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Voykit pocket guide · Switzerland
Grindelwald
Stay 3 nights: two full days for First and Kleine Scheidegg, one for the village and Pfingstegg. Skip it as a day trip from Interlaken.
Grindelwald is a working Alpine village at 1,034 m on the north slope of its own valley, 30 min by train from Interlaken Ost. Two cable-car systems leave from opposite ends of the village: First to the north-side trails, and Grindelwald Terminal for Männlichen and the Eiger Express to Jungfraujoch. Three nights covers the classic hikes and one high summit without rushing; two nights works if you pick one mountain.
- Country
- Switzerland
- Best months
- Jun–Sep for hiking; mid-Dec–mid-Apr for skiing
- Avoid
- Late Mar–Apr (scratchy snow, closed trails), Nov (lifts and many hotels shut)
- Stay
- 3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CHF
- Money
- Currency is the Swiss franc (CHF). Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere; euros are sometimes taken with change in francs.
- Daily spend
- Budget CHF 90–140 excl. bed · Mid CHF 140–220 excl. bed · High CHF 220+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Swisscom, Sunrise and Salt sell prepaid SIMs (ID needed); Swisscom covers the most mountain terrain.
- Emergency
- Police 117 · Ambulance 144 · Fire 118 · Rega air rescue 1414
- Plugs
- Types J, C · 230 V · 50 Hz · Swiss three-pin sockets are recessed: thin two-pin (type C) plugs fit, but thick German Schuko plugs do not — bring a Swiss adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Service included; round up or leave 5–10% for good service.; Café or bar: Round up.; Taxi: Round up.; Hotel: Optional; CHF 2–5 for porters.; Mountain guide: CHF 20–50 for a day, optional.
- Water
- Tap and fountain water is excellent. Restaurants usually charge for bottled water; ask for 'Hahnenwasser' / 'eau du robinet'.
- Toilets
- Station toilets cost CHF 1–2; restaurants and department stores are free for customers.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or a pastry in the village | CHF 4–8 |
| Plate of rösti or a bowl of soup | CHF 18–28 |
| Pizza in a village pizzeria | CHF 18–26 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at the Co-op | CHF 6–9 / CHF 2–3 |
| Co-op supermarket picnic for two | CHF 20–30 |
| Heimatmuseum entry | CHF 7 adult, CHF 2 child |
| Tandem paragliding flight | about CHF 200, lift to launch not included |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | CHF 20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ZRH · Zurich
- Train to Interlaken Ost via Bern, then BOB to Grindelwald; about 3 h 30 min total
- BSL · Basel-Mulhouse
- Longer rail route via Bern; check connections
- GVA · Geneva
- Rail via Bern and Interlaken; about 4 h 30 min
Typical fares
- Interlaken Ost → Grindelwald, BOB
- about 35 min; Swiss Travel Pass valid, Eurail gives a discount only
- Grindelwald → Kleine Scheidegg, WAB
- about 40 min; Swiss Travel Pass holders pay half
- Grindelwald Terminal → Männlichen, gondola
- about 20 min
- Terminal car park, 5–24 h
- CHF 12
Get around
The village is walkable end to end in about 20 min along Dorfstrasse. Grindelwald Bus runs several seasonal routes from the main station; buses 121 and 123 link the station, Terminal and Grund. The BOB train stops at Grindelwald Terminal then the main station, 5 min apart. The WAB train to Kleine Scheidegg leaves the main station and takes 40 min. First gondola and Pfingstegg cable car cover the north side.
See and do
Known for
- The Eiger north face
- First and Bachalpsee
- Kleine Scheidegg and Jungfraujoch access
- Grosse Scheidegg pass
- Winter skiing on the Grindelwald–Wengen lifts
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kleine Scheidegg | WAB train from Grindelwald main station, 40 min | About 45 min |
| Lauterbrunnen | BOB to Zweilütschinen, change for Lauterbrunnen | About 45 min |
| Wengen | WAB over Kleine Scheidegg, or BOB and change at Lauterbrunnen | 1 h 15 min–1 h 45 min |
| Mürren | BOB to Lauterbrunnen, cable car to Grütschalp, train to Mürren | About 1 h 30 min |
| Interlaken | BOB train from Grindelwald main station | About 35 min |
| Meiringen | Seasonal bus over Grosse Scheidegg | About 1 h 30 min |
Sleep
- Dorfstrasse (village centre)
- Between the main station and the First gondola; shops, restaurants and both churches on foot.
- Grindelwald Terminal / Grund
- South slope and valley floor; 5 min before the main station on the BOB. Best for Männlichen, Eiger Express and Grund trailheads.
- Terrassenweg and Kirchbühl
- Above the village on the north slope; quieter, ski-in/ski-out in winter, buses 122 and 124.
- Obere Gletscherstrasse
- East end near the First gondola and the Heimatmuseum; buses 121–124.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | GrüeziGRUE-tsi |
| Thank you | Merci vielmalMER-si FEEL-mal |
| Excuse me | Exgüsiex-GUE-si |
| How much is it? | Was kostet das?vas KOS-tet das |
| Can I pay by card? | Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?kan ikh mit KAR-te TSA-len |
| Where is the toilet? | Wo ist die Toilette?vo ist dee toy-LET-te |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; three cheek kisses among friends; avoid: Skipping the greeting in shops
- Punctuality: Be exactly on time; avoid: Running for the train expecting it to wait
- Language: Greet in the local language, then ask for English; avoid: Speaking German in Geneva as a default
- Quiet: Low voices in trains; quiet carriages are marked; avoid: Speakerphone calls
- Money: Keep financial talk discreet; avoid: Asking people's salaries
- Recycling: Separate PET, glass and cans; avoid: Leaving rubbish in hotel or flat bins unsorted
Scams and watch-outs
- Cars are allowed but parking is tight: the Terminal car park has about 1,000 spaces and pre-booking is advised in ski season and on Jungfraujoch days.
- The Grosse Scheidegg road to Meiringen is closed to public traffic; use the seasonal bus.
- No lift pass is valid above Eigergletscher on the Jungfraujoch train: buy the add-on.
- Mountain restaurants open only in season; check before you set out.
- Mobile signal is good in the valley but patchy on the mountains.
Very safe for a mountain village. The real risks are altitude and weather: trails above 2,000 m turn cold and foggy fast, and the Schwarzhorn ridge is exposed. Tell your hotel your route and carry a charged phone.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Grindelwald yet. Suggested stay: 3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- The Eiger north face
- First and Bachalpsee
- Kleine Scheidegg and Jungfraujoch access
- Grosse Scheidegg pass
- Winter skiing on the Grindelwald–Wengen lifts
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Grindelwald official tourism site: www.grindelwald.com/
- Jungfrau Railways (BOB, WAB, Eiger Express, lift passes): www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/
- Wikivoyage: Grindelwald, revision 5273150 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5273150
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Grindelwald
Bitte zu dieser Adresse
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in the village; most are in Bern, with consulates-general in Zurich and Geneva. US citizens: the embassy is in Bern.
Swiss German is spoken here; standard German and English work in hotels, lifts and restaurants.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/grindelwald). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.