I went to Swiss Aples, Jungfrau region, around end of August (August/28 to September/2). It was sunny and warm everyday. It was a wonderful trip with a lot of hiking with gorgeous mountain views.
[Table of Contents]
- Prep for the trip (Travel Pass)
- Prep for the Trip (what to bring, Weather)
- Day 1 - Arrival
- Day 2 - Panorama Trail & Eiger Trail
- Day 3 - First
- Day 4 & 5 - Trail from Eigergletscher to Kleine Sheidegg
- Day 6 (9/2) - Back from Zurich to Boston
- Summary
Prep for the trip (Travel Pass)
- I would recommend to get SBB App before arriving at Swiss and know how to use it. It is the necessary and the most helpful tool to travel around Swiss. You enter location (e.g. Zurich Flughafen and Wengen), draw a line from Zurich Flughafen to Wengen by your finger, then the app will show you relevant train connections for you with timelines and platform numbers. This is smart! (Flughafen = airport)
https://www.sbb.ch/en/travel-information/apps/sbb-mobile.html
- Get train pass
I got SBB Swiss Train pass and Jungfrau travel pass before arriving Switzerland. This pass must be bought before entering Swiss because the passes are meant for travelers only. You cant't buy it after you enter Swizerland.
For my travel, Swill Pass served only for the travels between Zurich (airport) and Wengen (hotel). I bought Jungfra travel pass too. The reason is because the Swill Pass does not fully cover Jungfrau region (e.g. just 25% off for Jungfrau region). I did't want the hussle to buy additional ticket all the time, so, I bouhght Jungfrau travel pass too. The Jungfrau pass allowed me to take all trains and gondolas in the region for free, worry free!
I probably overpaid.... but I was happy becausethat made my trip so easy! No time loss; no worries.
Swiss Travel Passes | Switzerland Travel Centre
Jungfrau Travel Pass – a ticket for everyone | jungfrau.ch
Prep for the Trip (what to bring, Weather)
Here is a list of things that are good to bring per my experience.
- Reusable utensils (disposable ones are not free)
- Shopping bag (not offered for free)
- Weather App "MeteoSwiss." (recommended by Swiss Alpes travelers)
- Water bottle (Nice to have. Bottoled water is available at grocery stores (from handy 500mL to big 1-2L).)
- Sunscrean and/or long sleeves and hat (sun light is really strong in summer time at higer elevation.)
- Secured internet access (This is not good to have; it is necessary. I bought eSIM from www.esim.net It was highly recommended by Swiss travelers and European travelers.
- Plan your everyday activities so that you can take the last train/gondola for your hotel. Note that the last train/gondora within Jungfrau region can be around 4 to 5:30pm. You can find the last trains in the SBB app.
- For hiking planning, know elevations of the starting and ending points. Most people choose to start a higher location to go downhill.
- Clothing - end of August to early September can be hard to predect temperature. The week that I was there was warn (mid-day ~24C) and sunny! But rigt after I left for home, it was like 10+C mid-day... Worst case, necessary outdoor clothing/tools are available locally.
Day 1 - Arrival
Arrived at Zurich airport around 11am from Boston, US. I went to Migros (supermarket) and grabbed trail mix ec and a curry pie (for lunch). Migros is easily found on your way after existing airport to heading to train platform. I got to the platform quickly after Migros. I started my train travels to Wengen.
Train stations that I went through: Zurich Flughafen to Interlaken Ost to Lauterbrunnen to Wengen
I arrived at Wengen around 3-4pm. I got water and night food at COOP and headded to Hotel Edelwiss.
Welcome | Hotel Edelweiss Wengen
The hotel is very freindly, clean & neat room with beautiful mountain view (Silber horn)! Declining chars and table in a spacious balcony. Breat breakfast & one of the best Captino. Short access from Wengen station and COOP. This hotel is the best.
Note: Wengen COOP' does not have much options of prepared food. E.g. sandwitches (not very appealing) and bowls with salads. Consider getting more foods at Migros if you would like to have just a light dinner.
Day 2 - Panorama Trail & Eiger Trail
- Took gondola from Wengen to Mannlichen. (free toliet available)
- Royal Walk. (Short but steep! Great views, but if you don't have much time, it can be lower priority)
- Panorama Trail to Klein Sheidegg. (1 hour, downhill. Great views.)
- Stopped by Restaurant Frindelwaldblick. They have toilet for free for customers and ask for 1 CHF for non-customers (which was typical in this region). I bought an ice cream and used the restroom :)
- Took train from Klein Sheidegg to Eigergretscher. (free, large tilet at the stations)
- Hiked Eiger Trail from Eigergretsher to Alpilgen. (2 - 2.5 hours, downhill. Great views.)
- Lunch (beer and sousage & bread) at Berghaus Alpiglen. - Free toilet for the guests, free running water.
- Walked down to Alpiglen station (free toliet available). Got a train to Grindelwald. Large, free toilet is available at the station.
- Walk and shopping (T-shirts, COOP...) around Grindelwald.
- Took a bus from Grindelwald to Grindelwald Terminal.
I was going to take the Gondola from Grindelwald Terminal to Mannlicheh. However, I realized that I missed the last gondola of the day! Please be aware that the last trains and gondolas in this region can be around 5pm... I ended up taking a train from Grindelwald to Zweilutshinen (direction to Interlaken Ost) to Lauterbrunnen to Wengen. I was lucky that the trains were still running. If you missed all trains, you would have to get a hotel where you are; there is no other way to get to Wengen.
I took two hiking trails that day, which can be a bit too much if you are not used to a long walk.
Back to the hotel, and I joined BBQ dinner at the hotel.
Day 3 - First
- Took gondola from Wengen to Mannlichen.
- Took gondola from Mannlichen to Glidelwald Terminal.
- Took a bus to get to Gridelwald-First Gondola station (Gridelwald BFG).
- Took Gondola to First.
There were a lot more people in Firest. Cliff Walk was one of the entertainments. It was packed by people but it went fairly quickly. First View is a landmark at the end of Cliff Walk. There was a long line to wait.... I skiped it. You can take similar pictures from other locations such as middle of Cliff Walk or from the First restaurant.
- Starting hiking to Bachalpsee. (1.5 hours)
It was initially ascending and it got flat later. Views were stunning. You will see green hills while heading to Bachalpsee. You will see high mountains covered by snow while you are back to First.
There was a group of cows acround Bachalpsee. A few liked getting around with people. A few sit in front of lake and let people take nice pictures. They knew how to entertain people. The water is clean. I saw a lot of small fish. Some people got into the water. It was cold, thougth. I put my feets only, which was refreshing after the long walk in a hot day. There is a free tolet between the two lakes. It was amazing that they have a clean toliet in the middle of nature!
- Walked a little bit further after Bachalpsee.
I did not go to Faulhorn because I did not start a day early enough to do the round trip to back to First. I still recommend to walk a bit future after Bachalpsee. There is a pointy hill after the lakes, and the view of the lake from the point was great. (see picture Bachalpsee #2)
- Back to First (Enjoyed nice views of mountains while I walked back to First.)
- Restaurant Berggasthaus First
The restaurant was a bit disappointing. It was like a food court with heavy meals and it was very, very much packed by people. I found Salad and Soup section was free from people, so I grabbed one beer (by saying excuse me.....), skipped the line to get beef soup, asked for bread at chasher and done. I luckly found a vacant table that offers a best view. I was happy sitting there with beer and soup. There was not other restaurant at First.
Back from First to Grindelwald BFG, took a bus to Grindelwald Terminal, and got gondola to Mannlichen.
I liked Mannlicheh very much. It offers great views of Eiger, Jungrau, Silver horn etc, and also a view to Wengen. And it is quiet (much less people thant any other places)! There was always a group of cows who entertain people. There is a restaurant if you would like a beer and sit relax :)
- Back from Mannlichen to Wengen by gondola.
Day 4 & 5 - Trail from Eigergletscher to Kleine Sheidegg
The trail was about 1+ hours. There are two paths. One was via Fallboden lake. The other was via Haaregg. The path via Fallboden lake is more common. The trai start the same as the Eiger Trail (to go to Alpeglen). For the other path, you exits the other side of the Eigergletscher station (use exit to Gate 1). The two paths offer different views and experiences. I liked both.
- Took Gondola from Wengen to Mannlichen.
- Took Gondola from Mannlichen to Grindelwald terminal.
- Took Eiger Express Gondola from Gridelwald terminal to Eigergletsher. - Stunning view!!
The path via Fallboden lake is presant, easy hiking. You see other people around you but not too many people. It was a present surprise that I found a cold foot bath(?) near Fallboden lake. There were a couple of benches in the cold water, and you can chill your feet, rest, with a wonderful mountain view.
Views around Fallboden lake was also stunning. You can see Eigers and other high mountain, covered by snow. On the other side is a view to Grindelwald, green downhill.
It is a short walk from Fallboden lake to Klein Sheidegg station. Enjoy lunch in one of the few restaurants! I liked the resutarant "Chaletbar". I got sousage & breat and beer. (I like relatively light lunch :) It was not writted on the menue but you can ask.
The path via Haargegg was less common and quieter. Half of the path was mountain view on the left all the time. View in front of me was Wengen and cliff. View on the right side is green hill, and I saw cows later. The dynamics of the views and changes of the scenary was a selling point of this path. Warning - this path was ridge. You may not like if you afraid heights... (if you are OK for gondra, should be no problem) This path leads you to Klein Sheidegg station without passing Fallboden lake. The lake is still a short walk (scending) to the lake from the station.
- Back to Wengen by using the same gondolas.
Eiger Express is MUST to try. The view is great. You can see Mannlichen to Klein Sheidegg and Eiger north face.
Day 6 (9/2) - Back from Zurich to Boston
- Took trains from Wengen to Zurich airpot per SBB app.
- Bought a lot of chocolate at Migros supermarket at the airport!
- Migros' chocolate brand is not commonly available outside of Swiss, so try it! Swiss supermarkets have their own chocolate brands. They are very good and very affordable. (picture: Migros' chocolate and Wengen local chocolate)
Summary
I was amazed the Swiss efficiency and high quality of those public transportations. All restaurants, toilets, stations, gondolas were clean. Views are gorgeous. The sounds of cows' bells were relaxing. Hotel was also very clean, good/nutritious breakfast, beautifule mountain view and friendly stuff mambers. Everything was great! It is well known that Swiss is expensive,... but I actually did not feel it that much. It is probably because I came from Boston, US, which suffers quite high inflation.
