Getting to First Cliff Walk if gondola is closed
Mary is visiting Switzerland for 7 days in October and has a concern about her plans in Grindelwald. She wants to know if she can access the First Cliff Walk since the gondola will be closed on October 25th. It's important to get some advice on alternative access options and what to expect.
- If the gondola is closed, hiking to Grindelwald First is an option but will take about 4 hours and can be strenuous.
- Check the SBB timetable for bus service to Grosse Scheidegg, which could provide an easier access route to First.
- Consider alternative attractions like the Skyline Walk and Thrill Walk at Schilthorn if the Cliff Walk is not feasible.
AI-generated summary-
Hello! We are visiting Switzerland in October for 7 days. I think we’ve run into a situation in our plans at Grindelwald. We are staying one night on October 25th and wanted to do First Cliff Walk and the First Flyer while there. I just read that the gondola that goes up to First will be closed October 25th through December 17th. My question is, can you get to the First Cliff Walk if the gondola is not running? Any info would be appreciated.
Thank You, Mary
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Hi Mary,
That’s right. The Grindelwald First gondola will be undergoing maintenance work from end of Oct to mid December, in preparation for winter. As far as I know, the only and quickest way to get to Grindelwald First (and access the First Cliff Walk) is by taking the gondola. However I’ve been told that it’s quite possible to hike all the way to First from Grindelwald town but this could take up to 4 hours and some parts are quite steep and strenuous. Also, if the gondola is closed, the activities at the top such as the First Flyer and First Glider won’t be running either.
Most mountain transportations usually undergo maintenance around the same time too. But destinations such as Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn are accessible nearly all year.
Regards,
Anna
Hi Anna
i wonder if the bus from Grindelwald to Grosse Scheidegg would still be running? The walk from Grosse Scheidegg to First is usually an easy 1 hr walk. Of course the trail (actually more of a road )could be covered by snow in late October and I don’t know if the cliff walk would be open. A lot of ifs, I guess.
Mark
Hi Mark,
I reckon the bus to Grosse Scheidegg doesn’t run in October but you can check the SBB timetable to make sure. During maintenance, the access to the First Cliff Walk may also be limited.
Regards,
Anna
Looks like I’m not going to get to complete my plans for The Cliff Walk!
I’m going to check on the bus to see if it’s still running. But if it’s snow covered I will just enjoy Grindelwald. I never thought about a lot of snow in October. That’s fall for us and still quite warm here
Thanks,
Mary
Hi Mary,
October is fall in Switzerland too, but snowfall is possible by that time, particularly in the mountains. In today’s climate though, it’s much more likely that it will be relatively warm with no snow at all. Either way, it won’t change the fact that the Cliff Walk is closed.
Anna mentioned Schilthorn. The Skyline Walk and Thrill Walk there might be a good alternative: http://www.myswissalps.com/schilthorn.
Hi Mary
If the bus is running and the road open, the walk from Grosse Scheidegg to First is very nice and scenic. It is relatively level and should only take an hour or so. Very much worth the effort even if the cliff walk is closed. Se photos attached.
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