Summer stay in Lauterbrunnen: hiking and transport

  • Will_W
    Participant
    6 posts
    5 September 2021 at 19:04:28 #826086

    Thanks for all of the insights and advice. We returned from our trip a couple weeks ago and wanted to share some of our thoughts.

    We stayed in Lauterbrunnen, at the Hotel Steinbock, and it proved to be a great location for our needs. It was right next to the train station and provided a nice view of the surrounding area. The staff were very accommodating and the included breakfast was ample – it was great not to have to worry about running out for a meal to start the day. The grocery store (Coop) was about half a block away. We made great use of it by keeping snacks and adult beverages on hand (beer/wine after a long hike). The town itself is relatively small and quaint. Beware that many restaurants shut down by 9:00 PM. We also considered staying in Grindelwald, but after visiting, would not hesitate staying there if we were in the area again. It’s a larger town offering a few more amenities.

    The views from the area were tremendous! Whether by foot, train, boat or cable car, you could not escape the picturesque landscape. We did, however, struggle a little bit with the altitude change while hiking. At times, we had to take a pause to catch our breath. It wasn’t the best feeling coupled with jet lag. Therefore, the hikes took a little longer than we expected.

    We got the 3 day Jungfrau region pass and definitely enjoyed the boat taxi on Lake Brienz. Overall, we came to the area for the hiking, but were pleasantly surprised by the views we got from all methods of transit. Something we wish we knew was that we could buy the 3 day pass starting on a future date. We arrived mid-afternoon and didn’t want to waste a day of the pass by buying it the same day. When we went to the ticket booth the next morning, the agent told us we could start the 3 days on any day – we just had to tell them when.

    I also think we lucked out a little due to the continued pandemic. It was a lot less crowded than we expected. Talking to some locals, they mentioned that during summer/peak season, it was typically a struggle to get a seat on the trains. We had no such issue during our trip.

    This was a great introduction to Switzerland for us… we can’t wait to come back!!!

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    Anna
    Moderator
    6274 posts
    6 September 2021 at 6:05:26 #936453

    Hi Will W,

    Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience. Glad you had a great time and are planning to come back.

    Regards,

    Anna

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    8 September 2021 at 8:19:09 #936454

    Thank you for sharing your trip report Will W! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed your stay in Lauterbrunnen. Yes, being with far fewer tourists than normal must have been a positive side effect from the pandemic. The Jungfrau region is usually very popular in summer. Enjoying nature in peace and quiet is wonderful, isn’t it?

    Yes, you can choose your start date for the Jungfrau Travel Pass and it doesn’t have to be its purchase date: http://www.myswissalps.com/jungfrautravelpass/price. Good to know in case you’d use this pass, or any of the others, during a return visit. I hope you’ll soon get the chance to return to Switzerland!

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