Grindelwald Itinerary: 1, 2 or 3 Days in Summer and Winter (2026/27)

By Ramon Stüdeli, who lives in Grindelwald and LucerneLast updated: 31 October 2026

Quick answer: With 1 day, ride up to Grindelwald-First (Cliff Walk, Lake Bachalpsee, First Flyer). With 2 days, add the Jungfraujoch via the Eiger Express. With 3 days, add the Männlichen–Kleine Scheidegg panorama trail. In winter, swap the hikes for sled runs and winter trails. Check the maintenance closures first: First gondola Oct 26 – Nov 27, 2026, Eiger Express Nov 9–20, 2026, and the Männlichen gondola only from Dec 12, 2026.

Key facts at a glance

1 day: Grindelwald-First with the Cliff Walk, Lake Bachalpsee and a ride down on the Flyer and Mountain Cart.
2 days: add the Jungfraujoch, up on the Eiger Express and down via the Eiger Trail.
3 days: add Männlichen, the Royal Walk and the panorama trail to Kleine Scheidegg.
Rail pass: for 2 days usually the Half Fare Card, from 3 days often the Jungfrau Travel Pass (3 days CHF 210, CHF 165 with Half Fare Card, valid until Dec 12, 2026, jungfrau.ch, as of October 2026).
Fall 2026 closures: First gondola Oct 26 – Nov 27, Eiger Express Nov 9–20, Männlichen gondola summer service until Oct 25 and winter from Dec 12, 2026.
Times: all times are suggestions. Check first and last departures in the timetable on jungfrau.ch or sbb.ch.

Travel times this plan uses

Route	Time
Interlaken Ost → Grindelwald (Bernese Oberland Railway, every 30 min)	about 35 min
Grindelwald station → First gondola base station on foot	about 10 min
First gondola Grindelwald → First	25 min
Eiger Express Grindelwald Terminal → Eigergletscher	15 min
Jungfrau Railway Eigergletscher → Jungfraujoch	26 min
Gondola Grindelwald Terminal → Männlichen	19 min

Sources: jungfrau.ch, interlaken.swiss, current timetable on sbb.ch. The timetable changes every December.

Summer: 1 day in Grindelwald

Day 1: Grindelwald-First

Time	Plan
8:30 am	First gondola up to First (7,106 ft / 2,166 m) in 25 minutes
9:00 am	First Cliff Walk, about 20 minutes
9:30 am	Hike to Lake Bachalpsee (7,431 ft / 2,265 m), less than 1 hour each way
11:30 am	Back at First, lunch
1:00 pm	First Flyer to Schreckfeld (about 10 min), then Mountain Cart to Bort (about 30 min)
2:00 pm	Bort alpine playground with kids, or gondola down to the village
3:00 pm	Free afternoon in the village

Day 1 cost (adults): Adventure Package with 2 activities and unlimited gondola rides CHF 109–113, from CHF 81 with a Half Fare Card, GA or Swiss Travel Pass (2027 season, as of October 2026). The First gondola is included in the Jungfrau Travel Pass.

Rainy-day Plan B: check the First webcam. If it's foggy up top, go to the indoor pool or, in summer, the Grindelwald Museum (Tue–Fri and Sun 3–6 pm according to museums.ch). More in Grindelwald on a rainy day.

Bookable add-ons: First Flyer & Cliff Walk, Bachalpsee hike with guide, Tandem paragliding from First. All single offers from local partners, on request.

Summer: 2 days in Grindelwald

Day 1: as above (First).

Day 2: Jungfraujoch and the Eiger Trail

Time	Plan
8:00 am	Grindelwald Terminal, Eiger Express to Eigergletscher in 15 minutes
8:20 am	Jungfrau Railway up to the Jungfraujoch (11,332 ft / 3,454 m) in 26 minutes
9:00 am	Sphinx Terrace, Ice Palace, glacier plateau, Alpine Sensation, about 2 hours
11:30 am	Jungfrau Railway back down to Eigergletscher
12:00 pm	Eiger Trail to Alpiglen, about 2 hours right below the North Face
2:30 pm	Wengernalp Railway from Alpiglen back to Grindelwald

Easier option: instead of the Eiger Trail, take the Jungfrau Eiger Walk from Eigergletscher to Kleine Scheidegg (about 1 hour), then ride the Wengernalp Railway down.

Day 2 cost (adults): Jungfraujoch round trip from Grindelwald Terminal CHF 249.20 including seat reservation (valid Oct 31 – Nov 8 and Nov 21 – Dec 12, 2026), from CHF 129.60 with a Half Fare Card (myswitzerland.com, jungfrau.ch, as of October 2026). Summer prices are higher, and 2027 summer prices aren't published on jungfrau.ch yet. From May 1 to Oct 31, the reservation is required. In 2026, the Good Morning Ticket gave 20% off (the jungfrau.ch price overview says 15%) during that period according to jungfrau.ch, on the first 2 connections of the day and not combinable with a Half Fare Card, GA or Swiss Travel Pass.

Plan B if the summit is foggy: swap Day 1 and Day 2, or push the Jungfraujoch to your next clear day if your ticket allows it.

Bookable add-on: Eiger Trail with mountain guide (on request).

Summer: 3 days in Grindelwald

Days 1 and 2: as above.

Day 3: Männlichen and Kleine Scheidegg

Time	Plan
9:00 am	Gondola from Grindelwald Terminal up Männlichen in 19 minutes
9:30 am	Royal Walk to the summit, about 30 minutes. With kids: the playground with the wooden cow
10:30 am	Panorama trail Männlichen → Kleine Scheidegg (about 4.4 km / 2.7 mi), about 1 hr 15 to 1 hr 30 (interlaken.ch)
12:00 pm	Lunch at Kleine Scheidegg (6,762 ft / 2,061 m)
1:00 pm	Wengernalp Railway down to Grindelwald
2:00 pm	Free afternoon, for example a tandem flight if the weather's good

Day 3 cost: check the Männlichen gondola and Wengernalp Railway fares on jungfrau.ch before your trip. Kleine Scheidegg tickets start at CHF 40.60 (as of October 2026). The Männlichen gondola runs from May 29 to Oct 24 in summer 2027.

Rainy-day Plan B: the St. Beatus Caves near Interlaken (year-round, except for maintenance Nov 9–20, 2026) or the Trümmelbach Falls (April to early November).

Winter: 1, 2 or 3 days

2026/27 winter season according to jungfrau.ch: Kleine Scheidegg and Eigergletscher from Nov 21, 2026, Männlichen Dec 12, 2026 – Apr 4, 2027, First Dec 19, 2026 – Mar 29, 2027.

Day 1: First in winter

Time	Plan
9:00 am	First gondola up to First in 25 minutes
9:30 am	Sunny winter hike First – Waldspitz – Bort, about 3 hours
12:30 pm	Lunch
1:30 pm	Gondola from Bort back up to First, then the First Flyer to Schreckfeld or the First Glider, which starts and ends at Schreckfeld (both run in winter too)
2:30 pm	Gondola down to the village
Evening	Ice skating at the Sports Centre (check times)

Day 2: Jungfraujoch and sledding

Time	Plan
9:00 am	Eiger Express and Jungfrau Railway up to the Jungfraujoch, about 45 minutes
9:45 am	About 2 hours at the top
12:30 pm	Back to Grindelwald, lunch
Evening	Floodlit Jungfrau Eiger Run by Night, Alpiglen → Brandegg, 3.5 km (check operating days on jungfrau.ch)

Day 3: Männlichen or Bussalp

Option	Plan
Winter hiking	Gondola up Männlichen, Royal Walk (about 40 min), then the winter trail to Kleine Scheidegg (about 2 to 2.5 hrs according to interlaken.swiss, about 2 hrs 45 min according to jungfrau.ch), Wengernalp Railway back
Sledding	Bus 126 from Grindelwald station to Bussalp (about 35 min), Bussalp → Weidli sled run (3.52 km, about 40 min)
For the fit	Big Pintenfritz: about 2.5 hrs on foot from First to the Faulhorn, then a 15 km sled run toward Bussalp

Winter costs (adults, according to jungfrau.ch, as of October 2026): Winter Hiking and Sledding Pass, 1 to 7 days, from CHF 61 (Nov 21, 2026 – Apr 25, 2027, Jungfraujoch not included). Unlimited Jungfrau Winter Pass CHF 449, CHF 399 with a Half Fare Card or GA, including the Jungfraujoch (Dec 1, 2026 – Apr 30, 2027). Jungfrau Eiger Run by Night CHF 29, kids and reduced CHF 19. Big Pintenfritz sled ticket CHF 55, CHF 29 with a Half Fare Card. 1-day lift pass CHF 79, with high-season prices on weekends in the low season.

Bookable winter add-ons: Bussalp sledding day, Night sledding with fondue, Grosse Scheidegg snowshoe tour, Winter tandem flight from First. Single offers from local partners, on request.

Which rail pass fits?

Stay	Our recommendation
1 day	Single tickets or the Adventure Package. Much cheaper with a Half Fare Card
2 days	Swiss Half Fare Card for visitors from abroad (CHF 150, 1 month): 50% off the Jungfraujoch. Swiss residents: Halbtax travelcard CHF 190 per year, CHF 195 from Dec 13, 2026 (sbb.ch)
3 days	Jungfrau Travel Pass (First and Kleine Scheidegg included) plus the Jungfraujoch add-on, CHF 63 or CHF 89 in summer
Winter with the Jungfraujoch and lots of rides	Unlimited Jungfrau Winter Pass CHF 449, CHF 399 with a Half Fare Card or GA

As of October 2026. Sources: jungfrau.ch, myswitzerland.com. Worked examples in our rail pass comparison.

Berner Oberland PassBuy the regional pass for trains, cable cars and boats online

Closures that change your plan

What	When	Impact
First gondola maintenance	Oct 26 – Nov 27, 2026	no First day possible
Eiger Express maintenance	Nov 9–20, 2026	Jungfraujoch via Kleine Scheidegg only
Männlichen gondola	2026 summer service ended, winter from Dec 12, 2026	rework Day 3, for example the St. Beatus Caves near Interlaken
Grindelwald indoor pool	closed Nov 2–22, 2026	adjust your rain plan
Pfingstegg	closed until May 5, 2027	no summer toboggan run
Spring 2027 closures	not published yet	check jungfrau.ch before your trip

Sources: jungfrau.ch (Jungfrau Travel Pass), interlaken.swiss (Männlichen), sportzentrum-grindelwald.ch, pfingstegg.ch.

Keep reading

FAQ

How many days do you need in Grindelwald?

Two days are enough for First and the Jungfraujoch. With three days, you add Männlichen and the panorama trail, and you have a buffer for bad weather.

Is one day in Grindelwald enough?

Yes, for First with the Cliff Walk, Lake Bachalpsee and one ride down. First and the Jungfraujoch on the same day gets tight.

Can you do the Jungfraujoch and First in one day?

It's possible but rushed. The Jungfraujoch alone takes about 45 minutes each way from Grindelwald Terminal, plus about 2 hours at the top.

Which day is best for the Jungfraujoch?

The clearest day of your stay. Check the webcams the evening before and in the morning, and swap days if needed.

What can I do in Grindelwald in November?

The First gondola doesn't run until Nov 27, 2026, and the Eiger Express is closed Nov 9–20, 2026. You can still reach the Jungfraujoch via Kleine Scheidegg.

Is a rail pass worth it for 3 days?

Often, yes. The 3-day Jungfrau Travel Pass costs CHF 210, or CHF 165 with a Half Fare Card, and includes First and Kleine Scheidegg. The Jungfraujoch add-on costs CHF 63, or CHF 89 in summer (as of October 2026).

Do I need a car in Grindelwald?

No. You can reach every stop in this plan by train, gondola and bus.

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About the author

Ramon Stüdeli is the owner of Grindelwald Experiences. He lives in Grindelwald and Lucerne, brings broad experience from tourism and other industries and has traveled to more than 60 countries.