Grindelwald Cable Car: Firstbahn Ride, Prices and Views

Where the Firstbahn Starts in Grindelwald

The valley station sits in the center of Grindelwald village, about a 10-minute walk from Grindelwald train station. The six-seater gondolas leave from there and pass through Bort and Schreckfeld before reaching First, so you can step off partway down as well as at the summit.

One train detail catches people out: on the Bernese Oberland Railway from Interlaken Ost, the Grindelwald Terminal stop is not the final stop. Stay on one more stop to Grindelwald, then walk to the Firstbahn. Getting off too early leaves you at the wrong lift base.

The Ride: Three Stages, Six-Seater Gondolas, About 25 Minutes

The Firstbahn climbs in three stages from Grindelwald through Bort and Schreckfeld to First, and the whole trip takes around 25 minutes in six-seater gondolas. Bort sits at roughly 1,600 m and Schreckfeld at roughly 1,956 m, which makes either a sensible halfway point if you only want a partial climb or a starting point for the downhill activities.

Views open up across the upper Grindelwald valley toward the Wetterhorn, the Schreckhorn, Kleine Scheidegg and Männlichen as the gondola rises. Sit on the valley side for the widest angle on the way up; the panorama is the reason to ride this line even if you skip every paid activity at the top.

First Cable Car Ticket Prices in CHF

A single First cable car ticket starts from CHF 38, and the Adventure Package starts from CHF 60 and bundles up to two adventure activities with unlimited gondola rides. The package is sold for the season running from April 13 to October 25, 2026, so it is a summer and early-autumn option rather than a year-round deal.

That CHF 38 covers the gondola ride itself, not the First Flyer, First Glider, mountain carts or Trottibike. If you mainly want the cliff walk, the viewpoint and the walk to Bachalpsee, the base ticket is the cheaper route; compare the package price against the individual activities before deciding.

When the Firstbahn Runs

The Firstbahn runs daily from the end of November to the end of October, with specific operating times published in the general information for the line. The cable car was also listed for an autumn maintenance closure running from October 27 to December 12, 2025.

Check the day's timetable on the Jungfrau Railways site before committing, since first and last departures shift with the season. Booking ahead is useful on clear weekends and public holidays, when the gondola queues build in the village.

What Waits at the Top: First View, Cliff Walk and the Mountain Restaurant

The First View vantage platform at 2,194 m lays out seven different perspectives on the Bernese Oberland peaks, and about 20 minutes is enough to take it in. It is a short walk from the gondola station and needs nothing beyond your lift ticket.

The First Cliff Walk presented by Tissot is a 45 m footbridge pinned to the rock face, with views toward snow-covered 4,000 m peaks, and takes roughly 20 minutes. It sits at 2,166 m beside the mountain station and is included with the ride rather than sold as a separate ticket.

For a sit-down break, the First Mountain Restaurant at 2,167 m serves Swiss classics and newer dishes on a terrace facing the upper Grindelwald glacier. It is the obvious stop for a proper meal at the summit, and the terrace is the reason to time your lunch around a clear window.

Adrenaline Add-Ons: Flyer, Glider, Mountain Cart and Trottibike

The First Flyer sends four riders at a time down an 800 m steel cable from First to Schreckfeld at up to 84 km/h, in about 10 minutes. The First Glider runs the other way, pulling riders backwards from Schreckfeld to First at 72 km/h and then releasing them forward at up to 83 km/h, taking roughly 15 minutes.

The First Mountain Cart covers the natural road from Schreckfeld down to Bort, taking about 30 minutes through cow pastures and peaks. From Bort, the First Trottibike carries you down to Grindelwald in about 30 minutes past flower meadows and farmhouses. Both put the descent in your own hands, so brakes matter more than speed.

These activities are sold individually or bundled into the Adventure Package. If you only want one adrenaline hit, price it separately against the CHF 60 package, which only makes sense when you will ride two activities and use the gondola unlimited times.

Walking to Lake Bachalpsee from First

A well-maintained trail leads from the First mountain station to Lake Bachalpsee in under an hour, and the return trip is roughly two hours. The lake sits at 2,265 m, making it the easiest alpine lake to reach from a Swiss cable car top station.

Budget the walk as a half-day rather than a quick photo stop. The path climbs gently, the altitude is real, and the return leg takes longer than the outward one. Sturdy shoes and a windproof layer make the difference on the exposed stretches.

Bort Alpine Playground for Families

At Bort, the 700-square-metre Alpine playground lets children dam a mountain stream, meet marmots and squirrels, and balance on nets and ropes. It is midway up the gondola line, so families can combine the playground with a single-stage ride rather than paying for the full climb to First.

Children ride the gondola on the same ticket structure as adults, and the Bort stop is also where the mountain carts finish. Families with younger children often find Bort a good base for combining the Alpine playground with a single-stage ride.

Passes and Savings That Cover the Firstbahn

The Jungfrau Travel Pass for 3 to 8 days, including boats, starts from CHF 165 and gives unlimited travel across the Jungfrau Region. If you plan to ride the Firstbahn plus other lifts such as Harder Kulm and Schynige Platte over several days, the pass usually replaces multiple single tickets.

The Unlimited Jungfrau Summer Pass starts from CHF 449 for the season from April 3 to November 29, 2026, and includes unlimited trips to the Jungfraujoch. It only pays off for longer stays with several mountain days; for a single Firstbahn ride, the CHF 38 base ticket remains the cheaper choice.

Getting There: Train Versus Car

Arriving by train, take the Bernese Oberland Railway from Interlaken Ost toward Grindelwald and walk about 10 minutes from the station to the Firstbahn valley station. Drivers should use the Grindelwald Terminal car park, where a shuttle runs every 15 minutes to the First cable car, since parking near the valley station itself is limited.

For day-trippers arriving by car, the Park+Ride at Matten bei Interlaken is the simpler option: park there and switch to public transport for the rest of the journey. Live parking information is published at jungfrau.ch/parking, and it is worth checking before you set off on a busy weekend.

Honest Trade-Offs: Cost, Queues and Weather

At CHF 38 for the base ticket, the Firstbahn buys you a 25-minute climb, the Cliff Walk, the First View platform and the walk to Bachalpsee. That is a full half-day for most visitors, so treat the trip as the point rather than a means to an end.

Clear weekends bring long queues at the valley station, so start early or ride in the late afternoon when the tour groups thin out. Cloud can close in on the summit within minutes, and the cliff walk and platform lose their point in a whiteout. Build a spare slot into your trip so you can shift the ride to a clearer day.

Visitors who mainly want village atmosphere should weigh the cable car against a half-day in the village itself. The old town lanes and the views from the valley floor toward the Eiger north face cost nothing and need no ticket.

Plan Your Visit

The Firstbahn is the simplest way to get above Grindelwald without a long hike, and the CHF 38 base ticket covers the ride, the cliff walk and the summit platform. Add the Flyer or Glider only if the Adventure Package or a single activity price makes sense for your group.

Book around the season and check the operating timetable on the day, then decide whether the Jungfrau Travel Pass or the base ticket fits your plans. Either way, keep one flexible morning for the ride so weather does not decide your trip for you.