Planning to visit Grindelwald First?
Here's everything you need to know before you go.
We're Jana and Brett, and we love helping you maximize your trip to Switzerland while
minimizing your budget and planning time.
Here's our ultimate guide to visiting Grindelwald First.
We're going to cover how to get here, how much it costs,
which train passes cover the cost of the gondola, what types of activities you can enjoy,
and what amenities you'll find, like restaurants, shops, and hotels.
Plus the view, of course.
We know you have lots of questions and we hope we can answer them all in this video.
So come and see Grindelwald First with us.
The first time we were here, we thought this place was called “First,”
and then we learned it was pronounced “Fear-st.”
So now that you’ve watched this video,
you won't make that same mistake the first time you visit here.
Most of you will start your journey here at the Grindelwald train station,
which is one stop past Grindelwald terminal.
From here you can get to the lift by either walking or taking a bus.
If you walk, it's about 10 or 12 minutes down Dorfstrasse, which is the main street.
And if you're staying here in Grindelwald and have the Grindelwald Guest Card,
then you can ride the bus for free.
You could always hike or bike up to First, but the easiest way to get up is with the gondola,
which runs from mid-December to the last week of October.
You'll need to buy a ticket unless you have a pass that covers the ride.
There are 4 ways you can get tickets. The first is inside at the ticket counter with an agent.
The second would be out here at one of the ticket machines.
Third, you can ask your hotel if they can buy it in advance.
Or fourth, buy online before you get here. That's one of our best recommendations if
you need a ticket, because you won't have to wait in line when you get here.
However, you may be able to ride for completely free if you have one of the regional passes.
For example, the Berner Oberland Pass, the Jungfrau Travel Pass,
and the top of Europe Pass cover this trip 100%.
And if you have kids, snag free tickets using the Swiss Family Card.
If you have one of those passes, you can ride the Grindelwald Firstbahn as
many times as you'd like for free, and visit many other locations in this region as well.
But we know Swiss train passes can be super confusing. So we made a video to be like an
ultimate guide to help you choose the very best pass for you. We'll tell you a little bit more
about that later. But for now, you're here to see Grindelwald First. So let's take you to the top.
We're here this summer with the Top of Europe
season pass so we can go right on in here and board the lift.
The ride to the top takes about 25 minutes,
and along the way the lift will stop at the Bort and Schreckfeld stations.
The lift will slow down so you can hop on and off if you like.
But today we’re riding all the way to the First station at the top.
At the Bort station, your kids can enjoy an awesome playground while you relax with the view,
eat at the restaurant, or buy food from the self-serve stall.
And at Schreckfeld, you'll have the opportunity to appreciate
more amazing views, hang out with some Swiss cows, and eat, of course.
In case you can't tell, visiting Grindelwald First is one of the most popular things to
do near Grindelwald. And that's because there are so many fun activities to enjoy.
Plan at least a few hours, depending on how you choose to spend your time here.
You can hike all the way to Schynige Platte from here in about 5 or 6 hours,
and the tourism promo video dubs it “the most beautiful hike in Switzerland.”
But there are also trails for all abilities, including the 2-hour
Marmot Trail, which is super kid friendly.
And if you're a biker, you can descend 1100 meters all the way down to Grindelwald.
If you're up for a short hike to a stunning destination, then this is the trail for you.
In less than 1 hour, you can reach Bachalpsee,
also known as the Blue Jewel of the Bernese Oberland.
And on a clear day, you can even see a perfect reflection of the Schreckhorn on the lake.
In the words of Sheryl Crow, “the first cut is the deepest.” Well, here, the first part's the
steepest. So plan for about 15 minutes of hard hiking before the trail levels off.
I promise it levels out. You can see it back there, but we have one more steep climb to go.
If you're wondering if it was worth it, you crest that last hill and get your first
view of the lake and then you realize it was definitely worth it.
Be sure to walk to the far side of the lake, not only for the views,
but it's also a perfect picnic spot.
Just so you know, there are bathrooms up here. It's at
this little building where the 2 lakes connect.
However, there is not a water fountain. I know this looks like a water fountain,
but it's just to wash your hands.
You'll need to fill up your bottle at First before you start your hike.
I'm not really sure what the connection is between Tissot watches and a cliff
walk — probably just a marketing budget — but this is a great way to get a fantastic view.
Oh my gosh, this is so scary!
I'm just kidding. But if you do have a fear of heights, keep reminding yourself that
the Swiss are some of the best engineers in the world — or just admire the view.
Regional and fresh. That's the motto of the restaurant here at First.
All of the supplies come up here the exact same way we did, on the gondola. They offer breakfast,
lunch, dinner, snacks and, of course, dessert. Plus, they have a self-service buffet.
With so many indoor and outdoor seats, you can truly come here in any type of weather.
From the panoramic terrace, you can see, of course,
the mountain views, but also the Cliff Walk.
And sometimes you can even catch hang gliders taking off…paragliders taking off…both!
Up to 100 people can stay here in the Mountain Hotel. And there are double rooms,
family rooms, group rooms for 6 or 8 people, and a dormitory for up to 40 people.
There's also an old chapel that's been converted into an event space or a mini hotel.
Now, we've never actually stayed overnight here,
but I imagine it could be the perfect way to enjoy a beautiful sunset or sunrise at Bachalpsee.
Those are great, but a lot of people come up here
just for the adventure activities. And there are 4 to choose from.
The First Glider.
Mountain Carts.
The First Flyer.
And the Trottibike, which we're totally about to ride.
Okay, that was way more fun than I expected. It's like this combination of a scooter and a bicycle,
except it propels you forward, especially when you're going downhill.
And I was riding the brakes the entire time.
I really think if I hadn't been holding on to the brakes, I would have like flown off the mountain.
It was exhilarating and really fun, but also seemed a little bit reckless.
Somebody totally needs to start a business renting action cameras up there.
I would have loved to have a GoPro today on a ride.
But we were going so fast there was no way I could take my hand off of the steering wheel.
But a GoPro renting business, or some other kind of action camera, would be perfect.
If you start it, give me 10% of the profits.
Like we did, you can just pay for one individual activity or more than one
activity. But there's also this thing called the Adventure Package,
and it's where you can buy 1 to 4 of the activities,
and it includes unlimited rides on the lifts in between.
But let's talk about that Adventure Package for a second.
This seems to be geared towards people with no train pass or Half Fare Card.
So if you're driving into the valley and planning to visit First for a day trip
and you plan to do one of these activities, it's probably your best buy.
But according to our math, if you have the Swiss Half Fare Card,
the Adventure Package is only a good value if you plan to ride the First Flyer or Glider,
or if you expect to do some backtracking by riding lifts up and down multiple times.
And if you have one of the regional passes, your rides are already covered. So you're only going
to save money if you literally do all 4 of the activities. And even then, just 5 CHF.
So outside of these scenarios, just pay for the individual activities to save the most money.
And by the way, if your kids are begging you to do these activities,
don't get the adventure Package for them.
Get a Swiss Family Card which will cover their lifts up and down from First,
and then you can just purchase their individual activities.
While a trottibike is a super fun way to enjoy your day trip to Grindelwald First,
it won't get you everywhere you want to go in the Swiss Alps.
So watch this video where we help you choose
the best Swiss train pass for your next trip to Switzerland.
And if you just want to get closer to the snowy peaks while you're here,
then watch this one where we take you to the Top of Europe at Jungfraujoch. See you in Switzerland!