Stay in Interlaken, Murren, Grindewald or Lauterbrunnen

Hi, I don't see Zermatt as a day trip from this area. The entire Berner Oberland is filled with incredible scenery. We're the opposite of Denise... we loved our 4 nights in Wengen, visited Lauterbrunnen and Grimmelwald, along with the Jungfraujoch trip. Didn't venture across the valley to Muerren and Gimmelwald. I'd put Grindelwald last on my list, as it's not "car/traffic free". It was very busy the day we were there, meaning a lot of people, tour buses, etc. Wengen is situated on the way (train line) to the Jungfraujoch. Paul

It would be best to check google maps to see where Zermatt is relative to Muerren, Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. I would not consider it a day trip. I enjoy staying in Muerren to see this area versus Interlaken. Interlaken is a big tourist trap. Staying up in the alps and taking it all in is a wonderful experience. If you stay in Muerren, you can also visit Gimmelwald just below Muerren. Haven't ventured over to Grindelwald or Wengen yet. I use the Deutsche Bahn website to determine trains.

Yan Ling, If you want to see the mountains and enjoy their scenic vistas, you might want to consider staying in a mountain location like Murren rather than in the valley. My wife and I stayed in Murren for 1 week last October and can't wait to return. The Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau are across the valley from you affording beautiful photo and video shots. Also, the train ride up the mountain gives you wonderful views. Easy walking paths and excellent transportation system make travel very easy. We decided to visit the Schilthorn because of its proximity to Murren and the fact that we didn't need to use most of a day to enjoy the beauty of it. The Jungfraujoch is much higher, but takes much longer to reach; besides, you cannot find better scenic beauty than at the Schilthorn. You can also enjoy breakfast or a snack at the restaurant at the top. It was great! Where you stay is a matter of choice. If you stay in the valley (Lauterbrunnen), you will want to travel into the mountains to enjoy the incredible scenes and great hiking trails. Lauterbrunnen has its appeal being between mountain villages that can be accessed by mountain trains such as Wengen. Yes, the BLM is just a short walk from most anywhere in Murren and the website you mention will be helpful.

Yan Ling, I stayed in Lauterbrunnen as a base for trains up to the Jungfraujoch and it was wonderful. Very easy to do. Lauterbrunnen is a quick train ride through the valley from Interlaken. While I was in Lauterbrunnen, I checked the weather in Zermatt by computer one evening. I found that the next day would be the only cloudless day in Zermatt the entire rest of my trip to Swizterland! Needless to say, I set my alarm early and headed off to the Matterhorn as a day trip. I did it without trouble. Lauterbrunnen-Interlaken-Spiez-Brig-Zermatt and reverse. I do recall getting up around 5 am, but what the heck; if it's the only day you can do it at all, what difference does it make! You can sleep when you die! It's a busy day, but it's doable; especially if you find, as I did, that there would only be one more day with decent weather! Go for it!

Murren BLM is the murren train station. You will also see Murren LSMS which is the cable car station for the cable car connecting to Gimmelwald and the Schilthorn. To go from Murren to the Jungfrau, you just need to return down to Lauterbrunnen and go up the other side of the valley. If you want to make that a shorter trip, you could stay in Wengen instead of Murre, both are mountain villages and both are nice. Either one is a better choice than Interlaken which is a city.

Yan Ling, as several others have pointed out above, Zermatt is not really a day trip from the Bernese Oberland. As you'll see on a map of Switzerland, it is very far South and boreders Italy. I mean, it certainly IS possible to do, but not very convenient (IMHO!) I also agree with the post above re: Schilthorn; it's spectacular! Although we also did do the Jungfrau excursion (and loved it!), we loved Schilthorn just as much. Although it's not as high as Jungfrau, it IS equally as thrilling....just in a different way. Where as you are on a large glacier when you go to the Jungfraujoch, with Schilthorn, you enjoy head-spinning, 360 degree views of the Alps from the platform of the Piz Gloria restaurant (as well as from the thrilling cable car ride up). I could have remained on the platform for hours, just taking in the Alpine views that seem to go in forever! I would advise staying in Murren; from there, all of the main sights/activities the Bernese Oberland has to offer are very easy to access. I would NOT suggest staying in Interlaken itself; like many (includinig Rick), I view Interlaken as more of a gateway to the Alps. If you go to Interlaken to stroll around 1 afternoon, you'll enjoy it, but will be glad you did not stay there. And I would also leave Zermatt for another time......or I would go, IF you have a lot of time. I have been there, but we went after the Bernese Oberland region, and because we had a lot of time on that particular trip. It IS beautiful (and we got spring skiing in), but not necessarily more so than the Alpine grandeur you'll see/experience in the Bernese Oberland/Jungfaru region. Good luck w/ the trave planning and have a great time in Switzerland.

Thanks all for highlighting abt Zermatt haha...
So if I want to visit Zermatt, I Shld stay over in Zermatt? I will b going in April (which I understand most of Murren will b closed), will e trains going up to Murren still run on regular intervals?

I split a week between Gimmelwald (NOT Grindelwald) & Murren, which is just up the mountain from Gimmelwald. I'd stay up the mountain instead of in the valley - Incredible scenery, hikes - one of my all-time favorite trips!

Wow! Thanks thanks! Sure hope I can find 1 thats within my budget in Murren! Really hope to have a chance to stay up in e mountains :)