Hi We are visiting Switzerland in September with two young children and will be travelling by car. We would like to visit the Lauterbrunnen area and explore Interlaken, Lake Brienz and take a gondola up to Gimmelwald, Muerren, and maybe Schilthorn. I wonder if Lauterbrunnen is the right place to stay for a couple of nights? Is this as far up that you can drive? Would we definitely need to book accommodation in advance or could we safely be flexible with dates and still turn up mid September and reserve reasonable accommodation? We wanted to have flexibility in case of bad weather. Also, I see most people mention the expense of the cable and cog train trips which they suggest purchasing special discount rail passes, but as we will be travelling everywhere by car are we best to just purchase tickets when we are there? I am trying hard to research this all in advance but seems to be so much to read and understand so appreciate any insight and advice.
thank you
Posted by
Milwaukee, WI, USA
197 posts
Hi Rachael, You can drive all the way up the Lauterbrunnen valley to the town of Stechelberg which is the start of the gondola up to Gimmelwald, Murren and the Schilthorn. This is past Lauterbrunnen and has a large parking area. Lauterbrunnen has some small hotels and a COOP grocery store. There is a gondola there that will take you up the mountain but you will have to transfer to a small train for the ride into Murren. The gondola station up to Schilthorn is on the opposite side of the town from the train station so a bit of a walk with small kids. With kids, I would base in Interlaken; more accomodations, a tourist bureau in the Interlaken West (main) rail station (who would give you the best deals, if any, on gondola passes), a large Migros grocery/department store and a McDonalds (anyone with kids will understand!). People are right when they say the best gondola ticket prices are combined with rail passes; gondolas by themselves are very expensive. Finally, there is a great boat ride on Lake Brientz (Brientzsee) located at the second Interlaken rail station, Interlaken Ost (east), about a mile from Interlaken West. The round trip takes about 3 hrs. out to Brientz and back.
I like to make housing reservations in advance but if you want to wing it, the Interlaken tourist bureau covers the whole Berner Oberland and will find you some place wherever you want to stay. It is a gorgeous area to be in. Enjoy!
Posted by
Dallas, Texas, USA
501 posts
In addition to what Tom said, we urge you to purchase a used or preferably a new guidebook, I think Rick Steves covers the Bernese Oberland quite well. Also consider going to the top of this page and type in various topics related to your trip in the SEARCH box. You'll see what a lot of posters have said about similar questions you have posed. Yes it takes time, but that's what the rest of us have done to acquire more travel knowledge.
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
In the other major valley that branches into the mountains from Interlaken, you can drive all the way up to Grindelwald (not Gimmelwald). It sits at a higher elevation than Lauterbrunnen, but lower than Mürren, Wengen, etc. It's a little less conventient to the Schilthornbahn from here, but more convenient to the Jungfraujoch. And the view of the north face of the Eiger is stunning.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Rachel, there are parking lots in both Lauterbrunnen and Stechelberg. It's all paid parking but its there. In Lauterbrunnen, the lot is very near the train station. At Stechelberg, it's at the gondola station. This second one is very large and out in the open. You can drive up to Grindelwald but not to any of the other higher towns except maybe Kleine Scheidegg (I'm not sure).
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
"You can drive up to Grindelwald but not to any of the other higher towns except maybe Kleine Scheidegg (I'm not sure)." No, only Grindelwald. Kleine Scheidegg is only accessible by rail or a long hike foot from Grindelwald and Wengen... it's more of a rail station/ski area than a town, although I think there is at least one hotel up there.
Posted by
OP
Melbourne, Australia
25 posts
Thanks so much everyone, your advice is very much appreciated. We are looking forward to exploring this wonderful area of the world.