Getting Around

Getting Around

Happily and spectacularly, cars aren't a necessity here, as Mürren, Wengen, and Gstaad are car-free, and rail connections are excellent.

Since the advent of trains and cable cars in the 18th century, the region is lined with narrow-gauge or cog-wheel tracks and aerial cableways—not to mention chairlifts, so you'll often be tempted to join in on a chorus of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."

If you're planning a circular tour of the region, a car will navigate the valleys a little faster, though.

Direct rail connections from Geneva, Zurich, and Basel run through Bern, from which there is public transportation to every part of the region.

Thun is the hub for Gstaad and Spiez; Interlaken takes you on to Brienz, Lauterbrunnen, and Grindelwald; and hypermagical Lauterbrunnen takes you up to Wengen and Mürren.