Interlaken

Yes, the cable cars are operating...there are "real" people who live in this village and require transportation up and down...just like tourists.

Thank you for your less than helpful information Tim :) I raised the question of the cable cars because as stated on a Gimmelwald website, that their line is shut down mid April. we are wanting to go to Gimmelwald or Murren... "After easter everything comes to a standstill, even the Schilthorn cableway, our lifeline. When this lifeline is gone everything is very quiet. While the cableway is closed for maintenance the winter weather usually returns. During maintenance the cableway is thoroughly checked over and thanks to this there have never been any problems..." http://www.gimmelwald.ch/en/seasons/april.htm So although I appreciate and understand life exists outside the tourist season, I was hoping to have some accurate information at that time. I guess I should buy the guide book in that case!

So you think there is only 1 way to Mürren. There are actually 2 gondolas on the Schilthorn line...1 for tourists and another one for supplies. On the other end of town about 5 minute walk is the Mürren BLM train station. You'll be fine. PS: I highly recommend a guidebook because it's always handy.

I've checked with the Jungfraubahn and the new cablecar from Lauterbrunned up to Grutschalp will be in operation as will the train along the cliff. The Schilthorn web page is very slow to load tonight so can't verify the Schilthornbahn from Stechelberg to Gimmelwald to Muerren. We came up the the Kander tal this afternoon and I was surprised by how low the wet snow was. If you are going above Lauterbrunnen you'd better be ready for mud.

We stayed in the Backpacker's Villa Sonnenhof in Interlaken. It is a hostel - on the expensive side (as is everything in Interlaken). We had two beds in a two-bed room - essentially making it a private, double room. Being a hostel the shower and toilet are down the hall - but if that isn't a problem for you, it was great. As for what to do, it depends on your speed of travel. If the weather is nice (aka not too wintery) my wife and I really enjoyed the train ride to Lauterbrunnen - going up the cog train, walking down to Gimmelwald (through Muerren) and then the cable car down to the valley where we walked to Truemmelbachfalle. Of course, if the cable car in Gimmelwald is not running, that would change that course. We went in July, so I don't really know the weather in April. If it is snowy and cold and grey, this particular venture wouldn't be all that great. We also enjoyed side trips to the Ballenburg Folk Museum (via boat and bus connections), and a trip Neuchatel and Oberhof Castle. We loved Interlaken and hope to return some day. Hope you have a great time! :)

rhonda, You should certainly be able to stay in Mürren, as there will be some access provided. I believe maintenance on the Schilthornbahn will be taking place in late April this year, so you may be able to use the Cable Car. I wasn't able to confirm the maintenance dates, as the Schilthornbahn website appear to be "down" tonight. As the others have mentioned, there are several ways to reach Mürren. There are two Cable Cars from Stechelberg. The "usual" one travels to Mürren via Gimmelwald, and the "supply" one travels direct to Mürren. Another option is to take the short Cable Car ride from Lauterbrunnen to Grütschalp, and then the small mountain railway to Mürren. Of course, if you're worried about access to Mürren, it would be better to stay in Lauterbrunnen as that would provide much more flexibility (especially if the lifts aren't operating often). There are a number of good Hotels there, but it would be a good idea to contact them to determine their operation at this time of year. This is somewhat the "in between" time, between ski season and summer tourist season, so there should be vacancies. If you need any Hotel suggestions, post another note. Happy travels!

rhonda, The Schilthornbahn website seems to be operating again. Here's the maintenance schedule: Aerial cableway Stechelberg – Mürren – Schilthorn Spring: 23.04. – 27.04.2012
Autumn: 12.11. – 07.12.2012 You should have NO problems getting to Mürren, but I'd suggest pre-booking your Hotel. If you need information on the travel method to reach the Schilthornbahn from Interlaken, post another note. Cheers!

We stayed in Murren last summer and the views from there were the highlight of our month in Europe. Wish I could remember the name of the hotel we stayed in. Happy travels

You'll have such a great trip! I'm so jealous. We stayed in Lauterbrunnen last year and it was wonderful. I would recommend going to Trummelbach falls. We thought it was a lot of fun. Also, we had a great dinner at the restaurant that comes up on the left when you are walking into town from the train station. It is a big brown house with an outdoor sitting area. I had the four seasons pizza and it was THE BEST ever. Have fun!

@joseph, If you're interested primarily in hiking rather than night life, I'd suggest staying in Gimmelwald or Mürren rather than Interlaken. One possibility would be the famous Mountain Hostel in Gimmelwald, where it's highly likely you'll have a rambunctious crowd to share a Beer with and discuss the day's travels. The Pension next door has a nice patio, which is ideal for enjoying a "cool one" in the late afternoon. Finally, if you hike down from Mürren, you can stop at Walter's Hotel Mittaghorn and have a Beer and a chat with whoever is there at the time. Happy travels!

hello. i want to stop in the interlaken area to do some hiking for a couple days enroute to florence from paris. i hear the hiking is amazing. is this a good place for a single mid 30s gent? not really looking for nightlife, but having some people to talk to about the day over a beer would be good. thanks!

awesome. ty for the quick response! i like the location of those places, but don't really want to stay at a hostel. it's only 10 miles or so from where i was looking. can you rent scooters/mopeds in this area?