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Min. time required: 2:00
Season: early January to early April, late May to mid October and mid December to late December
Recommended season: early January to early April, late May to mid October and late December
Max. altitude: 2343 m (7687 ft)What is Männlichen? 
The Männlichen is a 2343 m high mountain in the heart of the Jungfrau Region. It offers panoramic views of the area and the famous Bernese mountains. You can travel to Männlichen in two ways:
- By cable car from Wengen. This is a steep 5-minute ride. For a small surcharge, you can access the open cable car roof in summer. This is the so-called "Royal Ride".
- By 10-passenger gondolas from Grindelwald, in a 20-minute ride.
Price and reservation information
Männlichen gondola and cable car prices for 2024
A return ticket for the gondola between Grindelwald Terminal and Männlichen costs CHF 68. A return ride by cable car between Wengen and Männlichen costs CHF 58.
Several passes provide discounts. Examples:
- You'll get 50% off with a Swiss Travel Pass and Swiss Half Fare Card.
- A few regional passes, such as the Jungfrau Travel Pass and the Berner Oberland Pass, grant a free trip.
Find a full overview of rail pass benefits here.
Männlichen "Royal Ride" tickets
Tickets for the 'Royal Ride' on the rooftop of the Wengen cable car can be booked in advance. A CHF 5 surcharge has to be paid, in addition to any kind of ticket or pass.
Additional Männlichen offers
In addition to regular single and return tickets, there are special offers. Note that rail passes generally provide better discounts, and that combining rail pass discounts with other special offers isn't necessarily possible.
- The Welcome Ticket offers a reduced fare between Wengen and Männlichen after 16h00 in summer.
- Combination tickets are available for a round trip that includes one way up and the other way down. This way, you can travel up from Wengen to Männlichen and down from Männlichen to Grindelwald, or the other way around. A combination ticket is cheaper than two separate single tickets.
- From both Wengen and Grindelwald, you can get a ticket that includes a single cable car or gondola ride to the top, and a ride back down by cogwheel train from Kleine Scheidegg. That's meant for those who want to enjoy the famous panorama hike from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg.
Where to buy your tickets
You can buy tickets online, or at the cable car valley stations of Wengen and Grindelwald. They’re for sale at the railway stations of Wengen and Grindelwald too.
Reservations
You don't have to make reservations for normal cable car and gondola trips. It's advised to book the "Royal Ride" in advance though, especially if you travel in the peak summer months (July-August).
Find tickets and tours for Männlichen
Offered by Swiss Activities: www.swissactivities.com
- Easy, online, free cancellation in most cases
- Extra Support: if you buy here, MySwissAlps can also assist if you have questions about your order.
Offered by Swiss Activities: www.swissactivities.com
- Easy, online, free cancellation in most cases
- Extra Support: if you buy here, MySwissAlps can also assist if you have questions about your order.
Offered by Swiss Activities: www.swissactivities.com
- Easy, online, free cancellation in most cases
- Extra Support: if you buy here, MySwissAlps can also assist if you have questions about your order.
Promotions
There are currently no promotions available.
Cheaper Männlichen tickets with your rail pass
The below passes offer free or discounted trips to Grindelwald. The "Royal Ride" on the open deck is not included.
| Pass | Discount |
|---|---|
| Berner Oberland Pass |
Free:
|
| Day Pass |
Discount 50%:
|
| Eurail Global Pass |
Discount 25%:
|
| Interrail Switzerland Pass |
Discount 25%:
|
| Jungfrau Hiking and Sledging Pass |
Free:
|
| Jungfrau Travel Pass |
Free:
|
| Swiss Half Fare Card |
Discount 50%:
|
| Swiss Travel Pass |
Discount 50%:
|
| Swiss Travel Pass Flex |
Discount 50%:
|
How to reach Männlichen: directions and map
Männlichen can be reached by cable car from Wengen and by gondola from Grindelwald. You can go up one way, and down the other way for a beautiful round trip.
Option 1: cable car from Wengen to Männlichen
Wengen can be reached by train from Lauterbrunnen. If you arrive by car, you’ll have to park in Lauterbrunnen and change to the train.
From the railway station of Wengen, it’s a 5-minute walk to the cable car valley station.
A large cable car brings you up to Männlichen. It's a steep 5-minute ride. Its open roof is accessible in summer with an additional "Royal Ride" ticket.
Option 2: gondola from Grindelwald Terminal to Männlichen
The gondolas leave from Grindelwald Terminal. This rail station is located outside of the village of Grindelwald and can be reached by car and by public transportation. There are direct train connections between Interlaken Ost and the terminal, and between the main rail station of Grindelwald and the terminal. A car park is available.
10-passenger gondolas transport you to Männlichen in a gentle 20-minute ride.
The Eiger Express cableway, by which you can reach Jungfraujoch, departs from Grindelwald Terminal as well.
Option 3: walk from Kleine Scheidegg
You can take a train to Kleine Scheidegg from Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen/Wengen, and walk to Männlichen from there. The views during this walk are better in the other direction though.
How to make a Männlichen round trip
I think it's tough to choose between both cableway routes. So if you can, make a varied round trip! Your starting point is Wengen or Grindelwald.
Assuming you'd start at Wengen, you’d make this trip:
- cable car up to Männlichen
- gondola to down Grindelwald Terminal
- train back to Wengen. You can either take the valley route via Zweilütschinen, or the spectacular cogwheel trains via Kleine Scheidegg.
From Grindelwald, the route would be:
- train to Grindelwald Terminal
- gondola up to Männlichen
- cable car down to Wengen
- train back to Grindelwald. You can travel through the valley via Lauterbrunnen and Zweilütschinen, or by cogwheel train via Kleine Scheidegg.
The popular hike from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg can also be part of your round trip:
- Go up to Männlichen from Wengen or Grindelwald.
- Walk to Kleine Scheidegg.
- Return by cogwheel to the town you started in, or extend your round trip by taking the cogwheel train down to the other town. Then return to your starting point by train via Zweilütschinen.
Parking
If you arrive by car, you’d best park near the Interlaken Ost railway station. This allows you to enjoy the rest of the excursion by public transportation and to make a round trip with both routes to Männlichen.
Other parking options can be found near the Lauterbrunnen railway station and at Grindelwald Terminal.
Map with routes to Männlichen from Wengen and Grindelwald
Operation dates, schedules and timetable
2024 operating dates for Männlichen
- Winter season 2023-2024: the gondolas from Grindelwald and the cableway from Wengen operate from 9 December 2023 to 7 April 2024.
- Summer season 2024: the gondolas from Grindelwald and the cableway from Wengen operate from 25 May to 20 October 2024.
Planning your trip in the timetable
You can use the Männlichen timetables (see the links here) or consult the general Swiss timetable. The names to use are:
- "Wengen", "Grindelwald", "Interlaken Ost" or "Interlaken West" for the main rail stations.
- "Grindelwald Terminal" for the gondola valley station near Grindelwald and "Männlichen (Gondelbahn)" for the gondola top station.
- "Wengen (Männlichenbahn)" for the valley station of the cable car in Wengen and "Männlichen (Luftseilb. Wengen)" for the cable car top station.
Best season for Männlichen
I think a visit to Männlichen is worth it in all months in which it's accessible: early January to early April, late May to mid October and late December. Details:
- Late December to February is the best period for sledding, snow hiking, and more winter activities.
- Early April, late May and June are spring-like (there's a maintenance break in between these periods). There's usually still snow on the surrounding peaks of the Bernese Alps. This causes beautiful contrasts with the green valleys below.
- July-mid October is summer and early fall. By late September and in October, chances of fresh snow on the mountains increase.
In my opinion, March is the least interesting. Vegetation in the valleys during the transition from winter to spring can be somewhat dull. In favorable conditions, you can still have lots of snow fun at the top though!
Weather forecast for Männlichen
Check weather forecasts and webcams before you go to Männlichen. If you get up for the views, clear skies are important.
Good and stable weather is a prerequisite if you want to hike from Männlichen. Make sure you have sunglasses, solid shoes, and other appropriate gear as well.
5-day forecast for Männlichen
What to expect at the top
Once you get off the cable car or gondola, you’ll have panoramic views of the Jungfrau Region. The famous Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau especially stand out. You’ll also look down to the valleys of Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald and the area surrounding Interlaken.
The mountain guest house has several restaurants, a large terrace, and hotel rooms. There’s a playground for children.
What to see and do at Männlichen in summer
Männlichen is the starting point for easy hiking trails with great views:
- You can take a 25-minute hike up to the actual summit of the Männlichen for even wider views. This is the so-called “Royal Walk”.
- Most famous is the popular scenic hike from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg.
Longer hiking routes are available as well. And there’s more than hiking. Some examples:
- In summer, the hotel-restaurant organizes brunches on Sundays and evening barbecues on several fixed dates.
- In June, July and August, several Swiss folklore festivals are held at the summit. One of those is the Alphorn festival.
- There’s a treetop path at Holenstein (the mid-station between Grindelwald Terminal and Männlichen).
What to do at Männlichen in winter
In winter several hiking trails will be groomed, so you can explore the area on foot. Snow activities such as skiing, snowboarding and sledding are popular too. There’s even a children’s ski school.
In January, the yearly Lauberhorn Ski Race takes place. The cable cars and gondolas may be more crowded during this event.
The time required for your Männlichen excursion
Allow at least 2 hours for this trip if you only go up for the views. If you add hikes, lunch at the restaurant, or other activities, count on half a day to a full day.
Other excursions to enjoy on the same day
Männlichen is in the heart of the Jungfrau Region and can be combined with other activities:
- Hike from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg, and enjoy the cogwheel train ride down to the valley from Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen/Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald.
- If you end in Grindelwald, you can visit the viewing points First or Pfingstegg.
- If you end in Wengen, you can add one of the excursions in the Lauterbrunnen Valley.
- Do you want to explore as much of the Jungfrau Region as possible within one day? Have a look at this one-day round trip.
Find more activities in the Jungfrau Region here.
Other websites of interest
Schedules
- www.maennlichen.ch: Männlichen timetable summer
- www.maennlichen.ch: Männlichen timetable winter
Prices
- www.maennlichen.ch: Männlichen cableway ticket prices from Wengen
- www.maennlichen.ch: Männlichen cableway ticket prices from Grindelwald
- www.maennlichen.ch: Männlichen Welcome Ticket
- www.maennlichen.ch: Männlichen Royal Ride
Itineraries including the Jungfrau Region
Hiking in the Alps
Related travel routes explained
Lauterbrunnen to Wengen
About the Männlichen-Kleine Scheidegg hike
Hike Männlichen-Kleine Scheidegg
Activities close to Männlichen
Grindelwald-First
Pfingstegg
Schynige Platte
Schilthorn
Jungfraujoch
Our guides for Wengen, Grindelwald, and the Jungfrau area
Wengen
Grindelwald
