Grindelwald First is the mountain to pick when you want to actually do something rather than stand behind glass looking at a view. The gondola is half price with a Swiss Travel Pass, the Cliff Walk at the top is free, and the hour-long walk to Bachalpsee is the most photographed lake in the Alps for a reason. It is also the cheapest of the three big Grindelwald excursions by a wide margin.
Planning essentials
Grindelwald First at a glance
| Altitude | 2,166 m at the First station |
| Swiss Travel Pass | 50% off the Grindelwald–First gondola |
| Gondola time | About 25 minutes from Grindelwald, with stops at Bort and Schreckfeld |
| Included free | The First Cliff Walk at the top station |
| Paid extras | First Flyer zipline, First Glider, mountain carts, trottibikes |
| Best walk | Bachalpsee — about an hour each way on an easy path |
| Season | Gondola runs year-round; the summer activities are roughly May to October |
| Time needed | Half a day minimum, a full day if you walk to Bachalpsee |
How it compares with the other two
Grindelwald sits below three headline excursions and they are priced very differently once your pass is applied:
- First: 50% off the gondola. The cheapest by a long way, and the only one built around doing things rather than viewing.
- Jungfraujoch: only 25% off above Grindelwald, on the most expensive mountain ticket in the country.
- Schilthorn: free to Mürren then 50% off — better value than Jungfraujoch, higher summit than First.
If you have one day and children with you, First is the obvious answer. The Cliff Walk costs nothing extra, the carts and trottibikes give them something to do on the way down, and nobody has to sit still in a tunnel train for 45 minutes. Save Jungfraujoch for a trip without a schedule to keep.
What is actually up there
The First Cliff Walk
A steel walkway bolted to the rock face at the top station, running out to a viewing platform that projects into open air above the valley. Included in your gondola ticket at no extra cost.
Ten minutes to walk, and it delivers the Eiger north face straight down the sightline. Do it first, before the day-trip crowds arrive from Interlaken.
Bachalpsee
An easy, mostly level hour on a well-made path to a small lake that reflects the Schreckhorn and Wetterhorn on a still morning. This is the shot you have seen on every Switzerland poster.
Go early. By midday the wind picks up, the reflection is gone, and so is the solitude.
The adventure options — the First Flyer zipline running 800 m down to Schreckfeld at speeds up to 84 km/h, the First Glider that hauls you back up face-down under a wing, and the mountain carts and trottibikes for the descent — all cost extra and none are covered by the pass. They are seasonal, roughly May to October, and worth booking on arrival rather than in advance.
Practical points
- Go in the morning. This is not a weather-only rule — Bachalpsee reflects properly before the wind, and the Cliff Walk is empty before the tour groups arrive.
- No reservation needed. Turn up and board, which means you can pick the clearest day of your stay.
- Walk down if you can. The path from First to Bort takes a couple of hours through pasture with the Eiger in front of you the whole way, and you can pick up the gondola again at Bort.
- Winter is a real option. The gondola runs year-round, and First is a sledging and snowshoe base once the summer activities close.
When to pick a different mountain
First is an activity mountain rather than a viewpoint mountain, and the difference decides whether the day is worth it.
- You want the classic Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau panorama. That is not what First does best. Mannlichen and Schynige Platte both give you more of that view for less effort and less money.
- The extras are the point for you. The Cliff Walk is included once you are up, but the Flyer, the Glider and the mountain carts are ticketed separately and are not covered by any pass. A family day here gets expensive quietly, one add-on at a time.
- Your children are too young for the rides. Most of what makes First worth choosing over a cheaper viewpoint has a minimum age or height. Without access to those, you have paid a premium for a view that other mountains do better.
The case for First is narrow and real: older children, a clear day, and a willingness to pay for the activities. That combination makes it the best value on this side of the valley. Take one element away and it usually does not.
How this fits the rest of your trip
First is the practical half-day from Grindelwald, and it slots neatly around a bigger excursion — plenty of people do First on arrival day and Jungfraujoch on the first clear morning after. Our 3-day Interlaken itinerary shows how to balance one big peak against the lakes, and if you are staying in the valley the Wengen summer trails cover the easier family walking on the other side.
Check where your pass stops paying before you buy anything — the boats, buses and mountain discounts guide sets out which excursions are free outright, which are half price and which are only 25% off. Getting to the region, the Lucerne–Interlaken Express is the scenic approach.
See the mountain excursions guide for how First compares with the other Jungfrau-region summits and what a pass does on each.
Grindelwald First questions travellers ask
Is Grindelwald First covered by the Swiss Travel Pass?
The gondola from Grindelwald to First is 50% off with the pass. The First Cliff Walk at the top station is then included in your gondola ticket at no extra cost. The adventure activities are not covered.
How long does the Grindelwald First gondola take?
About 25 minutes from Grindelwald to the top station, with intermediate stops at Bort and Schreckfeld. You can break the journey at either, which is useful if you plan to walk part of the way down.
How long is the walk to Bachalpsee?
Roughly an hour each way from the First station on an easy, mostly level path. Go early — the lake only gives a clean reflection of the Schreckhorn and Wetterhorn before the wind picks up in the middle of the day.
Is Grindelwald First worth it compared to Jungfraujoch?
For most people with limited time or with children, yes. First is 50% off with a pass against 25% for Jungfraujoch, the Cliff Walk is free, and it is built around walking and activities rather than viewing platforms. Jungfraujoch is the bigger occasion and the much bigger bill.
Do the First Flyer and mountain carts cost extra?
Yes, all the adventure activities are separate purchases and none are covered by the Swiss Travel Pass. They are also seasonal, running roughly May to October, so check before planning a day around them.
Is Grindelwald First open in winter?
Yes, the gondola operates year-round. The summer activities close, but First becomes a base for sledging and snowshoeing, and the Cliff Walk stays open.
Visit Grindelwald First
Check gondola tickets, Swiss Travel Pass discounts and the Cliff Walk at 2,166 m.