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?

Trummelbach falls is super nice, will probably visit that.

It really depends on what YOU want to see and do, but Lauterbrunnen isn't really a place to visit -- like most of the towns in the area, it's a place to stay while hiking or whatever.

Sue81 -

Not brown, but you might be thinking of the Berghaus? Only open in summer.

Welcome to the Berghaus Männlichen

I think the Mannlichen station itself might be brown.

Eurailpasses are valid on most Swiss trains except though in Alpine areas like Jungfrau region where they get 25% off. And no 50% discounts on gondolas, not all lake boats are covered, etc. So yes you can travel free on most trains but in Alpine areas you will pay a lot to travel on things Swiss Travel Passes cover in full or give 50% off on. If staying several days in Alpine areas you may want to buy a Half-Fare Card to cover expensive conveyances like in Jungfrau Region along with you eurailpass.

Look up Eurail validity map and Swiss Pass coverage map and check on ones you are taking. See BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com for what is covered by each.

For example in Jungfrau Swiss Passes give full coverage to trains from Interlaken to Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Murren, Gimmelwald whereas Eurails give 25% off on many but not all of those.

Swiss Passes also give free entryto hundreds of museums and sites like I believe Trummelbach Falls.

Thanks so much. Big help ☺

What kind of Eurailpass you thinking of? Sometimes a Swiss Pass and a Eurailpass make sense.

Im planning to go to Paris and spend two nights there then 4nights in Switzerland then Rome for 2nights as well I was thinking of getting a Eurail select pass (3countries). Instead of getting a Swiss Travel Pass. But I have a lot of questions like, does the eurail select pass cover our entire trip locally like interlaken-lauterbrunnen-grindelwald? Does it cover out trip from Paris-Switzerland-Rome. And all the cities in those countries?

Unless things have changed since 2016, Eurail passes will only get you to Interlaken, and won't help on anything uphill from there (Lauterbrunnen, Grindewald, Wengen, etc.).

Eurails will still get 25% off trains above Interlaken I believe.

OP what are your travel plans with the Eurail? Unless doing tons of trains discounted tickets plus a Swiss Travel Pass may be your best bet.

Thanks, twk.
My travel plans are going to interlaken from Paris. Then Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald, and Wengen for 4days. (And Top of Europe) Then take Interlaken to Rome if there's a route which I havent checked.

If you buy a eurailpass for that, you will waste your money for sure.

You will get 25 per cent discount on all popular Swiss mountain railways, except Brienzer Rothorn, Meiringen - Innertkirchen and Gornergrat. Transport from Berne and Lucerne up to Interlaken is free.
Discounted Paris - Interlaken fares start at 65 EUR
Discounted Spiez - Milan fares start at 30 EUR
Discounted Milan - Rome fares start at 20 EUR

A RT ticket from Interlaken to Jungfraujoch will cost 180 CHF with eurailpass. Interlaken - First RT will cost 60 CHF and Maennlichen via Grindelwald 70 CHF.

Yes forget Eurailpass - not nearly enough trains - but a Swiss Pass or Jungfraubahn Paris could be great deals.

Thank you very muchhhh. OR I'D better get a Swiss half fare card?

I can remember going to the loo in that brown building at Mannlichen and I think I remember a self-service restaurant?

The Grindelwald gondola station is also up there.

There certainly is no Chanel boutique or Gucci Superstore up there if that is what you were insinuating.

Thin

???

Will definitely do. ☺👌👌👌

will definitely do ☺👌👌👌

A word of caution trains from Interlaken-Ost to Lauterbrunnen split half way up at Zweilutchen - one half going to Grindelwald and the other to Lauterbrunnen. Check to see where your train car is going before hopping on - I've always seen folks the conductor tells are in the wrong half and have to scurry off midway to the other half of the train. Unless changed this is the way it's been for years.

Interlaken's main drag is lined by tourist shops - one of the largest collections anywhere.