4-5 night Berner Oberland itinerary

I'm assuming based on your list that you must be a very active, experienced and fit hiker. The hikes you've chosen are all big ones and it's a fairly ambitious list for 4 nights. I think you'd come out ahead or close to breaking even with the BO Pass or Jungfrau Pass + Half Fare Card with your list and you have the added benefit of not having to purchase tickets for all the included routes. I doubt the pass would put you in the hole.

I'm not sure what you mean by Wengen being more conducive to gondola rides. You take a train to get to Wengen and it is closer to the Mannlichen hike, but your plans for 1, 4 & 5 are all better being based in Murren. If you already have your apartment there, I'd stick with that. Especially if you plan to come anytime soon, as lodging will be very sparse if it's for this summer.

1. For your arrival day, you could also ride up the Allmendhubel and do the Mountain View trail from Allmendhubel to Grutschalp or Winteregg and then train back. It's an easier hike in that direction and would put you in better time for dinner. You don't lose any views doing it that direction.
2. If Mannlichen to KS is still closed you could do Grindelwald>Eiger Express>Hike Eigergletscher to KS to Wengernalp (optional continue hiking to Wengen or train to Wengen from Wengernalp to then return to Murren)
3. I wouldn't recommend hiking down to Stechelberg from Obersteinberg, as it's mostly wooded down to Stechelberg and just a steep downhill with really no views. Just do roundtrip to/from Gimmelwald-Obersteinberg/Tanzbodeli. There are 2 different routes from Gimmelwald so you don't have to retrace your steps.
4. I think Murren/Rotstockhutte/Schilthorn on your departure day is a bit much personally, especially after 4 full days of other big hikes but if you're a super fit hiker and feel you're up to it, go for it! I'd personally be putting this hike towards the beginning with fresh legs. Your departure day you could store your luggage down in Lauterbrunnen and do the Wengen/Mannlichen/KS/Eiger route returning to Lauterbrunnen for your departure to Bern. That's a less strenuous hike for not being able to shower afterwards :)

If I stay in Wengen, I can easily take the gondola up to Mannlichen for fun, or come back from Grindelwald at the end of my hike via gondola to Mannlichen or Eiger Express + train. That would significantly increase my travel cost, making the Oberland Pass a better value. These big ticket gondola rides take too long to get to Murren. OB pass would put me in the hole by 30 to 40chf. That may be worth it for the convenience of not needing to purchase tickets every time I want to leave Murren.

Good point re: returning to Gimmelwald instead of hiking down to Stechelberg. I don't usually mind hiking back as the view would be different in the opposite direction.

Also an excellent point about moving Mannlichen/Kleine/Eiger to the last day.

Also like the idea of Eiger Express from Grindelwald to Eiger, then hike from there (if the even the panorama trail is still closed). My trip isn't for another 2 months, I hope it will reopen by then.

I cannot tell if you have factored in the BO’s full coverage of the train up to Schynige Platte and Gondola down from First to Grindelwald in your calculations.

For #1, I think I would do the reverse, and walk from Mürren to Grutschalp, so you can stop at the dairy on the way if it's open. Take the train back. For #4, the walking to Gimmelwald is the best part, as you pass peaceful farms and cows, and there might be houses with cheese/jam/honey for sale.

I've included train to Schynige Plt and First gondola in my estimate of train fare. The amount I'd pay on BO pass is close enough that I may just get it for the convenience. If one of the day long hikes on the last two days is cancelled due to weather, I may well end up using the train/gondola.

Regarding Grutschalp-Murren walk, wouldn't the mountains be in your back if you walk toward Grutschalp? Or is the view in the other direction equally good?

Stan is referring to the easy road that goes along the train tracks from Murren to Grutschalp to go to the dairy, not the Mountain View trail you're talking about doing. There is a dairy across from the Winteregg train station, but it's open often and you can easily stop there at any time. There are also a ton of self service dairy options in Gimmelwald after your Obersteinberg hike. Based on your hiking list, you would not want to do the route he's talking about. It's a stroller friendly walking path, not really a hike.

When you do the Mountain View trail you're up higher so there are good views in all directions. If you're a quick hiker and don't mind the extra elevation, then hiking Grutschalp to Murren will indeed have slightly better views. My recommendation was based on being done quicker since you're doing it late on arrival day. We typically veer off an do the path through the fern forest to Winteregg and train back from there instead of Grutschalp, but both routes are good.

I wouldn't want to walk along a road. It's much more interesting on a hiking trail with some elevation.

Now, I've just noticed Lake Oeschinensee near Kandersteg that's real sweet. Hiking the longer loop from town would be swell. On arrival day, I will consider the option of disembarking at Kandersteg and take the cable car up and do a quick hike to the lake shore and back. I figure three hours will suffice and this will put me in Murren by 5 PM which is fine. It's just a thought, I probably won't do it though. I don't want to be rushed while hiking.

If you disembark at Kandersteg you have to take a bus or walk to the cable car (15-20 min), take the cable car and then walk down to the shore. All the majestic photos you're seeing online are from the high trail, so just doing the walk to the shore line isn't going to give you the wow factor you're seeking. The sun also goes behind the mountains quite early in the afternoon because of the sheer cliffs, so you need to be there on a sunny day before late afternoon and up on the high trail if you want to make it worth the extra effort.

@wanderweg

I appreciate your take on the Kandersteg detour. The hop-on/hop-off convenience of doing it en route to Spiez is awesome, but I recognize I don't have time to take full advantage. It's something I'd keep in my backpocket.