One day in Grindelwald - What to do

Hi,

I am planning a trip to Switzerland for 3 days. I will be in Lucerne for 2 days. Lucerne is my base. I am planning a day trip to grindelwald.

I will be doing one hike to bachsee from first. Please suggest other things that I can do during the day so that I can see the best of Grindelwald. Please suggest any other hike that is easy if it is better than the bachsee one.

Hi Lakshmim-

Welcome to My Swiss Alps. Lucerne is a good base- plenty to see and do nearby.

The train trip to Grindelwald will take 2 hours and 34 minutes. When you add in the cableway to Firts, and the hike, the day gets full fairly quickly.

These websites and links may help you:

www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion

www.jungfrau.ch/en/tou rism/destinations/klei ne-scheidegg/hiking-trails/

However, the single most important one is the timetable. Cableway services in the Jungfrau region have seasonal breaks for repair/maintenance, and do not run at all during parts of spring and fall. And, high trails may be impassable, depending on the time of year and, importantly, altitude.

When are you planning to be there?

Check the timetable for your chosen date, and keep a close eye on the weather forecast if the access is possible. No fun to hike inside a cloud....can't see a whole lot. ;-(

www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

Slowpoke

Please also check this page for suggestions: www.myswissalps.com/gr indelwald/activities.

Hi Lakshmim-

Sorry for the typos in my post above.

I got the comments posted, but then the forum software was partially inoperative, and i could not get back into it to correct for the typos. I think Arno fixed some, but you may have seen the post before he made repairs. on my poor typing.

If you do not understand anything, let me know and I'll post again.

For example, I meant "First" where I typed "Firts"

Slowpoke

Hi,

Thank you for your reply. I have checked the websites you have mentioned. I will be in switzerland from april 13-16. Will the weather be clear for a hike? Also, i actually wanted to know the things other than hiking that I can do. Please suggest an itinerary. Hike would take about 3 hours. What else can I do during the day?

Also, would you recommend a taking a swiss travel pass?

Hi Lakshmim -

In mid April, you are in low season. Skiing has pretty much stopped, and hiking (Summer season) is still 2 months away.The cableways are generally not running. Grindelwald to First is not running.

Wengen to Männlichen is not running.

A hotel that I stay at has these open seasons:

<<"Winter Season 18.12.2015 – 28.3.2016

Sommer Season 3.6.2016 – 9.10.2016">>

Many but not all restaurants and hotels will be closed.

Sunset is at 2010 in Wengen on April 13th

The cograil train is running...Lauterbrunnen to Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg thence Grindelwald, with the expensive branch to the Jungfrau.

www.myswissalps.com/be sttimetovisit

It is impossible to predict the weather for mid-April dates at this time. And, it is very changeable from day to day or even during any one day in the mountains. The weather could be beautiful or awful. In April, there tend to be more cloudy and rainy days ( or even snow at higher elevations) than in summer and early fall. But, in April 2014, there was a whole week of wonderful weather over most all of Switzerland, and I was able to take the attached panoramic photograph. Very unusual weather.

Note the snow on the Alps, and that the trees are flowering with no leaves on them yet. The grass is just starting to get green. Elevation 700 meters in an area that gets sunshine. (The Lauterbrunnen Valley is deep enough that sunshine hours are more limited.

Basically, you will need up to date information on the day you plan to hike or the day before.

Even the valley floor may not be free of snow, but you could probably walk from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg ( Bus stops a long the way and bus for return).

Grütschalp to Mürren would probably be cleared for walkers.

www.myswissalps.com/hi king/gruetschalp-muerren

www.myswissalps.com/hi king/lauterbrunnen-stechelberg

Arno and Annika have much better detailed knowledge of the seasons in that area; perhaps they can refine my comments.

<<"Please suggest an itinerary. ">>

Arno has already suggested a useful link in his post above.

They are also the experts on rail passes. I'm not knowledgeable about the various discount passes.

Whether you should go there at all is a matter of personal preferences. The area will be impressive at any time of the year, even in mid April, which is not the best time, by far. A ride on the cograil part or all the way along its route could be rewarding, if the weather is clear, but it is not a hike.

With my own perspective, probably because i have been there many times, I'd stay in the Luzern area and not make the trip, because it is a long trip for only a short time in the Jungfrau area. But, for a first time visitor, the judgement could be different. And, the train ride to and from is scenic, assuming clear weather.

Slowpoke

Hi lakshmim,

For 2 days in the Lucerne region and 1 day in the Grindelwald area I suggest you look into either a 3 day Swiss Travel Pass or a Swiss Half Fare Card. The Swiss Travel Pass is generally more convenient as it provides free traveling, without the need to purchase tickets, on all regular trains, bused and boats. Rigi is fully covered too, but I don't know if that's on your wish list. The best you can do is make a list of plans and start calculating as explained here.

Hi Annika-

Do I recall correctly that the Half Fare Card gives a 50 % discount even on the expensive trip to the Jungfraujoch on the cograil, while the Swiss Travel Pass give a smaller 25% discount?

Slowpoke

Hi Slowpoke,

The details are here:

• myswissalps.com/ swisshalffarecard/ validity
• myswissalps.com/ swisstravelpass/ validity

Effectively there's a price difference, but it's less then one might think as the Swiss Travel Pass covers everything to Grindelwald and Wengen for free, while with the Swiss Half Fare Card one still needs to pay for that too.

Thanks-

I forgot about the need to pay half fare cost up to Wengen or Grindelwald from Interlaken with the half fare card. I tend to start from Wengen; habit patterns tend to stick in my brain. ;-)

Slowpoke

hi,

Annika, Arno can you also please enhance Slowpoke's comments on Grindelwald? Should I go to grindelwald in april or not? If not then can you please suggest other places i can visit as a day trip from luerne. I will be taking the Swiss travel pass. Also, you said cableways will be closed in April. Will it be the same way in Lucerne as well? I will be covering one mountain in lucerne. Please suggest which one.

Hi lakshmim,

Visiting Grindelwald in April can be great, if weather cooperates. But to be honest, that goes for nearly all plans and for all seasons. The best you can do is make a list of trips you'd like to make (so definitely include Grindelwald if you're interested) and find a few back-up plans in case weather is bad. Try to be flexible in your planning by checking forecasts each evening and morning and adapting your plans accordingly. Please refer to our Lucerne page for alternatives.

Some cable cars are closed in April indeed, but the major ones in the Lucerne area are all accessible. You can choose from Rigi, Pilatus and Titlis. Please study the pages I linked to in order to find out which appeals to you most.