Eating on a Budget (of sorts) in Murren/Gimmelwald

When we stayed in Wengen, we found pizza to be the cheapest dinner meal. Lunches were healthy items purchased from the Coop store in Wengen. There’s some nearby benches with gorgeous views to enjoy your lunch. I usually purchased a water or tea, a container of yogurt, a piece of fruit, a roll, and either a small package of sliced meat or cheese. I bought individual packages of nuts at home, and we ate all of those by the time we left Switzerland.

The positive item for budgeting is that beautiful scenery is free! Enjoy your trip!

Thank you Jean, I’m all about the beauty of the place. I also intend to rent walking poles, did you do this and if so, where? I know there are a couple of sport shops that rent them.
I’ll be arriving via Zurich, on a sleeper train from Vienna so I’m planning to stock up on snacks at a Viennese grocery store before heading for the train station. I will probably use Coop store as much as possible. I do see that wood fired pizza is a good price for that area, so I will try a few of those too. Thanks again

Co-op in Mürren had sandwiches ... and candy. We snagged bread and cheesecake from the hotel breakfast after loading up on eggs, fruit, yogurt. I believe we ate dinner once at a restaurant and once at a hamburger place (both well beyond our usual dinner prices! but neither was memorable enough to remember the name after 2 years.)
As I remember, there's a good grocery store inside Vienna Hbf for snacks.

I agree that pizza can be a good deal. My pizza from my hotel in Lauterbrunnen practically hung off the plate, it was so big (I assumed that since the regular size wasn't too expensive, it must be small - my mistake, as I should have ordered a smaller, cheaper one).

From the Lauterbrunnen Coop store, I remember pre-made sandwiches, pasta salads, gazpacho, and picnic eggs as some of the items I bought and brought back to my hotel for dinner. The Muerren store is smaller, but should have many of the same things. Picnic eggs are hard boiled eggs, dyed bright colors to avoid confusion with uncooked eggs; note that both cooked and raw eggs in Switzerland are sold unrefrigerated (takes some getting used to, as well as knowing NOT to look for them in the refrigerator section of the store).

My favorite thing from the Coop stores is trail mix. They sell various kinds, and it not only keeps, but doesn't get crushed in a day bag, so I can carry it on a walk or hike easily. It's not particularly expensive either; no need to "import" it from Austria.

Do check the Coop hours (each one is different); once I almost missed getting my dinner there. The Coop website is not available in English, but you should be able to decode the store hours, or use Google Translate for assistance. https://www.coop.ch/de/services/standorte-und-oeffnungszeiten.html (In the Suche box, put in "Muerren" without the quotation marks, and you'll get all the stores in the area; then click on "details" for each one to see the hours). I see that right now, they are all open 7 days a week, but this was definitely not the case in September 2017; I do remember the Grindelwald one had the longest hours in the area (not sure if that's included on your pass).

In Gimmelwald, I had one meal at the hostel; they have a daily "backpacker's special." It was ... thoroughly adequate.

In general, the prices in the Coop supermarkets are very reasonable; it's the restaurant prices that are high. But with what you're saving on the included breakfasts and the supermarket lunches and dinners, I do hope you can splurge for at least one nice meal in Muerren. I had excellent dinners at Hotel Bellevue and Hotel Blumenthal. A meal at these restaurants will cost at least CHF 40-50, but I felt it was worth every rappen.

while staying in lauterbrunnen last year we walked the short distance from the main town to the caravan park, to eat our evening meal at their restaurant. ( worth booking ahead) nice meals and they didn't charge for tap water ( like one of the places in the main town that we tried) you might be able to check them out on-line?
hope this helps.

I've shopped in the Muerren Coop and yes, it had plenty of pre-made sandwiches and salads as well as the ubiquitous jars of Nutella!

Do heed what Harold says about noting opening hours....I "think" I remember that it closes for lunch - like from 12-1 or 1-2. Something terribly inconvenient if you weren't aware of it!

I do recommend traveling with plenty of ziplock bags, a spork and something to use as a plate. I use a plastic lid from a large container of Folgers.

Than you all for great tips and tricks! So glad to know that Coop has premade sandwiches, salads, and snacks (and a bunch of chocolate 🤓) —That’s perfect. I already checked online and saw that they are open every day but they close daily from 12 noon to 2 pm.
I do plan to eat one nice evening meal at La Grotte At the Blumenthal, and maybe mid-day at Pension Gimmelwald, we’ll see where my walks take me. ``
The Lauterbrunnen restaurant mentioned looks good too, and there are a few snack shops that have reasonable prices. My budget is not that tight, I just don’t want to spend so much on meals most of which I can cook at home. I almost always eat local fare when I travel, so if you can recommend a particularly good rosti, raclette or other cheesy/wonderful Swiss thing, I’m game for that, and will gladly pay for that travel experience. Thanks again everyone.

Coop has everything you could need/want short of a restaurant meal. If you were really on a strict dining budget you could have your inclusive breakfast and never step foot in any restaurant because you could use the Coop to meet your food needs. They have vegatables, fruits, pastries, breads, jellies, cookies, pre-made sandwiches, etc - just like a normal grocery store. There is no bargain of a restaurant in that area. It just doesn't exist.

Thanks Tim that’s good news I’m sure I’ll be dining “a la Coop” for at least one meal a day. Seems like a great place to buy lunch/snacks and take it on a long hike.
I know restaurants there are expensive after seeing some local menus online but I’ll enjoy one or 2 splurge meals I’m sure.
Again, Thanks to all for your input.

If you want a great restaurant meal stop in at the Stager Stubli in Murren. It's next door to the Coop and across the street from the Chalet Fontana (speaking of bargains). Try their rosti with vegetables and alp cheese - it's out of this world. Their herb chicken is my wife's favorite. Tomato soup is also very good.

I'll just add that I am so envious of your planning 6 days in this area. This valley is one of my all-time favorites! I live near mountains but this valley, the view from up on the sides like from Muerren (or Wengen on the other side) is just amazing. From the top at the Schilthorn is jaw-dropping.

I agree with trying to economize on food, but don't skip going to things because the transport is expensive. I see you've previously gotten advice on the transportation cards, etc so I'm sure you've got a handle on that. I just wanted to say don't think about the cost of the tickets when you are purchasing - just hand over your CC, bite the bullet and go.

I agree with Pam. Don't skimp on transportation costs. Instead, try to save money elsewhere, such as you are doing with not eating out too much. If you want to increase your options, buy an immersion heater with a European (220V) plug. Then with a large cup you can boil an egg or two, have hot chocolate, boil a sausage, make soup, etc. I suspect you can find one at the huge Coop store opposite the train station at Interlaken Ost. I saw one at the Manor dept. store in Geneva.

Wow good tips all of them. Thank you all 😻 - Because this is a bucket list trip, of sorts. I planned 6 days here, to make sure I would have enough good weather days to really enjoy the views and walks. Also, as I get older, I have slowed my pace when traveling to really absorb the soul of the place. Even 20 years ago I would pack in as much as possible in a day or 2, and then move on, that was fine then, but not my travel style now. The Edelweiss hotel seems to be a great deal in the single room, with a large window facing the massive peaks, and including breakfast, I wanted to be comfortable.. I don’t skimp on transport - and thats why I’m getting the Holiday pass for 6 days - to maximize my ability to move around in the area - it covers ALL the lifts, train and bus from Lauterbrunnen to Schilthorn, and all stops in between, unlimited. I saw that one ascent can run about $80 round trip, so the pass costing $160 for 6 days seems like a bargain to me. If the weather is good I can wake early and go up every morning 😳🤓! The only caveat for me was the price of restaurant meals, so the Coop store will be my ‘go to’ place, but I will certainly enjoy a couple of local Swiss meals, and the rosti suggested at Staeger Stubli sounds luscious, with raclette being on my list, too, and maybe a wood fired pizza.....now I’m hungry..... 😊
Thanks again for your helpful replies.

I had a lovely stay at the Edelweis Hotel in 2014, and you're right, having that view when you wake up is great!

A tip I haven't seen elsewhere: when you get to the station in Muerren, you don't have to go up the stairs with your bags. Instead of heading toward the stairs, head out the "back" of the station (the way the train arrived). Outside, there's a ramp up to town.

Harold, that’s an excellent piece of information! I’m traveling rather lite with a small roll-aboard and small backpack, but being 68, rolling out the back of the station beats having to haul my bags upstairs !! — thanks for that 🙏🌻

Ps — another thank you Harold, for the detailed information on the Coop store, and relating to that, did the Edelweiss hotel mind if you ate your Coop meal on their view terrace? I have a budget single, so no balcony, but I see that their terrace has a spectacular view. Most places don’t want you to eat (meals) in the rooms, and I respect that. Any other info on the hotel, local food worth splurging for, and hiking trail tips (easy to moderate), are greatly appreciated— personal experience information like this usually can’t be found in guide books!
🇨🇭😎🌻

Ask the folks at your hotel Reception for a trail map of the area. I went for an easy hike from Almendhubel back down to Muerren called Mountain View. It had beautiful vistas. Others on my GAS tour took the NorthFace hike which they thought was moderate. Basing my assessment of easy-moderate on the fact that I was 67 when I last was there and do hike some in the N. Idaho mountains.

One of my favorite hikes is one frequently mentioned on here, Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg. You'll take the train/lift from Muerren to Grutschalp and down to Lauterbrunnen, follow signs underground (under the road actually) to the rail station, buy a ticket up to Mannlichen, then back down from Kleine Scheidegg (the ticket agents are very used to this). Then from the cog train stop in Wengen, follow the signs to the lift (Coop grocery on the square here as well). At the top of the lift, follow the signboards to the trail to Kleine Scheidegg, walk over there (maybe 3 miles or so), then take the cog train back down all the way to Lauterbrunnen.

https://www.alpenwild.com/staticpage/mannlichen-to-kleine-scheidegg-the-panoramic-route-of-the-jungfrau/

Another easy walk is to take the lift from Muerren to Gimmelwald to Stechelberg (other end of town from the small rail station that connects to Grutschalp and the lift down to Lauterbrunnen). From the station have someone point you to the path along the river back to Lauterbrunnen. You can also stop at Truemmelbach Falls if that's of interest. It's slightly off the river path and across the road but easy to find. I've done parts of this walk and it is beautiful. One of the times I walked this area there were a lot of BASE jumpers landing in the fields along here. Very weird to have them fly over you!

Thanks Pam I may have the time to try all of these hikes. Will research them. Did you rent hiking poles? I need them to stabilize myself. Hotel said they have some, but If not available when I need them, I’ll rent some for my entire stay. That may be the easiest thing to do anyway.

There is a very good Chinese restaurant in Mürren: http://www.tham.ch/chinesisches-restaurant/chinese-food.html
I heard that Chef Tham Kok Keong comes from Singapore where he had a 5 star restaurant. It was a nice change after eating so much cheese and Rösti in Switzerland!

Hi. My husband and I will be in Murren in Sept. as well.Planning on buying a half fare card when we get there but I have not heard of the "holiday card" that you mention and know I am wondering if that would be a better bet. Where did you purchase the card? Thank you

I did not have hiking poles but I don't usually use them. Both of these trails are fairly wide. Mannlichen to Kleine-Scheidegg is pretty flat. Some of the Mountain View trail was paved (access road to some of the cattle pasture you walk thru I think) and not steep. I did divert us off onto a smaller trail that took us down in to Muerren which was slightly steeper and narrower but not unnecessarily so. This was a signposted turn off, by the way, haha. It was a dirt trail and mostly you had to be cautious about roots on the trail.

I used hiking poles. Our hotel, Edelweiss, also had hiking poles for loan.

I think this is the Holiday Pass in question:

https://schilthorn.ch/en/Info/Offers#

The only reservation I have with a regional pass is that it ties you to a specific area, and if you decide to visit elsewhere for other reasons, well, your travel is not covered with the pass.

More good info thanks, Thams does look good and a nice break from all the cheese 😉. I intend to use hiking poles as I will be walking by myself and my balance is not what it was years ago, if Edelweiss does not have any for rent there are several sports shops in Muerren that rent them.
The Holiday Pass covers a number of stops and routes between Lauterbrunnen and Schilthorn, plus the bus in Lauterbrunnen, (they added the route to Isenfluh this year too), it’s a bargain for me for 6 days use. There are so many places to go and walks in that area so I’m sure I will use the lifts every day. Did not get the half price card, as I’m coming directly from Vienna to Zurich on a sleeper train, and my outbound ticket from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen was a fraction more. After Switzerland I’m heading straight to France, so got a good price on that through ticket also.
One other thing, you do get a discount on the Holiday Pass with the Half Price card, but figure your lift costs both ways : first with only the HP card and then with the discounted pass. Depends on how much time you will be in that area and how many time you will be using the lifts.
I’ll do a trip report afterwards, & will calculate the total actual price of all the lifts/train/bus use, compared to what I actually paid for the pass.
Thanks all.

Pam — the Holiday pass will be purchased when I arrive in Lauterbrunnen and ascend to Murren, at the lift ticket desk. I will start using it that same day.
I asked the same question of them via email and that’s what they told me.
Refer to the website link posted by Tim, there’s an English version if you don’t speak German. Has a helpful map showing all the routes and stops covered by the pass.
Hope that helps.

That Holiday Pass limits you to only one side of the Lauterbrunnen Valley for the whole 6 days! You'll want to hike on the other side, too, like above Wengen from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg and many other gorgeous hikes in the area. I recommend you get the Regional Pass Berner Oberland, which covers your transportation in a much bigger area:
https://www.regionalpass-berneroberland.ch/en/pass-and-infos/the-ticket/

Hi Linda - wow- that’s a great pass and yes it covers many and varied routes — it is a good deal ——however, it’s also twice the price - and I just don’t travel so fast anymore! Yes - Thirty years ago I would have done this. There are enough walks in the Lauterbrunnen/ Murren area to keep me busy.
Than you for bringing this to my attention, I’ll recommend this to my son for his trip next year. I’m sure he’d be up for it.

One more thing about the comprehensive Oberland pass.(not the Holiday Pass)...you have to pay 1/2 the regular price for the lift from Murren to the Schilthorn - so if you are staying in that area, add that to the price of the pass. Something else to consider.

Murren is my home away from home and stunningly beautiful. I would always choose to stay in Murren rather than on the other side in Wengen. However, from Wengen up to Kleine Scheidegg is also stunning (looking back across the mountain peaks and valleys toward Murren). It would be a shame if you were to miss that opportunity.

Thanks Tim, I’ll check that out. I’m intrigued and will investigate it. How do I get there from Murren? I’m more likely to try it if I can figure out the details in advance. Thanks

Ps can I hike from Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen?

Oh, yes, you can hike from Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen. My son and I did it, but we wouldn't recommend it! It is downhill, downhill, downhill, and after an hour our shins hurt a lot.
You can see all the train and cable car connections on this map:

http://ontheworldmap.com/switzerland/ski/jungfrau/jungfrau-summer-map.jpg

Thanks Shoe—is the reverse uphill hike strenuous? And how long is it, approximately. I’d prefer to walk downhill or up and down combined. Thanks.

Depends on how you describe strenuous. 6.7 km with a 2,600 foot (800 metre) gain.

Yeah, what Nigel said, and I'd call that strenuous. About 2 hours walking uphill.
Now if you are training for something, it would be great, but given there are DOZENS of other great trails that aren't that strenuous, why do it?

If you are in Wengen, I would MUCH more recommend taking the cable car up to Mannlichen and walking (almost level) over to Kleine Scheidegg. The views are are 10X better than the Wengen to Kl. Sch. trail.
I'll send you a link to our favorite dozen trails in the area, with maps and pics. Check in the upper right for "you have unread mail".

In answer to your question of how to get to Wengen or Kleine Scheidegg from Mürren: from the Lauterbrunnen train station, take the only train that goes to Wengen. It's a little cog rail train. It also goes further on to Kleine Scheidegg. It leaves Lauterbrunnen every half hour (xx:07 and xx:37) and takes 12 minutes (of stunning views) to get to Wengen; 30 minutes more to get to Kleine Scheidegg.

To get to Männlichen for the easy and spectacular hike to Kleine Scheidegg, you simply take that train from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen. Get off the train at the Wengen stop. Walk up the main street to the cable car. Take the cable car up to Männlichen. If you walk the path from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg, there will be cafes at the end of the path. My favorite is the Grindelwaldblick restaurant, both for the Swiss food and the incredible view. Then you can take the train down from Kleine Scheidegg to Lauterbrunnen.

Hi Shoe - that train from Murren to Wengen sounds wonderful and more my style, other route seems to be too strenuous up or down, im 68 and NOT training for a triathlon. Just walking for pleasure, plus have arthritis in my lumbar spine— so moderate terrain and distance is what I can do. Will concentrate on walks in Lauterbrunnen/Murren area.
Thanks all.

We would stop at the Coop and grab sandwiches and snacks for the day. We have eaten out and had great fondue. We also cooked our own fondue which was almost as good at a third of the price. But we know how to cook fondue. When we were there the Coop would close early on days we were wanting to pickup food for dinner.

that train from Murren to Wengen sounds wonderful

There is no direct train from Mürren to Wengen, they are on opposite sides of the valley. You have to take a train down to Lauterbrunnen in the bottom of the valley, then take another rain back up the other side.

Yes i realized the travel logistics after I looked at a map, thanks. 🤓

Hi Celtic, another good source for info on the hiking trails is the Sports Center in Murren. Check out the info desk, maps, and brochures. Many hotels give you a free pass to use the facilities. Love Murren. Hope you have a great time!

http://www.sportzentrum-muerren.ch/en/contact/

Thanks Donna, the Sportszentrum is my first stop after I check into my hotel, that and getting my hiking poles. I’m so excited now I leave in 3 weeks 😁🌻
Did you use the pool at the center?

Hi Celtic, we didn’t use the pool but it looked very nice. The facility is new so everything is in great shape. We stopped in to get info on hiking trails, church schedule, etc. They were very helpful.

For one of your splurge meals, try the bar/restaurant at the Eiger Guesthouse. We had several excellent meals there. One night we ran into a Rick Steve’s Germany, Austria & Switzerland tour there and talked to two women we met the year before on Best of Switzerland. Small world.

Have fun and report back!

Hi Donna, yes I will do a trip report,
I appreciate all the advice and ideas from everyone. This is my first 3 week trip on my own. Thanks to all,

The Sports Center has a very very nice facility with the main attraction for tourists being the pool/hot tub. There's also a really nice cafe as you walk in the main door to the center. Hugs and Cups sells drinks, snacks, desserts, soup and usually a nice entree du jour. They also have rather affordable prices (for Switzerland).

We always dine at Lydia and Reudi's Stager Stubli just across the street from the Chalet Fontana. Wowzers! We stopped at the Eiger Guesthouse restaurant for lunch this past December...rather lackluster after being at the Stager.

You'll have a fabulous time because there's no place in the world like Murren.

I sprained my ankle about a week before my five days in Mürren back in July and still had a wonderful time. I didn't get to do any hiking till the last day, and even then I needed something completely non-challenging, so (armed with a cane) I did the Valley Floor walk from Lauterbrunnen to the Stechelberg cable car station, with a detour at Trummelbach Falls. It's completely flat, and all but a short section near the Stechelberg end is paved. The scenery couldn't compare to the views up in the mountains, but it was still beautiful--meadows, waterfalls, the river, and woods, and the mountains (and paragliders) were all around.

I had a Half Fare card and also got a four-day Holiday Pass. I saved at least a little money, and it was nice not to have to constantly buy tickets. I only went to the other side of the valley one day, so most of my travel was on the Mürren side.

Main piece of advice: no matter how clear the day is, get a fairly early start when you go up to the Schilthorn. It can be completely shrouded in clouds by noon. And stop in Birg on your way up or down; the views are gorgeous there too (including looking down at Mürren, sitting there on its ledge), and even if the Schilthorn has clouded over, it could be clear and sunny in Birg.

Have a wonderful trip.

Wow Melissa that’s some bad luck concerning your ankle,, but it seems like you made it work. I’m getting hiking poles to stabilize myself.
I intend to sleep early and rise early for the very reason you mentioned, I’ll enjoy my Holiday pass as much as possible, did you buy it when you arrived in Lauterbrunnen? I’d like to explore every route that the pass covers, including Isenfluh/ Sulwald. Do you just get on the lift/cable car etc with the pass in hand?
Thanks for your reply.

To mix up your meals from the Coop I would actually take a look at the hotel restaurants in the area and eat soup or salad. Either can be surprisingly filling depending on the option, and under CH 10 for a meal. For example, goulash is a good soup option, given it’s a meaty stew and you can ask for bread. Also many places have a salad bar. You usually only get one trip, but a small plate will hold a lot (pile it high!) and you will have protein options such as beans and nuts for a balanced meal. Don’t buy water at the store, either. Bring a water bottle and refill it from the many fountains or even your hotel room. The water in Switzerland is very good.

We ate at the camping junfrau restaurant twice during our stay. It was close to our apartment but also delicious and cheap compared to restaurants in luzern and zermatt. You need to make reservations but they open 2 pm til maybe 9 pm(I think is when they stop serving hot food).