Grindelwald Wengen Ski Resort Switzerland
Grindelwald Wengen ski resort is a superb ski destination & part of the gob-smacking Jungfrau ski region. A perfect combination of classic Swiss Alps characteristics, Grindelwald Wengen delivers a wonderful skiing experience for everyone from novice to expert, nay-sayer to optimist & groomer hound to powder snob!
A feast in 3 parts, Grindelwald Wengen's ski terrain is under the looming peaks of the Eiger, Mönch & Jungfrau, which just like the Matterhorn in Zermatt, draw the eye at every opportunity. Not that the ski resort needs too many more distractions. The wonderful combination of diverse groomed trails, extensive freeride powder options, an ever-improving lift system, awesome mountain restaurants, the world's greatest train rides plus loads of non-ski activities set up Grindelwald-Wengen as one of Switzerland's best ski resorts. Add in the neighbouring Grindelwald First and Mürren Schilthorn ski resort plus the Lauterbrunnen valley to the mix & the combination is off the charts!
Pros & Cons for Grindelwald-Wengen Ski Resort
Pros
- Amongst the world’s most incredible mountain scenery.
- Generally modern & efficient lift system with few (if any) lines.
- Expansive on-piste ski terrain for all abilities, but particularly for beginners & intermediates.
- Long skiable vertical of 1,380m (more if one heads across the Lauterbrunnen valley to Muerren Schilthorn or to Grindelwald First).
- Multiple, valley runs of up to 13km to Grindelwald & also Wengen (though not technically in the valley!)
- Delightful off-piste powder in the high alpine areas off Lauberhorn & Männlichen.
- The region’s best novice learn-to-ski area at Wengen village.
- Numerous high-quality mountain restaurants & bars.
- The well-priced Jungfrau Ski Region lift pass covers entire region & is interlinked with the amazing Muerren Schilthorn.
- Incredible range & diversity of non-ski winter activities, including the world’s longest sledding trail (15km).
- A perfect family winter snow holiday location.
- World’s best mountain railways & public transport access integrated with major ski lifts – leave the car behind!
Cons
- Non-skiing ‘tourist’ crowds can fill the trains heading up to Kleine Scheidegg (as they will be going onward up to Jungfraujoch)(start early on sunny days or take the new Eiger Express gondola from Grindelwald Grund instead of the train!)
- The terrain forces some awkward & potentially long piste trail & lift connections - i.e. no direct ski trail back down to Wengen from Männlichen (though one can simply download on the cable car!).
- Sections of the major piste trails descending to the villages can get quite icy on their steeper pitches regardless of recent snowfall (a quibble!).
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- The important Terminal station is not conveniently accessed from the Grindelwald village & requires either a questionable downhill walk, a bus ride or super short train journey.
- The sledders coming along the trail to Wengen are crazy - watch out for them as they speed past (that could be you)!
- A choice of several villages to stay in, each with diverse lodgings, pricing, altitudes, access & landscapes.
- Relatively few 5-star hotel accommodations in either resort village (but plenty at nearby Interlaken).
- Grindelwald township spends much of the day in shade during mid-winter (blame the Eiger!) and some of its hotels are less pleasing on the eye than one would hope (blame the 70s, we do for lots of things!).
- You may be so distracted by the landscape of peaks, glaciers, man-made engineering feats & impossibly deep valleys that you’ll simply forget to leave!
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
The skiing at Grindelwald Wengen is excellent & for most, way more approachable than neighbouring Murren-Schilthorn. Lovers of super-long groomers, spectacular surrounds & incredible train journeys will adore it. For long intermediate cruisers, Männlichen is the place. The lengthy valley trails into Grindelwald are fantastic too. Something for both intermediates & progressing beginners, the trails have multiple options for stopping for a brew along the way, particularly below Holenstein - try the Quicky Bar because let’s face it, who doesn’t enjoy a quickie?
Kleine Scheidegg is the hotspot for powderhounds on a clear powder day, particularly up & around the Lauberhorn. Delightful, approachable & fun, without the perilous steeps & intricacy of the Schilthorn. On the opposite side, more technical descents are possible on the flanks of the Eiger, skier's right of the Eigernordwand chairlift top station. The broad ridge along to the Maennlichen Gipfel (summit) also has some broad, alpine freeride terrain and easy exits back to the lifts. There is also ample terrain to the skiers' left & right of the main chairlifts in the sector. There is the possibility for advanced riders to ski the longest World Cup course from Lauberhorn to Wengen. Be ready for some super-steep, fast drops & long, long schusses. At the end of the course, the frightening last pitch requires superior braking! An ascent of the Innerwengen chair allows for a gentle end to a day. A classic Swiss Alps entry into Wengen sees one sliding past bars, amongst houses & dairy cows, then ending abruptly at a railway crossing just above the station. Encapsulates everything to love about skiing Europe.
Novices skiing in the Alps for the first time could do worse than just hanging around Wengen. It is a nice mountain village with particularly good, sheltered learn-to-ski slopes & lifts (surface tows & conveyors). One can catch the cable car up top to Männlichen & progress onto bigger things on the slopes down toward Grindelwald or catch the train to Kleine Scheidegg & do the same.
Not to be missed are the sunny slopes of the ski area Grindelwald First. Included in any lift pass, it is located on the opposite side of the valley to the main ski area. First has Grindelwald’s longest skiable vertical (nearly 1,500m), highest lifted point (2,500m) and loads of non-ski activities to go along with its many ski trails.
Check out the ski trail map for Grindelwald Wengen below.
The ski lifts at Grindelwald-Wengen have gone through a renaissance recently. The new V-bahn project revolutionises access from the valley at Grindelwald up to Kleine Scheidegg & Maennlichen. The main aspects of the project opened in season 2020/21 with the amazing Eiger gondola heading up to a high station above Kleine Scheidegg. The cable is part of the 'Terminal', an integrated multi-level undercover car park, railway station, ski rental/retail and ski lift station. The new gondola up to Männlichen is also integrated into Terminal station.
Lift Passes & Jungfrau Ski Region
A single lift pass is now valid in the full Jungfrau Ski Region, which includes masses of terrain across the valley from Muerren & Schilthorn, accessible by train from Lauterbrunnen & Wengen to Grindelwald & First. The lift pass includes all trains from Interlaken Ost into the Jungfrau region (with the exception of the line between Eigergletscher & Jungfraujoch stations with requires a supplementary payment). See below for the full Jungfrau Ski Region resorts/trail map.
Where is Grindelwald Wengen Switzerland?
The Grindelwald Wengen ski resort is within the expansive canton of Bern in central Switzerland. Based in the villages of the same name, Grindelwald & Wengen, the nearest major town is Interlaken. From Interlaken, the resort villages are in separate valleys, with Grindelwald 20km southwest by road or rail & Wengen, 45min south by train (no road access!). Interlaken is located between Lake Thun (Thunersee) & Lake Brienz (Brienzersee), on the Aare River which flows to the Rhine. The town is 55km (45min) by road south-east of the de-facto Swiss capital of Bern & only 120km (1½hr) south-west of Zurich.
The main international gateway airport is Zurich (ZRH) with secondary options including Geneva (GVA) (for all international flight origins) or Basel (BSL) (for UK & European flight origins).
The train is the recommended mode of travel to the resort, via Interlaken. Rail connections to all the major Swiss cities, towns & ski resorts throughout the Alps are excellent. Interlaken has two railway stations, West & Ost (East). Access to the Grindelwald-Wengen ski resort by train is only available from Interlaken Ost station, making it the more important of the two. Trains to/from Zurich transit via Bern to Interlaken Ost Bahnhof in around 2hr, or via the more scenic route through lovely Lucerne in around 3hr. The journey via Lucerne is recommended if time is not of the essence!
From Interlaken Ost station, onward trains depart every 30min to the ski resort villages of Grindelwald (journey time of 40min), & Wengen (journey time of 45min including a train change at Lauterbrunnen). All train travel from Interlaken Ost into the Jungfrau Ski Region via Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald is included in the Jungfrau lift pass (except between Eigergletscher & Jungfraujoch stations). Trains also connect the two valleys of the ski area via the eye-popping high pass at Kleine Scheidegg below the Eiger. See the Jungfrau rail network map here.
Search & book train tickets to Interlaken, Grindelwald, Wengen & Kleine Scheidegg.
To ensure a decent level of visitor confusion, there are three railway stations at Grindelwald - Grindelwald, Grindelwald Grund & the new Grindelwald Terminal. All trains from Interlaken cease at Grindelwald bahnhof in the centre of the village. Grindelwald Terminal is for skiers & snowboarders coming up from Interlaken. It is the last stop before Grindelwald. Grindelwald Grund is the first stop after the village, around a kilometre away along the line up to Kleine Scheidegg. Because of the bending track it appears to be down-valley, not up! Both the Grund & Terminal stations are now integrated into the new v-bahn gondola base. The Eiger gondola ascends, as the name suggests, to the flanks of the Eiger peak close to the mountain’s crumbling glacier at a place called, funnily enough, Eiger Gletscher. Similarly, at the other end of the base, the Männlichen gondola makes the long journey all the way up to Maennlichen, perched above Wengen (on the opposite side of the peak).
If taking public transport offends one’s sensibilities or if you have post-covid concerns, we recommend a private transfer to reach the city & surrounding ski resorts. Private transfers can also be particularly cost effective & time efficient if in a group of 3 or more people. Note that if staying in Wengen, a train is required from Lauterbrunnen.
Search & book here for all airport transfers to Interlaken or Grindelwald .
For day-trippers with a rental car that wish to drive up to the resort, the best bet is to head to Grindelwald & park in the major multi-level garage at Grindelwald Terminal, with the entry just opposite Grindelwald Grund. The parking is integrated within the new gondola complex.
Anyone intending to drive a rental car to Wengen will be disappointed. The village is car-free & vehicles need to be parked at Lauterbrunnen. The journey to Wengen can only be completed by train.
Grindelwald & Wengen Accommodation
Grindelwald village is a well-developed tourist enclave beautifully situated in a valley below the region’s most impressive peaks. Grindelwald now provides superb access to the ski area’s of Männlichen, Kleine Scheidegg & Grindelwald First via gondolas near the centre of town (for First) & at Grindelwald Grund (for the others). Grindelwald has lodging options for every taste & budget. The village is directly connected to Interlaken Ost & Kleine Scheidegg by train. A plethora of fabulous hotels, chalets & apartments are clustered near the village centre & train station.
Search & book all Grindelwald ski accommodation.
The village of Wengen is on the opposite side of the range above the spectacular Lauterbrunnen valley. Connected to Interlaken by train and to Grindelwald (via Kleine Scheidegg) by train, ski-lift, piste ski trail, winter walking trail & sled trail; car-free Wengen is best placed to provide access to the entire Jungfrau ski region, hence availability can be tight! The ultimate Swiss Alps village, accommodation is heavy on apartments & chalets, many rated 5-star. Several fabulous hotels are in the village centred on & around the train station & cable car base. The best, and most affordable, is Hotel Edelweiss; epitomising Swiss alpine hospitality but without the price tag. On the upper side of the village, the 4-star Beausite Park Hotel has Wengen's best family suites, plus superb facilities including pool, wonderful food & perfect mountain views. Near the railway station, Hotel Maya Caprice is where traditional Swiss Alps style meets thoroughly modern at Wengen. Alpine Hotel Wengen enjoys the ultimate location in the car-free town. Central in the village, directly across from the cable car, one can relax amongst its classic Swiss Alps decor. Between the Alpine Hotel and the train station is the Hotel & Spa Silberhorn providing the sort of 4-star comfort expected in a village like Wengen.
Search & book here all Wengen ski accommodation.
Mountain hotels, hostels & apartments are available on the sunny ski slopes of Grindelwald First, plus the high alpine pass at Kleine Scheidegg & Maennlichen, They provide quiet ski-in ski-out accommodation in amazing alpine environments, perfect for first tracks & those that prefer simple mountain living. Try the Alpinhotel Bort, Berggasthaus First or Berghaus Männlichen.
With the new Grindelwald Terminal station providing direct access to the new gondolas, Interlaken is useful as a location to ski the resort, but also to save a few pennies on accommodation & food. Travel times to & from the skiing may be longer each day, but the local trains are in such splendid surrounds you will likely hardly notice.
Interlaken has a long history as a tourist destination, so within strolling distance of the Ost train station, one can stay in magnificent contemporary youth hostels like the wonderful Interlaken Youth Hostel, huge 5-star 'Belle Époque' grand hotels like the amazing Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa, beautiful new self-contained apartments like the Hapimag Ferienwohnungen Interlaken & everything in between.
Search & book all Interlaken accommodation.
Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding
Ski rentals are available in both Grindelwald & Wengen villages. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Grindelwald Wengen Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
Exploring the resort (on or off-piste) can be way more fun with a local guide. It is possible to become utterly confuzzled when it comes to the multitude of mountain guides, ski instructors & ski schools that ply their trade in the Jungfrau region. To narrow down the field, search & book guiding & lessons with the best providers via our Grindelwald Wengen Ski Lessons & Guiding page.
Activities
Whilst lift-accessed & cross-country skiing are a given here (there are 10km of cross-country trails at Grindelwald), a standard inclusion of all good Swiss ski resorts is to provide loads of non-ski activities for visitors. Grindelwald (& indeed, the entire Jungfrau Ski Region) goes well beyond all of them to lead the pack. That means there is probably more to see & do here than just about any other ski region in the world.
Train buffs & sightseers alike will delight in the possibilities the various railway lines & cable cars provide including up to the Sphinx observatory at Jungfraujoch, or down to Interlaken and everywhere in between. Walkers will love the 100km of winter-walking trail diversity - a stroll up the peak at First or Männlichen, a wander under the frozen waterfalls of the Lauterbrunnen valley or more energetic undertakings in Grindelwald First. Perhaps a helicopter over the peaks of the Eiger, Mönch & Jungfrau? Feeling the need for speed or just the sensation of sliding, there are 50km of sledding trails throughout the region including the world’s longest - the 15km Big Pintenfritz into Grindelwald. Sledding into Muerren is also possible via the Fox run. There are well-priced sled (locally called sledging!) & hiking passes that include all trains & ski lifts needed to access all trails in the region, providing a great way to see the area. Ice skating, para-sailing, curling, flyers, gliders & just good old-fashioned eating & drinking whilst taking in a stupendous view from a mountain hut. There are plenty of ways to spend time here that don’t involve skiing or snow-boarding. If you can’t find something to do, you are not looking!
Review
The Powderhounds reviewed Grindelwald Wengen in 2019 and visited again in 2022 to check out the new ski lifts. We are still trying to get over how amazing it is, such an impressive part of the world. Isn’t it great to know that despite the locations we have travelled throughout the world, it is still possible to be in awe of a place! Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read all the reviews. Note that photos do not (cannot) do these mountains justice.
See how Grindelwald-Wengen & the Jungfrau Ski Region compare to the rest of the Swiss ski resorts on the Switzerland ski resort ratings page, or compare to the rest of Europe on the European ski resort ratings page.
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