When Does Sledding Season Start in Switzerland?

Sledding season in Switzerland starts when the snow arrives, and around Interlaken that usually means mid-December, not November. Snow is the only real calendar. We checked 15 winters of MeteoSwiss snow measurements and the 2026/27 lift timetables, and the answer changes a lot with altitude.

At Mürren, 1,632 m, 8 winters in 14 had at least 30 cm of snow on the ground by 15 December. At Grindelwald, 1,107 m, only 4 in 15 did. Pierre Vetsch, our head guide, has sledded as early as the beginning of December. Here is when to come, when to wait, and what happens to a sled tour when the snow is thin.

When does sledding season start in Switzerland?

When the snow comes. That was Pierre's answer: "when the snow arrives", not a date on a calendar. Around Interlaken, the mountain lifts that serve the sled runs restart in mid-December. The Mürren funicular and the Männlichen gondola appear on the timetable from 12 December 2026.

The ticket side starts earlier. Jungfrau Railways sells its Winter Hiking and Sledging Pass from 21 November 2026 to 25 April 2027, from CHF 61, but each run only opens when its snow allows. Our own guided sled tours run from 15 December 2026 to 11 April 2027, Wednesday to Sunday.

Pierre Vetsch, founder and head guide, says: "Early December." That is the earliest he has gone sledding in the region himself. And when a guest asks for a sled tour on 1 December, his answer is "yes, if there is snow".

Can you go sledding in Switzerland in November?

Rarely near Interlaken, and we would not plan a trip around it. In the 15 winters we checked, Grindelwald had 30 cm of snow on 1 December only once. Most lifts are also closed for their autumn break: the Niederhorn stops after 15 November 2026, and the Mürren funicular is closed until 11 December.

The Isenfluh cable car is the exception. It runs to Sulwald every 15 minutes, apart from its autumn maintenance from 2 to 6 November 2026, and it was on the timetable for 25 November when we checked. But a running cable car does not mean a snowy run: the Sulwald to Isenfluh road needs real snow to become a sled run.

November is also the quietest month in the valley. When we asked Pierre earlier this autumn which month the Lauterbrunnen valley is truly empty, he answered November, and what stays open then: "almost nothing". Come for the quiet, not for the sled.

Is there enough snow for sledding in December?

Often, but not every year, and altitude decides. At Mürren, 1,632 m, 8 of 13 measured winters had at least 30 cm of snow on Christmas Day. At Grindelwald, 1,107 m, only 5 of 15 did, and 7 of 15 had no snow at all on 25 December. Higher runs are the safe bet before New Year.

That is why our sled tours start on 15 December and go where the snow is. December is also the month with the earliest darkness, which makes for the most memorable evenings.

Pierre says: His most memorable start of a season was his very first sled tour, with a group of American guests: "December, at night, magic."

On 15 December the sun sets at 16:41 on a flat horizon, so the descent ends by headlamp. Peter, who works the Isenfluh cable car, told Pierre that once the sun passes behind the mountain, the temperature drops fast and the snow that melted during the day turns to ice. Dress for that cold: our guide to what to wear sledding in Switzerland has the list.

Which month has the best snow for sledding?

February. That was Pierre's pick among January, February and March. The MeteoSwiss figures agree: at Mürren, every one of the 13 measured winters had at least 30 cm of snow on 15 February, with a median depth of 74 cm. January is almost as safe, with 13 winters in 14 on 15 January.

March is the other good month, for a different reason. Mürren still had 30 cm of snow on 15 March in all 14 measured winters, the median was 92 cm, and the days are longer. On our sled tour page we name March as our favourite month: fewer people, more sun, still snow.

The table below sets the snow and the lifts side by side, date by date.

In short, the share of winters with at least 30 cm of snow on the ground was: on 1 December, 3 of 13 at Mürren and 1 of 15 at Grindelwald; on 15 December, 8 of 14 and 4 of 15; on 25 December, 8 of 13 and 5 of 15; on 15 January, 13 of 14 and 6 of 15; on 15 February, 13 of 13 and 7 of 15; on 15 March, 14 of 14 and 4 of 15; on 11 April, 7 of 13 and 0 of 14. On the 2026/27 timetable, the Isenfluh cable car runs from late November, Mürren and the Männlichen from 12 December and the Niederhorn by 20 December. On 15 March, the Niederhorn was not listed.

Mürren or Isenfluh: where is the snow when it is thin?

Mürren. The Bob Run starts at the Allmendhubel, 1,907 m, and MeteoSwiss measured its snow in the village at 1,632 m. The Isenfluh run drops from Sulwald, 1,520 m, to the village at 1,095 m, almost the altitude of Grindelwald's snow station. When we asked Pierre how often he switched from Isenfluh to Mürren last winter, he answered "most of the time".

That switch is built into our tour: the guide picks the run with the best snow that day, and the price stays the same. To choose, Pierre does not rely on a forecast alone. His answer to how he checks the snow on the day: "I call", the people who work the lifts and rent sleds on site.

For a first look at both runs, our guides cover the Isenfluh sled run and what to do in Mürren in winter.

What happens to a sled tour if there is no snow?

On our tour, we move it before we cancel it. The guide checks both runs, Mürren and Isenfluh, and goes where the snow is. If neither run is safe, we cancel and you choose between another date and a full refund. Last winter, Pierre told us, we cancelled no sled tour for lack of snow.

Insider tip: Rain in Interlaken is not bad news. At 568 m the town often gets rain while the runs above 1,000 m get snow, so a grey afternoon in town does not mean the evening is off.

If you book on your own, check the run before you buy a ticket. Jungfrau Railways opens each Grindelwald run only when its snow allows, and the Isenfluh cable car posts the state of the Sulwald run on its website. Our comparison of a guided tour or sledding on your own explains what changes when you go alone.

Is April too late for sledding?

Not at Mürren, says Pierre: "yes, at Mürren", it is still worth it. The snow data backs him: 7 of 13 winters still had 30 cm at Mürren on 11 April, against none of 14 at Grindelwald. At Grindelwald's altitude the snow is gone by then, and late in the day the snow turns soft and slides less.

That softer snow is the trade-off of spring. When we asked Pierre about late-afternoon snow in March and April, he answered that it is "softer, it slides less". You also lose the dark: in April we cannot promise a sunset on the mountain.

Fun fact: The Jungfrau Railways sledging pass is sold until 25 April 2027, two weeks after our last tour on 11 April. On the timetable we read on 23 October, the Mürren funicular was not yet listed for 11 April, so check before a late-season trip.

Your Questions About the Sledding Season

Can you go sledding in Switzerland at Christmas?

Usually yes, if you go high enough. At Mürren, 8 of 13 measured winters had at least 30 cm of snow on 25 December, while Grindelwald, at 1,107 m, had none at all in 7 of 15 winters. By Christmas the main lifts are running: the Mürren funicular and the Männlichen gondola from 12 December 2026, and the Niederhorn gondola by 20 December. Our guided sled tours start on 15 December, so the Christmas week is covered. Book early for that week, and keep an alternative date in mind in case the first snow comes late. We choose between Mürren and Isenfluh on the day, depending on the snow.

When does the Jungfrau sledging pass start?

Jungfrau Railways sells its Winter Hiking and Sledging Pass from 21 November 2026 to 25 April 2027, for 1 to 7 days, from CHF 61 for an adult, read on 23 October 2026. The pass covers the trains and lifts to the sled runs of the region, but it does not mean every run is open on the first day: each run opens only when it has enough snow, and some lifts do not restart until mid-December. Before buying a pass for late November or early December, check which runs Jungfrau Railways lists as open that morning. A guided tour includes the transport, so you do not need the pass if you sled with us.

Is there snow in Interlaken itself for sledding?

Not reliably. Interlaken lies at 568 m, and even Lauterbrunnen, at 815 m, had no snow at all on Christmas Day in 9 of the last 15 winters, according to MeteoSwiss. The sled runs are all higher: Isenfluh starts at Sulwald at 1,520 m, and Mürren sits above 1,600 m. That is why sledding near Interlaken always starts with a cable car or a funicular. The good news is that the runs are close: our tour leaves Interlaken at 15:30 and is back for a fondue in town the same evening. Our guide to the best sled runs near Interlaken lists them all with their altitude.

How do you know if a sled run is open?

Check the operator on the morning you go. Jungfrau Railways shows the state of each run around Grindelwald on its website, and the Isenfluh cable car posts the status of the Sulwald to Isenfluh run on its own site. For Mürren, ask at the rental shop when you pick up your sled. Webcams help you see the snow, but not whether the run is groomed and safe, which is why Pierre calls the people on site before choosing. If you sled on your own, check also the last lift down and the last bus, since missing the last lift is the mistake Pierre names first for people sledding without a guide.

Book your sled evening for the right month

The biggest doubt for an early-winter trip is the snow. On our Sunset Sledding with Swiss Cheese Fondue, that risk is ours: the guide chooses Mürren or Isenfluh on the day, and if neither is safe you pick another date or a full refund. Free cancellation applies up to 48 hours before.

For the surest snow, come in February; for the most dramatic evenings, come in December, when the descent ends by headlamp. The tour runs from 15 December 2026 to 11 April 2027, Wednesday to Sunday, leaves Interlaken at 15:30 and costs CHF 139 per person, CHF 129 from six people, for eight guests at most, with the sled, headlamp, mulled wine and a cheese fondue included.

How we made this: based on Pierre's interview of 23 October 2026, MeteoSwiss snow data and timetables checked on 23 October 2026, written with AI assistance.

Source: MeteoSwiss open data, snow stations Mürren, Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen, Jungfrau Railways, sledging, and on-site sledding tours in Mürren and Isenfluh, 2026.

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