Grindelwald
Grindelwald is a mountain village in Bernese Oberland in Swiss Alps.
Get in
Car, or regular train service from Interlaken are the main options. Train journey time is a little above half an hour and usually cost 8-12 franks. Interlaken has connections to other major Swiss cities.
Charter/Tour buses, taxis, and car rentals are also possibilities. Mysterytours offer some options, as does Fun-rental Interlaken. Only 30 minutes by scooter to Grindelwald from Interlaken.
In summer and early fall, is also possible to hike into Grindelwald from well-marked Bernese Oberland trails, with or without the assistance of gondolas / cable-cars.
Get around
Grindelwald has two train stations: Grindelwald and Grund. The Grindelwald station is in the center of town; the Grund station is in the valley floor, on the way to Kleine Scheidegg. Wengernalpbahn trains (painted yellow and green) to Kleine Scheidegg generally stop at both stations. Berner Oberland Bahn trains (in blue and yellow livery) from Interlaken via Zweilütschinen stop only at Grindelwald. If you plan to walk between these stations, be aware that the two stations are about 1 km apart, and separated by roughly 100 m of vertical elevation.
A local bus service can get you to nearby destinations.
The gondola lift to Männlichen departs a few hundred meters west of Grund station. The gondola lift to First begins about ten minutes' walk east of Grindelwald station, while the cable car to Pfingstegg is about fifteen minutes' walk east of Grindelwald station.
See
There is an information centre in the village. There is also a local history museum.
Do
Grindelwald is a ski resort. Also a starting point for Eiger and Wetterhorn tails.
- Take a mountain train trip through Kleine Scheidegg (2061m) up to Jungfraujoch (3454m) where there is an observation terrace and "ice palace".
- If you enjoy dancing, go to the Plaza Night Club. They play great techno mixes of Rock, Pop, and Hip-Hop!
Buy
- Swiss Army knives. As anywhere in Switzerland you should buy a knife (or several as they make excellent gifts). Most places have the same prices and a decent collection. But Vogts Corner on Hauptstrasse stands out because here all knives are on display for you to touch, fondle and try out. Another good thing is that they have both Wenger and Victorinox knives on display if you are having trouble to decide. You'll find it by Hans Passage near Coop.
Eat
- Jasmine Garden (Center of town), ☏ +41 33 853-0733. Good Chinese food. Somewhat pricey (e.g., CHF2 for tap water), but so is most everything else here! CHF25-50 per plate.
Drink
Sleep
Budget
- The Downtown Lodge, downtown-lodge@jungfrau.ch. Typically you would want to book ahead of time during the winter versus the summer.
Mid-Range
- Sunstar Grindelwald (Directly adjacent to First gondola, 100m walk), ☏ +41 33 854 77 77, fax: +41 33 854 77 70, grindelwald@sunstar.ch.
- Hotel Gletschergarten (Ca. one km east of the train station(if booked, pick up possible.), ☏ +41 33 853 17 21, fax: +41 33 853 29 57. A family run hotel and the hosts are very helpful, friendly and multilingual. The rooms are somewhat dated, but things are so clean and neat that this feels homely and cozy rather than disappointing. Many rooms have views facing Mt Eiger and most include balconies. Free and reliable wi-fi, a laundry downstairs, clean and well cared for bathrooms and soft beds. High season: 18 Dec-07 Jan; 29 Jan-11 Mar; 03 Jul-28 Aug (2010). Single room High 150CHF/Low 140CHF; Double room High 230CHF/Low 220CHF.
Splurge
- Belvédère, fax: +41 33 853 53 23, belvedere@grindelwald.ch. 4-star superior hotel 200m from the railway station. Outdoor salt water jacuzzi. Double room from 340CHF (as of April 2009).
Internet & Hotspots
Foto Grindelwald is an Internet-cafe in Grindelwald.
Go next
- First-Bahn - Gondola to hiking/skiing.
- Consider the JungfraubahnenPass [1], which gives you six consecutive days of access to all regional trains and cable cars for CHF200.