If the Jungfrau Ski Region is not in your Top 5 Swiss Ski Wish List (try and say that 5 times in a hurry!), then it should be. An already incredible location, since our last visit, a number of improvement to ski lifts from Grindelwald to Maennlichen & Kleine Scheidegg, plus the new integrated lift and train terminal (called 'Terminal'), make experiencing the region even more enjoyable.

It cannot be understated how elated one feels stepping out of the train at Grindelwald. The stunning mountain backdrop is breathtaking and that theme continues throughout this amazing place. The combined resorts of First, Grindelwald-Wengen & Muerren-Schilthorn offer something for everyone, even non-skiers. The sledding, winter-hiking, mountain huts, train and cable car rides make this region just as enjoyable for non-skiers and the hardest of hard core freeride powder junkie. Anyone that combines the love of mountain, snow & skiing with trainspotting will likely be creaming their thermals for their entire stay, and in fact may be tempted to never leave.

To experience the entire region, it is best staying in either Wengen or Grindelwald. Grindelwald stills suffers a little from some aesthetically questionable hotel development from a few decades ago, but is otherwise the complete package when it comes to mountain towns. Wengen is more refined, whilst Muerren is quiet, seemingly isolated outpost where perhaps the true mountain lovers prefer to spend their days.

Seekers of powder are best checking out the upper alpine zones at Muerren Schilthorn, but it is worth noting the lack of powder skiers in Grindelwald First too. Easy fresh lines were available for days after the last storm. Lovers of long piste trails will adore the runs from Kleine Sheidegg, Maennlichen or First.

Ski here soon, why wait?
See our video here

Ever heard a collective ‘clunk’. That’s the sound of a group of skiers’ jaws dropping & hitting the floor of the cable cars heading up the Schilthorn in the Jungfrau ski region for the first time. Everywhere one looks, the scale of this place is astounding. Utterly glorious.

Before even mentioning the skiing, just getting to Jungfrau’s various ski resorts is flabbergastingly amazing (ok, flabbergastingly is a new word – mark it down for future reference!). Swiss Alps eye candy at its very best. Possibly better than Zermatt & the Matterhorn.

Split by deep valleys into three sections across 2 resorts, the collective known as the Jungfrau ski region is way better than we would have considered prior to visiting. The amazing Lauterbrunnen valley with its precipitous icy waterfall clad cliffs, separates the Mürren Schilthorn resort from the Grindelwald Wengen resort. Everything is connected by train- but more on that later.

The piste, lift & freeride terrain in the upper parts of Muerren Schilthorn is complex. On a day of poor visibility, it can be positively intimidating. In clear weather, once the entry points have been scoped it is only slightly less so! We loved it.

Lovers of super-long groomers, spectacular surrounds & incredible train journeys will adore the Grindelwald-Wengen area. On this side of the Jungfrau ledger, Kleine Scheidegg is the hotspot for powderhounds on a clear powder day. The Lauberhorn is delightful. Doesn’t have the steeps & intricacy of the Schilthorn side but is more approachable & fun. For long intermediate cruisers, Männlichen is the place. The long valley trails into Grindelwald are fantastic too. Novices skiing in the Alps for the first time should just hang around Wengen. A nice mountain village with very good, sheltered beginner slopes & lifts. Plenty of bars & restaurants, plus you can catch the cable car up top to Männlichen to check out the views & progress on to bigger things or catch the train to Kleine Scheidegg.

If the sun is out, après ski is fabulous up at Spycher on Männlichen. Expansive views from its jutting clifftop perch makes everything seem good in the world. Shame the loungers cost extra – ignore them, they are more for skiers of the sun-soaking variety. Be wary of over-indulging. The ski back down to Grindelwald or Wengen is long (extremely long). However, the walking distance to the cable car download for Wengen is not!

Across the valley from Wengen, Mürren Schilthorn is spectacular. The piste, lift & freeride terrain in the upper parts of Muerren Schilthorn is complex. On a day of poor visibility, it can be positively intimidating. In clear weather, once the entry points have been scoped it is only slightly less so! We loved it. There are enough piste trails to satisfy beginner intermediates, but the reality is the mountain is best for confident intermediates & above.

Away from the slopes, the Jungfrau Ski Region boasts a festival of non-ski activities. Sledding trails that need to slid on to be believed (including Europe’s longest – 15km!), winter walking trails in all environs, tourist train journeys, kitsch museums (Schilthorn’s James Bond), fun experiences (Schilthorn’s Thrill Walk), ice- skating, helicopter rides, casinos ………… & the list goes on. One is not likely to get bored, regardless of the weather.

If you love trains, you will love Jungfrau. In fact, if you love trains, you’ve probably already been here. We love trains as a means of mass transit helping to Protect Our Winters. Jungfrau is set up almost perfectly to take advantage of the train services. Every train into the mountains from Interlaken Ost is included in the Jungfrau Sportpass lift ticket too – yay! From here on everything seems free & you are in Switzerland of all places!

Some journeys are laborious though. To get to the top of Schilthorn from Interlaken is an epic train, cable car, train, walk, cable car & cable car journey. All that before even putting a ski on. Given the splendid surroundings, its not too burdensome, however if wanting to start early on a powder day travel time is a consideration. The trains up to Kleine Scheidegg can also be packed with tourists later in the morning. A large proportion of travellers will be heading up to Jungfraujoch & not skiing.

Because we book accommodation at the last minute to get the best local conditions, our lodging options were limited to a few nights at Interlaken. We actually stayed at the Interlaken Youth Hostel in a private room. Happy to report it is a fantastic place, thoroughly recommended. Only downside is that given we were literally at the ‘end of the line’ in Interlaken, early morning train departures were required to reap the best of the snow conditions. Thankfully the hostel is just a few steps from the station. How typically Swiss!

Other accommodation choices with swifter access to the skiing include Grindelwald & Lauterbrunnen down in the valleys, car-free, ski-in Wengen & Mürren on the sunny terraces or ski-in, ski-out Kleine Scheidegg in the high alpine below the Eiger. Access to the ski slopes is quickest from the later, however each has its merits. If wanting to ski steeps, stay in Mürren. If wanting a traditional Swiss village with good access to beginner & intermediate slopes, try Wengen. If wanting to spread yourself around on both sides of the ski region, stay in Lauterbrunnen. If lazy mornings in a 5-star grand hotel are more your style, Interlaken is the place. For everything else, the heavily touristed Grindelwald will be just fine. In fact, Grindelwald’s access to the best on-piste skiing will improve over the next few years with completion of a fully integrated train & gondola station called the V-Bahn. The best elements of the development are two bottom to top gondolas up into the mountains towards the Eiger. (Looking forward to testing them out on our next visit.)

Another thing to remember about the Jungfrau is that the sledders (sledgers!) are absolutely fearless. The 50km of sledding trail are all super long. The valley trail coming down into Lauterbrunnen & the home trail into Wengen are multiuse trails for sledders (sledging, tobogganing, rodelbahn – you name it) & skiers. We ski at a more than fair pace at the worst of times & were still overtaken by a few psychopaths on sleds. Just goes to show that everything is bigger & faster at Jungfrau.

We never even got to ski at Grindelwald First. Suppose we will just have to come back……… You should too. The Jungfrau Ski Region is nothing short of amazing!

See our video here