Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
Been to Avoriaz a few times skiing with the family but choosing to go to Wengen for NY. A few questions if you don't mind! I have booked the parking at Lauterbrunnen and I am just looking at buying the ski passes. We are just about intermediate people really but I just don't know which ski pass to get?? Also, what does the ski pass include for example the train fare up to Wengen? Also the choice, in Avoriaz we choose the Ski card but there is an option for a Swiss Pass?
We are considering a taxi to our apartment as 3 children (19, 21, 22) are with us including lots of useless luggage so, my question is it mental to get a taxi to take stuff to our apartment (Avoriaz was pretty easy just wait for horse and sledge).
Any great tips for restaurants would be good! We can apparently get shopping delivered beforehand to the apartment I wondered if I just guess what I want as no price list or online facility?
Anyway, any help appreciated!
Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@fairfields3, A couple of points. Firstly as regards the skipass are you aware that you can get up to 20% discount on the normal price by ordering them online at least 21 days before your first day of skiing? Here's the website link: https://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/jungfrau-ski-region/earlybird-skipass/
As regards the type of liftpass you've got a choice of either the Grindelwald and Wengen skipass (6 day discounted adult price 240CHF rather than the usual 300CHF) or the all inclusive Jungfrau region skipass which also includes Mürren in addition to Grindelwald and Wengen for a 6 day discounted adult price of 285CHF. If you've never been to the region before then I'd definitely recommend spending at least one day over at Mürren, it's a very pretty village and has the famous Piz Gloria at the top of the Schilthorn with it's James Bond connections (it featured as Blofeld's mountain top lair in the 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service. ). Both versions of the skipass actually cover rail travel all the way to/from Interlaken Ost to/from Lauterbrunnen and to/from Wengen.
Whether you require a taxi or not in Wengen depends on how close your apartment is to Wengen station. If you do need a taxi then there are several companies available, e.g Wegmüller you could phone them once you're on board the train at Lauterbrunnen and arrange for them to meet you at Wengen station when you arrive.
As regards restaurants the Bernerhof on the main street is quite good for special Swiss dishes like fondue (both cheese and meat varieties), and Pierrade/Feuerstein/Hot Rocks where you cook your small slices of meat yourself on a hot stone which they bring to your table (sprinkling a little salt onto the rock stops the meat sticking) and its served with plentiful chips and dipping sauces. I'm sure other Wengen regulars will suggest other eating venues.
There a Co-Op store near the station and another supermarket on the main street for your apartment grocery shopping.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You are a star!! Yes, thought that we may go with the Jungfrau region pass, thanks for the link! Always good to get restaurant recommendations so cheers for that!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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How easy is Wengen/Jungfrau on a weekend from the UK? Is it feasible to fly in on a Friday and out on Sunday and get a decent amount of skiing?
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Ha! They will deffo get withdrawals! Never thought of that regarding not being able to use the pass for the train as we prob won't ski till Sunday (We arrive Saturday).
We normally get the keycard to stick in our jackets so will go for this, we normally get this sent in advance. Our apartment is apparently only 500m from the station, now past experience given the amount of luggage the kids take it can be knackering. Have you any experience of the taxi situation?? We can walk but I just don't want to haul luggage and equipment up a hill!
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@fairfields3, can you say where your apartment is? If you know the street name I could look at it on Google maps and have a good chance of telling you whether there's any uphill bits getting to it from the station.
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Alastair has covered most of it, but regarding the Swiss Pass you definitely don’t need one.
Restaurants. At the moment the Silberhorn Stübe opposite the station is good, as is Pasta & More in the main street. There's also a great takeaway called Santos, and an Indian restaurant called Golden India.
On the mountain the Berghaus at Männlichen is good, as is the Eigernordwand at Kleine Scheidegg.
If your apartment is 500 metres from the station then definitely book a taxi - you can’t go more than about 100 metres here without encountering a steep hill.
Bars - Rocks is the best all-rounder, beers, cocktails and sport on TV. Tanne is also very good - more of a cool cocktail bar than a pub.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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FrediKanoute wrote: |
How easy is Wengen/Jungfrau on a weekend from the UK? Is it feasible to fly in on a Friday and out on Sunday and get a decent amount of skiing? |
Loads of people used to do this by flying from London City to Bern with Skywork. Alas, they went bust earlier this year, so unless you can find another carrier flying to Bern it'll have to be Geneva, Zurich or Basel which are all longish rail transfers. I guess with an early flight to Zürich you could ski Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday morning and then get a late flight back.
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Walk past Hotel Caprice and up the hill!!!! Honestly, I don’t mind walking but not with luggage! I don’t know anymore than that at the moment!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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fairfields3 wrote: |
Walk past Hotel Caprice and up the hill!!!! Honestly, I don’t mind walking but not with luggage! I don’t know anymore than that at the moment! |
Get a taxi. Oh, and if you are renting through Interhome they'll send you a shopping list by email a week or so before you travel.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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No, Wengen Apartments!
Thanks, yep taxi it is! Is it best to ring from the station at Wengen or will it be mental with everyone wanting a taxi? There can’t be many taxis!
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Call Wegmuller when you get to Lauterbrunnen and you know what train you'll be on. +41 33 855 3380.
Edit - you can pre-order some shopping directly from the shop if your agent doesn’t do it for you: https://www.dorflade-wengen.ch/en/range
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Very much appreciated, thank you!!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Murren is better.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Whitegold wrote: |
Murren is better. |
Are you in league with Chris Brookes by any chance? Mürren is great, we go there all the time, but 50km of pistes is hardly going to keep a family happy for a week.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@telford_mike, lolol
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@telford_mike, I have Inferno’ed to Lauterbrunnen 3 or 4 times ...
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under a new name wrote: |
@telford_mike, I have Inferno’ed to Lauterbrunnen 3 or 4 times ... |
Absolutely, and that's the only good reason for doing the run from Winteregg down to the valley
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Just bumping this - we're considering the Jungfrau region for a trip with a non-skiier who will go out walking and sightseeing while Mrs NBT and I ski. e might well meet up for lunch if that's possible. Is it better to base ourselves in Grindelwald or Wengen? Any particular hotel recommendations? We're not independently wealthy so we can't spend a fortune, but Crystal seem to have a very good deal on the Silberhorn in Wengen, or over in Gridnelwald the Spinne (or Eiger Selfness via Skiline)? We'd probably be half board unless someone says B&B and eating out each night is a better option?
(not fixed on Jungfrau - also considering Morzine, or perhaps Austria...)
thanks in advance
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@nbt, The Jungfrau region is eminently suitable for a trip with a non skier as the mountain railways make it very easy for the non-skier to meet up with the skiers at lunchtime at Kleine Scheidegg. In addition to plenty of walks there are several toboggan runs too if the non-skier feels up to that! (toboggans can be hired by the day or longer). Grindelwald is bigger than Wengen, but I prefer Wengen as it's car free. If you stay in Wengen then in addition to the non skier taking the train up to Kleine Scheidegg they can take the cable car from the centre of the village up to Männlichen where they can also meet you for lunch.
I'd say that half board is the better option as it will work out cheaper than eating out each night, although of course that does allow you to try different places. You seem to be looking at Tour Operators, and if you can get a good deal that's great. If you should consider DIY then for the last few years in Wengen I've stayed at the Edelweiss hotel, which has friendly owners and is very good value.
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We stayed in Grindelwald last season and were amazed at the activity on the mountain for non skiers especially on First. Ranging from quite long very defined paths away from the skiing, zip wire, tobogganing etc etc.
There are numerous hotels to pick from if you go DIY, I also think Inghams do packages too. I would very much recommend it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Alastair has summed up the plus points of Wengen pretty well, and the kitchen in the Silberhorn has been very good this year, so it may well be a good call if you can get a deal. Grindelwald does have more going on in the evening as it’s much bigger than Wengen, which may or may not matter to you. Whichever you choose, there's lots of stuff to do for non-skiers, and the vast majority of mountain restaurants are easily accessible on foot. One more plus point for Wengen - Mürren is much easier to get to, and well worth a day’s visit.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Alastair Pink, @northantsred, @telford_mike, thanks. Looking at tour ops as they do seem to offer pretty good value for money for a given hotel - especially as Crystal's prices include a first class rail transfer. The Edelweiss have half-board for 735chf which is good, but we need to add flights and transfers on to that. The Silberhorn with Crystal is about £900. Spinne and Eiger Selfness in Grindelwald are less than that.
how easy is it to get to the First ski area above Grindelwald if based in Wengen? It seems from looking at the maps online that the lifts are on the other side of town from the pistes?
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@Alastair Pink, @northantsred, @telford_mike, thanks. Looking at tour ops as they do seem to offer pretty good value for money for a given hotel - especially as Crystal's prices include a first class rail transfer. The Edelweiss have half-board for 735chf which is good, but we need to add flights and transfers on to that. The Silberhorn with Crystal is about £900. Spinne and Eiger Selfness in Grindelwald are less than that.
how easy is it to get to the First ski area above Grindelwald if based in Wengen? It seems from looking at the maps online that the lifts are on the other side of town from the pistes?
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You know it makes sense.
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@Alastair Pink, @northantsred, @telford_mike, thanks. Looking at tour ops as they do seem to offer pretty good value for money for a given hotel - especially as Crystal's prices include a first class rail transfer. The Edelweiss have half-board for 735chf which is good, but we need to add flights and transfers on to that. The Silberhorn with Crystal is about £900. Spinne and Eiger Selfness in Grindelwald are less than that.
how easy is it to get to the First ski area above Grindelwald if based in Wengen? It seems from looking at the maps online that the lifts are on the other side of town from the pistes?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Quote: |
how easy is it to get to the First ski area above Grindelwald if based in Wengen? It seems from looking at the maps online that the lifts are on the other side of town from the pistes?
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There are no links from FIRST - BUSSALP to KLEINE SCHEIDEGG - MÄNNLICHEN, the non skier will need to take a train ride up and over the hill into "downtown" Grindelwald railway station and then a gentle walk up to the top of town for the gondola to First of approx 1 kilometre.
Lots of info on here . . . . https://jungfrauregion.swiss/en/winter/plan-your-trip/resort-map/
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Poster: A snowHead
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nbt wrote: |
how easy is it to get to the First ski area above Grindelwald if based in Wengen? It seems from looking at the maps online that the lifts are on the other side of town from the pistes? |
It's a bit of a trek. Quickest way to do it is to get the Männlichen cable car up from Wengen, then ski down to the middle station of the GGM gondola at Holenstein. Catch gondola down to Grund, then get a bus up to the First gondola. There's only a day's skiing at First, and it’s south-facing so it can get a bit soft in the afternoons, but nevertheless we go every so often - it's a nice chilled little area.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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nbt wrote: |
Just bumping this - we're considering the Jungfrau region for a trip with a non-skiier who will go out walking and sightseeing while Mrs NBT and I ski. e might well meet up for lunch if that's possible. Is it better to base ourselves in Grindelwald or Wengen? Any particular hotel recommendations? We're not independently wealthy so we can't spend a fortune, but Crystal seem to have a very good deal on the Silberhorn in Wengen, or over in Gridnelwald the Spinne (or Eiger Selfness via Skiline)? We'd probably be half board unless someone says B&B and eating out each night is a better option?
(not fixed on Jungfrau - also considering Morzine, or perhaps Austria...)
thanks in advance |
Can recommend the Caprice we stayed there last year, very nice and very convenient literally just above the station and you can virtually ski to the door - I think we used Inghams.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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marksovereign wrote: |
Can recommend the Caprice we stayed there last year, very nice and very convenient literally just above the station and you can virtually ski to the door - I think we used Inghams. |
The Caprice has always been great. It changed hands this summer and is currently undergoing an extensive renovation. The big news is that the new owners are bringing back the apres-ski bar which we lost a number of years back. Good news all round.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@nbt, The Jungfrau region is eminently suitable for a trip with a non skier as the mountain railways make it very easy for the non-skier to meet up with the skiers at lunchtime at Kleine Scheidegg. In addition to plenty of walks there are several toboggan runs too if the non-skier feels up to that! (toboggans can be hired by the day or longer). Grindelwald is bigger than Wengen, but I prefer Wengen as it's car free. If you stay in Wengen then in addition to the non skier taking the train up to Kleine Scheidegg they can take the cable car from the centre of the village up to Männlichen where they can also meet you for lunch.
I've a similar situation for a trip in March 2019. A couple of additional qus...
Is there a non skiers' pass that's worth getting for a long weekend that will be cheaper than paying for return tickets?
Is there a good value place for ski hire anyone can recommend? We'll be staying at the Victoria-Lauberhorn.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Many thanks telford_mike
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I still think Mürren is much better
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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