Skiing near Interlaken: 5 Ski Areas Compared

Skiing near Interlaken starts on a train, because the town itself is not a ski resort. The first gondola of the Jungfrau Ski Region leaves 29 minutes from Interlaken Ost, and from there 211 km of pistes run under the Eiger, the Mönch and the Jungfrau. Pick the wrong area, or rent in the wrong place, and you lose half your only ski day.

I'm Pierre, founder and head guide at Swiss Local Adventures, and a state-qualified Austrian ski instructor (Landesskilehrer). For one day from Interlaken, I send people to Männlichen and Kleine Scheidegg above Grindelwald. Below you'll find the five areas you can reach by train or bus, what a day costs in winter 2026-27, and where beginners should start.

Every price, date and travel time below was checked at the operators and the Swiss timetable on 1 October 2026.

Where can you ski near Interlaken?

In five ski areas you can reach without a car: Grindelwald-Wengen (Männlichen and Kleine Scheidegg), Grindelwald-First, Mürren-Schilthorn, Meiringen-Hasliberg and the Axalp above Lake Brienz. The first three form the Jungfrau Ski Region, 211 km of pistes on one pass. The last two are smaller, sit east of Interlaken and need their own pass.

The fastest is Grindelwald Terminal, 29 minutes by direct train from Interlaken Ost (timetable for Wednesday 20 January 2027, 08:04 departure). Meiringen takes 31 minutes, Wengen 37 minutes with one change in Lauterbrunnen, Mürren and the First gondola 50 minutes, the Axalp 59 minutes with a bus from Brienz, and Kleine Scheidegg by train 64 minutes.

The table sums it up. Grindelwald-Wengen opens on 21 November 2026 and runs to 25 April 2027, Mürren-Schilthorn runs from 21 November 2026 to 2 May 2027, and Grindelwald-First from 19 December 2026 to 29 March 2027. Meiringen-Hasliberg and the Axalp both plan 19 December 2026 to 29 March 2027. All dates depend on snow: on 1 October, the Jungfrau railways wrote that the start of winter operation "has therefore not yet been determined", with weekend operation only until the end of November.

A one-day adult pass for the Jungfrau Ski Region costs CHF 79, or CHF 83 in high season. Meiringen-Hasliberg had not published its 2026-27 prices on 1 October 2026: its day pass cost CHF 65 in winter 2025-26. The Axalp's price page did not say which season its rates apply to, so I leave its price out.

For what the pass includes, the half-day rule and where to collect it, read my guide to the Jungfrau ski pass.

Which ski area should you pick for one day from Interlaken?

Männlichen and Kleine Scheidegg, in the Grindelwald-Wengen area. It is the best connected, the biggest and the easiest to use from Interlaken: a direct train to Grindelwald Terminal, then the Eiger Express gondola up to Eigergletscher in 15 minutes. From there you ski between Eigergletscher, Kleine Scheidegg, Männlichen and Wengen, all on one pass.

Pierre Vetsch, founder and head guide, says, on one ski day from Interlaken: "Männlichen-Kleine Scheidegg. The best served, the biggest and the most practical."

This is also where the Lauberhorn sits, the World Cup downhill above Wengen. The Jungfrau railways list the original Lauberhorn piste as open to all skiers and included in the pass, so a confident skier can ride the famous course on a normal day.

Fun fact: The Eiger Express is a tricable gondola 6,483 m long, with 44 cabins for 26 people each (Jungfrau railways, read 1 October 2026).

My favourite moment of a ski day here is the end of it. You leave the last lift and ski all the way down to Grindelwald Terminal, through the forest.

Pierre says: "Skiing back down to Grindelwald Terminal through the forest, at golden hour or as the sun starts to set, with the moon already out. Incredible."

That run only works if you are on it before the lifts close. The ski patroller I met at Kleine Scheidegg gave me exactly that advice: know the time of the last lift, so you don't get stuck at the top.

Grindelwald or Mürren: which ski area suits you?

Grindelwald if you want the most pistes and the easiest day from Interlaken; Mürren if you want quiet slopes, steeper terrain and higher snow. Mürren-Schilthorn has some 50 km of pistes between 1,600 m and almost 3,000 m, against 211 km for the whole Jungfrau Ski Region. Mürren takes 50 minutes and two changes from Interlaken Ost, Grindelwald Terminal 29 minutes and none.

A ski instructor I met in Interlaken put it simply: Mürren is calmer than Grindelwald. My own experience on the lifts matches it.

Pierre says: "Almost no waiting at any lift, especially in Mürren."

Mürren is also where I go when the snow is poor lower down or the weather turns. The area tops out near 3,000 m at the Schilthorn, and the operator keeps skiing on Birg-Schilthorn until the end of April. For steep skiing, piste number 9, the Direttissima, is 400 m long with an 88 % gradient, the steepest in the region according to the Schilthorn cableway.

Insider tip: On the Mürren to Schilthorn cableway section, the Jungfrau Ski Region pass is valid for the ascent only. The descent by cableway costs a surcharge at the Schilthornbahn ticket office, so plan to ski down.

My verdict: for a single day, or for a group with mixed levels, Grindelwald and Männlichen. For a second or third day, or when the forecast is grey and the snow low, Mürren. If you are still choosing where to sleep, my comparison of Wengen or Mürren for your stay covers the villages, and three routes up to Mürren covers the ways up.

Where should beginners ski near Interlaken?

On the gentle slopes at the bottom of an area, before buying a full pass. The ski instructor I met in Interlaken named three places: the Axalp, the bottom of Grindelwald, and the Allmendhubel in Mürren, where you start at the bottom without taking the funicular. He told me a beginner there does not even need to buy a pass, a claim I could not check at the operators.

What the operators do publish: the Männlichen top station at 2,232 m has a "children's paradise", the Allmendhubel above Mürren has a children's slope called Lilly's magic, and the Schilthorn cableway points beginners to the gentle slopes around Maulerhubel and Winteregg. The Axalp, above Brienz, has 8 pistes and 15 km between 1,400 m and 2,000 m, with a children's area, which makes it the quiet choice for a family's first days. If you want to see the Axalp in summer first, my Hinterburgseeli hike from the Axalp starts at the same bus stop.

Children save money too. In the Jungfrau Ski Region, up to three children aged 6 to 15 ski free on Saturdays when an adult buys a day or afternoon pass at the list price. In Mürren, the Schilthorn cableway says the Intersport Rent shops in Mürren and Lauterbrunnen lend children's ski gear free of charge.

For a complete first day, from the Bodmi Arena ticket to the price of a lesson, read my guide to skiing in Interlaken for beginners.

Should you rent skis in Interlaken or at the resort?

At the resort, on the morning you ski: at Grindelwald Terminal for Männlichen, Kleine Scheidegg and First, or at Intersport in Mürren for Mürren-Schilthorn. Renting in Interlaken means carrying skis, boots and poles through the station, onto the train and back again in the evening, and on a single ski day that is time you don't get back.

Pierre says, on the most common mistake: "Renting skis in Interlaken instead of doing it directly at Grindelwald Terminal, especially if they only have one day."

The Intersport Rent shop at Grindelwald Terminal opens from 08:00 to 18:30, according to its rental partner Stöckli. For a price benchmark, the 2026-27 rental grid of OUTDOOR, which rents in Interlaken and Grindelwald, lists a ski and boot set at CHF 66 a day in its 4-star range and CHF 79 in its 5-star range, with a helmet at CHF 10. Mürren has its own Intersport Rent shops, part of the same network, named by the Schilthorn cableway. My two addresses, in my own words: "Grindelwald Terminal or Intersport Mürren".

If you also need a jacket or trousers, I listed the addresses and prices in ski clothes rental in Interlaken.

If you ski more than one day, the Terminal also has two ski lockers, from CHF 12 a day, so your skis stay at the gondola overnight and you travel back to Interlaken with empty hands.

How much does a ski day near Interlaken cost?

About CHF 145 for an adult in low season: CHF 79 for the Jungfrau Ski Region day pass and CHF 66 for a rented ski and boot set, plus your train ticket. In high season the pass rises to CHF 83. High season runs from 19 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 and from 30 January to 28 February 2027, and outside it, weekend day and half-day passes are charged at the high-season rate.

The 2026-27 day pass costs CHF 45 for young people aged 16 to 19 and CHF 38 for children aged 6 to 15. A half day costs CHF 62 for an adult, CHF 65 in high season, and two days CHF 156. Passes are sold online at the Jungfrau Ski Region pass page.

What I would not spend on, on a ski trip, is the Jungfraujoch. When I list what is overrated for skiers here, it comes first: it is a sightseeing train, not a ski area. If you want it anyway, the Jungfrau railways sell a Jungfraujoch "Top Ticket" for CHF 63 to holders of a ski pass, valid from 1 December 2026 to 30 April 2027. My winter guide to Interlaken compares it with the Schilthorn and the Harder Kulm.

I explain what you can and cannot do on skis up there in can you ski at Jungfraujoch.

When is the ski season near Interlaken, and which month is best?

From late November to April, with the best mix of snow, sun and space in March. The Jungfrau Ski Region plans to open Grindelwald-Wengen and Mürren-Schilthorn on 21 November 2026, Grindelwald-First on 19 December, and to close between 29 March and 2 May 2027 depending on the area. Snow decides the real dates.

The ski instructor I met in Interlaken was clear about the month: come in March. He said you get more sun and fewer people. March is also outside high season on the pass, which ends on 28 February 2027.

Pierre says: "I personally love March, for the weather, the snow, the sun and the longer days."

Weather here changes the day more than the month does. When it rains in Interlaken, I usually go up to Mürren, where it is snow. On a bad day, my rule is "either enjoy the spa or go as high as possible, depending on your ski level". Going high means Birg-Schilthorn, which the operator keeps for good skiers and keeps open until the end of April.

As for fitness, a full day on the Männlichen and Kleine Scheidegg pistes means several long descents, and the run back to Grindelwald through the forest comes at the end, when your legs are tired. If you are not sure, a half-day pass at CHF 62 is the honest choice. My piece on whether Interlaken is worth visiting in winter covers what to do on the days you don't ski.

Your Questions About Skiing near Interlaken

Is Interlaken a ski resort?

No. Interlaken sits in the valley between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz and has no ski area of its own. It works as a base: the first gondola of the Jungfrau Ski Region, at Grindelwald Terminal, is a 29-minute direct train ride from Interlaken Ost, and Meiringen is 31 minutes away. The advantage is choice. You can ski Grindelwald one day, Mürren the next, and Meiringen-Hasliberg the day after, all from the same hotel. The cost is the daily train ride with your gear, which is why renting at the resort matters. If you hesitate between bases, my piece on staying in Lauterbrunnen or Interlaken weighs both.

Can you ski near Interlaken without a car?

Yes, and it is the easier way. Every area in this guide is served by train, and the Axalp by a bus from Brienz station. On Wednesday 20 January 2027, the 08:04 train from Interlaken Ost reaches Grindelwald Terminal at 08:33 without a change, Wengen at 08:41 and Mürren at 08:54. Driving brings its own problems: Wengen and Mürren are car-free villages, and the Jungfrau railways point drivers to the park and ride at Matten near Interlaken anyway. The longest trip is the Axalp: 59 minutes, of which 40 by bus from Brienz station. Leave the car, take an early train, and let the railway carry you up.

Is one day at each resort worth it, or should you stick to one?

For two days, I would split them: one day on Männlichen and Kleine Scheidegg, one day in Mürren. The two areas feel different, Grindelwald bigger and busier under the Eiger, Mürren quieter and steeper above the Lauterbrunnen valley, and one Jungfrau Ski Region pass covers both. A two-day adult pass costs CHF 156 in low season, against CHF 158 for two single days. The only reason to stay in one area is a group with a beginner, who will progress faster on slopes they already know. For three days or more, add Grindelwald-First, open from 19 December, on the other side of the Grindelwald valley.

Can you ski the Lauberhorn World Cup run?

Yes. The Jungfrau railways describe the original Lauberhorn piste above Wengen as open to all skiers and included in the Jungfrau Ski Region pass. You reach it from Kleine Scheidegg, which is 64 minutes from Interlaken Ost by train via Lauterbrunnen and Wengen, or from Grindelwald Terminal with the Eiger Express. It is a World Cup downhill, so it is no place for a first day on skis, and you ride it at your own speed, not race speed. Ski it in the morning while the snow is firm, and check the Jungfrau railways' piste report before you go, since every piste depends on snow and weather.

Ski your first day near Interlaken with a local instructor

The real risk on a first ski day from Interlaken is not the slopes. It is losing the morning to rental queues, the wrong train or the wrong lift, and missing the last gondola down. That is the day our Ski Safari from Interlaken is built to fix: a small group of eight people at most, all levels from first-timers to confident skiers, from December to March, starting at 08:30 from the West Station. I plan the itinerary for the snow and the weather of the day, and I ski it with you. Bring your own skis or rent them at the resort, and buy the pass for the area we choose.

If skiing is not for you, my guide to sledding near Interlaken and my comparison of snowshoeing trails in Interlaken cover the other ways down the same mountains.

How we made this: based on Pierre's interview of 1 October 2026, facts and prices checked at the official sources on 1 October 2026, written with AI assistance.

Source: Jungfrau Ski Region, Schilthornbahn, and ski days in the Jungfrau Region, 2026.

*Written by Pierre Vetsch, founder and head guide at Swiss Local Adventures