Is there an alternative way to visit Schilthorn or a recommendation for another mountain trip in the Wengen area would be appreciated.
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Hello Julia and Welcome to MySwissAlps,
There is no cable car that runs from Wengen to Schilthorn. You need to get a train from Wengen to Lauterbrunnen. From Lauterbrunnen a very nice circuit to do is to Grütschalp (cable car), Mürren (train), Gimmelwald (cable car), Stechelberg (cable car), Lauterbrunnen (bus). From Mürren you can easily visit Schiltorn (don’t miss The Thrill Walk at Birg) and even Allmendhubel if you have time. In between Stechelberg and Lauterbrunnen the bus stops at the Trummelbach Falls. Well worth a look.
When exactly are you travelling? Look at Dates of Operation at http://www.myswissalps.com/schilthorn/gettingthere. If the cable car from Mürren to Schilthorn is not operational then you are out of luck.
Hi Julia –
<<“Is there an alternative way to visit Schilthorn or a recommendation for
another mountain trip in the Wengen area would be appreciated.”>>
In order to best answer your question, we need to know your travel dates. There is only one way up to the Schilthorn from Mürren, the cableway, unless you climb on foot. It is an ascent of roughly 1340 meters. If you were able to hike it through the snow and ice ( not likely) during the time that the cableway is closed, you would find the the tourist services up there are closed.
The Jungfraujoch is an obvious answer. It is available e very day of the year. It is also very expensive. Theere a varying opinions on whetehr itis, as they say “worth it”.
This link ( scroll down the pages for individual links) –
http://www.myswissalps.com/activities/naturalsites
includes a detailed link to Jungfraujoch information –
http://www.myswissalps.com/jungfraujoch
as well as other mountain tops throughout Switzerland.
The Niesen is included, within reach from Wengen:
http://www.myswissalps.com/niesen
Further afield, and in that list, but at least possible, are Gornergrat and/or Klein Matterhorn at Zermatt, which would be a long day trip.
And, there are a variety of ascents that go to quit scenic alpine locations with actually going to the top ( in German “der Kulm”). Their availability often depends on the time of year.
<<“in the Wengen area”>>
The availability of excellent train connections throughout Switzerland from Interlaken makes the answer to that question somewhat elastic.
One definition might be the Bernese Oberland:
http://www.myswissalps.com/berneseoberland
or, closer to Wengen:
http://www.myswissalps.com/jungfrauregion
and, specifically, the Jungfrau Region:
You can use the Swiss Rail ( SBB) timetable to help define your limits. This page provides valuable, probably necessary, tips for using the website:
http://www.myswissalps.com/timetable
Once there , you can download a free SBB app for your smartphone that will be valuable.
And, a map certainly helps. Many are suitable, but I like this one in particular because of the way that it makes the train lines really stand out as you zoom in. The menus are useful, too:
Zooming in to the Jungfrau region, and adding train and mountain transport stops from the menus is helpful:
map.search.ch/?pos=642464,159064&z=32&poi=bergbahn,zug
Mouse over an icon to get the exact name of the transport stop for use in the timetable.
You can also add bus and tram stops from the menus:
map.search.ch/?pos=642464,159064&z=32&poi=bergbahn,haltestelle,zug
which lets you see the bus route along the floor of the Lauterbrunnen Valley, as well as the local buses at Grindelwald.
Slowpoke
Hi Julia,
Slowpoke’s extensive commentary reminded me you asked for an alternative. The pricelist for Jungfraujoch is here. 25% discount from a Wengen if you have a Swiss Travel Pass. 50% if you have a Swiss Half-fare Card, Strange but true.
Thank you for your reply. Yes unfortunately our visit coincides with the closure between 21-24 April 🙁
Would you suggest any other worthwhile trip into the Alps from Wengen?
thank you.
Thank you for this excellent information. Yes we would love to do Jungfraujoch but for a family of 2A, 1 22yr old and 3 teens the cost is $1584 (Australian) and therefore prohibitive. & hence our decision to do Schilthorn instead.
As we can’t do the Schilthorn now, I like your suggestion of “getting a train from Wengen to Lauterbrunnen. From Lauterbrunnen a very nice circuit to do is to Grütschalp (cable car), Mürren (train), Gimmelwald (cable car), Stechelberg (cable car), Trummelbach Falls, and Lauterbrunnen (bus)”.
We are travelling from Milan to Montreux and then taking the Golden Pass to Interlaken (22 Apr) and then were going to go to Wengen for Schilthorn (2 days) and then to Luzern (2 days) before leaving for home the next day.
However, we are now wondering if we should go straight through to Luzern, spend 2 days there and then return to Wengen for 2 days allowing us to visit Schilthorn on 25 Apr and then to Zurich for flight home on Apr 26 mid afternoon?
Would appreciate your thoughts on this? Thank you.
You might consider taking the cable car from Grindelwald to First which has a very nice view and likely plenty of snow in mid April. Of course you will need to check the status of the cable car to First. You would get to Grindelwald by train either the route through Kleine Scheidegg or the other direction through Lauterbrunnen. You could include on the same day taking the cable cars from Grindelwald Grund to Männlichen and down to Wengen. Again dependent on the cable car status.
Mark
i Mark –
I looked in the timetable for April 23rd. Julia can do the same for any of the other destinations listed in the links that I provided. She can indeed get up to First. However, the cableway between Wengen and Männlichen does not operate until May 8th.
We do not know if she will be elsewhere in Switzerland that long, since she did not give us her dates of travel. Seems unlikely, though.
But, at least your first suggestion would work.
This link describes a hike that almost certainly won’t be open, but it gives some information about getting up to First from Grindelwald.
Slowpoke
Hi Slowpoke
I guess Julia could take the cable car from Grindelwald Grund up to Mannlichen then return the same way. Probably not worth it but the cable car rides up Grindelwald valley do give a nice view on both sides. I’m not sure what might be open at Männlichen.
Mark
<<” I’m not sure what might be open at Mannlichen. “>>
Ther is a link somewhere for Berghotel Männlichen.
The internet will find it.
Slowpoke
Hi Julia,
“. . . . for a family of 2A, 1 22yr old and 3 teens the cost is $1584 (Australian) and therefore prohibitive”
If your teens are perchance less than 16 they will travel free (everywhere in Switzerland) with a Swiss Family Card (http://www.myswissalps.com/swissfamilycard) which is available for free when acquired in conjunction with a Swiss Travel Pass (http://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass) or Swiss Half Fare Card (http://www.myswissalps.com/swisshalffarecard) for a parent.
Thank you so much Slowpoke, rockoyster and Mark … you are all bloody brilliant!!
After Slowpoke’s suggestion of Gornergrat and/or Klein Matterhorn at Zermatt, I am wondering if we go to Gornergrat from Montreux and then return as we really want to do Golden Pass – or is a 6+ hour return trip to do Zermatt just ridiculous albeit the gorgeous scenery??
OR: continue through to Luzern on Golden Pass, spend 2 days there and THEN return to Wengen for 2 days allowing us to visit Schilthorn on 25 Apr; and then to Zurich for flight home on Apr 26 mid afternoon?
OR: stick to original itinerary and from Wengen take the train to Grindelward, the cable car to First and then Grindelwald Grund to Mannlichen and return, and then to Wengen?
Please note this is all the time we have in Switzerland (ie 21-26 April). Also we plan to do Mt Rigi from Luzern.
Appreciate your recommendation on the best of these 3 options 🙂 Thank you.
Neither of the Männlichen cable ways (from Wengen or Grindelwald Grund) are operating late April. See http://www.maennlichen.ch/en/summer/information/timetable.html. You have to get from Grindelwald to Wengen via Zweilütschinen (cheap) or via Kleine Scheidegg (expensive).
I wouldn’t spend a whole day going from Montreux to Zermatt and back again. You will have already covered Visp to Montreux on your way from Milan.
If you want to go to Zermatt go there instead of Montreux and drop the Golden Pass. Go from Zermatt to Wengen via Kandersteg. I reckon that route is equally as scenic as the Golden Pass route which you will join up with again at Spiez.
Your 2nd option of doubling back to Wengen would only make sense if you could guarantee good weather on 25 April.
<<“We are travelling from Milan to Montreux and then taking the Golden Pass
to Interlaken (22 Apr) and then were going to go to Wengen for
Schilthorn (2 days) and then to Luzern (2 days) before leaving for home
the next day.”>>
That makes excellent sense. Sorry I missed that in your post.
Now you see why we ask posters for their exact dates of travel. 😉
Slowpoke
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