Jungfrau Ski Region Switzerland
The iconic Jungfrau mountain is the centre-piece for this classic Swiss Alps interconnected ski area. Jungfrau ski region in Switzerland links the resorts of Grindelwald First, Mürren Schilthorn & Grindelwald Wengen with the resort town of Interlaken under the one lift pass, providing over 200km of ski slopes, over 2,000m of vertical and a longest run of over 15km. Try & get over that!
The spectacular surroundings framed by the mountain peaks of Jungfrau, Mönch, Eiger & Schreckhorn are an added bonus, as is the ease of access via Interlaken on the amazing Swiss rail system. And whilst 'spectacular' isn't an adequate description for the region, it gives a hint to the gob-smacking grand scale of the surroundings, the skiing, & the extraordinary rail & lift system. A new gondola lift linking the Grindelwald Terminal train station directly to the highest points below the Eiger are a game-changer for skiing the region. Other new cable cars linking Murren directly with the valley, plus modern wind-stabilised cable cars to the top of Schilthorn will also improve the region when they come online from mid-December 2024 (Stechlberg-Murren-Birg) & later in March 2025 (Birg to Schilthorn).
Pros & Cons for Jungfrau Ski Resort
Pros
- High elevation terrain & immense skiable vertical of 2,174m.
- Modern integrated ski lifts in the central sector of the region.
- Sensational on-piste trails for all abilities with multiple top to bottom trails up to 15km in length.
- Incredible off-piste freeride terrain.
- Generally uncrowded, no lift lines.
- Iconic, utterly amazing Swiss Alps mountain scenery.
- The world’s most spectacular cable car/gondola rides.
- Three car-free villages above the valley providing ski-in ski-out accommodation, plus affordable valley options.
- Well-priced lift pass for all one gets!
- Fabulous range & diversity of non-ski winter activities.
- Wonderfully interconnected public transport access by train included in the lift pass.
Cons
- First-time visitors to the Mürren-Schilthorn sector may be challenged by the complexity of the lifts & terrain.
- Limited advanced on-piste trails in the Grindelwald sector & few true beginner ski trails in the Mürren Schilthorn sector.
- Trains can be terribly busy with non-skiing tourists at certain times of day.
- Critical cable cars from Mürren to Birg & Schilthorn run on a timetable rather than constantly, imposing needless wait times.
- No direct return ski trail connecting Männlichen and Wengen.
- Muerren-Schilthorn lift infrastructure is dated & chairlifts are all low capacity (but new cable cars are coming for season 24/25).
- The valley trail to Lauterbrunnen can be ‘sporty’ down low!
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Major mountain resort villages only accessible by train &/or cable car which can be awkward for those with excess luggage!
- Freeride terrain on Schilthorn is imposing & some skiers may require a guide - at least initially.
- Mürren, Wengen & Gimmelwald are car-free villages - so, no driving direct to the chalet, but oh the blissful quiet!
- You may be so distracted by the landscape of peaks, glaciers & impossibly deep valleys that you’ll just never want to leave!
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
The Jungfrau Ski Region includes masses of terrain across the valley from accessible by train from Interlaken via Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen.
To gain a sense of the area, check out the ski trail map for Jungfrau below.
Whilst more details about the ski resorts’ terrain is in the respective Grindelwald First, Muerren Schilthorn & Grindelwald Wengen overview pages, it is possible to precis the region in simple terms. Head to Grindelwald-Wengen (Kleine Scheidegg & Maennlichen) for sensational long beginner & intermediates trails plus easy access alpine off-piste terrain in a spectacular setting below the Eiger. For advanced/expert riders looking for long challenging off-piste freeride descents, plus fun on-piste trails for intermediates & advanced, Muerren-Schilthorn is the place to be.
The combination lift system of trains, cable cars, gondolas, chairlifts & a funicular can seem daunting to first-time visitors. On Muerren-Schilthorn, awkward & complex terrain makes for interesting lift placements that can be confuzzling to new visitors in poor visibility. Similarly, at Grindelwald-Wengen, a line of cliffs between Männlichen & Wengen require a long, sometimes convoluted ski & lift diversion to get back to the village or partaking in the cardinal sin of a cable car download (nnnnooooo!). However, new integrated gondola stations at the Terminal train stations at Grindelwald have elevated the resort to absolute world-class status. Finding one’s way around a huge ski resort is half the fun of travelling to new places. Thankfully, no matter where one ends up in the region, an easy return option by train exists at every base.
Lift Passes
There is a single ski lift pass for the Jungfrau Ski Region which includes all the ski lifts in the area (First, Grindelwald, Wengen, Murren & Schilthorn), plus all the trains from Interlaken Ost into the mountains. Simples! if using the trains as well as the ski lifts, the lift pass represents excellent value. Note that the tourist train from Eigergletscher station up to Jungfraujoch is NOT included in the lift pass.
Where is the Jungfrau Ski Region Switzerland?
The Jungfrau is in central Switzerland just south of the city of Interlaken & above Lake Brienz & Thun. Interlaken is 55km by road south-east of Bern & only 120km south-west of Zurich. The main international gateway airport is Zurich (ZRH) and the recommended mode of travel from the airport to the ski resort is by train. If the train is a no-go for you, then a direct Zurich airport private transfer will get you there quick (but you still may need to board a train if heading to Wengen or Murren!!)
Jungfrau’s ski resorts are connected to the rest of Switzerland by a wonderful railway system via Interlaken. Trains from Zurich go via Bern to Interlaken Ost in a round 2hr, or via the scenic route through Lucerne in around 3hr. All train journeys from Interlaken Ost into the resort via Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald are included in the Jungfrau Ski Region lift pass. The train stops in the centre of Grindelwald for easy transfers to hotels, and at Wengen station, the village centre is a short stroll away. Trains also connect the two valleys of the ski area via the eye-popping high pass at Kleine Scheidegg below the Eiger. Taxis, buses & hotel shuttles do pick-ups from the various stations to the accommodation.
Search & book train tickets to Interlaken & the Jungfrau ski region.
From Interlaken Ost train station, all railway journeys to ski resort stations are included in the Jungfrau Ski Pass. See the Jungfrau rail network map here.
Anyone driving to the Jungfrau region & staying in the villages of Wengen, Gimmelwald or Muerren, should note that both villages are car-free & vehicles need to be parked at Lauterbrunnen. The journey can only be completed by train to Wengen, bus & cable car to Gimmelwald, combination cable car & train to Mürren (and from mid December 2024, a new cable car from Stechlberg direct to Mürren). Using a rental car to get to the Lauterbrunnen valley & Grindelwald is straight forward, but why would you, take the train!
Jungfrau Accommodation
The Jungfrau ski region has a plethora of hotel, apartment, guesthouse and mountain hut lodging options. Variety at Jungfrau is the best part, now the hard part - choose where to stay. Luckily, with trains and cable cars linking all the villages across the vast resort, it doesn't really matter where you rest your head. The choices include Interlaken, Grindelwald & Lauterbrunnen down in the valleys, Gimmelwald, Wengen & Muerren on the sunny terraces above Lauterbrunnen or in the high alpine at Kleine Scheidegg. Access to the ski slopes is quickest from the later. Wengen is best located for skiing the entire region. Gimmelwald is the most remote. Interlaken is the most affordable. Grindelwald is the best balance of them all.
Search & book here for all Jungfrau ski accommodation.
The transport base of Interlaken is central to the entire ski area & can be cheaper than in the resort villages. The town has everything from 5-star grand hotels to the sensational Interlaken Youth Hostel right next to the Interlaken Ost railway station.
From Interlaken Ost, the deep valley at Lauterbrunnen village provides more 'low elevation' lodgings & services, albeit in a spectacular cliff & waterfall setting & with varying degrees of winter sun.
Perched on the alpine terraces high above the Lauterbrunnen valley, the villages of Wengen & Mürren have beautiful accommodation options coupled with direct access to ski lifts & slopes. Both villages are car-free & can only be accessed via skis, cable car & train in winter. On the western side of the valley, Muerren is best placed if intending to ski the steeps off the Schilthorn for a few days. Nearby (& also car-free) is quaint Gimmelwald, connected to Muerren via cable car & ski-in from the resort.
Search & book here for all Mürren ski accommodation.
On the eastern side of the Lauterbrunnen valley, car-free Wengen village has direct ski lift access to the sunny Männlichen ski area, as well as its own novice slopes & lifts. Access is via the train Accommodation is Swiss ‘old-world’ chic. Return trails & a train can be utilised to get back to Wengen after a long day in the Grindelwald-Wengen section of the Jungfrau ski region.
Mountain huts & hostels on the sunny ski slopes of Grindelwald First, plus the high alpine pass at Kleine Scheidegg, provide quiet ski-in ski-out accommodation, perfect for first tracks & those that prefer simple mountain living.
Grindelwald is the final town in the region. A well-developed tourist enclave in a beautiful valley between the ski area’s of Männlichen, Kleine Scheidegg & Grindelwald First, Grindelwald has lodging options for every taste & budget plus some excellent skiing access via rail or gondola to boot! Grindelwald is directly connected to Interlaken Ost & Kleine Scheidegg by train.
Search & book here for all Grindelwald ski accommodation.
Ski Rentals, Lessons & Mountain Guiding
Ski rentals are available from our local partners in the resort villages of Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Murren, Wengen & Grindelwald, plus on the summits of First & Mannlichen. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Jungfrau Ski or Snowboard Rentals page.
If looking to head into the massive Jungfrau off-piste & unsure about your abilities; off-piste ski lessons & guiding can make all the difference. For more information & booking, see our Jungfrau Ski Lessons & Guiding page .
Non-Ski Activities
If the fabulous skiing, views, food & fun are not enough, or if your group includes those of the avowed non-sliding variety, Jungfrau has more non-ski activities than most ski areas in the world. The train journeys alone are a full day out. A full round journey to the Jungfrau Sphinx observatory via Wengen & Grindelwald from Interlaken is the adventure of a lifetime for many visitors to the area. In fact, many trains have far more tourists than skiers on any sunny winter’s morning.
The mountains have some amazing cliff walks, revolving restaurants, 100km of gorgeous winter walking trails & over 50km of sledding (sledging/rodelbahn/tobogganing) trails. If you don’t ski but are prepared for a bit of fun, the sledding trails are so good, it is possible to go faster than a skier. At full tilt we got passed by several sledders coming down into Wengen & Lauterbrunnen.
Nearby Interlaken has most of the evening action in the form of night-time ice skating, casinos & a few rowdy bars. Also, after dark there is always some great dining & live entertainment to be enjoyed in the mountain villages.
Review
The Powderhounds reviewed the Jungfrau ski region in 2019 & were blown away by it. We returned for a further dose in Feb 2022 to find some powder & check out the new lifts. We will return this season to check it all again. Click on the review links in the left column on this page (or top of page if on a mobile) to read our long-winded but humorous & inciteful thesis-like prose, plus see a few additional photos.
See how Jungfrau Ski Region compares 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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