How to get to Murren?
 

We are arriving in Interlaken and wanting to spend a few nights in Murren. Is there a train? Cog? Tram? How do we get there and how long does it take?

Thanks for the help!

You take the BOB cog railway from Interlaken Ost to Lauterbrunnen (be sure to get on the correct car - the train splits a few stations up the line and half goes to Grindelwald). At Lauterbrunnen, walk across the street and take the funicular - from the top of the funicular there's another small train that will be waiting to take you along the top of the cliff to Murren. Alternatively, from Lauterbrunnen you can bus up the valley a bit and take the tram to Gimmelwald, thence to Murren. The trip (first alternative)takes about an hour - I seem to recall the tram option can be a bit longer depending on how you happen to hit it. You can do a bit of poking around on the Swiss Rail site (www.sbb.ch) and get the actual departure/arrival times.

Yeah, what Flyfish said. The cog wheel train station will be on your right. It will say Murren.

Also grab seats on the left of the train so you can get your first really good looks at the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau as you are on your way up to Murren.

You can get maps of the area at the i office in Lauterbrunnen.

There are many nice, safe family walks in Murren that will give you some most excellent views of the moutains.

and one more important thing.

Have fun!

Hmm. That car that goes up the hillside from Lauterbrunnen is actually pulled up on a cable. It is more like an elevator with wheels. There are cogs for emergency stopping if the cable were to fail.

The way the cars are built on a slant, they always have the seats facing downhill. So to see the Jungfrau, of which you may catch a glimpse through the trees, you want to sit on the right. As crowded as that contraption gets, you may not have a choice.

You will get a good downhill view of the tracks! And if you sit near the low end of the car, you can see out the rear window and get a better view. In this case "rear" is relative to the direction of the car as it ascends.
It will be the front window coming down.

That little putt putt train that you use to finalize your trip is the one where you want to sit on the left. Once you reach the station, you will need to find your hotel. Look for signs pointing the way, if no one meets you.

I don't think the view of the Eiger from that position is the best one, however. Your sight line is too much at an oblique angle to get the full impact of that sheer face.

There are several other places from which to get a real eyefull of that triangular shaped rock wall.
We can argue the merits of the best view of the Eiger for a long time.
My vote is for the Männlichen, that towering ridge on the east side of the Lauterbrunnen Valley.

There is a second way to reach Mürren. There is a cable car, called a Luftseilbahn in German, a big cabin dangling from a cable, that ascends from near Stechelberg at the south end of the valley. If you drive, there is a big lot in which to park (for a fee) or there is a post bus from Lauterbrunnen that serves the valley.
The bus is timed to train and Luftseilbahn.

The Luftseilbahn from Stechelberg to Mürren is actually the first two stages of the Schilthornbahn. There is an intermediate change of cars at Gimmelwald where you walk from one to the other to continue the journey. They two cars are timed to meet each other just about to the second.

There is also a freight line there as well that goes up to Gimmelwald. Don't get on that one! (No danger; it is isolated from the passenger car.)

We have ridden up on that line several times. About one third of the way up, the Jungfrau comes into view. Once there was a gorgeous Bernese Mountain Dog on board. He was restive, so his owner asked if he could look out the window. Talk about happy to be there, that big boy was ecstatic.

When the car started up and he caught the first glimpse of the Jungfrau he started whimpering in delight. Dog lovers know that sound very well. He was very polite, however, no jumping on the window and no barking. But he left little doubt that those were his mountains and he was ready.

Also, the walk from the Grutschalp station (up from Lauterbrunnen) over to Murren is only a couple miles or so, and fairly even terrain. It is one of the most beautiful walks I have ever taken. Here's a typical view:

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...36129249YHcHHY