Zurich to Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen: day trip guide

Zurich to Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen: day trip guide

Quick answer

How do you get from Zurich to Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen?

Take the train from Zurich HB to Interlaken Ost (about 2 hours via Bern), then branch to Grindelwald (30 min) or Lauterbrunnen (25 min) by mountain railway. Both valleys are easy to visit in the same day.

Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen from Zurich

Two of the most extraordinary landscapes in the Swiss Alps are reachable from Zurich in two hours by train — and they are close enough to each other that visiting both in the same day is not only possible but makes for a genuinely varied experience.

Grindelwald sits in a wide, sunny valley beneath the north face of the Eiger. The village is lively, with excellent cafés, hiking trails of every difficulty level, and the dramatic backdrop of a mountain that became world-famous when three climbers first scaled its notorious north face in 1938. Even standing in the village and looking up at the vertical black limestone wall above you is memorable.

Lauterbrunnen is the opposite: a deep, shadowed glacial valley so narrow and sheer that 72 waterfalls cascade directly down its walls. The Staubbach Falls — visible from the village — fall 297 metres in a nearly vertical drop. The valley floor sits in shadow for much of winter but in summer is a lush, dramatic corridor. It was one of J.R.R. Tolkien’s inspirations for Rivendell, and the resemblance is not difficult to see.

From Interlaken, the two valleys branch like a Y: Lauterbrunnen to the left, Grindelwald to the right. This makes it easy to visit one in the morning and one in the afternoon on the same train ticket.

Getting from Zurich to Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen

Route from Zurich HB:

  • Zurich HB → Bern (55 minutes, InterCity)
  • Bern → Interlaken Ost (50 minutes, InterRegio)
  • Interlaken Ost → Grindelwald (35 minutes, Bernese Oberland Railway) — or
  • Interlaken Ost → Lauterbrunnen (25 minutes, Bernese Oberland Railway)

Total journey Zurich–Grindelwald: approximately 2 hours 10-20 minutes.

Swiss Travel Pass: Covers everything — Zurich to Interlaken Ost, the Bernese Oberland Railway to Grindelwald, and the line to Lauterbrunnen. No surcharge for valley travel.

Surcharges apply for: Cable cars above the valley floor — Grindelwald First gondola (CHF 36 return), the Männlichen gondola from Grindelwald (CHF 39 return), and any travel toward Kleine Scheidegg and the Jungfraujoch.

Without Swiss Travel Pass: Return from Zurich to Grindelwald costs around CHF 92.

First useful departure from Zurich: 07:04 or 07:32, arriving Grindelwald around 09:20-10:00.

Book a guided day trip from Zurich to Grindelwald, Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen — the guided option handles all connections and includes commentary about the Bernese Oberland, the geology, and the local culture.

What to do in Grindelwald

Walking in the village

The centre of Grindelwald is a long main street (Dorfstrasse) with shops, restaurants, and hotels, all oriented toward the Eiger. The mountain dominates the northern horizon — at 3,967 metres, with its near-vertical 1,800-metre north face directly above the village, it is visually overwhelming in a way that photographs do not quite capture.

The village is compact and walkable. A 30-minute loop through the Dorfstrasse, across the Lütschine river, and up onto the lower meadows gives excellent perspective on both the Eiger and the surrounding peaks (Wetterhorn to the east, Schreckhorn behind).

Grindelwald First and the cliff walk

The gondola from the village up to Grindelwald First (2,168 metres) takes 25 minutes and costs around CHF 36 return (reduced for Swiss Travel Pass holders). At the top, the First Cliff Walk is a series of suspended walkways, bridges, and viewing platforms along the ridge — free once you are at the summit. The views from the cliff walk cover the Eiger, the Jungfrau region, and down into the Grindelwald valley below.

Additional paid activities at First include the Trottibike (scooter descent back toward the valley), the Flyer (a zipline across a valley), and mountain biking.

The Eiger north face

The north face of the Eiger is visible from the village but best viewed from the meadows between the village and Männlichen or from Kleine Scheidegg (the pass between Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen). The face changes character significantly depending on the light: grey and forbidding in overcast weather, almost luminous on clear mornings. Bring binoculars if you have them — in summer you can often see climbers on the face itself.

Pfingstegg cable car

A smaller, less crowded alternative to Grindelwald First, the Pfingstegg cable car (CHF 24 return, not included in Swiss Travel Pass) goes up to a plateau with several hiking trails and an excellent view across to the Eiger and the Obere Grindelwaldgletscher (Upper Grindelwald Glacier). The glacier has retreated dramatically in recent decades and the change is visible from the Pfingstegg plateau — an unintended but powerful lesson in climate reality.

What to do in Lauterbrunnen

Staubbach Falls

The Staubbach is visible from the village — a single thread of water falling 297 metres from a cleft in the cliff wall directly above the main street. It is a defining image of the Swiss Alps. There is a path to the base of the falls and even a short tunnel that leads behind the cascade — free to access, signed from the village.

The falls are most dramatic after rain or in snowmelt season (May-June). In August, the flow can reduce to a fine mist, though it remains photogenic.

Trümmelbach Falls (inside the mountain)

The Trümmelbach Falls are the glacial meltwater drainage from the Jungfrau, Eiger, and Mönch glaciers above — up to 20,000 litres per second running through a corkscrew channel carved inside the cliff face. Access is via a tunnel with an indoor lift, leading to a series of catwalks and viewpoints inside the gorge. The sound and scale are extraordinary.

Entry costs CHF 14 for adults. Located 2.5 kilometres from Lauterbrunnen village, reachable on foot (30 minutes) or by bus (5 minutes, covered by Swiss Travel Pass). Not to be missed.

The Lauterbrunnen valley floor

The valley floor is flat, green, and beautiful. A walking path runs the full length of the valley between Lauterbrunnen and the hamlet of Stechelberg (about 5 kilometres). Along the route, Mürren and Gimmelwald are visible on the clifftop shelf above — traditional car-free villages accessible by cable car from Stechelberg. The cable car to Mürren and Schilthorn (2,970 metres) is a major excursion in its own right.

Wengen and Männlichen

The train from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen (15 minutes, not covered by Swiss Travel Pass — around CHF 8 one way) accesses the sun terrace village of Wengen, which sits on a shelf 1,274 metres above the valley with exceptional views of the Jungfrau and surrounding peaks. The Männlichen gondola from Grindelwald connects to Wengen via the ridge, allowing a traverse route between the two valleys.

Suggested itinerary: both valleys in one day

  • 07:32 — Depart Zurich HB

  • 09:38 — Arrive Grindelwald. Walk the village, coffee on Dorfstrasse

  • 10:00-12:30 — Grindelwald: First gondola and cliff walk (allow 2.5 hours including travel)

  • 12:30 — Train from Grindelwald toward Interlaken Ost (change at Zweilütschinen or Interlaken Ost)

  • 13:20 — Arrive Lauterbrunnen

  • 13:20-14:00 — Staubbach Falls walk and village

  • 14:00-15:00 — Bus to Trümmelbach Falls (allow 1 hour for the falls)

  • 15:00-15:45 — Valley floor walk back toward Lauterbrunnen

  • 16:00 — Train from Lauterbrunnen to Interlaken Ost

  • 16:28 — Train Interlaken Ost toward Bern and Zurich

  • 18:34 — Arrive Zurich HB

This is a full and active day. If you want to skip Grindelwald First and just walk the village, you can depart Zurich later (09:32) and still have comfortable time in both valleys.

Kleine Scheidegg: connecting both valleys on foot

The Kleine Scheidegg pass (2,061 metres) sits between the Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen valleys, below the Eiger north face. The hike from Grindelwald Grund (the lower village) to Kleine Scheidegg takes around 2.5 hours with 800 metres of ascent. From Kleine Scheidegg, you can descend to Wengen and then to Lauterbrunnen by train — this is the classic traverse route between the two valleys and is one of the great day hikes in the Bernese Oberland.

The Swiss Travel Pass covers the train from Wengen down to Lauterbrunnen. The hike itself is free. Kleine Scheidegg has restaurants and views directly into the Eiger north face — climbers can often be seen high on the wall.

This hiking option requires good fitness, solid walking shoes, and a clear weather forecast. Allow 5-6 hours for the full traverse from Grindelwald Grund to Lauterbrunnen via Kleine Scheidegg and Wengen.

Food recommendations

Grindelwald:

  • Café 3692 on the Dorfstrasse is excellent for breakfast and cake
  • Restaurant Alpenhof has solid traditional Swiss food and Eiger views from the terrace
  • The Co-op supermarket in the village centre is good for supplies if you prefer a picnic

Lauterbrunnen:

  • Hotel Staubbach has a reliable restaurant near the falls
  • Several bakeries and snack stands operate along the main street
  • Picnic on the valley floor with food bought in Lauterbrunnen — the flat meadows are ideal

Interlaken (transit stop):

  • If changing trains at Interlaken Ost with time to spare, the Bäckerei Schibler near the station does excellent sandwiches and pastries

The Eiger: why it matters

The Eiger north face deserves some explanation for visitors who may not know its history. The 1,800-metre face of dark Triassic limestone was first climbed in 1938 by a German-Austrian team after six days on the route. Before that successful ascent, the north face had claimed the lives of eight climbers in a series of disasters between 1935 and 1938 — the face was nicknamed the Mordwand (Murder Wall) in the German press.

The route — the Heckmair Route — is now climbed regularly by Alpine guides and well-prepared mountaineers, though it remains a serious undertaking. In exceptional conditions, elite climbers complete it in under 3 hours. Looking up from Grindelwald, where the face fills the entire northern horizon, the scale and verticality is genuinely difficult to comprehend. It looks close enough to touch and impossibly remote at the same time.

From Kleine Scheidegg, which you pass through if heading toward Jungfraujoch, the face is even more dramatic — you are at the base of the approach, looking up at the Spider (a broad snowfield high on the route) and the Summit Ice Field above it. Binoculars are excellent here in summer — on busy days you can watch roped teams working up the initial rock sections.

Beyond the valleys: Interlaken as a hub

Interlaken sits at the junction of the two valley railways and is worth at least an hour even as a transit stop. The Höheweg — the main park promenade between the two train stations — gives one of the most famous views in Switzerland: the Jungfrau, Mönch, and Eiger framed between hotels at the end of the green park, the three 4,000-metre summits aligned perfectly on a clear day.

Adventure sports in Interlaken include tandem paragliding over Lauterbrunnen valley (the most spectacular possible perspective on the waterfalls, approximately CHF 170-200, 1-2 hours), skydiving from 4,000 metres over the Alps (more expensive, advance booking essential), and white-water rafting on the Lütschine and Aare rivers (CHF 85-120).

Interlaken also has an excellent casino (Casino Kursaal), good independent restaurants, and the Unterseen old town adjacent to the Interlaken West station — the oldest buildings in the area and a notably quieter atmosphere than the tourist-facing Höheweg.

Budget considerations for the Bernese Oberland

The Bernese Oberland is Switzerland’s most touristic region and prices reflect that. Here is how to manage costs:

Free or minimal cost: Valley trains (Swiss Travel Pass), valley floor walks in both Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald, Staubbach Falls (free), Kleine Scheidegg walk from Grindelwald Grund (free, but tiring), all hiking trails.

Moderate cost: Grindelwald First gondola (CHF 36), Männlichen gondola (CHF 39), Trümmelbach Falls entry (CHF 14).

High cost: Jungfraujoch (CHF 145 with pass), Schilthorn/Mürren route (CHF 80+).

A Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen day with Swiss Travel Pass, visiting Grindelwald First and Trümmelbach Falls but not Jungfraujoch, costs approximately CHF 50-60 beyond the pass itself. Without the pass: around CHF 150-160 for all transport and entries. This makes the Swiss Travel Pass particularly worthwhile for Bernese Oberland visits.

Practical tips

Weather: The Bernese Oberland has its own microclimate. The valleys can be sunny while the peaks are clouded. Check meteoswiss.ch specifically for Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen, not just “Interlaken.” If Kleine Scheidegg is visible from Grindelwald village, the views will be good.

Crowds in summer: July and August bring large crowds to both valleys. Grindelwald Dorfstrasse can be very busy on weekends. Arriving before 10:00 and having lunch later (14:00) avoids the worst of the midday rush.

Photography: Lauterbrunnen valley photographs best from the valley floor in morning or evening light when the shadows are long. Grindelwald photographs best from the meadows above the village looking at the Eiger north face, ideally with morning light from the east.

Accommodation: Both Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen are excellent bases if you want to spend more than a day. Staying overnight allows you to hike in the early morning before day-trippers arrive — the trails above Grindelwald First before 09:00 are a very different experience from the midday rush.

Extended stay options: where to sleep in the Bernese Oberland

If the day trip format leaves you wanting more time, both Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen are excellent overnight bases:

Grindelwald: Stays here give you access to the early-morning light on the Eiger north face, the hiking trails before the day-trip crowds arrive (before 09:00 on the main Grindelwald First paths, you may have the views to yourself), and the full range of activities across multiple days. Budget options (hostels and B&Bs) exist alongside the large resort hotels. A night in Grindelwald in summer averages CHF 100-180 per person in a mid-range hotel.

Lauterbrunnen: The valley village has a camping site that is one of the most beautiful in Switzerland — the Camping Jungfrau sits on the valley floor with the waterfalls visible above. Guesthouses are cheaper than Grindelwald for equivalent quality. The advantage of Lauterbrunnen for hikers is direct access to Wengen and Mürren — two car-free villages accessible by train and cable car that provide excellent hiking bases above the valley.

Interlaken: The practical and affordable base — cheaper accommodation than either valley, fast connections to both Grindelwald (35 min) and Lauterbrunnen (25 min), a large range of restaurants and shops, and the Höheweg for morning and evening walks with mountain views.

The 7-day Switzerland itinerary builds in 2-3 nights in the Bernese Oberland as a core component of a first visit.