Guide to Wengen, Swiss Alps

Wengen is is a small car-free village in the heart of the Bernese Oberland. The resort is classed as one of the world’s most beautiful skiing destinations, especially because of the fantastic vistas of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains. Wengen is reached by mountain railway from Lauterbrunnen and shares its skiing slopes with neighbouring Grindelwald.
In the heart of the village are excellent nursery slopes, the main skiing area has mainly long blue and red runs for intermediates. For experts Wengen is limited, the best are some black runs on the tough Lauberhorn World Cup Downhill course.
Access to the skiing is by train up to the Kleine Scheidegg or via the centrally located Männlichen cable car. Around 100 miles of trails are lift-linked from the village, with a further 25 miles across the valley at Murren, all covered by the Jungfrau Top Ski lift pass.

Mountain Information

	Resort Altitude	1274 m
	Top Lift	2485 m
	Lifts	30
	Total Runs	150 km
	Longest Run	7 km
	Advanced Runs	15%
	Intermediate Runs	57%
	Beginner	28%
	Cross Country	15 km

Getting to Wengen

The best way to travel to Wengen ski resort is to first find one of the many flights to Zurich or Geneva. The nearest airport to Wengen ski resort is Bern Belp airport (distance 40 miles). Driving time from Berne Belp airport takes 2 hours via Interlaken. Cars are left in the large car park in Lauterbrunnen, then take the train to Wengen, or the funicular to Mürren.
Travelling by train to Wengen goes via Interlaken-Ost station, then take the Bernese Oberland Railway to Lauterbrunnen and change to the Wengernalp Railway to Wengen. The journey time takes about 45 mins. You can also take the Skibus from Interlaken to the resort.
From Zurich Airport trains also run to to Interlaken. Consider getting a Swiss Card, you will get return transport from Zurich airport to Interlaken plus 50% discount on all train, postbus and boat journeys, and on most mountain railways including the Jungfraubahn and Schilthorn.

Accommodation in Wengen

Wengen mainly has hotels, with a total of about 1600 beds, and all get good reports. Beausite Park Hotel is reportedly the best, Alpenrose, Eiger and Falken are British favourites, Sunstar is modern and central, Belvedere good for families, Hotel Brunner is on the piste. Some hotels are over 100 years old and mostly 3 or 4 star, with a handful of catered chalets, guesthouses and self-catering apartments also available. Staying in similar hotels in Lauterbrunnen down the valley can save money. Alternatively, there is also cheaper accommodation in Interlaken which is quickly and easily reached by train. For cheap budget accommodation try Kleine Scheidegg station, which has basic dorms and rooms at low prices.

Bars, restaurants and apres ski

Evening entertainment is relaxed and low key but gets busy in the bars and restaurants. The Tanne Bar and Rocks Cafe are nice late night get-together spots, Chilis Bar is also a favorite, Sina's has live music, or try the Tiffany's disco in the Silberhorn hotel.
Many restaurants in Wengen are in hotels. Hotel Eiger serves good meals and has a nice outdoor eating area, Grindelwaldblick has fantastic Eiger views. The Kleine Scheidegg station buffet offers tasty meals and take-aways, Sina's does good Italian and pizza's.

Activities

Wengen is also good location for the 30 % non-skiers who visit here and there is plenty for them to do. Local activities include walking, tobogganing, groomed snowshoe trails, curling, billiards and bowling alley, helicopter flights, plenty of slopes for snowboarding. The local cinema often puts on English language films and musical performances and folklore evenings are often laid on. There are also various shops, a Coop supermarket and a fantastic ice rink in Wengen.
Sightseeing trips can be taken by train to Bern and Interlaken. The Jungfraujoch railway is also a great outing, it tunnels through the Eiger’s north face to a spectacular ice palace and outdoor observation platform with views over the glacier. Cable car trips can also be taken up to the Schilthorn, a tall snowy peak with stupendous views over the Alps.