 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
I have my eye on accommodation in Lauterbrunnen for next season, the only issue is just how long would we be looking at to hitting the slopes each morning? I found an old threat from 2006 which suggested an hour by train, which would make it a big no from our group! A post on there mentioned a cable car which shortened the journey though. Anyone got up to date experience?
We just got back from Mayerhofen, our first time not ski in or out for a while, and everyone seemed happy with a 10 minute walk or bus then super quick gondola up, but I'm not sure they'd be happy for a 20/30 minute trip each day.
It was suggested by the group we try Wengen, but I'm budget conscious too, so Lauterbrunnen seemed a good compromise to try both Wengen and Murren.
Any advice appreciated! thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I would agree it’s perhaps not the place for your group if you’re in a rush. For me the charm and beauty together with quality of skiing area far outweigh the need to get at it like you can with a ski in/out resort.
Some of the train routes and lifts are stunningly beautiful.
Also worth noting that the Lauterbrunnen/murren side is now on a separate ski ticket to the Jungfrau pass.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Thanks Jirac18 - any idea of timescale at all please? I've been to the area int he summer and agree it's truly gorgeous, would love to see it with snow.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Skiing in Mürren : Journey time from Lauterbrunnen to Winteregg is 15 minutes. The train stops right outside the Winteregg chairlift. Weather dependent you ski back down to Lauterbrunnen.
Piste map - https://schilthorn.ch/cmsfiles/pistenplan_legende.pdf
NOTE: Jungfrau region ski pass does cover Mürren
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Tue 11-02-20 19:23; edited 3 times in total
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Lauterbrunnen to Wengen by train is about 15 mins. You can then either take the gondola up to Mannlichen or train upto Kleine Scheidegg which is about another 30 mins to top. There are interim halts elsewhere piste-side.
Drive from Lauterbrunnen to Murren gondola is about 10mins tops and is on direct bus route or you can take a short gondola up and take short train to Winteregg
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I’ve skied the area three times now and going back again for a long weekend in March and I must say I absolutely love it there but I do see the drawbacks.
We ski as a family and so it’s all about good times together enjoying the surroundings and the trains are so Swiss it’s all part of it for us. Last time we stayed in a lovely chalet for a couple of days near Murren on the main road between Lauterbrunnen. Then we moved and did a week in Grindelwald splitting our days between First Grindelwald side and Grund Manlichenn Wengen side.
It was without doubt our best ever ski holiday. Such a variety of slopes and scenery.
However friends who are mileage monsters and first to last lift don’t stop for lunch types didn’t like the area for the very reason you allude to, it’s slower to get around than say 3V, Paradiski etc. They loved the slopes just not the time between runs.
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Lauterbrunnen works! It is my winter base and has been for 14/15 seasons. If you require ski in and ski out this is categorically not the village for your party.
However, cable car to Grutschalp short ride on train and bingo you arrive at Winteregg 4 man chair, direct access into Murren area. Time from Lauters to Winteregg 15 mins.
Trip to Wengen 14 minutes on the train. Here there are options, leave the train walk around the corner 200metres and take cable car up to Mannlichen you have arrived in the skiing.
From Wengen remain on the original train and continue to Kleine Scheidegg, this takes a further 25mins.
The Kleine area and Mannlichen are interlinked it can be skied in either direction.
Finally.... access to Grindelwald, from Lauters train to Zweil' swap trains and continue to Grindewald then bus for 3 mins to Firstbahn. This area stands alone but is stunning on sunny mornings.
Reading this must come across as a nightmare. It all works beautifully... to reiterate, if ski in ski out is your bag then don't visit here.
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Thanks all, 15 mins isn't too bad - but then 30 mins on top to the top...not so sure. But I'll let everyone know, as they especially requested this area. I stayed part way up the Schilthorn on a summer road trip once, just stunning, and amazing breakfast at the top too!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Plenty of reasonable accommodation (self catering chalets) in Mürren to select from BUT you need to book early. You cant bet staying on the slopes with easy access to everything.
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Thanks Chris, we are very much a chalet hotel, catered group though. So accept we need to make compromises somewhere!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@micheleperry, it is a bit of a phaff and a schlepp up to the slopes from Lauterbrunnen. If you head for Kleine Scheidegg (the biggest of the 3 Jungfrau ski areas) then it’s 45 mins on the train plus however long it takes you to get to the train station - the valley is quite long, so you might need to take a bus to get to the train station which adds time as well. Trains are every half an hour. At the end of the day you can only ski down as far as Wengen and then need to take the train back from Wengen to Lauterbrunnen. Whilst that’s only a 20 minute journey, the trains are again only once every half an hour.
You can get to the Mürren/Schilthorn ski area a more quickly (again, depending on where you are staying) but it’s quite a bit smaller and I think it’s unlikely you’d be happy skiing there every day for a week.
It’s a stunningly beautiful part of the world but in the two weeks I spent skiing there there did seem to be an inordinate amount of time spent travelling, and planning the travelling (being hyper aware of routes and train times). I don’t think I’m a particular mileage monster or ski in ski out obsessed, being quite happy skiing the same runs in small resorts and taking buses to the slopes. But I prefer Jungfrau in the summer...
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Lauterbrunnen is (very) pretty, but it is miles and miles from the snow and action.
Pay the extra and stay in a proper ski resort, like Wengen or Murren.
Get a loan or creditcard to fill the finance gap.
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To “butt in” I’ve found this thread very interesting having hiked in the area quite extensively (truly beautiful in summer) and did wonder how it would all work in winter.
Whilst still able to cover the miles I realise that won’t be forever and this has been stored in my mind for future trips when sitting on trains in stunning scenery will be on the “to do” list .
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Superb movie from Chris. Micheleperry, the empty pistes that the movie picks up are extremely representative of the conditions that we find here on a regular basis. Some will say "cause its too much faff getting around".
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Chris Brookes, excellent stuff can’t wait to back in March!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think most of the comments are fair - the sad thing is the whole ski area seems to be run by a train company whose real income comes from tourists going to the Jungfraujoch. Skiing comes second best. In a real and skier friendly world the railway, a great early C20th technological innovation, would have long since been replaced with gondolas or cable cars. Access to Murren is pretty reasonable from Lauterbrunnen but to the Wengen Kleine Scheidegg area is definitively slow. Although that is not what stops me returning to an area I have been to at least 20 times - lousy and ill located lifts on the Wengen Kleine Scheiedegg side, the Tschuggen T bar linking two main sectors and the barely ever working Fallboden two person fixed chair, are equally a reason as is the predilection for T bars at First. In terms of lifts Murren is great other than the Gimmeln T bar which was replaced a few years ago by another T bar. but Murren is smallish unless you are offpiste afficiado where there is probably enough with a gude to last a long time. Lauterbrunnen is actually a great location and their are nice hotels there like the Silberhorn, not to be confused with the Wengen one of the same name. I may return one day as the skiing is great and the scenery magnificent but so many other resorts now have so much better lifts.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@countryman In defense of Jungfraubahn yes they make huge profits from the Junfraujoch,however they continually invest in the ski area
Second to none snow making nearly all the pistes are covered now
New lifts such as the latest Mannlichen gondola opened this season next season the Eiger Gletscher Gondola
Murren have confirmed a new Gondola to Birg from the valley
Most lifts are either 4 or 6 seater chair lifts in the main area between Grindlewald and Wengen
It's a modern lift system supported by great snow making over the entire area hence why the area was so busy over the New Year
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