Frutigen

Frutigen is a town of 6,900 people (2018) in the Swiss Canton of Berne and the site of the northern portal of the Lötschberg-Base-Tunnel that opened for railway traffic in 2007.

Understand

The Lötschberg Base Tunnel which opened in 2007 is a 34.6 km (21.5 mi) long tunnel which made the transfer of goods and people across the Alps much easier. However, given that it is single track along two thirds of its length due to cost overruns it is already at capacity and there are thus plans to finish building the second tube.

• Frutigen tourism, Untere Bahnhofstrasse 14, ☏ +41 33 671 14 21. M-Sa 08:00-12:00, 14:00-18:00. (updated Oct 2020)

Get in

By train

• 1 Bahnhof Frutigen. Ironically the opening of the Lötschberg Base Tunnel has led to something of a reduction of the train services that actually stop here, but there is still an hourly regional train called "Lötschberger".  

By bus

Buses from Reichenbach im Kandertal, Kandersteg and Adelboden arrive at Frutigen train station.

See

• 1 Burgruine Tellenburg (Tellburg castle ruins), Lötschbergstrasse. The castle dates backs go at least the 13th century. At the beginning of the 15th century the castle was expanded into a palace. It was later used as a prison, tavern, seat of the governor and poor house. In 1885, a fire destroyed the castle, and it has remained in ruins since.  

Tellenburg2

• Swiss Chip Box Museum, Carl Bühler, CH-3714 Wengi-Frutigen. Tel .: +41 33 671 17 83. Wengi bus stop. Open: M-F 08:00-12:00, 14:00-17:00, weekends and holidays on request. Price: Admission: adult Fr. 5, reduced Fr. 3
• Saint Quirinus' church, the village church, was first mentioned in 1228 as one of the twelve churches around Lake Thun in the Strättliger Chronicle. However, this church was built over the foundation of an older church. The earliest church was probably built in the 8th or 9th century above 7th or 8th century tombs. The original church was replaced in the 11th or 12th century. That church was rebuilt in 1421. The current church was built on the ruins of the 1421 church following a fire in 1727.

Do

Exterior of the Tropenhaus

• 1 Tropenhaus Frutigen, Tropenhausweg 1, ☏ +41 33 672 11 44, fax: +41 33 672 11 45, info@tropenhaus-frutigen.ch. W-Sa 10:00-23:00 Su 10:00-18:00 closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. When the Lötschberg Base Tunnel was built it soon became clear that large amounts of water had to be continually removed from the tunnel. Due to geothermal effects, this water has a temperature of roughly 19 °C (66 °F) year-round, which would damage the sensitive cold-water trout population in nearby rivers. Instead of expending a lot of energy to cool this "wastewater" down, it was decided to build a plant for district heating fed by this water and to build a "tropical" greenhouse with sturgeon farm that would use the heat from the water. The facility which has won several sustainability prizes and has solar panels atop the visitor center is now owned by the Swiss grocery chain "Coop" and produces roughly two tons of caviar in addition to 20-40 tons of tropical fruits every year which are sold to local restaurants, the Coop chain of grocery stores and also the onsite restaurant. CHF 18 for adults; There is a combined offer with the SBB if you arrive by public transit giving you a discount. (updated Oct 2020)