280 posts
We were in that area a couple weeks ago, and I have a few comments.
09 Dec – We went to the Schilthorn, and at least in early October the first two gondolas from Stechelberg (to Murren) were quite crowded, but the upper two less so. I’m not sure about hiking down from the top to Murren, it looked a bit challenging to me – I’m not really a hiker – and if there is snow, probably a bit iffy. Regardless, check the mountaintop weather cams before committing to the trip. It’s not worth the trip if you’re in the clouds. But as we discovered, it can be cloudy in the morning and full sunshine in the afternoon, so be flexible.
10 Dec – Wengen & Grindelwald are a big ski area, but of course skiing is dependent on the weather between now & then. We skied both sides several years ago, and it was wonderful. If the ski area is not open but the weather is good, you might enjoy taking the train from Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg for a relaxing lunch at the train station (I recommend the rosti Bernese style) while viewing the Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau, then either going down the other side to Grindelwald or returning to Wengen. Note that these trains are not fully covered with a Swiss Travel Pass but do offer a discount; the Schilthorn was fully covered by our STP.
Day trip to Lucerne – We used Lucerne as our base while in Switzerland, but it is a 2 hour train ride from Interlakken Ost. Old town Lucerne, Chapel Bridge, etc. are only a few minutes from the train station, but it would make for a long day coming from and returning to Wengen.
I’ve never been to the area between Milan and Interlakken, or to Zermatt, so offer no advice or opinions on those.
Regardless, have a great trip!
8889 posts
Hello Annette and Welcome to MySwissAlps,
Harder Kulm will be closed by December I think and Lake Thun cruises limited to 1 per day.
Based on your personal itinerary you should read “How to choose the best travel pass” (http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass), download the handy spreadsheet calculator and do the math. The spreadsheet also includes links to the “Where it’s valid” page for all available passes. Be sure to check those pages for each pass you are considering. Study the map AND read all the text on those pages to fully understand what is covered by the respective pass.
See also http://www.myswissalps.com/tr aintickets/italy.
Depending how much time you have you could go Interlaken – Milan via Locarno (Centovalli Express from Domodossola) and Lugano. Or stop off at Strega.
7567 posts
<<“9Dec:
Wengen – Schilthorn(cable car).
Hike down to Murren (is this doable during early december period?)
Lauterbrunnen (cable car) :”>>
Check out the topography. That is serious heavy duty hike..about 1340 m descent. If you are accomplished alpine hikers in good physical condition, I withdraw my concerns. Expect seriously sore knees afterward.
There may or may not be snow blocking the trail.. Check local sources.
Look at a map:
map.geo.admin.ch/?topic=swisstopo&lang=e n&bgLayer=ch.swisstopo .pixelkarte-farbe&layers=ch.swisst opo.swisstlm3d-wanderwege&zoom=5&E=26 33790.00&N=1158980.00
Slowpoke
6274 posts
Hi AnnetteW,
Welcome to MySwissAlps!
CabinJon, rockoyster and Slowpoke have provided some really good tips and links you could definitely use for your trip. Just to reinforce their comments, the trails from Schilthorn to Mürren may be open but it would be risky to attempt it in December without the proper gear. There might be frost or maybe even snow this time of the year. There is definitely snow at the top of Schilthorn.
According to the officical website, the skiing season in the Jungfrau region is expected to start from mid December depending on the snow condition. So if you’re lucky, there could be plenty of winter activities to choose from not just in Wengen but nearby places too like Grindelwald and Mürren.
Lucerne is a good option for a day trip from Interlaken. The train ride is a wonderful journey to experience Switzerland’s natural beauty. If you have time, you could also combine a short tour of the capital, Bern. The Swiss Travel Pass is the most flexible and therefore the best rail pass if you intend to travel across a few Swiss regions during your trip. (http://www.myswissalps.com/sw issrailpasses). You might also want to consider getting the Swiss Half Fare Card but you still do need to buy tickets albeit at 50% off the full price. To compare which is better, please use our guide ‘How to choose a rail pass‘ as suggested by rockoyster in an earlier post.
Here are a few more helpful links for your trip.
Best regards,
Anna
794 posts
Hi Annette
There are trails in Jungfrau area that are maintained for hiking and/ or snowshoeing from December through end of March. They are described on the Jungfrau,ch website under winter activities. They include trails out of Mürren, First, Mannlichen, Grindelwald, and others. By being maintained, any snow will be packed down to make hiking possible.
Mark