Hi there - I am planning a day trip with my husband and our couple friends. We are both staying/overlapping our trips in Grindelwald and would like to plan a full day of adventure and sightseeing. I realize much of this is weather permitting, but assuming the skies are clear is the following feasible and would you suggest any adjustments to the plan:

Grindelwald > Jungfraujoch (first train of the day)
Jungfraujoch > Murren
Murren > Schilthorn
Schiltorn > Wengen
Wengen > Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen > Grindelwald

Any suggestions on activities or sights to see in each location, and a scenic lunch spot would also be welcomed!

Wow! Nearly impossible but...

Jungfraujoch-Murren you have to pass thru Wengen - no reason to double back from Lauterbrunnen and little to see besides a pretty village - and if doing both of those get a Half-Fare Card if you do not have some kind of pass - 1/2 fare on that excursion will more than pay for the Half-Fare Card which you can use anywhere in Switzerland on anything that moves transit-wise - buy it at stations once there - though not sure what your other travel plans are so maybe some kind of pass would work out. For lots on Jungfrau transports and passes, etc check www.swisstravelsystem.com; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com.

don't short change the Jungfraujoch IMO - there is a lot to see and do up there besides views - you could walk to a glacier- trek thru ice grottos - have refreshments at restaurant with sun terrace - and keep plans flexible if foul weather sets in - not unusual in this area and makes paying all those bucks a washout if top is all clouded in.

Schilthorn/Murren itself would make a wonderful day - visiting perhaps Gimmelwald - the famous farming hamlet near Murren - a hotel there serves downhome Swiss foods. The aerial cable car Gimmelwald-Stechelberg literally plunges to the Lauterbrunnen valley floor - not for Nervous Nellies but a thrill if not. Stechelberg to Lauterbrunnen by postal bus or a nice flat few-mile walk - hit Trummelbach Falls just before Lauterbrunnen - water case inside a mountain -

Anyway point is the Murren/Schilthorn eexcursion could be much more than a mad dash up and back

IMO this loop from Lauterbrunnen-Murren-Schilthorn-Gimmelwald-Stechelberg-Lauterbrunnen is all in all a better experience that often mobbed Jungfraujoch.

What would be the best order of things? We can nix Schilthorn if it is too much - would that make the day more doable? The overall plan would be to leave early and get back to Grindelwald for an 8 p.m. dinner I think.

Also, we are looking at doing the Swiss Rail Pass - we will be going to Lucerne after Grindelwald for a couple of days and plan to do Mt. Pilatus, a boat ride, etc.

**Swiss "Travel" Pass

It can all be done in a day as you outlined - just that it will be a rather exhausting schedule - you only have one day here?

Jungfraujoch itself would not take more than half a day up and back. Go for both - it can be done and will be great.

Swiss Travel Pass only covers Jungfraujoch from Grindelwald to top 25% - if just going to Interlaken and Lucerne areas check out the Berner Oberland Pass which covers more than the Swiss T Pass in these areas - buy it locally. Yes to Swiss T Pass if going to other areas besides Lucerne and Grindelwald.

Swiss T Pass does cover transport Grindelwald to Murren and back 100% and 50% off Murren to Schilthorn. But, again check out Berner Oberland Pass too.

https://www.regionalpass-berneroberland.ch/en/

First Jungfraujoch train of day should qualify for the Early Bird Special fare - and can take any train back. I think about 25% discount over normal fare (still get 25% off too with Swiss T Pass and 50% I believe with Berner Oberland Pass).

Our itinerary is as follows:
Day 1: arrive to Grindelwald from Colmar, France around 10 or 11 am. Paraglide (weather permitting), explore town.
Day 2: explore with friends.
Day 3: friends leave for Lucerne; open day (perhaps head to the lakes, see a castle)
Day 4: head to Lucerne (early train); go to Mt. Pilatus (weather permitting), and take the boat back, explore
Day 5: explore Lucerne
Day 6: leave early via train to Venice, Italy

Based on that itinerary, do you feel the Berner Oberland or Swiss Pass would be our best bet?

Also, for day 2 can you explain this a bit more " Jungfraujoch-Murren you have to pass thru Wengen - no reason to double back from Lauterbrunnen and little to see besides a pretty village." I think I am a bit confused on the location of these villages? Does it make more sense to do this:
Grindelwald > Jungfraujoch > Wengen > Murren > Schilthorn > Lauterbrunnen > Grindelwald?

Is Wengen worth seeing in comparison to the other places we plan to visit? Would it be possible to do Gimmelwald instead?

Thank you!

If you can get discounted tickets Colmar-Grindelwald and Lucerne to Italy (www.oui.sncf and Acquista il biglietto con le nostre offerte - Trenitalia rspectively) then the Berner Oberland Pass would probably be best or no pass at all and just buy the Half-Fare Pass once there. If you cannot get cheap tickets for those trains then yes the Swiss Travel Pass would be better and use from Basel to Grindelwald and around there and Lucerne and to Italian border.

Does it make more sense to do this:
Grindelwald > Jungfraujoch > Wengen > Murren > Schilthorn > Lauterbrunnen > Grindelwald? >

Yes. You will not have time for Gimmelwald I think.

Yes I believe that Wengen is very much worth seeing and spending some time there, if only to go up to the Mannlichen and for hiking. While the village is small, the scenery over Wengen is spectacular.

On OP's very busy day they should pass thru Wengen as they must but in their situation nothing especial in the village to get off the train for. They will be riding thru the lovely scenery all day long.

Time for Gimmelwald?

Let's see - train to Jungfraujoch and up there - 3 hours
Train down to Lauterbrunnen via Wengen - 1 hour +
Cable car + train to Murren - 1 hr
Walk to Schilthorn cable station - .5 hr
Cable to Schilthorn - 1 hr
Schilthorn - 1 hr
Cable to Gimmelwald via Murren - 1 hr
Gimmelwald - 1 hr
Cable to Stechelberg - .5 hr
Bus to Lauterbrunnen - .5 hr
Train to Grindelwald via Zweilutchenen - 1 hr

About 11-12 hours!

Why not just do one excursion with friends then the next day when they are gone the other - both excursions will be more pleasurable IMO.

And for Jungfraujoch day - take train to Jungfraujoch then back down to Kleine Scheidegg and do the very popular and easy-peasy Panoramic Walk over a wide gently ascending trail to The Mannlichen - getting fab views over both the Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald valleys en route - Mannlichen offers one of the most raved about viewpoints in all the Alps - over much of central Switzerland including a neat view of Interlaken wedged between the two lakes that bookend it. Then take cable down to Grindelwald or Wengen - though Wengen has little per see to see but is a nice mountain village good for a meal or R&R.

Do this perhaps with friends and have a real relaxed yet neat day.

Next day do The Schilthorn excursion and have time to savor Gimmelwald and Murren too.

Hi, Listen to Palen, Wengen is much about the hiking over the village, he has much more knowledge about this, than I do. I just loved the area above Wengen, called the Mannlichen.

OP may want to stay in Wengen instead of Grindelwald - better situated for day trips to Schilthorn and Jungfraujoch (by a tad) plus car-less atmosphere is neat vs busy Grindelwald - but depends on what kind of place you want for apres-hiking - Grindelwald has a lot more stores and night spots, etc.

Thank you all for the replies! Our friends have one less day in Grindelwald than we do, which is why we are maximizing our exploration to one day! We are fine with a very full and busy day and then follow the next day with something more leisurely. We also have already booked our accommodations in Grindelwald and prefer the idea of a little more lively atmosphere for dinners, etc. The Panoramic Walk sounds lovely - thank you for the suggestion!

The whole trip will cost a bit more than 200 USD/pax with Swiss Travel Pass, more than 300 USD/pax without any Travel Pass (without backtracking from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen).

Timetable:
Grindelwald dp 7.17 - Jungfraujoch ar 8.35, dp 11.13 - Wengen ar 12.29, dp 14.03 - Stechelberg - Schilthorn ar 15.27, dp 16.33 - Muerren ar 16.50, dp 18.25 - Grindelwald ar 19.38

And $150 with a Half-Fare Card.

... a bit more. But we have to add the fares for Basel - Bern - Grindelwald - Lucerne - Chiasso (Italian border). All depensd on the fares the OP gets for his international tickets.