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Min. time required: 2:00
Season: early January to mid October and mid December to late December
Recommended season: early January to late February, early April to late October and late December
Max. altitude: 2168 m (7113 ft)What is Grindelwald-First? 
The mountain First (to be pronounced as 'Feerst') can be accessed by gondola from Grindelwald.
Once you’re up at First, you’ll have beautiful views of the Bernese Alps. They include the Wetterhorn, the Schreckhorn and the famous Eiger. You’ll also see Kleine Scheidegg on the other side of the Grindelwald Valley: a starting point for train rides to Jungfraujoch.
You can watch the mountain panorama from the restaurant, walk the spectacular Cliff Walk and enjoy many fun family activities.
About prices, gondola and activity tickets, and pre-booking
Grindelwald-First - price overview 2024
| Price | More information and prices | Description |
|---|---|---|
| CHF 34 - CHF 36 | more info | Return trip with a Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Travel Pass Flex or Swiss Half Fare Card (CHF 36 in June-July-August, CHF 34 in other months) |
| CHF 0 | more info | Return trip with a Jungfrau Travel Pass (any season) |
| CHF 0 | more info | Return trip with a Berner Oberland Pass (any season) |
| CHF 68 - CHF 72 | more info | Return trip with a normal ticket, full fare (CHF 72 in June-July-August, CHF 68 in other months) |
| CHF 101 - CHF 103 | more info | Adventure Package for unlimited gondola rides + 4 activities with a Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Travel Pass Flex or Swiss Half Fare Card (CHF 103 June-July-August, CHF 101 in other months) |
| CHF 124 - CHF 128 | more info | Adventure Package for unlimited gondola rides + 4 activities, full fare (CHF 128 in June-July-August, CHF 128 in other months) |
Tickets for the Grindelwald-First gondola
In 2024, a standard return ticket for the gondola costs CHF 72 in high season. You'll get a 50% discount with a Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Travel Pass Flex and Swiss Half Fare Card, and free travel with a Berner Oberland Pass and Jungfrau Travel Pass.
Find a detailed overview of rail pass discounts here.
Tickets for the Grindelwald-First activities
Access to the Cliff Walk is included in all gondola tickets. But for the other activities, you need additional tickets. This concerns the First Glider, the First Flyer, the mountain carts, and Trotti bikes.
You can pay for them separately, or buy an Adventure Package. An Adventure Package includes unlimited access to the gondola Grindelwald-First for a full day, plus one-time access to a certain number of activities: from 1 activity to all 4 of them.
Adventure Packages are discounted for holders of a Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Travel Pass Flex, and Swiss Half Fare Card. The other rail passes don't provide discounts.
Where to buy your tickets
You can buy your tickets online, at the Grindelwald railway station, and at the gondola stations along the cable car route.
When to buy your tickets
We advise you to buy your tickets as soon as you're sure you'll be visiting First on a certain day. First is a popular destination, and tickets for the adventure activities can get fully booked. This especially applies to days with beautiful weather in high-season months: June, July, and August.
The activities can be booked by 10:00 am on your day of traveling at the latest. But if you can, make your bookings earlier. We personally prefer visiting First either early in the morning or in the late afternoon, when most visitors make their way back to Grindelwald.
In low-season months such as April, May, October, and November, it's less important when you get your tickets and at what time of the day you travel.
Reservations
You can't make reservations for the ride to Grindelwald-First.
Get tickets and tours for Grindelwald-First
Offered by GetYourGuide: www.getyourguide.com
- Easy, online, free cancellation in most cases
- Best Price Matching: GetYourGuide will pay the difference if you find a lower price.
- 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 Viator: www.viator.com
- Easy, online, free cancellation in most cases
- Lowest Price Guarantee: Viator will refund the difference if you find a better price.
- Extra Support: if you buy here, MySwissAlps can also assist if you have questions about your order.
Promotions
There are currently no promotions available.
Discounted First tickets with your rail pass
The below passes get you discounted or even free travel to First. In some cases, the adventure activities are discounted too.
| Pass | Discount |
|---|---|
| Berner Oberland Pass |
Free:
Adventure activities: no discount |
| Day Pass |
Discount 50%:
Adventure activities: no discount. |
| Eurail Global Pass |
Discount 25%:
Adventure activities: no discount |
| Interrail Switzerland Pass |
Discount 25%:
Adventure activities: no discount |
| Jungfrau Hiking and Sledging Pass |
Free:
Adventure activities: no discount |
| Jungfrau Travel Pass |
Free:
Adventure activities: no discount |
| Swiss Half Fare Card |
Discount 50%:
Adventure activities: discount varies |
| Swiss Travel Pass |
Discount 50%:
Adventure activities: discount varies |
| Swiss Travel Pass Flex |
Discount 50%:
Adventure activities: discount varies |
How to reach Grindelwald-First: directions and map
The gondolas to First leave from the valley station in Grindelwald, which can be reached by train or car.
How to travel to First
The summit of First can be reached by 6-seater gondolas. They depart from the village of Grindelwald. The ride to the top takes 25 minutes.
The gondola valley station is a 10-minute walk from the railway station, along Grindelwald’s main shopping street. Alternatively, you can use one of the frequent buses from the rail station to the gondola valley station. This ride takes only 3 minutes.
You can get on or off the gondolas at the mid-stations Bort and Schreckfeld, where several activities are available.
Map: the route from Grindelwald to mountain station First
Operation dates, schedules and timetable
2024 operating dates for Grindelwald-First
The gondolas to First operate from 16 December 2023 until 3 November 2024. Usually, there's a maintenance break between early- or mid-November and early- or mid-December.
The availability of activities at First, Bort and Schreckfeld varies by season. Check the links below.
Planning your mountain trip in the timetable
You can use the Grindelwald-First timetable (see the links below) or consult the general Swiss timetable. This is what the relevant destinations are called:
- "Grindelwald" for the main train station of Grindelwald
- "Grindelwald, Firstbahn" for the bus stop closest to the gondola valley station
- "First (Grindelwald)" for the gondola top station
- "Bort (Firstbahn)" and "Schreckfeld (Firstbahn)" for the gondola mid-stations
Best season to visit Grindelwald-Fist
The best months for a trip to Grindelwald-First are early January to late February, early April to late October and late December:
- Late-December to February is winter season, so it's likely that the mountains are snow-covered and that you enjoy winter hiking, sledging and more.
- In April-May spring will set in and you'll get to see amazing contrasts between green valleys and snowy mountain tops.
- June-October is when nearly all activities at Grindelwald-First are operational.
Weather info and forecasts for Grindelwald-First
Check weather forecasts before you leave to Grindelwald-First. If you get up for the views or for hiking, clear skies are best. Most adventure attractions can be done in clouds or light rain too, but they may shut down in case of bad weather.
If you want to hike, make sure you have sunglasses, solid shoes and other appropriate gear.
5-day forecast for First
The difference between First, Bort and Schreckfeld
First is the top station, from which many hiking trails and activities start. There are two mid-stations half-way up the mountain: Bort and Schreckfeld.
- Bort offers a guesthouse, restaurant and children’s playground. You can also rent kid-friendly scooters called ‘Trotti bikes’ there.
- Schreckfeld is your starting point for the mountain carts and for the First Glider (see below).
What to see and do at First in summer
Fun and adventure activities
First, Bort and Schreckfeld are great destinations for families and thrillseekers. These activities are available:
- The Cliff Walk is a 15-minute roundabout walk from the summit station of First, consisting of a rock walkway, a single-rope hanging bridge, and a metal catwalk.
- The First Flyer is a zipline from First to Schreckfeld. You can reach impressive speeds, up to 84 km/h!
- The First Glider is a 4-person zipline in which you can fly like a bird. You’re first pulled up from the station of Schreckfeld to First, and then you’re released for a headfirst-flight down.
- There’s a mountain cart route from Schreckfeld to Bort.
- There’s a well-paved path for a ride with Trotti bikes (a kind of scooter bikes) from Bort to Grindelwald.
Check which activities are suitable for your travel party. For some attractions, a minimum height and/or maximum weight applies.
Our favorite summer hikes from Grindelwald-First
Many beautiful trails start from the summit of First. Our favorites are:
- the relatively easy walk to the Bachalpsee;
- the challenging and famous panoramic trail to Schynige Platte;
- the gentle hike to Grosse Scheidegg.
What to see and do at First in winter
Although not all adventure activities are available in winter, you certainly won’t get bored:
- The Cliff Walk, First Flyer, and First Glider can be accessed in winter too.
- You can explore the area on foot, using one of the groomed winter hiking trails, such as the route from First via Waldspitz to Bort.
- You can enjoy the world’s longest sledding run, on a 15-km downhill route from Faulhorn to Grindelwald.
- There are several skiing and snowboarding areas, for both beginners and professionals.
How long an excursion to Grindelwald-First takes
Allow at least 2 to 3 hours for your visit to First. The gondola ride takes 25 minutes (one way), and you need some time at the summit to stroll around and enjoy the views. If you want to enjoy outdoor activities, you can easily spend half a day to a full day at First, Bort and Schreckfeld.
Which other activities to do on the same day
If you don’t spend more than half a day at Grindelwald-First, we suggest you add more excursions in the Jungfrau Region as follows:
- Hike to Grosse Scheidegg and enjoy the bus ride to Meiringen via Schwarzwaldalp, which takes you through the Rosenlaui Valley. Side trips to the Rosenlaui Gorge, the Reichenbach Falls and the Aare Gorge can be added.
- Get down to Grindelwald after your visit to First, board the cogwheel train to Kleine Scheidegg and enjoy the views there. You may travel to Jungfraujoch or make a scenic round trip via Wengen and Lauterbrunnen.
- Get down to Grindelwald and visit Pfingstegg with its toboggan run.
- Travel down to Grindelwald and board the gondola to Männlichen for more beautiful views.
Other websites of interest
- www.jungfrau.ch: snow and winter activities at Grindelwald-First
Schedules
- www.jungfrau.ch: operation dates and hours of transport in the Jungfrau Region, including Grindelwald-First
- www.jungfrau.ch: operation dates for the Grindelwald-First adventure activities
Prices
- www.jungfrau.ch: Jungfrau Region prices for transportation, including Grindelwald-First
- www.jungfrau.ch: Grindelwald-First prices for activities
Itineraries that include the Jungfrau Region
Hiking in the Alps
Our latest articles about the Jungfrau Region
Hike First-Grosse Scheidegg
Hike First-Bachsee
Hike Grosse Scheidegg-Meiringen
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Männlichen
Pfingstegg
Jungfraujoch
About Grindelwald and the Jungfrau Region
Grindelwald
