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Hi,
We’ll be arriving at Zurich airport on 17 Dec and going straight to Grindelwald and staying there for 4 nights.
I once heard that the gondola to First will be closed for December – any update to clarify whether or not this is still the case?
We’re planning to visit “First”, “Jungfrau” and “Schilthorn” during our stay in Grindelwald. In order to decide which pass (Swiss Travel Pass or Hiking and Sledging Pass) is best fit for us, Am I correct that theses places (from Grindelwald) are not covered by those two passes?
Where can I find the regular ticket price between Grindelwald and each of the above places?
Are holders of the STP and holders of the H&SP entitled to discount at the same rate for traveling between these places?
On the day of our departure i.e. 21 Dec, we would like to go straight to Milano, is my understanding correct that this route can be fully covered by STP? I once heard that the leg from Spiez/Brig to Milano is a compulsory seat reservation section – is that true?
A stupid question: whenever I tried to input the station Grindelwald on SBB website, my input was always automatically changed to Grindelwald BGF, are they referring to the same thing?
Thanks,
MM&BB
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Hi MM&BB,
Yes, First cable car does not operate in the winter – see their website here for details.
You will be able to visit Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn however.
You are correct about the Jungfrau Sledging pass, you can see what is covered here: http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauhikingsledgingpa ss/validity.You can use the Swiss railways timetable here to find prices. The first price you see is the Swiss Half Fare Card price (which most locals have). You have to click purchase and then enter that you have no rail pass to find your price (or just double the price you first see. 🙂 ).
That being said, the Swiss Half Fare Card may be a good option for you as well. It gets you 50% off all tickets. To see what is covered (fully or partially) by the Swiss Travel Pass click here.
The Swiss Travel Pass would cover your trip as far as the Swiss border. In your case that would be the town of Domodossola. From there you need to buy a ticket on to Milan – reservations are typically mandatory and a good idea.
Grindelwald BGF is the cable car to First. When you type in Grindelwald on the timetable, a drop down list will appear (many stops in that town). You want just plain old Grindelwald.
>> I once heard that the gondola to First will be closed for December – any update to clarify whether or not this is still the case?
The website Lucas linked to does indeed give that impression, but as we took the gondola up to First on Christmas Day last year, I looked around for additional information and found this:
Summer
- 6 May to 22 October 2017
- 02/10 – 22/10/2017 | 08.30 to 16.30
- 03/04 – 28/10/2018 | daily
Winter
- 25 November 2017 to Easter Monday, 2 April 2018
- Afterwards continous operation (without interruption) until 28 October 2018
http://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/live/operating-information/
It’s confusing that they don’t have consistent information on all their web pages!
>> We’re planning to visit “First”, “Jungfrau” and “Schilthorn” during our stay in Grindelwald. In order to decide which pass (Swiss Travel Pass or Hiking and Sledging Pass) is best fit for us, Am I correct that theses places (from Grindelwald) are not covered by those two passes?
We used the Hiking and Sledging Pass in December last year, as we stayed in Wengen for the whole time we were in Switzerland. It was the perfect choice for us. We managed to get Supersaver tickets for the trip from Zürich Airport to Wengen.
The Hiking and Sledging Pass provides unlimited free travel on the following:
- Trains between Interlaken Ost, Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen and Mürren
- Trains Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen and Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg and Eigergletscher
- Gondola Grindelwald Grund to Männlichen
- Cable car Wengen to Männlichen
- Gondola Grindelwald to First
- Bus Grindelwald to Bussalp (until 16.00)
- Funicular Mürren to Allmendhubel
- Bus and cable car Lauterbrunnen-Stechelberg-Mürren
- Cable car and train Lauterbrunnen-Grütschalp-Mürren
If you get a Hiking and Sledging Pass for at least 3 days, you also get 50% discount on tickets between:
- Mürren-Schilthorn
- Eigergletscher-Jungfraujoch
http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauhikingsledgingpa ss
I have attached a diagram that shows the coverage of the Hiking and Sledging Pass.
Alpenrose
Attachments:So it is operating? funny. I double checked on the timetable and it didn’t give me any options for the route. But I just checked again today and now it gives me the timetable in December. Strange.
Thanks for the clarification Alpenrose! It did seem odd to be closed….
>> So it is operating?
Yes, through the winter until mid-April 2018, except for a maintenance break from 23 Oct to 24 Nov 2017.
Alpenrose
Hi Alpenrose666
We’ll be in Switzerland from 10th-14th Dec and staying in Engelberg. Hoping to catch that awesome gondola ride to Grinderwald First if it is operating (praying hard that it will!) As it’s gonna be a long journey, at what time do you advise us to leave Engelberg for this trip? And what time to leave Grindelwald? I know it would be better for us to stay overnight there. But I’m not sure if we have that chance. We didn’t make any accommodation plans at Grindelwald. Wonder if they do take in guests for 1 night only.
If the gondola is not operating, what is the alternative way to get to First? Oh by the way, we will be travelling with my parents and kids between age 4 to 14. Any rules on minimum age for the gondola ride?
Thank you for taking the time to read this! 🙂
Hi cloudcatcher,
>> We’ll be in Switzerland from 10th-14th Dec and staying in Engelberg. Hoping to catch that awesome gondola ride to Grinderwald First if it is operating (praying hard that it will!)
Yes, it will be operating between 10-14 December (unless the weather is so bad they close it temporarily for safety reasons).
>> As it’s gonna be a long journey
Yes, it certainly will be! About 4.25 hours each way between Engelberg and the top of First! It will be a scenic trip though, if the weather is clear enough to enjoy the scenery. It would be a good idea to check the weather the day before, and the webcam at daylight, to make sure it would be a worthwhile trip.
http://www.srf.ch/meteo/lokal prognose?id=417298557
http://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/live/webcams/
>> at what time do you advise us to leave Engelberg for this trip?
The best thing is to use the Swiss Timetable to find times that suit you.
http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
To plan this route in the timetable, put “From Engelberg” “To First (Grindelwald)”. This will plan a co-ordinated trip for the whole route to the top of First.
Sunrise is just after 8am, so make sure you are travelling along the Luzern-Interlaken Ost sector after that time, otherwise you will miss the lovely scenery on the Golden Pass route.
>> And what time to leave Grindelwald?
That’s up to you. The last gondola down to Grindelwald is at 16:15.
Connections from Grindelwald railway station back to Engelberg leave at 19 minutes past the hour. The last train departure from Grindelwald that will get you back to Engelberg (by train all the way) is at 18:19 (changes at Interlaken Ost and Luzern).
>> Wonder if they do take in guests for 1 night only.
Possibly. It’s just before the start of the ski season, so some hotels will still be closed.
>> If the gondola is not operating, what is the alternative way to get to First?
There is no alternative transport to First.
>> Oh by the way, we will be travelling with my parents and kids between age 4 to 14. Any rules on minimum age for the gondola ride?
No, there are no age restrictions for travelling in gondolas. Each gondola seats about 4 people, so it looks like you will need more than one gondola for your family group. The gondolas move constantly, and you board them while they are moving very slowly.
Alpenrose
Hi Alpenrose
Thank you for that info! When we take the 30min ride at the gondola, how far do u reckon is the hike? (or cliff walk?) And do we take the gondola back down too? With the Swiss Pass, is the gondola free?
>> When we take the 30min ride at the gondola, how far do u reckon is the hike?
Do you mean the hike to the Bachalpsee? About 2-3 hours return, depending on your pace. It may not be open at that time of the year, due to snow cover, and even if it has been groomed for walking, I doubt whether you would have time to do it if you are travelling from Engelberg. Walking on snow might take longer. Suitable warm and weather-proof clothing and sturdy footwear with good grip would be essential, and hiking poles would assist with snow-covered or muddy inclines, which can get pretty slippery.
The start of the cliff walk is adjacent to the restaurant terrace at the top station of the gondola, and is suitable for anyone unless they have a fear of heights. The walkway is safe, has a metal-grille surface and handrails, and is fixed to the side of the cliff. There is a slight decline at the start, then the rest is level, and there are no steps. You have to duck a little to get past one or two rocky outcrops. It only takes about 10 minutes at a leisurely pace, and you can return the same way.
>> do we take the gondola back down too?
Yes, unless you are going down on the zip line to Shreckfeld, from where you would continue in the gondola. I haven’t done that, so can’t give you any further information about it.
>> With the Swiss Pass, is the gondola free?
No, not free, but you get a 50% discount.
Alpenrose
Thanks, Alpenrose.
You mentioned you managed to get Supersaver tickets for the trip from Zürich Airport to Wengen. Through what channel you purchased the Supersaver tickets, online? Or, you purchased it physically when you were physically in Zurich Airport?
Re the Hiking and Sledging Pass, I once heard that this Pass can only be purchased in the Interlaken Ost train station but not in the airport or elsewhere, but recently I heard that this Pass can be purchased online – is that true? Any information that I can check regarding this?
Trip from Grindelwald to Schilthorn:
Up: Grindelwald –> Zweilütschinen (by train), Zweilütschinen –> Lauterbrunnen (by train), Lauterbrunnen –> Stechelberg (by bus), Stechelberg –> Murren (by cable car), Murren –> Brig (by cable car), Big –> Schilthorn (by cable car)
Down: Schilthorn –> Brig (by cable car), Brig –> Murren (by cable car), Murren –> Grutschalp (by cable car), Grutschalp — Lauterbrunnen (by cable car), Lauterbrunnen –> Zweilutchinen (by train), Zweilutchinen –> Grindelwald (by train)
Is my understanding of the above connections up from Grindelwald to Schilthorn and down from Schilthorn to Grindelwald correct?
Also, is my understanding correct that the holder of both Hiking and Sledging Pass and the Swiss Travel Pass for the trip to Schilthorn needs only to purchase a return ticket between Murren and Schilthorn? If so, then is it correct that the return ticket only needs to be purchased when we are at Murren? Or, we will need to purchase it in Grindelwald?
I once heard that the cable car from Murren to Allmendhubel operates only during summer – is that correct?
Thanks,
MMANDBB
>> You mentioned you managed to get Supersaver tickets for the trip from Zürich Airport to Wengen. Through what channel you purchased the Supersaver tickets, online?
I bought them through the SBB Mobile app, but you can also buy them online. You can’t buy them at a station.
There are limits on the number of Supersaver tickets made available, and the routes they are offered on. You can’t buy them more than 30 days in advance.
They are also for a specific train only, so if you are using them for a trip from the airport, you will need to select a train departure time you can be absolutely sure of getting after going through immigration and customs. If you miss your train, the Supersaver ticket is not refundable, and can’t be used for a different train. That constraint didn’t apply to us, as we stayed in Zürich the first night, so we had more control over making sure we caught our selected train.
There is a new ticket (pass, actually) that might be cheaper for you, and better if you are travelling direct from the airport and can’t be sure of catching a particular train – the Saver Day Pass. This one commits you to a specific date of travel, but you can take an unlimited number of trains, boats, buses and trams within Switzerland on that day. Mountain transport is not included. Pricing is variable – the earlier you buy, the cheaper it is, but you can’t buy more than 30 days in advance.
All ticket options for a particular trip will be shown in the timetable after you choose a connection and click on the red button to buy a ticket – expand the heading “Options for outward journey”.
Here are links for the Swiss Timetable, and information about the Supersaver ticket and Saver Day Pass:
Swiss Timetable
http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
Saver Day Pass
Supersaver Ticket
http://www.sbb.ch/en/travelca rds-and-tickets/tickets-for-switzerland/supersaver -tickets.html
>> Re the Hiking and Sledging Pass, I once heard that this Pass can only be purchased in the Interlaken Ost train station but not in the airport or elsewhere, but recently I heard that this Pass can be purchased online – is that true?
We bought ours online. They sent vouchers by email, which could be exchanged for the pass at any of the staffed stations in the Jungfrau Region, e.g. Interlaken Ost, Grindelwald, Wengen. We exchanged our vouchers at Wengen.
In the FAQ for tickets and passes in English, under the heading “Which ski areas can I book online”, it indicates that the pass can still be booked online.
http://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/faq/tickets-passes/
The wording is more specific in German
„Ebenfalls ist der Wander- und Schlittelpass online erhältlich.“
„The Hiking and Sledging Pass is likewise available online“.
However, I haven’t been able to find a page where you can input relevant details to purchase the voucher. If you prefer to buy online, you might have to email them and ask for the booking link. Otherwise, just buy it when you get to Interlaken Ost or Grindelwald. They don’t sell out. You can only buy it in the Jungfrau Region.
If you are going to use the Hiking and Sledging Pass on your day of arrival, buy it at Interlaken Ost, so it will cover your trip to Grindelwald, but first make sure it will be worth it. It might be cheaper to just get your ticket from Zürich Airport to Grindelwald, and start using your Hiking and Sledging Pass on the following day. Bear in mind that you have to buy a Hiking and Sledging Pass for a minumum of 3 days to get the benefit of discounts between Eigergletscher and the Jungfraujoch, and between Mürren and the Schilthorn.
>> Trip from Grindelwald to Schilthorn: Up: Grindelwald –> Zweilütschinen (by train), Zweilütschinen –> Lauterbrunnen (by train), Lauterbrunnen –> Stechelberg (by bus), Stechelberg –> Murren (by cable car), Murren –> Brig (by cable car), Big –> Schilthorn (by cable car)
Yes. The mid-station on the Schilthorn cable car is Birg (not Brig).
>> Down: Schilthorn –> Brig (by cable car), Brig –> Murren (by cable car), Murren –> Grutschalp (by cable car), Grutschalp — Lauterbrunnen (by cable car), Lauterbrunnen –> Zweilutchinen (by train), Zweilutchinen –> Grindelwald (by train)
Yes, except that Mürren to Grütschalp is by train (a very small one!)
>> Also, is my understanding correct that the holder of both Hiking and Sledging Pass and the Swiss Travel Pass for the trip to Schilthorn needs only to purchase a return ticket between Murren and Schilthorn?
Yes. Both passes will get you a 50% discount for the trip from Mürren to the Schilthorn. The trip from Grindelwald to Mürren via Zweilütschinen and Lauterbrunnen is free with both passes.
The Hiking and Sledging Pass would also give you free travel on the route Grindelwald-Kleine Scheidegg-Lauterbrunnen-Mürren if you chose to go that way. On that particular route, the Swiss Travel Pass would only provide 25% discount between Grindelwald-Kleine Scheidegg-Wengen, then free travel the rest of the way to Mürren.
>> If so, then is it correct that the return ticket only needs to be purchased when we are at Murren? Or, we will need to purchase it in Grindelwald?
Yes, at Mürren, or you can also get it at the valley station of the cable car in Stechelberg. Show them your pass so they will charge you the correct amount.
>> I once heard that the cable car from Murren to Allmendhubel operates only during summer – is that correct?
No, it will be operating while you are there. It does tend to have more frequent and longer periods of closure than other mountain transport though.
Alpenrose
Hi! So can I conclude that the gondola from Grindelwald to First will be open in winter (Feb to be exact) and that the First Cliff Walk by Tissot will also be open then? I’ve come across conflicting info in the Jungfrau site. If we are travelling from Interlaken, we train to Grindelwald then take bus to the Grindelwald BGF then take the gondola up to First?
Thanks!
>> the gondola from Grindelwald to First will be open in winter (Feb to be exact) and that the First Cliff Walk by Tissot will also be open then?
Yes. You can check exact times for your February date/s by using the Swiss Timetable – “From Interlaken Ost” “To First (Grindelwald)”, and it will give you the whole route and connection times.
When the gondola is operating, the Cliff Walk is accessible.
http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
>> If we are travelling from Interlaken, we train to Grindelwald then take bus to the Grindelwald BGF then take the gondola up to First?
Yes, or you can walk from the railway station to the valley station of the gondola. The relevant stops along the way that will show up in the timetable are:
- Grindelwald = Grindelwald railway station
- Grindelwald, Bahnhof = the bus stop area near the station
- Grindelwald, Firstbahn = the bus stop near the valley station of the gondola to First
- Grindelwald BGF = the valley station of the gondola to First
- First (Grindelwald) = the mountain-top station of the gondola to First
The Jungfrau Region is beautiful in February, and there should be plenty of snow, but that is also the height of the ski season, so it is very busy. Schools in Grindelwald / Wengen / Lauterbrunnen will have a one-week winter-sport break at the end of Feb-beginning of March, so that will be the busiest time of all.
Alpenrose
Thanks so much, Alpenrose! And looks like we’ll be seeing lots of families since we are indeed visiting end February week.
Thanks Alpenrose, for the very helpful info!
I still have some questions regarding the transportation as we are very unfamiliar with the places and very fear of getting lost.
As I mentioned earlier, for the trip from Grindelwald to Schilthorn:-
Up:
Grindelwald —> Zweilutschinen (by train),
Zweilutschinen —> Lauterbrunnen (by train),
Lauterbrunnen —> Stechelberg (by bus),
Stechelberg —> Murren (by cable car),
Murren —> Birg (by cable car),
Birg —> Schilthorn (by cable car)
I’ve just noted a new place called “Gimmelwald” from a different map. Should there be an additional change at “Gimmelwald” between Stechelberg and Murren?
Is each one of the above places very close to the other and is each connection between a place and another very short and easy for travellers to make a change?
What is the post bus number for the change in Stechelberg?
How far is the bus stop from the train station in Lauterbrunnen for taking a bus to Stechelberg? Is the bus stop difficult to be found in Lauterbrunnen?
Is my understanding correct that the holders of Swiss Travel Pass and the holders of Hiking and Sledging Pass are also free for the bus ride?
Down:
Schilthorn —> Birg (by cable car),
Birg —> Murren (by cable car),
Murren —> Grutschalp (by train),
Grutschalp —> Lauterbrunnen (by cable car),
Lauterbrunnen —> Zweilutchinen (by train),
Zweilutchinen —> Grindelwald (by train)
While I know for the trip to Schilthorn is highly recommended to go up via Stechelberg and down via Grutschalp, is my understanding correct that the only difference between the going up route and going down route is from Lauterbrunnen (by bus) to Stechelberg and then (by cable car) to Murren for going up; and from Murren (by train) to Grutschalp and then (by cable car) to Lauterbrunnen for going down?
If I want to visit Allmendhubel on our way back to Grindelwald, does it mean that I’ll have to take a train from Murren to Allmendhubel and go back to Murren again take the train to Grutschalp and continue the rest?
I once heard that the cable car from Grindelwald to Pfingstegg and the bus from Grindelwald to Grosse Scheidegg only operate in summer, is that correct?
Do you think I need to make seat reservation(s) for the trip to Jungfraujoch, if so, on which part(s) of the trip I’ll need to make reservation(s)? And how to make such reservation(s)?
Do you know there is a luggage delivery service from Zurich airport to Grindelwald? Any idea as to how it works and how to book this service?
Many thanks!
BBANDMM
Hi MMandBB,
Gimmelwald is a small village about 20-30 minutes from Murren by foot. There is no change in cable car there.
Yes, you will have to return to Murren to take the train to Grütschalp and yes the cable car to Pfingstegg only operates in the summer.
No reservations are needed for Jungfraujoch no. Sometimes it is a good idea in July/August when it can get extremely busy.
Yes, you can send you luggage on to Grindelwald from Zurich Airport – for more details on luggage service click here.
Thanks, Lucas, for the info.
Could someone else please give me some pointers on the rest of my questions?
Many thanks!
MMANDBB
The PDF map on our Swiss Travel Pass page will show you what is included in the Swiss Travel Pass – the yellow lines are buses and it shows Stechelberg is covered by the pass.
The timetable will tell you the bus number you need to go to Stechelberg – it leaves at the Lauterbrunnen bahnhhof and is marked. The towns/stops are close to each other yes. The timetable will also show you how much walking may be needed whether it is 1 minute or 7 minutes etc.
>> I still have some questions regarding the transportation as we are very unfamiliar with the places and very fear of getting lost.
I think it would be almost impossible to get lost in the places you are going to 😉 It will often be a matter of “follow the crowd”, platforms/destinations are well signposted, and there will always be people with whom you can confirm you are heading the right way. And then transport is so frequent that it is generally of little consequence if you should happen to miss a connection, as another train or bus will be along before too long.
Are you using the Swiss Timetable? That will give you full details of the connections you need, including platform numbers for the arrival and departure of most trains.
http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
>> Stechelberg —> Murren (by cable car), Murren —> Birg (by cable car), Birg —> Schilthorn (by cable car) I’ve just noted a new place called “Gimmelwald” from a different map. Should there be an additional change at “Gimmelwald” between Stechelberg and Murren? Is each one of the above places very close to the other and is each connection between a place and another very short and easy for travellers to make a change?
Yes, you do change cable cars at Gimmelwald, but you pretty well just step out of one into the other. It would be impossible to get lost 😉 You can see how it works on this YouTube video. Right at the end of the video, you see the Stechelberg-Gimmelwald cable car arriving from below, and the Gimmelwald-Mürren cable car arriving from Mürren. You just walk a few paces from one to the other. The second link shows both cable cars on a map.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z0DklyAuN8
mymuerren.ch/fileadmin /muerren/Allgemein/A4_ Plaene_GW_07.16-2.jpg
Please note that the Schilthorn cable car is closed for maintenance between 13 Nov and 8 Dec 2017 inclusive.
>> What is the post bus number for the change in Stechelberg?
The bus from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg is bus 141 and will say “Stechelberg” on the destination display on the front of the bus. You get off at the stop called “Schilthornbahn”, which is right outside the Stechelberg-Gimmelwald-Mürren cable car building. Practically everyone else who is still on the bus will also get off there.
>> How far is the bus stop from the train station in Lauterbrunnen for taking a bus to Stechelberg? Is the bus stop difficult to be found in Lauterbrunnen?
The bus stop for the Stechelberg bus is easy to find. It is just outside Lauterbrunnen railway station. You leave the station at street level, and cross the road to the bus stop, which is outside a bakery (Bäckerei-Café von Allmen) and adjacent to the Grütschalp cable car.
On the attached screen capture of Lauterbrunnen in Google Street View, you can see (marked with red circles from left to right): Exit from Lauterbrunnen railway station, entrance to Lauterbrunnen-Grütschalp cable car, bus stop for Lauterbrunnen-Stechelberg bus.
>> Is my understanding correct that the holders of Swiss Travel Pass and the holders of Hiking and Sledging Pass are also free for the bus ride?
Yes.
>> is my understanding correct that the only difference between the going up route and going down route is from Lauterbrunnen (by bus) to Stechelberg and then (by cable car) to Murren for going up; and from Murren (by train) to Grutschalp and then (by cable car) to Lauterbrunnen for going down?
Yes. The only difference is how you get to and from Mürren. From Mürren there is only one way up to the Schilthorn and one way down.
Lauterbrunnen and Stechelberg are in the Lauterbrunnen Valley at opposite ends of the valley. On top of the cliffs above the Lauterbrunnen Valley are Grütschalp and Mürren, again at opposite ends: Grütschalp is above Lauterbrunnen; Mürren is roughly above Stechelberg. So it is possible to do a circular route between Lauterbrunnen and Mürren – actually more of an oblong: the long sides of the oblong are Lauterbrunnen-Stechelberg on the valley floor (travelled by bus) and Grütshcalp-Mürren on top of the cliff (travelled by train). The short sides of the oblong are the cable cars from Stechelberg-Gimmelwald-Mürren at the Stechelberg end and Lauterbrunnen-Grütschalp at the Lauterbrunnen end. These pictures might help you to visualise it better:
>> If I want to visit Allmendhubel on our way back to Grindelwald, does it mean that I’ll have to take a train from Murren to Allmendhubel and go back to Murren again take the train to Grutschalp and continue the rest?
No. The Schilthorn cable car is at one end of Mürren village. The station for the train from Mürren to Grütschalp is at the other end of the village, and the funicular to Allmendhubel is in between the two. It takes about 20 minutes to walk from one end of the village to the other. There is no transport. Please note that the Allmendhubel funicular is closed between 16 Oct and 9 Dec 2017 inclusive.
So when you come down from the Schilthorn to Mürren, you walk through Mürren until you see the signs for the Allmendhubel funicular, which will be on your left (and you will also see the funicular track going up the mountain). When you descend from Allmendhubel, you continue walking through the village until you get to the railway station.
The following map should make this clear. The “Bahnstation BLM” is the railway station for the Mürren-Grütschalp train, and hopefully the location of the Schilthorn cable car and the Allmendhubel funicular are self-explanatory.
This is a photo of the Mürren station:
photos.wikimapia.org/p /00/05/11/62/26_big.jp g
>> I once heard that the cable car from Grindelwald to Pfingstegg and the bus from Grindelwald to Grosse Scheidegg only operate in summer, is that correct?
Yes. In 2017, the Pfingstegg cable car ran from 6 May until 22 October and the bus to Grosse Scheidegg ran from 20 May to 22 October. Neither of them will recommence operations until similar dates in May 2018.
>> Do you think I need to make seat reservation(s) for the trip to Jungfraujoch, if so, on which part(s) of the trip I’ll need to make reservation(s)? And how to make such reservation(s)?
Reservations can only be made for the sector from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch. I went up to the Jungfraujoch last year on 23 December. It was pretty busy, but everybody without a reservation had a seat. I expect it would be a bit less busy when you are there.
You can buy a ticket (and reservation, if you choose) at any staffed railway station in the Jungfrau Region (Interlaken Ost, Grindelwald, Wengen, Kleine Scheidegg). Before buying a ticket (or reservation) make sure the weather will be clear on top of the Jungfraujoch. Once you have bought your ticket or reservation, you will not get a refund if it turns out that the Jungfraujoch is in the clouds on your chosen day.
>> Do you know there is a luggage delivery service from Zurich airport to Grindelwald? Any idea as to how it works and how to book this service?
As well as the link you have already been given about luggage services, you can find more information here:
http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/services/lugg age-and-flight-luggage/luggage.html
It’s important to take note of when and where you would have to lodge your luggage for the various luggage services, and when you would be able to collect it, so that you can tell how well each service would meet your particular needs.
Alpenrose
Attachments:Thanks, Alpenrose, for the detailed explanation.
I’ve read through the SBB luggage delivery link but couldn’t find any information about where the relevant service centre/counter is exactly situated at the Zurich Airport. Has anyone have practical experience in using this service in the Zurich Airport?
We would like to take a ski lesson at “beginner” level and to do paragliding in Grindelwald, any recommendation?
I once heard the longest sledging run in the world, please could you kindly advise how this fun stuff can be arranged in terms of the following:
– it starts from where and ends in where?
– is rental of the sledge possible?
– if so, where to rent?
– and where to return the sledge?
On our departure day, we plan to go straight from Grindelwald to Milano Centrale and purchase a single ticket.
We’ve been advised to make a change at either “Spiez” or “Domodossola” and from either of such places to Milano Centrale. Is there any difference between making a change at “Spiez” and making a change at “Domodossola”?
Does it mean that we’ll need to purchase from SBB the 1st part for departing from Grindelwald to “Spiez” or “Domodossola”, and then purchase from Trenitalia another ticket for the 2nd part separately to Milano Centrale?
Can we purchase the ticket for the whole journey in one go in the Grindelwald train station or via the SBB App? If so, then what is/are the reason(s) for purchasing the tickets separately from SBB and Trenitalia?
Many thanks!!
MMANDBB
You’ll need to go to the Swiss railways office at Zurich airport. We have terminal maps on our airport page here. It is easy to find, following signs to get to the trains you will walk right past it before walking down to the train tracks.
Your link on your post above for the sledging runs indicates where it is. It states you need to hike up with your sledge…2.5 hours (yikes) for details on this and other sledging options (and a bus to take you part way) check out the Grindelwald bus website.
Where you change trains to Milan depends on the train that you take that day. From Grindelwald you will change trains a minimum of 3 times before getting to Milan. Use the timetable to check your options on the date you want to travel.
If you don’t have a rail pass then you need a ticket for the whole trip – but just one ticket.
We have a list of retailers here to buy a ticket for Switzerland to Italy.
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