[Anonymous]

16 July 2016 at 15:03:16 #809694

Hey guys i wanted to plan a walk from grindelwald to bachalpsee lake late july so I guessing it’s open, but it’s a 3hr & 20min walk; I was wondering, is their a bus or cable car I could take to shorten the trip to 2hrs at the most?

Thanks in advance.

💡 Save time and get daily forum questions & answers by e-mail

[Arno]

Reply 1 of 16 • 16 July 2016 at 15:27:56 #854245

Hi Wassim,

You don’t need to start from Grindelwald. An alternative is First to Bachalpsee and back. It takes about 2.5 hours. Please find details here: myswissalps.com/ hiking/bachsee.

[User]

Reply 2 of 16 • 16 July 2016 at 16:55:17 #854246

Thanks Anro! But do u know a way I could get to First from Grindelwald other than the gandola? Like a train or a cable car

[Arno]

Reply 3 of 16 • 16 July 2016 at 18:01:23 #854247

You’re welcome! The only option is the gondola. Or hike.

[User]

Reply 4 of 16 • 17 July 2016 at 0:17:48 #854248

<<“the gandola? Like a train or a cable car”>>

The “gondola” is a cable car. Not sure about the “gandola.”

Relax and enjoy the trip. it is terrific.

Slowpoke

[User]

Reply 5 of 16 • 17 July 2016 at 2:29:53 #854249

A gondola is a Vietnamese boat like the one used in Venice. I’m sure Arno was referring to the “gondola lift” which is another name for the cable car (which I was not aware of at the time).

As for “gandola”, that was a typo 😛

But thanks for clearing that up ✌

Anyways I decided on taking the cable car from grindelwald to first, then hike upto Bachalosee lake. Should be a great trip!

[Arno]

Reply 6 of 16 • 17 July 2016 at 7:17:25 #854250

Yes, correct. Perhaps I should refer to it as gondola lift. There sure is no boat up the mountain 🙂 I usually use “gondola” to refer to the small 6 seater cabines like this one: http://www.panoramio.com/phot o/36970112. A cable car is the larger version like this one: http://www.panoramio.com/phot o/6064241. And there are ski lifts too, yet another version.

Anyway, the only way to reach First is by the small cable car/gondola lift, or on foot.

[User]

Reply 7 of 16 • 17 July 2016 at 8:22:14 #854251

Hi Arno,

Please let me know how long it would take to walk from Grindelwald to First?

I also came across a package which includes a rail journey from Grindelwald to First. Given below is the link.

http://www.jungfrau.ch/en/tou rism/destinations/grin delwald-first/first-flyer/#c12129

I assume rail means train, but you have said the only way to travel to the first is by cable car. Appreciate if you can please let me know if the package details are correct.

Thanks

[User]

Reply 8 of 16 • 17 July 2016 at 8:48:02 #854252

Hi Traveler3-

<<“Please let me know how long it would take to walk from Grindelwald to First?”>>

Please refer to the link Arno posted above in this thread for details of the hike.

This map will help to clarify the transport types.

map.geo.admin.ch/?topic=ech&lang=en&bgLa yer=ch.swisstopo.pixel karte-farbe&layers=ch.bav.ha ltestellen-oev,ch.swisstopo.swiss tlm3d-wanderwege&layers_visi bility=false,false&X=1 65960.00&Y=645910.00&z oom=6

After Grindelwald to First is not a rail road, although in German “die Bahn” is sometimes use to describe gondola lifts (die Gondelbahn) with small cabins and large cabin lifts (die Luftseilbahn.)

Slowpoke

[User]

Reply 9 of 16 • 17 July 2016 at 9:24:53 #854253

Hi Arno-

I scanned the relevant information from the “Kursbuch” in the section tiled “Time Table Reading” or “Fahrplanlesen.” Attached.

The Engllish translations ,as well as the names in all four official languages are shown. So, if you wish to use the proper word in Romansh, it is here.

To add the confusion, I never know what word to use in “American English.”

Cableway sounds generic, so I sometimes use that.

The tempting words “cable car” have a problem for those of us who live in the USA.

Here, it refers to a famous form of transport in San Francisco, which are “trams” of sorts pulled by a cable inset in the roadway. The cars have friction grips which grab the cable to move the car. The person who drives the cars is called a “gripman.” The cable runs continuously. These were (and still are) used to deal with SF’s numerous hills. Not to be confused with street cars. ;-()

http://www.sfcablecar.com/

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ San_Francisco_cable_ca r_system

Slowpoke

[Arno]

Reply 10 of 16 • 17 July 2016 at 15:56:41 #854254

Hi Traveller3,

They mean the gondola lift here; there’s no rail/train. I’d estimate walking from Grindelwald to First to take 2 to 3 hours.

[Arno]

Reply 11 of 16 • 17 July 2016 at 15:59:17 #854255

Hi Slowpoke,

It’s quite a challenge finding the right words in a foreign language for modes of transport most people are not familiar with. Indeed cableway sounds like a good option.

[AlanPrice]

Reply 12 of 16 • 18 July 2016 at 6:39:12 #854256

Just to ad my 2 cents worth. The gondola is the quickest way and the only way apart from hiking. It’s quite steep and long from town. We usually take the Gondala and walk back. I’ve included a photo to give you an idea of the Gondola and the walk

[User]

Reply 13 of 16 • 18 July 2016 at 7:40:36 #854257

Hi Alan –

Nice composition.

Slowpoke

[User]

Reply 14 of 16 • 18 July 2016 at 17:20:27 #854258

Thanks for the input Alan 👌

[User]

Reply 15 of 16 • 21 July 2016 at 1:20:10 #854259

Thank you.

[User]

Reply 16 of 16 • 21 July 2016 at 1:21:04 #854260

Thank you