Exploring Switzerland’s Lauterbrunnen Valley

Exploring Switzerland's Lauterbrunnen Valley

Our tips for this bucket list destination in the Swiss Alps

This summer my boyfriend Jack and I spent 3 weeks backpacking through Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. The Lauterbrunnen Valley was one of our favorite spots along the way and a must add destination to your travel bucket list. This area is filled with breathtaking mountain views, gorgeous waterfalls, charming alpine villages, and amazing food and culture. With so much to see and so little time, we spent months planning out our perfect itinerary. Keep reading to see our top travel tips for seeing this beautiful region.

The Lauterbrunnen Valley is made up of six villages all connected by a transit system of buses, trains, gondolas, and foot paths. It is known as the Valley of 72 Waterfalls. This feature creates an idyllic setting of lush countryside below large glacial peaks. The town of Lauterbrunnen sits along the river at the valley’s floor and offers access to all of the other villages that sit above it nestled amongst the peaks. We stayed in Lauterbrunnen during and found that it was a great location for exploring all that the valley and surrounding areas had to offer

Getting to Lauterbrunnen

Switzerland has one of the best transportation networks of any country I have ever visited. The entire country is very accessible by train. I recommend traveling by train rather than car because you can sit and enjoy the views and relax as you head up into the alps. It is also very expensive to rent a car in Switzerland and many accommodations in the region have very limited parking options.

We flew in to Zurich and made our way to Lauterbrunnen via train. Interlocken is about a 40 minute train ride from Lauterbrunnen and has a large transit hub that connects the region. When you arrive in Interlocken you will transfer trains and take a local line up into the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Make sure you stay awake for the ride into Interlocken and up into the valley. It is absolutely breathtaking.

Tip: Transit in Switzerland is very expensive. It was our highest expense for the whole trip. Plan your trains out far in advance for the best pricing. Make sure you buy tickets for popular destinations such as Lauterbrunnen in advance because the trains do tend to sell out if you wait until the day of. There are deals such as the Swiss Half Fare Card and Swiss Travel Card that you may be able to take advantage of to save some money on your transportation. It is best to look at all the options and see what makes the most sense for you.

Where To Stay In The Lauterbrunnen Valley

When making a trip to the Lauterbrunnen Valley, you have a few options for where to stay and base your trip. If you have only a few days to explore the valley, I would recommend staying in Lauterbrunnen or one of the more accessible villages like Wengen or Mürren. Lauterbrunnen is the only town in the valley accessible by car or train directly. All the others require a gondola or tram ride to access.

You can also easily make a day trip to the Lauterbrunnen Valley from Interlocken. The train ride is about 25 minutes long and runs every half hour up the valley from Interlocken Ost Station. This method may mean that you are spending more time on busy transit but can be a nice option if you are interested in seeing both Interlocken and Lauterbrunnen on the same trip.

We based ourselves in Lauterbrunnen and found that it allowed us great access to the other villages and excursions we were interested in. We stayed at the Valley Hostel – Lauterbrunnen in a private room and loved it. The room came with a private balcony with stunning views and the staff were very friendly and helpful in answering all of our questions.

Tip: Affordable accommodations such as the Valley Hostel fill up quickly during peak season. Staff at the hostel told us to book rooms at least 6 months in advance to ensure you can get a spot. We started trip planning in January for a May vacation and still reserved one of the last spots for our desired dates.

How To Explore The Lauterbrunnen Valley – Jungfrau Travel Pass

Transportation throughout the Lauterbrunnen Valley and broader Jungfrau region can get expensive if you buy all of your tram, gondola, and train tickets individually. Luckily, the region sells an unlimited travel pass called the Top of Europe – Jungfrau Travel Pass that includes nearly every train, gondola, tram, and bus ticket needed to explore the region. Passes start at a minimum of three days and are an amazing way to get the most out of your time in this beautiful region. We bought the three day pass and were able to explore every inch of the two valleys and numerous peaks through the interconnected transit networks.

The pass also includes discounts on activities, and cultural experiences that you can take advantage of as well. Below is a map from the company’s website showing all of the included routes in the region.

Our Favorite Activities

The Mürren Via Ferrata

The Mürren Via Ferrata is a 2.2km via ferrata and hiking route that begins in the mountain village of Mürren and finishes in Gimmelwald. You traverse exposed ridges, tightropes, and bridges over waterfalls all while taking in the breathtaking views of the Lauterbrunnen Valley below. It is a one-way trip and takes about 3 hours to complete.

For this excursion you can rent all of your gear from Intersport in Mürren for around 30 CHF. We did this and found the staff super friendly and helpful in ensuring we had everything we needed for a safe trip. If you would like extra guidance on the route, the Intersport store also has daily guided trips of the via ferrata. Once you complete the hike, you can explore the town of Gimmelwald and then take a gondola back to Mürren.

If you plan to include the via ferrata in your trip plans I advise planning it for the morning on your first day in Lauterbrunnen. This allows you to rearrange your schedule if there is any rain in the forecast. You are not allowed to attempt the via ferrata if any rain is in the forecast for safety reasons.

Official Site: Klettersteig Mürren

The Gondelbar Mürren

A fun hidden gem that we stumbled upon on our way back from the via ferrata was the Gondelbar. Situated at the base of the ski mountain, this converted gondola car was a super fun place to grab a beer after our adventure. Mürren was our favorite town overall. It had cute shops, nice restaurants, and spectacular views. Definitely spend some time exploring this area and checking out some of the local bars and restaurants.

First to Faulhorn Hike

This hike sets off from First after a scenic alpine gondola ride from the town of Grindelwald. You will see scenic mountain views, lakes, and streams as you traverse across the landscape. Two miles from the trailhead is Bachsee Lake with picturesque views of the surrounding landscape.

From here, you can either return to First, or continue on to the top of the alpine valley to the Faulhorn Berghotel. This hut is situated at the top of the valley and offers panoramic views of the Lauterbrunnen Valley, Interlocken, and surrounding summits. We stopped in here for lunch and a beer and were greeted by amazing staff and delicious food. I would love to return sometime and stay at the inn attached!

This hike took us around 6 hours in total with sections of steep ascents and descents as well as long flat traverses. Make sure to check the opening dates of the Faulhorn Berghotel if you plan to visit. We were there in late June and it had just opened for the season and still had a good amount of snow on the path leading up.

Männlichen + Grindelwald + Eiger Station with Jungfrau Travel Pass

On our final day in Lauterbrunnen we explored the surrounding areas with our Jungrfau Travel Pass. We made our way to the alpine village of Wengen and then took the Männlichen gondola up to a beautiful mountain vista and down into Grindelwald. From there we headed up to Eiger Station and had gorgeous views of Lauterbrunnen and enormous glaciers.

All of the gondolas and trams on this loop were included in our 3 day Travel Pass so we didn’t have to worry about securing tickets ahead of time or extra fees. This day was relaxing and filled with amazing views. We truly felt like we got to see all that this region had to offer.

Final Tips

We absolutely loved our short trip to the Lauterbrunnen Valley. We squeezed many adventures into 4 days. If you have the time, you could spend at least a week exploring this region without getting bored. Here are a few more helpful tips for anyone who is planning on visiting this region soon!

1. Go early to avoid crowds. Unlike the US, most people did not start their hikes before 10 AM. Go early and you will have trails to yourself!

2. Coop is the Swiss grocery store chain and carries fresh grab and go breakfast and lunch options for a good price. Food in Switzerland is insanely expensive so you will see most people stopping in here to stock up on their hiking snacks and meals for the day.

2. Always watch the weather and pack lots of layers. We got caught in many rainstorms and cold spells during our trip. Make sure you come prepared to embrace the elements.

Happy Travels!

– Kieran

To see more content from this trip and others follow Fresh Air Philosophy on Instagram @freshairphilosophy

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Jack’s Photography Website

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