FYI--Major construction in Murren

Oh man - hope it’s done when I’m there in 4 weeks! I’m at Alpina which isn’t especially close I don’t think. As long as the lifts are running :)

Carrie, are you also thinking of being the new spokesperson for “Travel Wengen?” 😂. You are so good at promoting Wengen.
Fortunately we are also staying in Wengen this summer.

Exactly carol!!! :) Come to Wengen!!! Carrie says so. :)

I found some info but don't know how to link from my kindle. These are years long projects to meet disability act requirements.

Everything is running but areas very dusty and messy. Hard to describe but getting to train is different with temporary wooden stairs and platforms. Had to walk around some big equipment to get to cab!e car station. And it looked like access to some roads / trails was closed. I was able to figure out how to walk down to gimmelwald.

We were just in Murren and it was quite loud near the station, but absolutely silent by the time you get any distance around the corner. We stayed at Hotel Edelweiss and heard nothing. I wouldn't want to be at the Eiger, though!

This guy NJB live streamed from Gimmelwald and Mürren and showed the construction near the cable car and on the train station (starting around the 55 minute mark., I think.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXl4vU9p6so

He ponders why there are so many Americans there and asks a couple of Americans how they came to know about Mürren. 😂

We’ve been in Mürren for 4 days and it’s fabulous. The construction at the station is minimal; yes, there are temporary stairs but no problem. We’re at the wonderful Hotel Bellevue and it is quiet, peaceful , with beautiful views, an excellent staff and sensational food. The weather has been perfect and the day we went up to Piz Gloria we could see all the way to Mount Blanc. The presentation on the making of the Bond film was quite fascinating. Carrie, I know you’re on team Wengen but I’m definitely on team Mürren. 😄

I am currently in Murren staying at Hotel Alpina for 3 nights. It's our 3rd time here since 2018 and definitely a lot of construction going on. The construction works starts early (6am) both at the train station and at the Schilthorn lift. Lots of Americans here. Many more than I remember. We ate at the Bellevue Hotel last night. Food was OK. Since it was misting last night we opted to eat inside. I think 8 of the 10 tables were Americans. Today it's overcast and rain is expected so the tourist taffic is minimal. We are headed up to Allmendhubel and for a hike this afternoon. We still love Murren but this is probably our last time to stay here.

We all go to Murren because Rick Steves recommends it so highly! I will be there as well the second week of July. Will be staying at Hotel Bellevue, so hopefully that is quiet enough.

Murren is not exactly a secret...

We have a reservation at the Hotel Eiger in early September. Would the Hotel Edelweiss or the Alpenruh be the better alternative to the Hotel Eiger. This will be our first trip to Murren and possibly our last due to advancing age and would like to avoid noisy construction if we can. Thank you

Taylorkathymb, I’m not familiar enough with the hotels in Murren to provide good advice on this. A couple of things come to mind though. One, you will probably be away from the hotel during the day when the work is being done. And two, I do love the apple strudel at the Hotel Edelweiss 😊, but can’t speak to the hotel rooms. Great location though.

Of those two, I would favor the Edelweiss. But my usual recommendation in Mürren is Hotel Bellevue—-I like the location, as the views from there are superb. We stay in an apartment near there and occasionally treat ourselves to dinner in the Jägerstübli at the Bellevue. I am disappointed to hear that mccaul’s dinner there last night was just “OK”, as we have always enjoyed excellent meals there.

Note that the Bellevue is a long walk, somewhat uphill, from the train station. That may not be what you want.

As for all the Americans at the Bellevue, I suppose that is what comes of being listed in Rick’s book. Last time we were in Mürren (2018), we encountered far more Brits, Aussies, and Asians in the town than Americans. And when we first went there, in 2002 (for reasons that had nothing to do with RS endorsement) the visitors seemed to be mostly British. I think the Americans were all down in Gimmelwald. 😏

Yes the Rick effect can be quite pronounced, just glance around in Cinque Terre or Rue Cler.

Many years ago I was eating in a restaurant in Amboise, France and showed the owner my book and said Hey, you're in Rick's book. He rolled his eyes and said oh yes, I know.

I just left Murren yesterday after spending 6 nights at the Eiger Guesthouse that is right next to Hotel Eiger. The construction noise was very loud starting around 6am. I would recommend staying at the the Hotel Edelweiss if they have availability. It is far enough from the noise that you will not be disturbed. Enjoy!!

Anyone been here more recently? August? We have reservations at Eiger second week of Sept. Hope it does not ruin our stay. I just found out about the construction and not much availability to change. Are the mountain views obstructed? Is construction going on after 4pm. Is it a complete mess? Thanks.

Has anyone heard how long this is supposed to go?

Carrie, over all, what is your impression of Wengen over Murren as a base for a few days for first timers? I was planning on Murren, but you got me curious!

brent, just my 2 cents, i’m on Team Mürren. We’ve stayed there twice (Hotel Eiger which we loved) and like Mürren more than Wengen. Mürren feels more ‘real’, it’s simpler, less developed, and we like it’s location and views much more.

brent, from what I have read, these are years long projects to meet disability act requirements.

Also, you can’t go wrong with Murren or Wengen. I prefer Wengen because it is a little bigger and so has more options for eating. The coop grocery store is also slightly larger in Wengen. I find it easier to reach Wengen with my luggage as it is just a quick train ride up from Lauterbrunnen. The journey to Murren from Lauterbrunnen is cable car + train or bus + cable car. The cable cars are often very crowded. No current construction in Wengen. 😊

It is so easy to get around the area, especially if you have the Swiss Travel Pass. So, like I said, both are great options. I’d suggest looking at hotels and prices to see which appeals more to you. I stayed at the hotel schoenegg in wengen and will stay there again.

Also adding that you should start checking prices early. I got some great prices by booking almost a year in advance.

Regarding the view point in Mürren: There was once a hotel there (you can still see parts of the foundations) that was demolished in 1945. Since then the land has been passed around between different owners, and there have been several attempts to build something on it. Currently the land is owned by the Schilthornbahn, and they want to build a 5 star hotel there.

We will see if this works this time...

Has anyone been at the Bellevue lately, and if so, is the construction impacting things? Also, for those of you who have stayed at the Bellevue before, is it best just to pop in and pay for dinner as you go or to pay for half board ahead of time?

Thanks everyone. I am now torn between Wengen and Murren. :)
For those who have been to Murren recently, was the construction significant enough that you wished you were somewhere else? I will start shopping hotels in both areas soon. We plan to be there in May.

brent, can you push your trip back to early June? May is considered the offseason for the area and some trails, hotels, and restaurants will not yet be open.

We plan to be in Murren next May 18-22. We have been before in the fall. Is this too early in the season? We also liked the Alpenrue a lot but it IS directly adjacent to the Schilthorn. Will construction noise be a problem?

Andrea, June would be better as more would be open. I stayed in Wengen. So, I can’t speak to how early in the am the construction starts or how loud it is. You probably won’t be in your room much, so it might not be an issue.

Check out the link my swiss life posted above with a view of the construction site so you can see how extensive it is.

Melanie: I can answer your question about "half-board" at the Bellevue in Mürren. My husband and I stayed at the Bellevue last year for 5 nights, while COVID restrictions were in place. We did NOT do half-board. I don't think it is necessary. It's nice to have flexibility in your schedule where you might find yourselves elsewhere during dinnertime.
Last year we "had to" eat in our room a couple of times. One night we shared a half-chicken meal, and ordered salad, and an extra side of vegetables. It was just right for both of us.

The construction going on involves two projects.

One is the modernisation of the Grütschalp - Murren railway. In preparation for the new trains they are getting next year they are modernising all the stations to be in compliance with the law requiring public transit to be accessible. The renovation of the station in Mürren is the last part of that, and that should be finished by next year.

The other project is the new Schilthorn cable car. The whole cable car from Stechelberg all the way to the summit is being rebuilt. The first phase is a new cable car direct from Stechelberg to Mürren. This will be a very steep one, and will bypass Gimmelwald. Then they will build a new Mürren - Birg section, and lastly Brig - Schilthorn.

Currently the are doing some preparatory work: They need to move an electricity substation, and are installing a temporary works cable car for material transport. This whole project will last till 2026, with the first parts being in service in 2024.

Thanks Carol! I think we'll take your suggestion and not get the Half Board ahead of time.

Carrie, or anyone else who might know…we have our flights booked already.. We plan to be in BO end of May and staying in Wengen. Can you give me an idea of what won’t be open during that time? Hotels seem to be available for booking, but what is the impact on restaurants and trails? Thanks!

brent, If you found a hotel, you should be good. The one I stayed at—hotel schoenegg doesn’t open til early June.

The trail from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg does not open until early to mid June. The cable car from wengen to mannlichen opens May 26th. The allmendhubel funicular from murren starts June 9th.

Lower elevation trails should be ok—at the murren and Wengen level and lower (gimmelwald, lauterbrunnen, and gimmelwald).

I can’t help with restaurants. Most of them are in hotels. So, if the hotel is open, I would assume the restaurant is too.

Thanks Carrie. I have a lot to learn about trails in my research. Will we be able to get to Shilthorn, Top of Europe etc or are those the higher elevation ones you are referencing? Are the areas we can’t reach a big portion of the hikes or do we still have lots of scenic options left? In our current itinerary, we were going to do BO and then Lucerne, but maybe I can reverse those which will get us to BO May 31to June 4. The trick is we need to be back in Zurich the morning of June 5 for our return flight.

Brent, It looks like the Stechelberg – Mürren – Schilthorn cable car will be closed the end of April for maintenance. So, you will be able to do that as it will be open all of May. I’m not finding a schedule for the Jungfrau, but I believe that is also open all year.

You’ll still have plenty of great options. I didn’t mean to scare you. 😊 You’d just have more options a little later in the season. Some of the best views are from Murren—just walking from the train station through the town and then the trail from Murren down to Gimmelwald. I also enjoy walking down in Lauterbrunnen once you get past all the hotels.

I’d keep your hotels as is. I don’t think June 4th will be late enough to make much of a difference.

Thanks Carrie. Super helpful. I think will stay in Wengen to steer clear of the construction in Murren and looks we still have lots of options to enjoy the surrounding area. Appreciate it.

The first phase is a new cable car direct from Stechelberg to Mürren. This will be a very steep one, and will bypass Gimmelwald.

I was thinking this morning how lucky we are who have been visiting the area for many years.

We got to ride the funicular from Lauterbrunnen to Grütschalp and then the current cable car; we had the pleasure of the lovely little train from there to Mürren which I have always liked - I like the very cramptness, the driver just in front, the little luggage and freight trailer so expertly loaded from the cable car; and have enjoyed the cable car ride back up from the walk down to Gimmelwald.

We should embrace what we have because tomorrow it may be gone (or by 2026 or sooner).

I'm not really sure I want a new train, I like the old one. I'm not sure I want to skip Gimmelwald. The ride up from Stechelberg was always a thrill. Do we really need a steeper one?

Oh well - I'll just put on my Grumpy Face.

I'm sure it is all in aid of getting more people up to the summit faster.... hmmm

Oh, and does Mürren really need a 5 ***** hotel at the viewpoint?

Nigel, I’ve been on both the old and new train cars for Mt. Rigi. It’s still the same great views. 😊

My favorite way to get to Gimmelawald is by walking from Murren.

I'm not really sure I want a new train, I like the old one.

Well, trains don't last forever. And those old trains were once new trains, probably also lamented by some when they were introduced.

Be glad that Switzerland invests in keeping its infrastructure working and up to date.

Just viewing this thread. I meant to mention the construction at both ends of town in my report on our trip there in July. Ironic that they're working on making the train station accessible, since now there are wooden steps up to street level. A nice woman carried both of our suitcases up the stairs. On the way back I carried one on my back and Alison's in my hand going down. The RS guidebook mentioned the new cablecar line that was planned from Stechelberg; guess it's finally happening. We stayed at the aptly named Hotel Bellevue and didn't hear any noise way up on the hill. Quite frankly, the road to Gimmelwald was easy to find and walk down from "downtown" Murren, not too far from our hotel.

I've been home a week from my first trip to the Berner Oberland. Stayed in Lauterbrunnen, visited both Murren and Wengen. Just throwing out my opinion that Murren has been "Rick Steved." I saw few locals during my time there. In Wengen, on the other hand, in the bar where I had lunch, more than half the customers were locals. The whole area is incredible, however, and you will probably be happy wherever you go.

Late October. They are a long way from bringing this station online. I don’t understand how Murren is managing without this station. Apparently all rail is shut down from Lauternrunnen up to here. ALOT of people on the cable.

A very good point by Wengen k above. I recently spent two weeks in Switzerland , and seeing the attention paid to repair , maintenance , and new infrastructure , is heartening. We don't see this in the states , and traveling through Europe , seeing this sort of activity ( not only in Switzerland ) is wonderful . I'm headed to Vienna in a few days , and while there was always a certain charm to the old high floor trams , the new vehicles are a delight to use , and don't really abrogate the experience of a Viennese street car .

There will be another big maintenance break next year, and then the whole line should be renewed, and good for a couple of decades.

Other things that are happening is that the Palace Hotel after more than a decade of slumber is going to be renovated and enlarged. One of the plans is to rebuild the public view terrace it has. Will for sure become a nice selfie spot in the near future. And another attempt is going to be made at rebuilding something on the former Kurhaus site, which means that we also will lose a viewpoint...