Friday 19 — Monday 22 June 2026

Mürren + Allmenalp — long-weekend itinerary

Luton → Zürich → Berner Oberland → Bern → home · two ferratas, three valleys, zero rental car
Day 1
Mürren — Gimmelwald
B/C · 2 h · 250 m climb
Day 2
Allmenalp — Kandersteg
C var. D · 3 h 30 · 370 m climb
Transport
SBB rail + cable cars
no rental car

The two ferratas Browse all 65 options on the map →

★ Mürren - Gimmelwald Klettersteig ↗

Grade
B/C
Total time
2 h
Climbing height
250 m
Protection
Sehr gut
Orientation
facing valley (W)
Rating
76 % · GPX ✓

The classic Lauterbrunnen-valley balcony route. Three Tibetan bridges and a sustained traverse along the cliff between Mürren and Gimmelwald. Approach is a 15-minute walk from Mürren village; exit on the cable car back up.

Mürren - Gimmelwald Klettersteig (video on YouTube) Watch on YouTube ↗

★ Allmenalp - Klettersteig Kandersteg ↗

Grade
C with D variant
Total time
3 h 30
Climbing height
370 m
Protection
Sehr gut
Orientation
facing Kandersteg (E)
Rating
97 % · GPX ✓

The big day. Ascends 370 m of clifface from Kandersteg up to the Allmenalp plateau, parallel to (and crossing) the cable car. Sustained C climbing with one optional D pitch; very well bolted. Top out into alpine pasture and stroll back.

Allmenalp Klettersteig Kandersteg (video on YouTube) Watch on YouTube ↗

Route at a glance

Stage forward, never back. Four sleeping locations, each closer to the next day's move. Friday lands late at ZRH; Saturday climbs Mürren and shifts west to Kandersteg; Sunday climbs Allmenalp and falls back to Bern; Monday is a relaxed 1-hour train to ZRH for a 10:00 flight home. The only repeated leg is Mürren ↔ Lauterbrunnen by the BLM funicular on Saturday.

Friday 19 June 2026 — Luton → Interlaken Travel day
18:10
easyJet LTN → ZRH (booked)1 h 45 direct. Aim to be at Luton by 16:30 — Sunday/Friday LTN security can spike.
20:55
Land Zürich (ZRH)Post-Brexit non-Schengen passport queue: budget 25–35 min from gate to platform. SBB counter is on the platform level; buy a Swiss Half Fare Card (~CHF 120, halves every train/bus/cable car for a month) or just tap through with the SBB app.
21:33
IC1 Zürich Flughafen → Bern~1 h 10. Hourly. If the queue runs long, the 22:03 still works for the last BOB connection.
22:45
IC Bern → Interlaken Ost~55 min along Lake Thun. Cross-platform change at Bern.
23:40
Check in Interlaken OstHotel Du Nord (3★, 2 min from station), Hotel Krebs, or Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof. The last BOB to Lauterbrunnen leaves before your IC arrives — sleep in Interlaken, push up the valley in the morning.
Saturday 20 June 2026 — Mürren ferrata → transfer to Kandersteg Day 1 climb
07:00
Breakfast, pack a day bagLeave main luggage at hotel desk for afternoon pickup, or train it forward to Kandersteg with SBB Gepäckservice (CHF 12/bag, drop by 09:00, ready next morning).
07:55
BOB Interlaken Ost → Lauterbrunnen20 min. Half-hourly from 06:05.
08:20
BLM funicular Lauterbrunnen → Grütschalp → Mürren~30 min total (funicular + mountain railway). Cross-platform at Grütschalp.
09:00
Arrive Mürren villageCoffee at Stägerstübli. Final harness/helmet check.
09:30
Walk to ferrata start~15 min from Mürren centre, signposted "Klettersteig". Start sits on the cliff edge above the Lauterbrunnen valley.
09:45
★ Mürren - Gimmelwald Klettersteig — startB/C, 250 m climb, exposed traverses with three Tibetan bridges. Big views down to the valley floor.
~12:00
Top out at GimmelwaldCable car Gimmelwald → Mürren (5 min) or down to Stechelberg.
12:30
Lunch in Mürren or LauterbrunnenIn Mürren: Tham Chinese on the main street, or hotel terraces with Eiger views. In Lauterbrunnen: Hornerpub.
14:30
BLM funicular Mürren → LauterbrunnenCollect remaining luggage from the hotel.
15:05
BOB Lauterbrunnen → Interlaken Ost20 min. Walk across to the main SBB platforms.
15:35
IC Interlaken Ost → Spiez25 min along Lake Thun.
16:05
BLS Spiez → Kandersteg~30 min on the Lötschberg line. Mountains close in.
16:35
Check in KanderstegHotel Victoria-Ritter (3★, classic, by station), Hotel Bernerhof, or Ruedihus. Allmenalp cable car is 5 min walk west.
~19:00
Dinner, gear sort, early nightTomorrow is the bigger day. Pack lunch for the mountain.
Sunday 21 June 2026 — Allmenalp ferrata → Bern Day 2 climb
06:30
Breakfast, check outLeave bags at hotel reception for afternoon pickup.
08:00
Walk to Allmenalp cable car5–7 min from station. First lift ~08:15 in summer — confirm at allmenalp.ch.
08:15
Cable car Kandersteg → Allmenalp~5 min ride up 800 m of cliff. The ferrata follows the same wall the cable car ascends.
08:30
Hike to ferrata start~15 min along the rim back toward the edge above Kandersteg.
08:45
★ Allmenalp - Klettersteig — startC grade with a D variant. 370 m of vertical, ~3 h 30 total tour. Sustained but very well protected (rated 97 % on bergsteigen). Big exposure on the upper third.
~12:00
Top out on Allmenalp plateauPasture, mountain hut for a quick stop. Cable car or walking descent (~1 h on foot).
13:00
Cable car Allmenalp → KanderstegCollect luggage at hotel.
13:30
Late lunch in KanderstegDu Lac restaurant or Hotel Bernerhof terrace.
15:04
BLS Kandersteg → Spiez~30 min. Hourly. (Earlier 14:04 also works if you'd rather get to Bern in time for an Aare swim.)
15:35
IC Spiez → Bern~25 min. Cross-platform.
16:00
Check in BernHotel Schweizerhof (5★, opposite HB) if splurging; Hotel Allegro or Hotel Bristol (3–4★) mid-range; Hotel Goldener Schlüssel in the old town for character. All within 10 min walk of HB.
17:00
Aare swim or old-town strollJune afternoon water temp ~18 °C. Float-swim from Marzilibad downstream to Bärenpark — locals do it after work. Or walk the UNESCO old town: Zytglogge, Münster, Bundesplatz.
19:30
DinnerKornhauskeller (vaulted cellar, classic), Altes Tramdepot (brewpub by Bärenpark, lake views), or Lötschberg (Valais specialities — fitting send-off after the Lötschberg line). Book Sunday tables ahead.
22:00
Early nightSet alarm for 06:30. Bags packed, train tickets on the phone.
Monday 22 June 2026 — Bern → ZRH → Luton Travel home
06:45
Breakfast at hotel, check outBern HB is 5–10 min walk from any of the recommended hotels.
07:32
IC1 Bern → Zürich Flughafen58 min direct, no changes. Departures :32 and :02 past every hour, so 08:02 is the backup. Reserved seats not needed in StZ.
08:30
Arrive ZRH airportTrain platforms are directly under Terminal 1/2 — no shuttle. ~5 min walk to easyJet check-in.
08:45
Bag drop + security + passport (non-Schengen)easyJet bag drop closes 40 min before departure. Aim to be airside by 09:15.
10:00
easyJet ZRH → LTN (booked)1 h 50 direct.
10:50
Land LutonHome.
Why sleep in Bern Sunday and not Zürich (or Kandersteg): Kandersteg → ZRH airport is ~2 h 15 with two changes on a single rail axis — fine in the afternoon, brittle as a Monday-morning dash for a 10:00 flight. Bern → ZRH is 58 min direct with departures every 30 min, so a missed train isn't fatal. And spending a Swiss evening in an airport-city is a waste — Bern's old town and Aare river make for a proper closing night. Half Fare Card covers the whole chain on one app.

Booking checklist

Before you leave London

  • easyJet LTN→ZRH Fri 19 Jun 18:10 (booked)
  • easyJet ZRH→LTN Mon 22 Jun 10:00 (booked)
  • Hotel — Fri night Interlaken OstHotel Du Nord, Krebs, or Backpackers Villa Sonnenhof — last BOB to Lauterbrunnen leaves before your IC arrives
  • Hotel — Sat night KanderstegVictoria-Ritter, Bernerhof, or Ruedihus
  • Hotel — Sun night BernSchweizerhof (splurge), Allegro or Bristol (mid), Goldener Schlüssel (character) — all near HB
  • Travel insurance covers via ferrata / mountain sports
  • Check current ferrata conditions on bergsteigen.com (snow late June is rare but possible)

In Switzerland

  • Swiss Half Fare Card at ZRH airport SBB counter (CHF 120, 1-month)
  • Phone eSIM with Swiss data (or roaming) for SBB app
  • Cash for huts/lunches (CHF 100 each is plenty)
  • Confirm Allmenalp cable car schedule with hotel reception Sat evening

Gear

Ferrata kit (mandatory)

  • Via ferrata set (EN 958 with energy absorber, manufactured after 2017)
  • Climbing harness
  • Helmet
  • Approach shoes or stiff trail runners (B0/B1 mountain boots overkill for these)
  • Gloves (cheap leather work gloves are fine)
  • Optional: a short 30 m rope for the D variant on Allmenalp if uncertain

On-mountain

  • 30–40 l pack
  • 1.5 L water minimum (Allmenalp has a hut at the top; Mürren you carry)
  • Sandwiches + energy bars
  • Sunscreen, sunglasses, sun hat — both routes are sun-exposed in June
  • Light shell (afternoon thunderstorms possible)
  • Phone + portable charger (offline OSM map preloaded)
  • First aid + blister kit