Grindelwald Switzerland is located in the Jungfrau region of Switzerland. A beautiful part of the country with some of the highest mountain tops in Europe and some awesome hikes and adventures.
We took a day trip to Grindelwald from our base in Interlaken and it was nothing short of an adventure.
Interlaken is about a 30 minute direct train ride to Grindelwald onboard the Berner-Oberland-Bahn train. A few key notes here, this route is not included in any Swiss travel passes. However, if you have the half fare card you will get a discount. Additionally, when boarding the train make sure you board a car labeled Grindelwald. Some of the cars open at other stops and it can get confusing while on board. Be prepared for the train to be packed! We got to the train station early and still did not get a seat and were packed near the door with other travelers. If you will need to be seated for the journey I suggest you upgrade for a 1st class fare which is what we did for our return journey and were able to find open seats.
We traveled to Switzerland in July and while it was warm in the city it was chilly up in the mountains so make sure you wear layers as temperatures will change throughout the day.
When arriving in Grindelwald you will be in the heart of the city. Many travelers will be walking with luggage to their hotel or storing them in the luggage lockers at the train station. There are plenty of shops and dining within the heart of Grindelwald but one of the main attractions is Grindelwald First, which is basically an adventure park. They have so many paid and free activities from hiking, nature walks, playgrounds, zipping, mountain carts and scooters, and so much more.
If you plan to do any paid activities I highly recommend pre purchasing tickets online.
We purchased the one adventure pass and it’s important to note this does include your gondola fares all day. Don’t make the mistake I did and think it’s not included!
Purchasing the adventure pass does not necessarily guarantee your admittance on the adventure of your choice so you need to arrive early especially if you plan to do one of the zip lining options.
Be prepared for lines for the gondolas and adventure activities.
Our group was very excited to do the mountain cart which is a low riding tricycle with no pedals just hand breaks. You zoom down the mountain to incredible views and adrenaline rushes. It was like playing Mario cart, we had a blast!
However, we had to wait 2 hours for our turn. So, bring snack and water and be prepared to stand and wait. But I promise it’s worth it!
Following our mountain cart adventure, we enjoyed a drink and snack at one of the bases before taking the gondola all the way to the top to partake in the first walk. This is a free activity that is a metal structure that wraps around a mountain for some incredible views!
This is the best place for photo ops. There is a restaurant and bar at the end of first walk as well.
To head back down you can hike or take the gondola but once again be prepared to wait. The lower and upper gondolas have the longest waits.
After our day at Grindelwald first we headed back to the city center for lunch. I couldn’t tell you where we ate but there were plenty of choices and we had a great meal, at a bit of an elevated price given how popular of a tourist destination it is.
At the base of Grindelwald, you have the opportunity to visit multiple other mountain tops including Pfingstegg which has a mountain coaster. We had this on our itinerary however struggled to find the gondola station and it was getting later in the day than we expected. I would recommend understanding how to get to each Gondola base prior to arriving in Grindelwald.
Since trains only run every hour, you really need to plan your day out to make it back to your home base.
If you are in the Jungfrau region I highly recommend planning a full day for Grindelwald and Grindelwald First. Since the trains end early in the region you’ll still have time for a night cap at your home base or an early bed time after a jam packed day of adventure
