Skiing in Grindelwald

A ski holiday in Grindelwald, located on the famously rugged peaks of the Eiger, Jungfrau and Monch, is sure to please anyone who wants a good view. Grindelwald is the largest of the Interlaken-based resorts, known as the Jungfrau top ski resort, in the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland.

Grindelwald is directly connected to the Wengen ski area, and the top ski pass offers access to the resort's entire ski area, which extends over 50 slopes. The Jungfrau Top Ski Resort offers access to slopes that reach over 7,500 feet (approx. 2.286 m), which guarantees skiers and boarders exceptional snow security. Despite being one of Europe's most popular ski resorts, overcrowding is rare in the Jungfrau region thanks to its three sprawling core areas and the central city of Interlaken. In addition, the resort's 20 chairlifts carry 42.000 passengers in one hour.

Non-skiers and those seeking a variety of activities and experiences will be incredibly satisfied thanks to the world-famous cog railway that transports skiers and tourists to the "Summit of Europe", the saddle between the Jungfrau and Monch Peaks . Those looking to take part in winter activities will love that Grindelwald is home to the longest toboggan run in the Alps and that the Grindelwald Valley is 12 miles (approx. 19 km) of world-class cross-country ski trails.

With so much terrain to explore, a historic and lively base village in Interlaken and spectacular Alpine peaks, you can start planning your ski holiday in Grindelwald today.

A trip to Grindelwald in the Swiss Alps, located below the high north face of the Eiger, will be unforgettable for both skiers and non-skiers.

Grindelwald is located at the base of the Jungfrau ski area with 155km of local pistes, served by a fleet of increasingly modern ski lifts, providing access to terrain in two distinct zones. The main pistes are shared with Wengen and there is a separate area of ​​sunny pistes in First.

The ski area also offers one of the best opportunities for relaxation away from the snow in the entire Alps. A trip to Jungfraujoch is a must, and the place also has the longest toboggan run in Europe and an extensive network of hiking trails.

Grindelwald has always been popular with members and there is no better way to find out more about the varied slopes and breathtaking scenery than through the expertise of your ski club representative - this winter from January to March is present. Grindelwald is also easy to reach by train from Zurich, which is why two Freshtracks weekends will be in the ski resort this season. This season you can also sign up for our instructor-led tour in neighboring Wengen!

Advantages:

• One of the most incredible mountain landscapes in the world.
• Generally modern and efficient ski lift system with few (or no) queues.
• A huge piste ski area for all levels, but especially for beginners and advanced skiers.
• Ski height of 1380 m (more if you cross the Lauterbrunnen Valley towards Muerren Schilthorn or Grindelwald First).
• Several valley runs of up to 13 km to Grindelwald and also Wengen (although technically they are not in the valley!).
• Beautiful powder snow away from the piste in the alpine areas of Lauberhorn and Männlichen.
• The best area in the region for beginners who want to learn to ski, in the village of Wengen.
• Numerous good restaurants and bars in the mountains.
• Ski lift package from the Jungfrau connected to the breathtaking Muerren Schilthorn.
• An incredible selection and variety of winter activities outside of skiing, including the longest toboggan run in the world (15km).
• An ideal place for a snow holiday for the whole family.
• The best mountain railways and public transport in the world are integrated into the large ski lifts - leave the car behind!

Disadvantages:

• Non-ski tourists can fill the trains to Kleine Scheidegg (as they will on Jungfraujoch) (start early on sunny days or take the new Eiger Express gondola from Grindelwald Grund instead of the train !)
• The terrain requires tricky slopes and lift connections - there are e.g. b no direct ski slope to get from Männlichen back to Wengen.
• Some sections of the main ski slopes to the villages can get quite icy in the steepest sections, regardless of recent snowfall (an objection!).
• Pros and cons (depending on your point of view!)
• The main terminus is not easy to reach from the village and requires either a questionable descent, a bus ride or a super short train ride.
• The sleigh drivers coming along the Wengenweg are crazy - watch out for them as they rush by!
• A selection of different villages to stay in, each with different accommodation, prices, altitudes, accessibility and landscapes.
• Relatively few five-star accommodation in the holiday villages (but plenty in nearby Interlaken).
• The urban area of ​​Grindelwald spends much of the day in the shade in the middle of winter (blame the Eiger!) and some of its hotels are less attractive than you would expect (blame the 70s, we'll do that with many things!).
• You may become so distracted by the landscape of peaks, glaciers, feats of human engineering and incredibly deep valleys that you forget to walk!

Skiing and snowboarding, ski lifts and terrain

The skiing in Grindelwald-Wengen is excellent and much more accessible to most people than in neighboring Murren-Schilthorn. Lovers of super long races, spectacular landscapes and incredible train rides will love it. For those who want to take the long route, the masculine is the way to go. The long stretches through the valley to Grindelwald are also fantastic. There are several opportunities to stop for a beer along the way, especially below Holenstein - try the Quicky Bar, because let's face it, who doesn't like a quick beer?

Kleine Scheidegg is the best place for powder hunters when the powder is clear, especially near the Lauberhorn. Charming, accessible and fun, without the dangerous slopes and tricky terrain of the Schilthorn. On the opposite side there are more technically demanding runs on the flanks of the Eiger, to the right of the summit station of the chairlift to the north face of the Eiger. The wide ridge along the Männlichen summit also offers wide alpine freeride terrain and easy runs to the ski lifts.

There is also plenty of terrain to the left and right of the main chairlifts in this area. Advanced skiers have the opportunity to ski the longest World Cup route from Lauberhorn to Wengen. Be prepared for super steep and fast descents and long, long shots. At the end of the route, the fearsome final climb requires superior braking performance! A drive up the Innerwengen chair brings the day to a comfortable end.

On a classic road leading to Wengen in the Swiss Alps, you drive past bars, between houses and dairy cows, and end abruptly at a railroad crossing right above the train station. That's everything you like about skiing in Europe.

Beginners skiing in the Alps for the first time could do worse than hang around Wengen. It is a pretty mountain village with particularly well-protected slopes and lifts. You can take the cable car to Männlichen and move on to more important matters on the slopes down to Grindelwald, or take the train to Kleine Scheidegg and do the same.

You shouldn't miss the sunny slopes of the Grindelwald First ski area. It is included in all lift passes and is located on the opposite side of the valley from the main ski area. First has the longest ski slope in Grindelwald (almost 1.500 meters), the highest lift point (2.500 meters) and in addition to the many ski slopes there are also numerous non-ski activities.

The mountain railways in Grindelwald-Wengen are experiencing a renaissance. The new V-Bahn project revolutionizes access from the Grindelwaldtal to Kleine Scheidegg and Männlichen. The main components of the project were inaugurated in the 2020/21 season, with the amazing Eiger gondola going up to a high station above Kleine Scheidegg. The cable car is part of the "Terminal", an integrated, multi-story parking garage under the roof, a train station, a ski rental and a lift station. The new gondola lift to Männlichen is also integrated into the terminus.

Subscription for the ski lifts

There are two main options for ski lift passes in the region. The Jungfrau Sportpass is valid for all ski lifts in the region as well as for all trains that travel from Interlaken Ost to the mountains. If you're taking day trips from Interlaken, the Jungfrau Pass is essential. For 6CHF less you can buy “local” lift passes for Grindelwald-Wengen. The local ski pass does not include the train from Interlaken Ost. If you are not an experienced skier or snowboarder, the Grindelwald-Wengen ski pass is more attractive because of the included lifts and terrain. It also includes the Grindelwald First ski area.

Where is Grindelwald Wengen in Switzerland?

The Grindelwald Wengen ski area is located in the extensive canton of Bern in central Switzerland. It is located in the eponymous villages of Grindelwald and Wengen, and the nearest large city is Interlaken. From Interlaken, the resort's villages extend into various valleys, with Grindelwald 20 km southwest by road or train and Wengen 45 minutes south by train (no road connection!). Interlaken lies between Lake Thun (Lake Thun) and Lake Brienz (Lake Brienz) on the Aare, which flows into the Rhine. The city is located 55 km (45 minutes) by road southeast of the Swiss capital Bern and just 120 km (1½ hours) southwest of Zurich.

The main international airport is Zurich (ZRH), with other options including Geneva (GVA) (for all international flights) or Basel (BSL) (for flights from the UK and Europe).

The train is the recommended means of transport to get to the holiday destination via Interlaken. The train connections to all major Swiss cities, towns and ski areas in the Alps are excellent. Interlaken has two train stations, West and Ost (East). Access to the Grindelwald-Wengen ski area by train is only possible via Interlaken Ost station, making it the more important of the two stations. Trains to/from Zurich travel via Bern to Interlaken Ost Station in around 2 hours or via the more scenic route through beautiful Lucerne in around 3 hours. Traveling via Lucerne is recommended if time is not an issue!

From Interlaken Ost train station, trains run every 30 minutes to the ski areas of Grindelwald (journey time 40 minutes) and Wengen (journey time 45 minutes, with a change in Lauterbrunnen). All train journeys from Interlaken Ost via Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald to the Jungfrau Ski Region are included in the Jungfrau Pass, but not in the Grindelwald-Wengen Pass. The trains also connect the two valleys of the ski area via the Kleine Scheidegg pass below the Eiger.

To confuse visitors, there are three train stations in Grindelwald: Grindelwald, Grindelwald Grund and the new terminal in Grindelwald. All trains from Interlaken terminate at Grindelwald train station, which is located in the center of the village. The terminal in Grindelwald is intended for skiers and snowboarders coming from Interlaken. It is the last stop before Grindelwald. Grindelwald Grund is the first stop after the village, about a kilometer away on the route to Kleine Scheidegg. Because of the curve of the route, it looks like it goes down into the valley rather than up! The Grund station and the terminus are now integrated into the new base of the v-Bahn.

The Eiger Gondola, as the name suggests, travels up the flanks of the Eiger summit near the mountain's crumbling glacier at a spot amusingly called the Eiger Glacier. The Männlichen gondola at the other end of the base also runs the long route to Männlichen, which is located above Wengen (on the opposite side of the summit).

If you don't like public transport or are worried about postcocci, we recommend a private transfer to the city and surrounding ski resorts. Private transfers can also be particularly cost-effective and quick if you are a group of three or more people. Please note that staying in Wengen requires a train from Lauterbrunnen.

Tourists with a rental car who want to drive to the ski area should best drive to Grindelwald and park in the large parking garage of the Grindelwald terminal, the entrance to which is directly opposite Grindelwald Grund. The parking garage is integrated into the new gondola complex.

Anyone thinking about driving to Wengen by rental car will be disappointed. The village is car-free and cars must be parked in Lauterbrunnen. Traveling to Wengen can only be done by train.

Accommodation in Grindelwald and Wengen

The village of Grindelwald is a well-developed tourist enclave, beautifully situated in a valley below the region's most impressive peaks. Grindelwald now offers excellent access to the Männlichen, Kleine Scheidegg and Grindelwald First ski areas, thanks to gondola lifts near the city center (for First) and in Grindelwald Grund (for the others). Grindelwald offers accommodation options for every taste and every budget. The village is directly connected to Interlaken Ost and Kleine Scheidegg by train. A wealth of excellent hotels, chalets and holiday apartments are located close to the village center and the train station.

The village of Wengen is located on the opposite side of the mountain range, above the Lauterbrunnen Valley. The car-free town of Wengen is best located to provide access to the entire Jungfrau ski area, which is why arrival can be infrequent!

With the new Grindelwald terminus offering direct access to the new gondolas, Interlaken is useful not only for skiing locally, but also for saving a few cents on accommodation and meals. Travel times to ski and back can be longer each day, but the local trains run in such beautiful surroundings that you probably won't even notice.

Interlaken has long been a popular travel destination. Just a few steps from Ost train station you can stay in beautiful modern hostels like the wonderful Jugendherberge Interlaken, in huge five-star Belle Epoque hotels like the stunning Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa, in beautiful new self-catering apartments like Hapimag Ferienwohnungen Interlaken and everything in between.

Ski rental, lessons and guides

Ski rental is available in Grindelwald and Wengen. Benefit from a discount when you search and book on our Grindelwald Wengen ski and snowboard rental page.

Exploring the ski area (on or off the slopes) can be much more fun with a local guide. It is possible to become completely confused by the number of mountain guides, ski instructors and ski schools operating in the Jungfrau region. To narrow the field, you can search for and book mountain guides and lessons from the best providers via our ski instructors and ski guides page in Grindelwald Wengen.

Activities

While it is normal for all Swiss ski resorts to offer their visitors many activities that have nothing to do with skiing, Grindelwald Wengen (and actually the entire Jungfrau ski region) goes above and beyond to cater to the To be at the top of the group. This means there is probably more to see and do here than any other ski resort in the world - a good thing to have on your CV!

Train lovers and tourists will be delighted with the possibilities offered by the various train lines and cable cars, e.g. b to the Sphinx observatory on the Jungfraujoch. Hikers will appreciate the 100km of winter hiking trails - a walk to the peak of Männlichen, a hike beneath the frozen waterfalls of the Lauterbrunnen Valley or more energetic adventures in Grindelwald First.

Perhaps a helicopter flight over the peaks of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau? If you feel the need for speed or just have a flair for skiing, there are 50km of slalom runs across the region, including the longest in the world - the 15km Big Pintenfritz in Grindelwald.

It is also possible to toboggan via Fox Run to Muerren. There are affordable sledding and hiking passes that include all the trains and lifts you need to reach all of the trails in the area, which is a great way to explore the region. Ice skating, parasailing, curling, flying, gliding and just good old fashioned eating and drinking while enjoying the amazing views from a mountain hut. There are many ways to pass the time here that don't involve skiing or snowboarding. If you can't find anything to do, you're not the one looking!

What is the best way to get to Grindelwald?

The efficient and scenic Swiss railway system is the easiest way to get to Grindelwald - just be prepared to change several times. Zurich and Basel airports are about three hours away, and the drive from Geneva takes about four hours. The travel time by car from the airports is about the same, but the drive from Calais is long. Also, make sure you book parking in Lauterbrunnen in advance during peak weeks.

Best time to ski in Grindelwald

The peak season for skiing in the Swiss Alps runs from December to March. All of our ski areas have high-altitude slopes at over 1,800 meters with reliable snowmaking. The choice of departure date may therefore depend on crowds and your budget. Christmas, New Year and half term are the most popular weeks, so expect a fun and lively atmosphere. January and March are the calmest and most favorable months - choose January for better snow, thanks to average temperatures of -5°C, or opt for March for sunny slopes and milder weather up to 5°C.