Guide · Over the pass

Lauterbrunnen to Grindelwald, the high way through Wengen

Going from Lauterbrunnen to Grindelwald can be a short train ride round the bottom of the mountain or a slow climb over Kleine Scheidegg. Here is how both work, and why Wengen deserves a stop on the way.

Check availabilityfrom $273 · no cancellation fee

Editorial team, lauterbrunnenvalleyhiking.comUpdated October 20, 2026Reading time about 6 minutes51 sources

The matching tour Interlaken: Explore Lauterbrunnen, Wengen & Raclette Tasting 5.0 (22 reviews) 4.5 hours from$178per person Check availabilityCancel for free until 24 hrs ahead

In short

01High route: The Wengernalp Railway links Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Kleine Scheidegg and Grindelwald.¹
02Low route: Back to Zweilütschinen, where the Bernese Oberland line branches to Grindelwald.²
03Wengen: A car-free village at 1,274 m, around 12 minutes by train from Lauterbrunnen.³ ⁴
04The pass: Kleine Scheidegg at 2061 m, where you change trains.⁵ ⁶
05Guided: A small-group Lauterbrunnen and Wengen tour from Interlaken starts from $178.

A high route and a low route

Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald lie in neighbouring valleys separated by a ridge. The direct rail line over that ridge is the Wengernalp Railway, which opened in 1893 and today runs as a 19.1-kilometre rack railway linking Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Kleine Scheidegg and Grindelwald.¹ Switzerland Tourism calls it the longest cogwheel railway in the world.⁷

The alternative goes round the foot of the mountain. Trains from Lauterbrunnen run back down to Zweilütschinen, the junction where the Bernese Oberland line branches to Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen.² From Interlaken Ost the train to Grindelwald takes around 30 minutes, so this route is quick but stays in the valleys.⁸

Which one to take is less about time than about what you want to see. The low route is a transfer. The high route over Kleine Scheidegg is an outing in itself, with car-free Wengen, alpine pastures, close views of the Eiger North Face and the option to walk part of the way. For a first visit, take the train over the pass at least once.

The crossing

Valley to valley over the pass

Start

Lauterbrunnen

Board the Wengernalp Railway.¹
About 12 min

Wengen

Car-free village at 1,274 m.⁴ ³
Higher

Kleine Scheidegg

The pass at 2061 m, change trains.⁵ ⁶
Down

Grindelwald

Village at 1,050 metres below the Eiger.⁹ ¹⁰
Return

Via Zweilütschinen

The valley line back towards Lauterbrunnen.²

The cogwheel railway up to Wengen

The first leg is the climb from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen. Wengen Tourism says visitors who arrive by car leave it in Lauterbrunnen and reach the village after a train journey of around twelve minutes.⁴ The cogwheel train climbs steeply out of the valley, and the Staubbach Falls appear across the gorge as the carriages gain height.

Wengen sits at 1,274 m on a sunny, sheltered terrace high above the valley, and it is car-free.³ Switzerland Tourism says it offers what is probably the most beautiful view of the Lauterbrunnen Valley.¹¹ From the church or the Staubbach benches you look straight across at the fall that tumbles beside Lauterbrunnen.¹²

Jungfraubahnen describes Wengen station as halfway between the valley and Kleine Scheidegg.¹³ That makes it a natural place to stop. Stroll through the village, have lunch on a terrace and ride the next train on. If you arrive straight from Interlaken, Wengen Tourism gives 37 minutes from Interlaken Ost, with a change in Lauterbrunnen.¹⁴

Up and over

Height of each stop, in metres

Heights from Lauterbrunnen and Wengen tourism, Jungfraubahnen and Grindelwald Tourism.¹⁵ ³ ⁵ ¹⁶ ⁹

High or low

Over the pass or round by the valley

	Over Kleine Scheidegg	Via Zweilütschinen
Line	Wengernalp Railway	Bernese Oberland line
Passes	Wengen, the pass	The valley junction
Views	Eiger North Face	Valley floor
Walk option	Panorama Trail	None on the way
Best in	Clear weather	Any weather

Routes as Jungfraubahnen and Wengen Tourism describe them; the Panorama Trail is open mid-June to October.¹ ² ¹⁷

Guided on the sunny side

Three guided outings around Wengen

This page's pick

Lauterbrunnen and Wengen

From Interlaken Ost

Time: 4.5 hours
Group: Up to 5
Price: from $178

See the tour

Sunset Hike with Cheese Fondue in Wengen

Evening

Sunset fondue hike

Above Wengen

Time: 3.5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Price: from $246

See the tour

Zurich: Guided Tour Grindelwald, Interlaken & Lauterbrunnen

Both valleys by coach

Grindelwald day

From Zurich

Time: 12 hours
Guide: English, Spanish
Price: from $121

See the tour

Decision helper

Which crossing suits your day?

Start from what matters most to you

I want the views I just need to get there I want an easy high walk I want a guide and a snack I want an evening out

Over Kleine Scheidegg

The pass sits below the Eiger North Face.⁵

Via Zweilütschinen

The valley line branches there to Grindelwald.²

Panorama Trail

4.5 km from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg.¹⁷

Lauterbrunnen and Wengen tour

Small group with a raclette tasting in Wengen.

Sunset fondue hike

3.5 hours above Wengen with a fondue dinner.

Wengen (1,274 m) is situated on a sunny, sheltered terrace high above the Lauterbrunnen Valley. This car-free Alpine village delights visitors with its traditional wooden chalets and a breathtaking panoramic view of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.

Wengen TourismusSource 3

Over Kleine Scheidegg to Grindelwald

Above Wengen the line keeps climbing to Kleine Scheidegg at 2061 m, which Jungfraubahnen calls the Top of Hiking and the interchange for the Jungfrau Railway.⁵ Here passengers change between the train up to the Jungfraujoch and the Wengernalp Railway down to Grindelwald or Wengen.⁶ The Eiger North Face fills the view above the station.

From Kleine Scheidegg the trains descend the other side of the pass to Grindelwald. Grindelwald Tourism gives the village 1,050 metres above sea level and 4,113 inhabitants.⁹ Switzerland Tourism describes it as lying at the foot of the Eiger, close to the glaciers.¹⁰ The descent is as scenic as the climb, with pastures, farm buildings and the north faces all the way down.

Jungfraubahnen gives the journey from Interlaken Ost to Kleine Scheidegg as 1 hour and 15 minutes, by the Bernese Oberland Railway to Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald and then the Wengernalpbahn.¹⁸ A ticket to Kleine Scheidegg is listed from CHF 40.60, as read on 20 October 2026.¹⁹ Check your railcard's discount before buying.

Map

The Lauterbrunnen Valley from Grütschalp to Stechelberg

The valley floor, its two terraces and the summits above it, then the wider region with Interlaken, Grindelwald and the Jungfraujoch.

Map of the Lauterbrunnen Valley with Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Mürren, Gimmelwald, Stechelberg, the falls and the Schilthorn — The valley

Map of the region from Interlaken Ost to Grindelwald and the Jungfraujoch — The region

1
Lauterbrunnen
The village sits at 795 m in a trough-shaped valley; from its station the cogwheel trains climb to Wengen and a cable car rises towards Mürren.¹⁵ ²⁰
In Google Maps ↗
2
Staubbach Falls
Lauterbrunnen's landmark drops about 297 metres right beside the village; the path to its foot is open in summer only.²¹ ²²
In Google Maps ↗
3
Trümmelbach Falls
Ten glacier falls inside the mountain, reached by a tunnel lift, about 3 km beyond the village; bus 141 stops at the entrance.²³ ²⁴ ²⁵
In Google Maps ↗
4
Stechelberg
End of the valley road and valley station of the cable car to Mürren, which climbs 775 metres in about 4 minutes.²⁶
In Google Maps ↗
5
Grütschalp
Top of the 4-minute cable car from Lauterbrunnen, at 1486 m, and start of the walk to Mürren.²⁷ ²⁸
In Google Maps ↗
6
Winteregg
Middle station of the little railway to Mürren, at 1578 m, where the trains pass each other.²⁹ ³⁰
In Google Maps ↗
7
Mürren
Car-free village on a terrace high above the valley; Schilthornbahn gives it 1638 m.³¹ ³²
In Google Maps ↗
8
Gimmelwald
Car-free hamlet at 1,367 metres between Stechelberg and Mürren, the start of walks into the Sefinental.³³
In Google Maps ↗
9
Wengen
Car-free village at 1,274 metres on the sunny side, reached by the Wengernalp Railway from Lauterbrunnen.³
In Google Maps ↗
10
Kleine Scheidegg
Pass at 2061 m where the Wengernalp Railway meets the Jungfrau Railway, below the Eiger North Face.⁵ ⁶
In Google Maps ↗
11
Männlichen
Top of the cable car from Wengen and start of the Panorama Trail to Kleine Scheidegg, 4.5 km.¹⁶ ¹⁷
In Google Maps ↗
12
Schilthorn
Summit at 2,970 metres with the revolving restaurant Piz Gloria, by cable car from Stechelberg via Mürren and Birg.³⁴ ³⁵
In Google Maps ↗
13
Interlaken Ost
Where the Berner Oberland Bahn starts: Lauterbrunnen is 24 minutes away from platform 2A.³⁶
In Google Maps ↗
14
Zweilütschinen
The junction where the BOB train splits: the front runs on to Lauterbrunnen, the rear to Grindelwald.³⁶ ²
In Google Maps ↗
15
Grindelwald
Village at 1,050 metres at the foot of the Eiger, around 30 minutes from Interlaken Ost by train.⁹ ¹⁰ ⁸
In Google Maps ↗
16
Jungfraujoch
Europe's highest railway station at 3,454 metres, reached by the Jungfrau Railway from Kleine Scheidegg.³⁷ ⁶
In Google Maps ↗

Open the map in Google Maps

Checklist

Set for the crossing

Tickets

Check what your railcard covers
Männlichen cableway season dates
Money for lifts not on your pass

Bring

A warm layer for the pass
Poles for the walk down to the valley
Sun cream at altitude

Cost calculator

Price a guided Wengen outing for your group

Enter how many are coming to compare the three tours.

Lauterbrunnen and Wengen4.5 hoursfrom $178 Sunset fondue hike3.5 hoursfrom $246 Grindelwald day12 hoursfrom $121

People 2

Total from$356

each from $178

Check availabilityfree cancellation

Group totals here multiply the lowest per-person price GetYourGuide quotes for each valley outing by the number in your party, converted at the European Central Bank's daily rate; the booking step shows the binding amount.

Video

WENGEN, SWITZERLAND: Discovering the Jungfrau Region, Männlichen, Lauterbrunnen Valley & MORE

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Walking part of the way

The pass is a hiking hub. The Panorama Trail runs from Männlichen at 2,230 metres via Honegg and Rotstöckli to Kleine Scheidegg at 2,061 metres.¹⁶ The Männlichen cableway company lists it as 4.5 km, about 1 h 20 min towards Kleine Scheidegg and 2 h the other way, open mid-June to October.¹⁷ It is one of the gentlest high walks in the region.

To reach Männlichen from Wengen, the cableway's two 75-passenger cabins climb 947 metres in just under five minutes.³⁸ In summer 2026 it ran from 23 May to 25 October.³⁹ Adults paid CHF 31 one way and CHF 62 return, half that with a Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card, as read on 20 October 2026.⁴⁰ A short Royal Walk at the top leads to the summit, 2 km there and back.⁴¹

Stronger walkers can follow the Lauberhorn Trail from Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg along the downhill ski course, 6 km with 820 m of ascent by SwitzerlandMobility's figures.⁴² ⁴³ From the station at Eigergletscher above Kleine Scheidegg, the Eiger Trail runs under the North Wall down to Alpiglen in about 2 hours.⁴⁴

Coming back down on foot

The Wengen to Lauterbrunnen hike is the classic way to finish a day on the sunny side. SwitzerlandMobility says it takes just over an hour from Wengen station, down countless zigzags and along a well-built gravel road known as Hohstäg.⁴⁵ Wengen Tourism describes a version through the Wengwald that passes the church and then drops almost 500 metres to the valley.⁴⁶

It is steep, so knees feel it more than lungs. Take poles if you use them and keep an eye on the surface after rain. Shade comes and goes with the forest, and the views of the Staubbach and the cliffs opposite open up at the bends. Going up the same way is a solid workout; riding up and walking down is the easier plan.

The full traverse is a big day. Via Alpina stage 11 crosses from Grindelwald over Kleine Scheidegg and Wengen to Lauterbrunnen, 20 km with 1,150 m of ascent and 1,400 m of descent.⁴⁷ ⁴⁸ Trains and short walks make an easier day, but if you have the fitness, walking between the two valleys is unforgettable.

A guided morning in Lauterbrunnen and Wengen

If you would like a local to show you the sunny side, the tour this page recommends starts at Interlaken Ost and spends time in both villages. Its itinerary gives 105 minutes in Lauterbrunnen with Staubbach Falls, a 15-minute train to Wengen and 1.5 hours there with a small raclette tasting. It runs 4.5 hours with a small group of up to 5.

Read its conditions. Train tickets are not included and a valid ticket is mandatory, though a Swiss Travel Pass covers the trains; the tour takes place in the morning, other times on request. It starts from $178 and 22 reviewers average 4.96. After it ends in Lauterbrunnen you are free to carry on to Grindelwald yourself.

For an evening instead, a guided sunset hike above Wengen ends with cheese fondue. It lasts 3.5 hours, moderate in difficulty, and meets in front of the Raiffeisen bank opposite Wengen station. It starts from $246 and has 4 reviews, all 5.0.

Planning tips for the crossing

Start with the weather. The high route is wasted in thick cloud, while the low route through Zweilütschinen works in any conditions. On a clear morning go over the pass first and keep the valley train for the return. If clouds build in the afternoon, you will already have had the best of the views.

Think about direction. Lauterbrunnen to Wengen is a short ride, so a good plan is to start from Lauterbrunnen, linger in Wengen, cross the pass and come back from Grindelwald on the lower line. The loop avoids retracing any track, which suits a rail pass and keeps the day varied.

Remember the car. Wengen is car-free, and cars stay in the Lauterbrunnen parking garage.⁴⁹ Lauterbrunnen station has a car park with 975 spaces, but the tourism office warns that parking is limited at peak times and suggests Park and Ride outside the valley.⁵⁰ ⁵¹ Arriving by train saves the hunt for a space.

Your day above the valley