The Perfect Day Trip to Lauterbrunnen and Mürren, Switzerland

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The ride to Lauterbrunnen from Lucerne involves two trains, but you can buy your ticket for the entire journey at the Lucerne train station. The first leg takes you to Interlaken Ost, and is a bit over an hour and 45 minutes. This is such a scenic train ride, especially as you’re passing by Lake Sarnen, Lake Lungern, and Lake Brienz. Stay awake and put away your phone so you don’t miss out on the views!

You’ll get off the train at Interlaken Ost, and then change platforms to take the train to Lauterbrunnen. Once you’re on your train, the ride from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen is 20 minutes. 

Bern to Lauterbrunnen 

To get from Bern to Lauterbrunnen, you’ll need to take two trains. Just like with Lucerne, you can buy your ticket for the entire journey at the Bern station. The first train goes from the Bern train station to Interlaken Ost. This ride is just under an hour long.

Once you get to Interlaken, get off the train and change platforms to take another train to Lauterbrunnen. This ride will take 20 minutes. 

How to Get from Lauterbrunnen to Mürren

There are two main ways you can get up to Mürren from Lauterbrunnen: hiking or taking the aerial cableway and train. 

If you’re only doing a day trip, hiking up to the town isn’t the way to go. You’re simply not going to have the time to fit everything in. Don’t worry – if you follow the itinerary below, you’ll still get a chance to get in an amazing hike in Mürren! That said, if you’re thinking of doing a longer visit, I’ll talk about the hike in the section below. 

Getting to Mürren via Cable Car and Train

To get from Lauterbrunnen to Mürren, you’ll first take an aerial cable car from the Lauterbrunnen Cable Car station (called the “Bergbahn Lauterbrunnen-Mürren” – it is located right across the street from the train station) to Grütschalp. This ride is only 4 minutes, but is incredibly scenic. I recommend boarding towards the back of the cable car (closer to the entrance to the station) so that you can get the best views of the Lauterbrunnen valley as you make your ascent! 

Once you get to Grütschalp, you’ll board the train to Mürren BLM, which is the station on the north end of Mürren. For the best views of the mountains, try to find a seat on the left hand side of the train.

You can buy your round trip ticket for the cable car and train to and from Mürren from the Bergbahn Lauterbrunnen-Mürren station. You can also buy your one-way ticket there, and then purchase your return ticket at the Mürren BLM station.

How to Hike from Lauterbrunnen to Mürren

The hike up to Mürren is 4.2 miles from point to point, and has an elevation gain of 2982 feet. Note that this is only accounting for one-way, so tack on another 4.2 miles if you plan on hiking back down to Lauterbrunnen when you’re done in Mürren (you might also choose to take the cable car and train on the way back). 

This trail offers stunning views of the Bernese Alps, and passes by plenty of gorgeous waterfalls along the way. It’s a moderately rated hike, but note that some reviewers on AllTrails commented that they’d consider it a hard hike since you’re going uphill!

Find more information about the Lauterbrunnen to Mürren hike on AllTrails. 

One of the absolute best things to do in Lauterbrunnen is get the perfect view of the most iconic waterfall in the area: Staubbach Falls. While there’s an impressive 72 waterfalls in Lauterbrunnen, Staubbach (which is just about 974-feet tall) is the signature fall of the village. 

Once you arrive at the Lauterbrunnen train station, walk about 0.3 miles down Auf der Fuhren and make your way to the Staubbach Waterfall viewpoint. This viewpoint offers a picture perfect view of the falls and the surrounding valley. You’ve likely seen plenty of photos taken from this very spot!

The turnoff to the road can be easy to miss. After you pass by Hotel Schützen on your right, you’ll see a narrow paved road on your left sloping down the hill. It looks a bit like private property, but go ahead and walk down that road for about 200 feet until you get to the bench at the end of the path – this is the viewpoint!

Do a Short Hike to Staubbach Falls

After you’ve admired the falls, it’s time to get a closer look! Continue walking down the narrow paved walkway that is right in front of the bench, towards the falls. Once you hit the road, turn right, and then make your way to Staubbach Hutte. You’ll see the trailhead for the Staubbach Falls trail right behind this structure. 

This easy hike is just 0.4 miles, but it offers some of the coolest views of the valley. After making your way up a short but steep hill, you’ll hike through a cave and end up right behind Staubbach Falls. 

One important thing to note is that, since you’re so close to the falls, the pathway is very wet. The final portion of the trail is also very uneven. Practice caution when walking and use the handrails, especially towards the end of the trail! 

Check out the trail map on AllTrails. 

Head Up to Mürren and Hike the Northface Trail

After finishing the short hike up to the falls, you’ll walk to the Lauterbrunnen cableway station, which is a bit over half a mile north of Staubbach Hutte (and right across the street from the train station). Refer to the instructions above about taking the aerial cable car and train.

Once you arrive at the Mürren BLM station, walk through town and join the Northface Trail. It’ll be about a 10-minute walk, but of course, it may take a bit longer as you stop to enjoy the views and the adorable small village! While the trail starts on the road, you’ll soon enough find yourself hiking through the Swiss Alps.

The Northface Trail offers some of the most unbelievably stunning views of the area. You’ll also meet plenty of cows along the way, and will get a nice view of the village from above.

This is a 4.7-mile loop trail with an elevation gain of 1089 feet. While it’s marked as easy on AllTrails, I’d say it’s more of a moderate trail due to the elevation gain. Clockwise is a good way to go, as it’s a bit less of a challenging uphill climb compared to counterclockwise. It’s also more shaded when you’re gaining elevation if you hike clockwise. 

It takes the average hiker around two and a half hours to complete this trail. If you’re taking photos (like I was!), plan for longer. It ended up being closer to four hours, simply because there’s so much to shoot!

This trail was truly one of my favorite hikes I’ve ever done, and I couldn’t recommend it enough. If you’re looking for that quintessential Switzerland mountain hike, I highly suggest you don’t skip this trail!

Check out the trail map for Northface Trail on AllTrails. 

Walk Through Town Before Heading Back to Lauterbrunnen

Once the loop trail leads you back to the village, it’s time to return to Lauterbrunnen – but make sure you enjoy the town first!

While there aren’t necessarily any must-visit shops in town, you’ll want to admire the iconic Swiss chalet style architecture as you make your way back to the train station. If you need a drink or a bite to eat, you’ll also pass by a few restaurants – many of which have patios with scenic views of the mountains. 

Head to Interlaken for Dinner and Drinks

After you’re back down in Lauterbrunnen, it’s time to board the train and start making your way back home. However, if time permits, I highly recommend spending a bit of time in Interlaken before getting on the train back to your home base (you’ll already be switching trains at Interlaken Ost, so might as well!). 

While you certainly won’t have the time to fully explore the town, I do suggest walking by the river and strolling through town as you make your way to your restaurant of choice. Dinner at Maharaja Indian Restaurant was perfect after a day of hiking and exploring, and I couldn’t recommend it enough! The walk from the train station to this restaurant is about 15 minutes. 

Additional Ways to Experience Lauterbrunnen & Mürren

Here are some additional ideas on things to do in Mürren and Lauterbrunnen during your quick trip: 

• Go Paragliding Over Lauterbrunnen – this beginner-friendly, highly-rated tandem paragliding tour launches from Mürren. An experienced guide will take you over Lauterbrunnen, giving you an incredible birds eye view of the valley and the many waterfalls in the area! 
• Do a Tour of Wengen – on this tour (which departs from Lauterbrunnen), a local guide will lead you through the beautiful car-free village of Wengen, which is on the opposite side of the Lauterbrunnen Valley from Mürren. This is a great option for travelers that have extra time and want to explore more of this scenic region! 
• Do a Private Day Tour of Lauterbrunnen, Mürren, Gimmelwald, & Grindelwald (from Lucerne) – this private tour (which departs from Lucerne) packs in all of these iconic Switzerland locations in one day! A knowledgeable guide will lead you through the area, helping you see the best of these beautiful villages. It’s an excellent option if you want to see a lot with minimal time!