Wengen - Switzerland
When you think of the ‘chocolate box’ Swiss village the image in your head is likely to resemble Wengen, a beautiful alpine retreat near the town of Interlaken that is accessed by cogwheel railway. The views are amongst the best in the land and everything in the Lauterbrunnen Valley is dwarfed by the impressive peaks of the Eiger, Jungfrau and Monch that dominate the region. The ski area is known throughout the world as the home of the Lauberhorn downhill course.The railway is an essential mode of transport here, not only for getting to resort but also for getting between ski areas, and it is worth getting your head around the timetable in order to make the most of the skiing in the spectacular yet fragmented Jungfrau region. Don’t forget to take a minute at Kleine Scheidegg to admire the almost vertical north face of the Eiger. This is certainly not skiable terrain but you may see lunatics trying to climb it!
At a glance
| Resort altitude | 1274m - 1275m |
|---|---|
| Highest lift | 945m |
| Lowest lift | 2970m |
| kms of piste | 213km² |
| Black pistes | 14% |
| Red pistes | 61% |
| Blue pistes | 25% |
| Green pistes | 0% |
| Snow parks | 1 |
| Glacier | No |
| Snowmaking | Yes |
-
Five to try
- Try the popular sport of curling at the local sports centre
- Fire and snow show (Friday nights)
- Take a once in a lifetime helicopter tour
- Ice-karting in the nearby Lauterbrunnen
- Parapenting over the mountain tops
-
Planning your trip
Many UK airlines fly into Geneva, which has a transfer time of three hours by car or four hours by train. The other major Swiss airport is Zurich, which takes three hours, and the smaller Basel airport (two and a half hours) is now served by Easyjet. The closer local airport of Bern can only be reached from more...
-
Where to stay
It may be hard to believe when you see the idyllic chocolate-box village of Wengen but the resort was actually one of the first ever purpose-built ski resorts. Over 30 hotels sprung up in the 1880’s after the arrival of the train and hotels still dominate the accommodation scene today. New ones have been built more...
-
Food and drink
There should be no problem finding something to suit all appetites in Wengen, whether you are looking for a simple burger or a five course menu. The standard of food in resort is excellent, even at the lower end of the price spectrum. In terms of mountain pit-stops there are 27 to choose from and there is an more...
-
Things to do
Wengen attracts a big cross section of people including non-skiers, children and grandparents for which the resort caters very well. You can get involved in as little or as much as you like, including sports, tours, relaxing activities and many more, making it a popular choice year after year for more...
-
On the piste
The skiing in the Jungfrau region is split into three main areas. Grindelwald offers nice tree-lined skiing but the village hardly ever gets the sun, the Schilthorn has some awesome off piste below the Piz Gloria restaurant if you wish to follow in the footsteps of James Bond, and Kleine Scheidegg some 20 minutes above more...
-
MadDogView
Wengen can be the stuff of dreams or nightmares. The network of pistes is undoubtedly impressive but disjointed and if you get the accommodation wrong you will find yourself walking miles from the station in this car-free resort. Don’t be put off by this, just do your research and reap the rewards!
-
Map
- Download piste map
-
Our favourites
Top of Europe
Although the Jungfraujoch is not covered on the ski pass unless you buy the upgrade. This is one of the best views you will find in the area. In summer the Jungfraujoch welcomes thousands of visitors from all over the world to visit the ‘Highest railway station in Europe' It is worth combining lunch at the Jungfraujoch into your ski day so that you can experience the UNESCO Heritage site as well as not miss out on your skiing. -
Useful stuff
