Lauterbrunnen almost feels like a second home to us, due to the amount of time we have spent staying there and exploring the surroundings, but we wouldn’t have it any other way! Nestled in a glacial valley home to 72 waterfalls that thunder down over the surrounding cliff faces, and a location in Switzerland that has some of the most beautiful hikes and views of the Alps, Lauterbrunnen is the epitome of all things Swiss. Wildflower-filled fields, cows grazing the area with bells chiming and all with the backdrop of the snow-topped Jungfrau, Eiger, and Mönch, what more could you want?
Meaning ‘many falls’ in English, Lauterbrunnen is one place you simply have to visit in Switzerland, (and one place we love to take our visitors), so here is our guide for the perfect Lauterbrunnen itinerary:
📍 Lauterbrunnen Itinerary Day 1: Lauterbrunnen village & Trümmelbach Falls
📍 Lauterbrunnen Itinerary Day 2: Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg & Mürren to Gimmelwald hike
📍 Lauterbrunnen Itinerary Day 3: Wengen & Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg hike
📍 Lauterbrunnen Itinerary Day 4: Day trip to Grindelwald
📍 Lauterbrunnen Itinerary Day 5: Day trip to Interlaken
Lauterbrunnen Itinerary Map
The Perfect Lauterbrunnen Itinerary
Lauterbrunnen is somewhere you have to visit when in Switzerland, even if only for a day. So with that in mind, we have put together multiple itineraries from 1 day up to 5 days to not only make sure you can make the most of your time in this wonderful corner of the Alps but to help you decide how many days you want to spend in the area.
For this itinerary, we recommend getting the Half Fare Card. This will save you up to 50% on all of the excursions via public transport, but you will still need to book your tickets separately.
If you would rather not have the hassle of booking tickets as you go, then the Jungfrau Travel Pass is a better option (most excursions are fully included), but it does cost a bit more. If you are travelling throughout Switzerland then the Swiss Travel Pass is better.
1 Day Lauterbrunnen Itinerary
If you only have one day to spend in Lauterbrunnen then you should prioritise seeing the village of Lauterbrunnen and visiting Trümmelbach Falls. There isn’t really enough time to visit one of the mountain villages so enjoy the valley and the beautiful scenery that comes with it.
After arriving at Lauterbrunnen be sure to wander through the quaint streets lined with flower-covered chalets, stop by a cute café to sample some of the local cuisine and of course, visit the famous Staubbach Falls. From Staubbach Falls continue to head south out of the village along the road to Stechelberg, before following the signs to the east to Trümmelbach Falls. These impressive waterfalls within a mountain are well worth a visit too, and particularly incredible to see after some heavy rainfall.
If you do really want to visit a mountain village as well then, we would suggest hopping on the train from Lauterbrunnen station up to Wengen, just be sure to arrive into Lauterbrunnen early to get the most out of your day.
📍 Tickets for Trümmelbach Falls cost from 14 CHF per adult, 6 CHF per child, (age 6 to 15), but can only be bought at the waterfalls entrance. No discount for any Swiss Travel Pass.
2 Day Lauterbrunnen Itinerary
📍 Day 1: Lauterbrunnen village & Trümmelbach Falls
📍 Day 2: Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg & Mürren to Gimmelwald hike
One of the nicest hikes, and easiest hikes, that you can do in the Lauterbrunnen Valley is from the centre of Lauterbrunnen village to Stechelberg, (which also has quite possibly some of the most impressive views in the Bernese Oberland!). Passing through fields full of cows, past countless waterfalls, and following the Weisse Lütschine to Stechelberg.
After reaching Stechelberg, take the Schilthornbahn cable car up to Mürren, the beautiful car-free village with incredible views back down into the valley as well as up to the nearby mountains. Be sure to stop at Hotel Edelweiss Superior or Hotel Alpina for a bite to eat or something to drink, with the best views in all of Mürren, (and some rather good Apfelpunsch!).
After refuelling, set out on the route from Mürren down to Gimmelwald, an easy 3km downhill walk, through fields filled with wildflowers and cows with bells chiming.
You can also take the cable car further up to Schilthorn/Piz Gloria, where you’ll not only enjoy incredible views but also a look into the James Bond history of the mountain as well. We won’t spoil it, but the trip up there is worth it!
📍 Return tickets for Mürren from Stechelberg cost from 23.60 CHF per adult, 11.80 CHF per adult with Half Fare Card, 17.80 CHF per adult with Jungfrau Travel Pass and 11.80 CHF per child.
📍 Return tickets for Schilthorn from Stechelberg cost from 115 CHF per adult, 57.50 CHF per adult with Half Fare Card, 86.40 CHF per adult with Jungfrau Travel Pass , 45.70 CHF with a Swiss Travel Pass / GA Card and 57.50 CHF per child.
3 Day Lauterbrunnen Itinerary
📍 Day 1: Lauterbrunnen village & Trümmelbach Falls
📍 Day 2: Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg & Mürren to Gimmelwald hike
📍 Day 3: Wengen & Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg hike
Start the day off with a trip up the Wengernalp Railway from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen. This Swiss mountain village is brimming with traditional timber chalets, bell epoque hotels, and incredible views. We would highly recommend stopping by the Bäckerei Konditorei Vincenz and grabbing a few pastries, before heading to the Kirche Wengen, (Wengen Church), to sit and take in the views from the observation deck.
After exploring Wengen take the cable car up to Männlichen, (which is one of the steepest cable car routes we’ve been up!), ready to hike the Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg Panoramaweg. With panoramic views of the surrounding peaks, including the famous Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, this hiking route is one of the most picturesque we have done in Switzerland.
It takes a couple of hours to walk the entire route, with plenty of places to stop for a picnic and a few restaurants at the end of the route if you fancy something warming.
📍 Return tickets for Wengen from Lauterbrunnen cost from 7.20CHF return per adult, free with the Swiss Travel Pass or Jungfrau Travel Pass, 3.60 CHF per adult with Half Fare Card, and 3.60CHF return per child.
📍 Tickets to Männlichen / Kleine Schiedegg. For this, if you don’t have a travel pass then it is cheaper to buy separate tickets from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen, then Wengen onwards. Return tickets from Wengen to Männlichen and then from Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen cost 62 CHF per adult, 46.80 CHF with Swiss Travel Pass, 31 CHF with Half Fare Card, free with the Jungfrau Travel Pass, and with 50% off for children.
4 Day Lauterbrunnen Itinerary
📍 Day 1: Lauterbrunnen village & Trümmelbach Falls
📍 Day 2: Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg & Mürren to Gimmelwald hike
📍 Day 3: Wengen & Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg hike
📍 Day 4: Day trip to Grindelwald
After 3 days in Lauterbrunnen, day four is time for a trip to the nearby village of Grindelwald. Grindelwald is a beautiful mountain village, albeit livelier and a little larger than Lauterbrunnen, that is well known for its adventure activities.
📍 Train from Lauterbrunnen to Grindelwald: 40 minutes, with trains every half an hour from 05:57 through to 21:31 – From 9.40 CHF per adult, 50% off for adults with a Half Fare Card or free with the Jungfrau Travel Pass. Children 50% off full price.
A trip up Grindelwald First, with a hike out to Bachalpsee, is a great way to spend the day. There are also numerous activities you can do up Grindelwald First such as the First Cliff Walk by Tissot, the First Glider, and Trotti Bikes, all before finishing up the day with a brew and Apfelkuchen in the mountain restaurant.
📍 Tickets for Grindelwald First cost from 72 CHF return per adult / 36 CHF with a Half Fare, Swiss Travel Pass or GA Pass, free with the Jungfrau Travel Pass and from 20 CHF return per child. Summer activities, such as the First Glider or Trotti bikes cost from 78 CHF per adult per activity / 52 CHF with Half Fare, Swiss Pass or GA Pass and 43 CHF per child.
5 Day Lauterbrunnen Itinerary
📍 Day 1: Lauterbrunnen village & Trümmelbach Falls
📍 Day 2: Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg & Mürren to Gimmelwald hike
📍 Day 3: Wengen & Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg hike
📍 Day 4: Day trip to Grindelwald
📍 Day 5: Day trip to Interlaken
For the fifth day in Lauterbrunnen, there are a few options for day trips, however, we would suggest visiting Interlaken. The home of adrenaline-fuelled sports in Switzerland and with a cute café or two, Interlaken is a great place to visit as part of a Lauterbrunnen itinerary. It also has a beautiful old town and the bluest of rivers that you have ever seen flows through it.
Not only is it a great place to visit but it is one of the main stops on the route out of Lauterbrunnen, so you don’t have to go out of your way either.
📍 Train from Lauterbrunnen to Interlaken: 40 minutes, with trains every half an hour from 05:17 through to 22:17 – From 9.40 CHF per adult, 50% off for adults with a Half Fare Card or free with the Jungfrau Travel Pass. Children 50% off full price.
Best 3 Hikes To Do In Lauterbrunnen
📍 Lauterbrunnen village to Stechelberg – 7.4km / 4.6 miles one way
📍 Mürren to Gimmelwald – Wanderweg – 3km / 1.8 miles one way
📍 Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg Panoramaweg – 4.7km / 3 miles one way
Where to stay in Lauterbrunnen
For any Lauterbrunnen itinerary we only have one place to suggest that you stay, the wonderful Camping Jungfrau. Only a short walk out of the main village, and situated almost directly under the Staubbach Falls, this campsite is the perfect place to stay with an onsite shop and locally loved restaurant, (which books up well in advance!), as well as a communal kitchen and common room complete with a roaring log fire in the cooler months.
It is also not just for those camping, (although it does have tent, campervan, and motorhome pitches), as it has a number of log cabins that you can stay in throughout the year, all with access to fire pits across the campsite. We’ve stayed in the Fuchsbau cabin as well as the Bungalow on our most recent visit, and falling asleep to the sound of the nearby Staubbach Falls is just wonderful after a day’s exploring.
Lauterbrunnen Itinerary FAQs
Where is Lauterbrunnen?
Lauterbrunnen is situated in the Bernese Alps, specifically in the Jungfrau Region of the canton of Bern. Its central location within Switzerland makes it easily accessible from across the country, with Interlaken serving as its main transport hub.
How to get to Lauterbrunnen
The most convenient way to reach Lauterbrunnen is by train. You can avoid the hassle of navigating mountain passes via car and instead, simply relax, enjoy the breathtaking views, and let the train take you there. Driving to Lauterbrunnen is of course also an option but be prepared for narrower roads and to wait for train crossings, and of course, make sure you are comfortable with driving your vehicle in mountain conditions.
To reach Lauterbrunnen by train, you will need to pass through Interlaken Ost, regardless of your starting point within Switzerland. It takes roughly 20 minutes of train travel from there to reach Lauterbrunnen. It’s important to board the correct train carriages at this point however, as the train splits at Zweilütschinen, with one half of the train heading to Lauterbrunnen and the other half to Grindelwald, (not the worst place to accidentally end up in!).
How to get around Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen is very easy to get around on foot as it is only a small village, it is also fairly flat, other than the initial walk up into the main village from the train station. If you choose to walk along the valley then there is also a bus service that runs to and from Lauterbrunnen.
Airports near Lauterbrunnen
The nearest airports to Lauterbrunnen are Bern Airport, roughly 42km away, Zurich Airport, roughly 107km away, or Basel Euro Airport roughly 115km away. You could also fly into Milan Malpensa Airport which is 124km away.
How many days are enough for Lauterbrunnen?
If you intend to only explore the village of Lauterbrunnen, this could very easily be done in a single day. However, if you want to really experience Lauterbrunnen and fully immerse yourself in what the valley has to offer, including doing a couple of hikes then we would recommend spending a minimum of 4 days in Lauterbrunnen.
Is Lauterbrunnen worth visiting?
Absolutely, a visit to Lauterbrunnen is highly recommended! Whether you visit during any season, this place offers an authentic taste of Switzerland that is truly worth experiencing. Winter brings the snow and the snow sports as well as snowshoe trekking and tobogganing, spring is when the valley begins to come to life with wildflower-filled fields and waterfalls at their full flow, summer is primed for mountain hiking and mountain biking, whilst autumn is when the valley settles back into a slower pace of life with the leaves changing colour and the cooler days drawing in.
What is the best time to visit Lauterbrunnen?
We would suggest that the best time to visit Lauterbrunnen is in the spring or the autumn, as not only is it quieter with fewer tourists around, but the weather is the perfect mix of warm but not hot in the day, but crisp and cool at night. In the spring you may be lucky enough to still have a sprinkling of snow on the ground, or at least in the higher elevations, and will find fields throughout the valley buzzing with wildflowers, and in the autumn the leaves turning through the valley and the crisp weather make for the best views throughout the area.
Also, because these times of the year often see a bit of rainfall, (which in our opinion only adds to the moody dramatic landscape), the waterfalls are often at their peak flow too.
The spring and autumn are also considered low season in Lauterbrunnen, so accommodation rates are often lower, just be sure to check if your preferred accommodation is open as quite a few places shut through November for staff holidays, post the summer rush, and pre the winter high season.
What languages are spoken in Lauterbrunnen?
In Lauterbrunnen, the primary language spoken is Swiss, but you will also find that German and English are widely spoken due to the significant number of tourists visiting the valley.
Is it better to stay in Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald?
We would suggest that it is better to stay in Lauterbrunnen rather than Grindelwald purely as you get to spend the night in one of the most beautiful places in Switzerland. There are fewer accommodation options in Lauterbrunnen but the available accommodation is stunning.
Is it better to stay in Interlaken or Lauterbrunnen?
Again, this depends on whether you prefer to stay in a livelier location or in a quiet village, but we would recommend staying in Lauterbrunnen over Interlaken. We have stayed in both locations, at Hotel Lotschberg in Interlaken and Camping Jungfrau in Lauterbrunnen, and although both are great, we would choose Camping Jungfrau again and again.
Conclusion: The Perfect Lauterbrunnen Itinerary
So, there is our perfect Lauterbrunnen itinerary, from one day up to five days. This Swiss valley offers the perfect blend of Swiss mountain beauty and outdoor adventure, making it an ideal destination for a memorable trip away.
Gemma Tedaldi
Gemma is the owner and author of The Travelling Tedaldi, a travel blog helping travellers to discover the best road trips and travel itineraries throughout the UK and Europe. When she isn’t writing about her favourite travel destinations, she can often be found out exploring local hikes or planning future trips.