Muerren & Swiss National Day

We have been in Switzerland on 1 August several times, always in Kandersteg (Oeschinensee). In our experience, all transport runs on the usual schedule, including mountain lifts. But you could check SBB or https://schilthorn.ch/en/Infos/Timetable__and__Tariff
To be sure.

Mürren has their Dorffest, with a parade and other events, on the weekend following National Day, and that is lots of fun. If there is a small local celebration on 1 August perhaps someone else can advise you.

Swiss francs, not euros, are the local currency. You can easily get some from the ATM in Mürren or elsewhere. But credit cards are widely accepted, so you may not need much.

1) Will trains/transportation still run on a normal schedule typically on this day?

Yes, will run as normal.

2) Will restaurants likely be closed in Muerren (should we make sure to stock food the night before)? & # 3 question about events —

Restaurants will be hit or miss. But Mürren will have a big celebration that night and I’d encourage you to join in as part of the cultural experience and to honor such an amazing country. Whoever said tourists weren’t welcomed had a completely different experience than we do every year (we live in Mürren every summer for 2-3 months, as a tourist) There will be a lit lantern town parade that you can join in - tourists and locals all walk the town together led by locals “chanting” with giant cow bells (buy your lanterns at the Coop in the back left corner or just walk without one), there will be Swiss food & drinks and traditional Swiss music at the Sportzentrum and bonfires/fireworks all over in the mountains. Because Mürren‘s Dorfest is that Thursday-Sunday they won’t have as much going on during the day of August 1 but will definitely be alive at night. If you want any day celebrations you’ll find day time events (music, food, etc fest) in Wengen all during the day. But really, don’t plan to eat in a restaurant or at your chalet that night. The village will be a party and it’s special to join in! We always go to Wengen during the day on Aug 1 and then come back to Mürren by around 3 pm to get ready for their celebration. Trains will be busy down in Lauterbrunnen but that’s just the way it is these days there.

4) Random, unrelated final question: We're not planning to have a lot of cash on us in London or Paris. Do we need Swiss Francs for this region? (Or would Euros suffice, in which case we might pick up some in Paris?)

You’ll want francs for things like buying cheese from a local farmer or eating at a mountain hut but all the stores, cable cars, funiculars, town restaurants, etc all take credit card. If you had maybe 50-100 chf for random things that would be plenty. Places do take euros but if you’re going to pay a local farmer it’s nice to give them their own currency. There is an ATM in Lauterbrunnen near the train station. If you don’t plan to buy local cheese, eat at a hut, then you probably won’t use cash at all.

Thank you both! We will plan to participate in as much as we can. That day-long itinerary sounds marvelous.

A question on currency: Where is the best place to get Swiss Francs? We will be arriving in the BO via train in the late afternoon/early evening - Paris Lyon to Mulhouse to Basel. Will the Basel train station have ATMs?

There are several different cashpoints on the ground floor near the Travel Centre - the Reisezentrum. There is also one at the very far other end of the station near the Media Markt.

Many Swiss stations have a map on the SBB webpage under "Station and Services". The one for the Basel SBB station is at https://www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/at-the-station/railway-stations/basel-sbb-station.html Midway down there are three maps to download - the easiest to understand is the first one. Find the symbol near 101 on the map.

Generally cash machines in Switzerland dole out the cash in 100 CHF and 50 CHF notes unless you choose an amount which forces smaller such as 80 or 90. Don't get too much though because you can do virtually everything with your phone or tap and pay card.