Planned stay at Kleine Scheidegg
A traveler is planning a summer stay at Hotel Bellevue des Alpes, near the Eiger North Face, and is looking for advice on whether to travel from Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald. They also want to know if they can hike the last part of the journey while their wife takes the train.
- Traveling from Grindelwald is recommended for stunning views of the hotel from the train.
- Consider the Eiger Trail for a scenic hike from Alpiglen to Kleine Scheidegg, which takes about 2-3 hours.
- For parking, look for options near Grindelwald Grund train station or Interlaken Ost, but expect limited free parking availability.
- If possible, try both routes: start via Grindelwald and return through Wengen for a varied experience.
AI-generated summary-
Hi, this summer we plan a stay in Hotel Bellevue des Alpes, near the Eiger North Face (after reading The Spin). Should we travel from Lauterbrunnen or from Grindelwald? And is it possible for me to hike (the last part) while my wife goes by train?
-
Hello HvO59 and Welcome to MySwissAlps
I would think via Lauterbrunnen and a Wengen would be best. What do you mean by “the last part”?
I would say the best way is via Grindelwald. That way, you see the hotel looming on top of the hill, as you climb up on the train. If you want to hike, get off at the intermediate station called Alpiglen, and walk the path which parallels the railway – although surely you could do this hike once settled in at the hotel?
You can access KS via either route, both have their distinct beauty! Depending on where you are headed next you could go up one way then down the other.
If coming from Grindelwald there is one intermediate stop at Alpiglen as 1960man suggests. You can either walk parallel the tracks or, even better, hike the Eiger Trail which takes you directly under the North Face. Eiger Trail ends at Eigergletscher stations where you can either catch the train or walk down to KS. Depending on your hiking fitness it is about a 2 – 3 hour hike.
If coming from Wengen there are two intermediate stops. The first one is at Allmend. It is not very far from Wengen and is an on-demand stop (push the Halt Verlängen button on the train). It’s then about a 2 hour hike up to KS. The next stop, which is not very far from KS, is Wengernalp. Maybe 30 – 45 mins up from there.
Hi Hv059
Another popular option is to go by way of Wengen and get off the train and walk up hill 5 minutes and catch the cable car from Wengen to Männlichen. Then hike the very scenic trail to KS about 1.5-2 hrs. This is a fairly flat easy trail compared to the relatively longer steeper Eiger trail from Alpiglen which also is very scenic.
‘Personally I would try to do both during your stay. Depending on your fitness, you can decide which direction to hike the Eiger trail. It is much easier to do it downhill from Eigergletscher to Alpiglen.
‘The trail from KS to Wengernalp is slightly less scenic than the above hikes but also very nice. Note down hill will be from KS to Wengernalp. Mark
Hi Kim11,
thanks for your advice. That wil be my choice; drive to Grindelwald and park the car there. My wife will take the train to Kleine Scheidegg and I will hike from Alpiglen in 2 – 3 hours to Kleine Scheidegg, via the Eiger trail.Sounds perfect!
Another question; is there a place, preferably free, to park the car in or near Grindelwald?
Hi HvO59,
I’m not sure how long you plan to stay, but I’d recommend to do both train routes: e.g. up via Grindelwald as planned, and down via Wengen and Lauterbrunnen (unless you’ll visit that area during your stay). If you park near the Interlaken Ost station you can easily do so.
Free parking is rare in Switzerland. I don’t know options in the area.
You can choose the Eiger trail or the ordinary path. The ordinary path is just as scenic and may fit in better with a companion taking the train…
I believe the Eiger trail is significantly more scenic than the ordinary path. It is higher and more open. Attached are some photos of the Eiger Trail so you can see what it looks like. Also some photos of the Mannlichen to KS trail and finally a photo of the KS to Wengernalp trail. All are beautiful hikes, enjoy. Mark
Yoou can park your car at Grindelwald Grund, where there is a train station to Alpiglen and Kl Scheidegg.
hi everybody,
thanks for your help.
enjoy your time spent in the mountains.
A forum member, Snowman, has stayed at Kleine Scheidegg with his family….perhaps in the Winter. If he catches this thread, he may have something to add.
Slowpoke
Hi HvO59
Hotel Des Alpes Bellevue, where I stayed 4 years ago, is fine. It is an old-fashioned tourist mountain hotel, cosy and comfortable, that has been preserved from the excesses of modernization. You will enjoy old-style Swiss hostelry. In the halls are historic photos and other exhibits of the conquest ot the Eiger North Face.
- The thread ‘Planned stay at Kleine Scheidegg’ is closed to new replies.
