Lauterbrunnen
 

Hi! I am planning to visit Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland this October and I've read that almost half of the shops and hotel are closed during this time since it's off peak. Is there anyone who can suggest another town which offers the same activities and view like Lauterbrunnen?

Grindelwald- larger always open and much better views IME than Lauterbrunnen sunk in a deep gorge. Same activities and good transport. 20 minutes from Interlaken. Trains and gondolas are great way to get around - what are you overall Swiss travel plans? If just Jungfrau Region and doing enough trips look into Jungfraubahn Pass good on most expensive gondolas and trains, etc in area. Lots of info on Swiss trains and Interlaken area - www.sbb.ch; www.ricksteves.com; BETS-European Rail Experts.

Wengen is a perpetual favorite of Fodorites and has awesome views but smaller and more remote - only reachable by train - will probably be more closed than Lauterbrunnen.

Thank you for your reply. I will just probably stay for 2 or 3 days so I would like to know which place s the bet to visit since I wont stay long.

"Best" is relative.

I personally like Lauterbrunnen...and Murren...and Wengen...but they'll all be very quiet in October - which is a very good thing in my book.

There aren't all that many shops in any of them to begin with - the grocery store in each will be open - are you going to Switzerland to shop?

Exactly what 'activities' are you interested in?

Lauterbrunnen is a transport hub of sorts - you can easily get to other places in the BO from there.

activities? May mean night life or apres-hiking and Grindelwald has the most of that and this turns off some folk - Wengen and Murren are nice but at higher altitude so colder at that time and yes rather deserted- again for folks like melnq8 that is great but not for others.

But yes what do you mean by 'activities'?

"Half the shops in Lauterbrunnen.."

That would be about 2.

If you are looking for shopping, you can take the 20-minute train ride to Interlaken and buy Ferragamo ties and Wempe watches.

​​​​​​There are also plenty of "gift shops" in Grindelwald.
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Thin

We enjoyed our stay in Lauterbrunnen. It is centrally located transportation hub: easy to get to Wengen, Murren, Grindelwald and Interlaken. This is right...not many shops in Lauterbrunnen, mainly outdoor clothing, but then we didn't go there for shopping. You really can't go wrong with either Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald...the BO is beautiful..you will fall in love!

Although I loved Lauterbrunnen, I visited in June. I’m not sure I would aim to stay there in October, when the cliffs to either side of the town may cast long shadows over the town through much of the day – but I don’t know that for sure!

If you can afford it, I would recommend Wengen – the views there are extraordinary. And FWIW, I strongly preferred Wengen to Mürren or Grindelwald, but of course we all have different preferences and viva la difference! I will say, though, that I would be particularly disinclined to stay in Mürren if I had only a few days, as getting there from Lauterbrunnen takes longer than getting to Wengen….

JMO! I encourage you to give credence to Melnq8’s assessment, as they have been in the area during the off-season several times and with different bases

Completely agree with Melnq8. We were there when most shops were closed and it was fabulous... there is really just a handful of them. Just make sure the trains & funicular are running and a good restaurant or two is open. Easy to take walks there, even if it's snowing.

Trains to Wengen never quit running I believe -funicular may close for maintenance. Like quiet and solitude in off season Wengen can't be beat.

We didn’t care for being down in valley and much preferred staying in Grindelwald.

Activities such as paragliding. But I'm travelling with two of my friends so we'd also like to mingle with other tourists and at the same time enjoy the place the most swiss way possible. So we might just spend a night in Lauterbrunnen. Thanks again!

The first half of October will be very busy all over the Bernese Oberland (not only in the relatively small Jungfrau area):
School holidays in almost all Swiss cantons. Most mountain restaurants, lifts and gondolas will run until October 21st.

Ditto Grindelwald as a possible base. If you are driving it is only a short drive to Lauterbrunnen. Lauterbrunnen has Trummelbach Falls - a series of waterfalls that are inside a mountain - IMO a bucket list site that you will not find elsewhere, so visit Lauterbrunnen at least for that. Take a look:
When we visited a few years ago the entrance fee was 15CHF

Darn, that URL would not copy. See if this works: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d92AADORZI

Trummelbach Falls can also be reached by a short flat walk from Stechelberg or by a longer, but also flat, walk from Lauterbrunnen.

You can also catch the post bus out to the falls. You can catch it directly across the street from the train station.

Hi, I've been to both Murren and Wengen, and it was in the Spring and Summer, so not time when you plan to go. I liked both villages, but Wengen had more spectacular views to me. Murren felt a bit closed in with some high mtn walls across from our cabin. Wengen, if you get a hotel with great views, has the Jungfrau, Monch and side of the Eiger over the village with a great plateau area up the lift right in the village. But again I am not sure how it might be in Oct, but was awesome in July. Others on this site can tell you more about Oct in Wengen. I'd get meals at hotel if you go there. Not much shopping if you are into that, but a quiet, lovely little village with great scenery, and access by train to other villages close by. Palen or others, what is in that big brown building out on the Mannlichen above WEngen, a hotel or restaurant or both? Open in Oct? It might be very quiet in Oct? Sue

Thanks everyone. So I'll stay at Grindelwald then visit Lauterbrunnen for a day. Wengen seems nice as well but I think it might be too quiet for me and my friends. It will depend on the weather too, I hope it's nit gonna be rainy so we'll be able to roam for 3 or 4 days. BTW, do you know something about Eurail pass and Swiss travel pass? Can I travel for free around Switzerland using my Eurail pass?