# 12 Best Things to Do in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland (2026 Guide + 2-Day Plan) > The best things to do in Lauterbrunnen are walking to Staubbach Falls from the village, visiting the ten glacier waterfalls of Trümmelbach Falls inside the mountain, riding up to car-free Mürren and walking down to Gimmelwald, and taking the cable cars to the Schilthorn. Wengen is a 12 to 15 minute train ride up the other side of the valley. Lauterbrunnen is about 20 minutes by train from Interlaken Ost, and two days covers the highlights. URL: https://swisswander.com/things-to-do-in-lauterbrunnen/ Updated: 2026-10-23 Source: Swiss Wander (https://swisswander.com/), by Elisa. Please link this URL when you cite it. Lauterbrunnen is a village at the bottom of a deep U-shaped valley, with rock walls rising about 800 m on both sides and waterfalls pouring off the top. The car-free villages of Mürren, Gimmelwald and Wengen sit on the ledges above, the Jungfrau closes the end of the valley, and every one of them is a short ride from the village station. Lauterbrunnen itself is small, so most of the things to do here are a walk, a bus or a cable car away. Here's what to do, grouped by area, with a 2-day plan at the end. ## Lauterbrunnen at a glance | What | Time | Cost | Season | |---|---|---|---| | Staubbach Falls walk | 30–60 minutes | Free | Path behind the falls: about May to October | | Trümmelbach Falls | 1–1.5 hours | $$ | Early April to early November | | Mürren via Grütschalp | Half day | $$ | Year-round (maintenance breaks) | | Mürren to Gimmelwald walk | 45 minutes to 1 hour | Free | May to October | | Schilthorn and Piz Gloria | Half day | $$$ | Year-round | | Via ferrata Mürren–Gimmelwald | About 3 hours | $$ (gear rental) | About June to October | | Wengen | Half day | $ | Year-round | | Skiing in Mürren or Wengen | Full day | $$$ | December to April | ## In the valley ### 1. Walk to Staubbach Falls Staubbach Falls drops 297 m (974 ft) off the cliff right behind the village, and you can see it from the train as you arrive. From the station, walk up the main street past the church: in about 10 minutes you're at the foot of the falls. In the warmer months, a path climbs to a gallery cut into the rock behind the falling water. It's free and usually open from about May to October, closing when the steps are icy. > **Tip:** Go early in the morning or around sunset. In summer, the low sun turns the spray into small rainbows at the foot of the falls, and the path behind them is empty before 9 am. ### 2. Visit Trümmelbach Falls inside the mountain A few kilometers up the valley, Trümmelbach is a series of ten glacier waterfalls that thunder down a corkscrew gorge inside the rock, carrying meltwater from the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Up to 20,000 liters (about 5,300 gallons) a second pour through at peak melt. A tunnel lift takes you up into the mountain, and you walk back down past the falls on steps and lit walkways. The bus toward Stechelberg stops at the entrance. It usually opens daily from early April to early November, 9 am to 5 pm, with longer hours in July and August. The official site lists CHF 18 (about $22) for adults. It's privately run, so the Swiss Travel Pass doesn't apply, and children under 4 aren't allowed in. Bring a light jacket: the spray is cold. ### 3. Walk the valley floor to Stechelberg The flat valley trail along the Weisse Lütschine river runs from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg, at the head of the valley, in about 1.5 to 2 hours. It passes farms, campsites and the foot of several waterfalls, with the Jungfrau ahead. You can stop at Trümmelbach on the way and take the bus back. It's an easy plan for a day when the peaks are in cloud. ## Up to Mürren and Gimmelwald ### 4. Ride to Mürren along the cliff edge Mürren sits on a ledge at 1,650 m (5,413 ft), about 800 m above Lauterbrunnen, and can only be reached by cable car or on foot. The classic way up: the cable car from opposite Lauterbrunnen station to Grütschalp, about 4 minutes, then the small mountain train along the cliff edge to Mürren, about 12 minutes. Sit on the left side of the train for the view across the valley to the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. In Mürren, walk the length of the village to the Schilthorn cable car station at the far end. ### 5. Walk down from Mürren to Gimmelwald From Mürren, a quiet farm road drops to Gimmelwald, a tiny village of wooden chalets and hay barns, in about 45 minutes to an hour. Take the cable car down from Gimmelwald to Stechelberg, then the bus back to Lauterbrunnen. It's the easiest way to see the valley from above: see our full [Mürren to Gimmelwald hike guide](https://swisswander.com/murren-gimmelwald-lauterbrunnen-hike/). ### 6. Ride the Allmendhubel funicular From Mürren, a funicular climbs to Allmendhubel, a sunny terrace with a restaurant, a flower trail and a playground with giant alpine flowers that children love. It runs in summer, roughly late May to mid-October; check the schedule on schilthorn.ch before you go. ### 7. Clip into the via ferrata from Mürren to Gimmelwald For something wilder, the Mürren–Gimmelwald via ferrata is about 2.2 km (1.4 mi) of steel cables, rungs and ladders along the cliff below Mürren, with a long suspension bridge over a gorge near the end. It takes about three hours and is rated moderately difficult, with real exposure. It's usually open from June to October. Rent a helmet, harness and lanyards in Mürren, or book a mountain guide if it's your first via ferrata. ## The Schilthorn ### 8. Go up to the Schilthorn and Piz Gloria From Stechelberg, the Schilthorn cable cars climb via Mürren and Birg to the 2,970 m (9,744 ft) summit, where the Piz Gloria revolving restaurant, used in the 1969 James Bond film *On Her Majesty's Secret Service*, turns a full circle while you eat. The view takes in more than 200 peaks, including the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. All the cable cars on the line were replaced in a multi-year project completed in April 2026; the new Stechelberg–Mürren section is the steepest cable car in the world. On the way, stop at Birg for the Thrill Walk, a steel walkway and glass floor bolted to the cliff, about 200 m (656 ft) long. The Swiss Travel Pass covers the cable cars as far as Mürren and gives a discount on the rest. Go up on a clear morning and check the summit webcam first. ## The Wengen side ### 9. Take the train up to Wengen On the other side of the valley, the cogwheel train climbs from Lauterbrunnen to car-free Wengen in about 12 to 15 minutes. The village faces the Jungfrau across the valley and has more shops, cafés and hotels than Mürren. Walk to the edge of the village for the view straight down the Lauterbrunnen valley, then ride on to Kleine Scheidegg, where you change for Jungfraujoch. Read our [Jungfraujoch guide](https://swisswander.com/jungfraujoch-guide/) for tickets and timing. ### 10. Hike the panorama trail from Männlichen From Wengen, a cable car climbs to Männlichen, where the easy panorama trail leads to Kleine Scheidegg in about 1.5 to 2.5 hours, facing the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. The trail usually opens in June, once the snow has gone. Take the train back down to Wengen and Lauterbrunnen, or over to Grindelwald: our [things to do in Grindelwald](https://swisswander.com/things-to-do-in-grindelwald/) guide covers that side. ## Winter in Lauterbrunnen ### 11. Ski, sled or ride up for the view In winter, Mürren and Wengen turn into ski villages. Mürren has the Schilthorn ski area, with long runs from the summit, and Wengen shares the Grindelwald-Wengen area with Kleine Scheidegg and Männlichen: see our [Grindelwald and Wengen skiing guide](https://swisswander.com/jungfrau-skiing-grindelwald-wengen/). Non-skiers can ride to the Schilthorn, walk the cleared paths along the valley and in Mürren, or sled: our [sledding guide](https://swisswander.com/sledding-in-switzerland/) lists the best runs in the region. Trümmelbach Falls and the path behind Staubbach Falls are closed in winter. ## Soak after ### 12. Swim with a view in Mürren, or spa in Wengen Lauterbrunnen has no thermal bath, but the Alpine Sports Center in Mürren, a short walk from the train station, has a public indoor pool and a whirlpool facing the Bernese Alps, plus a separate spa with saunas. The pool usually closes for maintenance from November to mid-December, so check before you go. In Wengen, the Hotel Victoria Lauberhorn has a warm indoor pool, and for a full spa day, the Victoria-Jungfrau in Interlaken is about 20 minutes away by train. Recommended: Hotel Victoria Lauberhorn, Grand Hotel Belvedere Wengen, Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa ## Lauterbrunnen in 2 days | Day | Morning | Afternoon | |---|---|---| | 1 | Cable car and train to Mürren, Schilthorn and Thrill Walk | Walk down to Gimmelwald, cable car to Stechelberg, Trümmelbach Falls | | 2 | Staubbach Falls, train to Wengen, Männlichen | Panorama trail to Kleine Scheidegg, train back via Wengen | ### Day 1: Mürren and the Schilthorn Ride the cable car to Grütschalp and the train to Mürren early, then continue to the Schilthorn while the sky is clear, stopping at Birg for the Thrill Walk on the way down. After lunch in Mürren, walk down to Gimmelwald, take the cable car to Stechelberg and stop at Trümmelbach Falls on the bus back. End the day with a swim at the Mürren sports center or a quiet dinner in the village. ### Day 2: Staubbach and the Wengen side Walk to Staubbach Falls before breakfast, then take the train to Wengen and the cable car to Männlichen. Hike the panorama trail to Kleine Scheidegg, have lunch facing the Eiger, and ride the train back down through Wengen. With a third day, go up to Jungfraujoch on a clear morning. From Interlaken Ost, trains take about 20 minutes. From Zurich, allow about 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes, usually changing in Bern and Interlaken Ost. The Swiss Travel Pass covers the trains to Lauterbrunnen, Wengen and Mürren via Grütschalp. Plan the whole route with our [Switzerland itinerary](https://swisswander.com/switzerland-itinerary/), or start with [plan your trip to Switzerland](https://swisswander.com/plan-your-trip-to-switzerland/). > **Tip:** The Grütschalp cable car and the Schilthorn line each close for a few weeks of maintenance in late autumn, usually late October to early November, and sometimes again in spring. If Mürren is the reason for your trip, check the timetable before you book. ## Where to stay Sleep in Lauterbrunnen village, near the station, for the cheapest beds and the most connections: Staubbach Falls is out the door, and every train, bus and cable car leaves from here. Choose Mürren or Wengen for a car-free village with a view, and quiet evenings once the day visitors have gone. Hotels: Hotel Staubbach, Hotel Schützen Lauterbrunnen, Hotel Alpina Mürren If you'd rather stay in a bigger town with day trips in every direction, read our [where to stay in Interlaken](https://swisswander.com/where-to-stay-in-interlaken/) guide. ## FAQ **Q: Is Lauterbrunnen worth visiting?** A: Yes. The valley floor is lined with sheer cliffs and waterfalls, the car-free villages of Mürren, Gimmelwald and Wengen sit on the ledges above it, and the Schilthorn and Jungfraujoch are both within reach. It's quieter than Interlaken or Grindelwald, and the Staubbach Falls walk costs nothing. **Q: How do you get from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen?** A: Take the Berner Oberland Bahn from Interlaken Ost: about 20 minutes to Lauterbrunnen, usually twice an hour. Sit on the right side going up for the first view of the valley. The Swiss Travel Pass covers this train. **Q: How do you get from Lauterbrunnen to Mürren?** A: Two ways, both about 20 to 30 minutes. Take the cable car from opposite Lauterbrunnen station up to Grütschalp, then the small mountain train along the cliff edge to Mürren. Or take the bus to Stechelberg and the Schilthorn cable car up to Mürren. Both lines close for maintenance for a few weeks in late autumn, so check the timetable. **Q: How much does Trümmelbach Falls cost?** A: The official site lists CHF 18 (about $22) for adults and CHF 8 for children. It's privately run, so the Swiss Travel Pass doesn't apply, and children under 4 aren't allowed in. It usually opens from early April to early November. **Q: What is there to do in Lauterbrunnen in winter?** A: Ski or sled in Mürren and Wengen, ride the cable cars to the Schilthorn for the view over the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, and walk the cleared paths along the valley floor. Trümmelbach Falls and the path behind Staubbach Falls are closed in winter.