Holidays to Switzerland Travel Podcast Episode 7 Transcript
Planning your visit to the Schilthorn
You can see the full show notes and listen to this episode > here.
Intro
Welcome to the Holidays to Switzerland Travel podcast. Your host is the founder of holidaystoswitzerland.com and the Switzerland Travel Planning Facebook group, Carolyn Schönafinger. On this podcast, Carolyn will be joined by a variety of guests who share their knowledge and love of the country to help you plan your dream trip to Switzerland.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Hi there. I’m really looking forward to today’s episode. It’s a little bit different than some of the other episode so far. Why, you might ask? Well, for starters, there’s an Australian and a Scotsman discussing Switzerland. How did this come about? Well, let me tell you. My guest today is Alan Ramsay. I first met Alan back in 2012 when I was a guest of Switzerland Tourism at the Switzerland Travel Mart in Zurich. Part of the exhibition was meeting with suppliers and learning more about what they had to offer to visitors in Switzerland. At the time, Alan was managing a hotel in Mürren, and we’ve kept in touch ever since. When I visited Lauterbrunnen back in 2017, we managed to actually meet up again. By now, Alan had a new position as the sales manager for the Schilthorn, one of the fabulous mountain excursions that are available in the Jungfrau region. My husband and my two sons had been up to the Schilthorn a few times previously, but I was always too scared to go. I really don’t like heights, and going on cable cars is not my most favourite thing to do. But Alan convinced me to go up to the Schilthorn. He said, you’re really going to love it. The views are a magnificent. It’s just something that you have to do. So with the added bit of pressure from Alan, which I’m now eternally grateful for, my husband and I set off on our trip up to the Schilthorn.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Wow, I can only say that I was just totally blown away by the views from up there. 360 degree views, just mountains absolutely everywhere you look. And I just can’t describe how much that the image of seeing that for the first time, just what it actually meant to me. It was just out of this world. So I have actually been up to the Schilthorn now, and I’m really looking forward to going up the next time I can get back to Switzerland as well. So I really hope you enjoy listening to what Alan’s got to share with us today. He’ll be talking more about the Schilthorn, all the different things you can do there, as well as the beautiful village of Mürren that he lived in for many, many years. I hope you enjoy today’s episode.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Hi, Alan. Thanks for joining us on the show today. Welcome.
Alan Ramsay
Thank you very much, Carolyn. It’s a beautiful day down in Interlaken. It’s unshaling and it’s hot.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Excellent. Now we’ll get straight into it. The Jungfraujoch excursion has been discussed in previous episodes of the podcast, but another really worthwhile excursion in the region is to the Schilthorn. In a nutshell, can you tell us what is the Schilthorn and what makes the trip there so special?
Alan Ramsay
So in a nutshell, it’s the perfect half day alpine mountain excursion in the Interlaken Jungfrau area with incredible 360 degrees views and some great James Bond action. If it’s okay, I’ll expand a little bit on that.
Alan Ramsay
Before the Schilthorn cableway was built, many people would hike up the mountain just to experience the fabulous 360 degrees views from the peak. Since 1967, you can take a cable car to the peak and look out over 200 Alpine peaks. And on a good day, you’ll see the Mont Blanc in France and the Black Forest in Germany. We believe we’ve got the best view of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, and that’s what we refer to as the Swiss Skyline.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Wonderful. And I can definitely vouch for those views. They’re amazing. Now, getting to the Schilthorn is one of the highlights of the excursion for many visitors. Can you tell our listeners what different options they have for reaching the summit of the Schilthorn?
Alan Ramsay
Sure. Well, you’re almost always going to come from Interlaken, and from there you can travel by train or car to Lauterbrunnen, which is at the entrance to the largest glacial valley in Europe. From Lauterbrunnen, you can take the cable car up to Grütschalp on a panoramic train from there to Mürren. But you shouldn’t miss out on travelling up the valley of the Waterfalls, which will take you to Stechelberg travelling by car or postbus, which links with the train in Lauterbrunnen. The Lauterbrunnen Valley is the valley of the waterfalls. There are 72 waterfalls in the Lauterbrunnen Valley, and each one of them has a name. I don’t know them all. JR Tolkien hiked up this valley in 1911 and took a lot of inspiration from the area to write his books, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Our cable car station has a very large parking space, and the bus stop is close to our ticket office. The cable cars leave at least every 30 minutes, every 15 minutes when it’s busy, and depart from just over 800 metres above sea level. Take you firstly up to Gimmelwald, the small farming village with around 100 inhabitants.
Alan Ramsay
You swap cable cars here and take the trip up to Mürren, at 1650 metres above sea level. If you’ve travelled from Lauterbrunnen by taking the cable car from there to Grütschalp, and then the panoramic train, you’re also going to be in Mürren, but you have to walk one kilometre through the village. From Mürren, the next cable car takes you to the Birg station at 2,677 metres above sea level, before the last cable car takes you up to Schilthorn Piz Gloria peak at just one % under 3,000 metres above sea level. That’s 2,970. So there are four stages from Stechelberg up to the Schilthorn. Three changes, which sounds complicated, but it’s actually very simple.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Very smooth journey all the way. Just like all the Swiss public transport, it’s all precisely on time all the time.
Alan Ramsay
Clock work.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Are the cable cars and trains open all year round to get to the Schilthorn?
Alan Ramsay
We usually close for five days in the last week of April and four weeks in autumn between the second week in November and the end of the first week in December, roughly. However, this year, since we were forced to close the mountain on the 14th of March, we managed to carry out almost all of the maintenance work during the height of the pandemic, so we should only close for a couple of days in the autumn, we reopened the cable car operations from Mürren to Schilthorn on the sixth of June. The Stechelberg to Mürren via Gimmelwald remained in operation throughout this period, and Mürren was always accessible by our cable cars, even during the maintenance work.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Okay, that’s great. A lot of people visiting Switzerland purchase the Swiss Travel Pass. So is the trip to the Schilthorn covered by the Swiss Travel Pass?
Alan Ramsay
The Swiss Travel Pass will get you all the way to Mürren free of charge, and from there, you’ll only pay 50 % of the ticket price from Mürren to the Schilthorn return. The cost then 42 francs, 80, rather than the full price of 108. So that represents a saving of over 60 % from the normal rate.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Okay. So it’s definitely a great saving if you have the Swiss Travel Pass. You touched on before the James Bond attractions at the summit, and the views up there are just spectacular. But what can you tell us about all the different James Bond attractions? And how did that actually all come about with the James Bond theme?
Alan Ramsay
We built the cable car in 1967. The company was running out of money, and they were struggling to get the building itself finished. Fortunately, E. N. Productions turned up looking for a film location for the sixth James Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. And we were chosen as the main film location. Sean Connery had decided to retire from 007 duty, and his successor was an Australian called George Lazenby. Blofelt’s secret hideaway in the film was called Piz Gloria, and we’ve kept this name for the restaurant on the top. This is the world’s first mountaintop revolving restaurant. It takes 45 minutes to make a revolution. Most of the tables you’ll be pleased to know are at the window. We recommend you make a table reservation which can be done directly on our website. We have an extremely popular James Bond brunch, which starts at 08:00 AM and goes until 02:00 PM. We have a huge selection that includes teas, coffees, hot chocolates, fruit juices, and Prosecco. We also have the now famous 007 burger over the lunch, and it’s got the 007 logo branded onto the bun. Below the restaurant, we’ve got the souvenir shop and our takeaway area.
Alan Ramsay
Another floor down, you will find the Bond World, the Bond cinema, and our toilets. Bond World is a multimedia interactive exhibition all about the world of James Bond and our film. You’ll find many things to do. Our helicopter and bomb simulators are extremely popular. The Bond cinema has a 12-metre curved screen where you can see clips from the film and images from the surroundings throughout the year. No trip to the Schilthorn is complete without visiting our award-winning James Bond toilets. Yes, I did say toilets. In 2018, we won the overall prize for the International Toilet Tourism Awards. The Schilthorn all the way down to the toilets. So I always say, even if you don’t have to go, you have to go!
Carolyn Schönafinger
Toilet Tourism Awards. I didn’t know there was such a thing.
Alan Ramsay
Outside, we have the world’s first 007 Walk of Fame, where the stars from in front of and behind the camera have left their traces with hand imprints, fist imprints and a personal story from their time on the Schilthorn. At the end of the 007 Walk of Fame, we’ve got Piz Gloria view platform, a perfect place for panorama shots and selfies with the Schilthorn and the big three, Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. Further out along the ridge, we have the new lounges, which are like wooden bus stops with seats, so you can take in the fabulous view in a sheltered and relaxed spot.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Definitely plenty to do up there at the summit. So what about at Birg station, the station just before Schilthorn? There’s also some exciting things to do there.
Alan Ramsay
There sure are. At the Birg station, which is just the one down between Mürren and Schilthorn, we built the Skyline Walk in 2014 and the Thrill Walk in 2016. We also have a bistro and a lovely sunny terrace. The Skyline Walk is a large platform that sticks out dramatically over the edge of the cliff. It is a see-through floor which you notice as you descend the steps onto it. It can take over 100 people and offers fabulous views to Mürren, the Swiss skyline in one direction, and to the Schilthorn Piz Gloria in the other. If you feel comfortable here, you should move over to the Thrill Walk. This starts at the back of the sunny terrace and takes you down a pathway that hugs the cliff below the Skyline Walk and under the cable car cables. Here you can enjoy a tight rope walk, perfectly safe. A glass flooring, also safe, and a tunnel made from wire with amazing views into the void below.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Great. So how long would you recommend for someone to allow for a Schilthorn excursion?
Alan Ramsay
Well, we say it’s a half day excursion from Interlaken. You’re needing an hour to go up, an hour to go back, two hours on the mountain. You’ve got time to have a bite to eat, see the things at the top, and enjoy half an hour in Birg. So I’d say from Interlaken, four hours minimum. But you can obviously spend all day there as well. You can get out Birg, you can get out in Mürren, go for a hike, check out the village, come back, and even get out in Gimmelwald and have a short walk around there. So you can turn it into a day excursion, no problem.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Okay, that’s great. Now, I’d also like to ask you about Mürren, as I know you lived there for many years. For some visitors, the village will just be a stop, as you said, on their way to the Schilthorn, but it’s also a great place to spend a few days. So in your opinion, what is it that makes Mürren a great holiday base?
Alan Ramsay
Mürren holds a very special place in my heart. As I originally went to Mürren to spend a winter skiing, so I could ski cheaply since I’m a Scotsman, I wanted to save. However, I fell in love with the village, and I fell in love with the Schilthorn. I even fell in love with Switzerland, and yes, I also fell in love with a Swiss girl. She’s now my wife, and it’s been a very long winter season as I’ve now spent 30 years around here. We have two daughters that were born in the hospital in Interlaken, which is where my youngest daughter is in a second year of a three-year apprenticeship, and they were both brought up in Mürren. It really is a beautiful village which is perched on a cliff with an 800-metre drop to the valley below. It has only 400 inhabitants. It’s car-free, which means that you to come up by cable car, or you could face a couple of hours hiking if you miss the last cable car from the valley below. It’s full of old wooden chalets. It’s only one kilometre long, and yet it has three stations and two churches. It’s got the Schilthorn station for the cable car.
Alan Ramsay
It has the train station for the panoramic train from Grütschalp. And between these two stations is the Allmendhubel station, which takes you up to the Allmendhubel, a funicular ride to a beautiful little mountain top there. What makes it a great holiday base? If you want to get away from it all, it’s perfect. You leave all your troubles behind when you take the cable car from the valley. If you go for a hike, you can walk for 10 minutes, and then you’ll hardly see a soul for hours as you hike through luscious meadows, forests, and a wonderful landscape with stunning views in every direction.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Awesome. Now, you mentioned there the Allmendhubel. At the top of the… After you’ve taken the funicular ride up there, there’s some activities for children. Is that right?
Alan Ramsay
That’s right. Children in the village, it’s always a great place. Some people get nervous about the cliff, but I always find the kids go nowhere near where it gets steep and dangerous. It’s a perfect village as well, because it’s only one kilometre long, and so you can’t get lost. So the kids are safe. Up in the Allmendhubel, we’ve got the Flower Park, which is right next to the Allmendhubel panoramic restaurant. It’s got a great terrace. The flower park has tunnels and slides and swings. And for me, that’s the perfect spot for smaller kids. Being able to enjoy a glass of wine, a beer, as you observe your kids playing in safety close by is my idea of the perfect family holiday. In Mürren itself, we’ve got tennis courts, a football pitch, pump tracks, swimming pool, outdoor Jacuzzi, sports centre you can use if it’s wet. And there’s a spa as well for some pamperings. So it’s a perfect place.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Yeah, there’s absolutely heaps to do. Hiking around Mürren is really popular in the region during the summer months. What are some of your favourite hikes? Because I know you like getting out and enjoying the great outdoors.
Alan Ramsay
Well, during the COVID crisis, we’ve had a lot of time, and I’ve been walking and walking and walking, but I’ll start with a nice easy one. And the walk between Mürren and Gimmelwald is great. We often did this when the kids were very small. You can do it with prams, you can do it with push chairs. Once you’re in Gimmelwald, there are a few barns where animals are there, and the kids love to observe them. They’ve got donkeys down there, sheep as well as cows in Gimmelwald. But in the summer, the cows are usually higher up on the alpine pastures. This allows them to eat flowers and herbs up there, that makes the cheese taste so good. If you’re more adventurous, you could try the via Ferrata from Mürren to Gimmelwald. Here you’ll need a climbing harness, a helmet, a really good pair of shoes to try it out. And I would recommend a guide if you’ve got no climbing experience. At one point, you’re out on the cliff face walking on what looks like large staples stuck in the rock with a 700 metre drop below you. For something in between these extremes, then there’s several hikes There’s a couple of tracks that either start or finish on the Allmendhubel.
Alan Ramsay
There’s a Mountainview Trail and a Northface Trail, which are on our website. I always prefer to walk up the Allmendhubel and take the 180-year-old funicular back down because it’s better for all your joints.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Great. Hiking in summer, but in winter, it’s a skier’s paradise in Mürren. And there’s some fairly iconic events that happen in the village. What can you tell us about those?
Alan Ramsay
Well, Well, skiing actually brought me to Mürren in the first place, and Mürren is actually a cradle of Alpine skiing. In January 1922, Sir Arnold Lunn an Englishman held the first ever slalom in Mürren behind the Hotel Jungfrau. The first and second ever World Ski Championships were held in Mürren in 1931 and ’33, even though the Brits were organising them. Every year, we hold the longest and largest amateur downhill ski race called the Inferno. It follows a 14.9 km route from the Schilthorn to Lauterbrunnen, with a 2,200 metre altitude difference. We’ve got 1,850 competitors starting at 12 second intervals. We have the cable car to Birg, the Schilthorn, and Allmendhubel taking skiers to the pistes, but we also have seven chairlifts, two drag lifts, and over 50 kilometres of peace, which does not sound like much, but it’s kept me very happy for the last 30 years.
Carolyn Schönafinger
And ski-in, ski-out facilities. That’s a no-brainer, I guess.
Alan Ramsay
Yes. It always amazes me that in a lot of countries, Australia, too, you’ll take the car all the way up to the resort and ski the day and then drive all the car home. But I’ve skied to the door. And when the kids learned to ski, they used to nip off the end of the ski school, a line of people skiing down and just come straight home. And we had to send them back to finish the lessons on the nursery slope. And they weren’t allowed to just ski back in the door because it was saving them time.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Wonderful. Now, to finish off, I’d just like to ask you a question that often gets asked in the Switzerland Travel Planning Facebook group. If someone is trying to decide between a visit to the Schilthorn or Jungfraujoch, what tips or advice would you give them?
Alan Ramsay
If you can do both, you can go for it. But if you can’t, then it is a difficult decision to make. The Jungfrajoch is certainly a great excursion. The construction of the tunnel through the mountain and the view to the Aletsch Glacier is really impressive. However, you do spend a lot of time in a tunnel, and the extra 500 metres in altitude can cause a bit of trouble with some people, and the costs really are eye-watering. I’m certainly not neutral, but in my view, you’re much quicker up to the Schilthorn, you’re on the peak of the mountain, you have an incredible 360 degree view of the Alps with the best view of the Swiss Skyline, Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. I’ve always said that it’s half the price, it’s half the time, and it’s double the fun.
Carolyn Schönafinger
Well, that pretty much sums it up, I’d say. Thank you very much, Alan, for all your great tips on visiting the Schilthorn and Mürren. And I’ll link to some of the things that you’ve mentioned in the show notes, as well as the Schilthorn website. So if people need any more information, they can check that there. And all the best. Hopefully, we can all get back to Switzerland very soon and visit the Schilthorn. Thank you.
Alan Ramsay
Thank you very much indeed for inviting me to do this. Once you do get to travel, the travel will be even more special than it ever was before because we’ll appreciate it so much more.
Speaker 3
Thank you so much for listening. For more great resources on planning a trip to Switzerland, make sure you visit holidaystoswitzerland.com, where you’ll find trip planning tips, destination guides, information on transport, including Swiss rail passes, and much more. You’re also encouraged to join the Switzerland Travel Planning Group on Facebook, where you can ask questions and chat to other past and future travellers to Switzerland. You’ll find show notes from today’s episode at holidaystoswitzerland.com/podcast, and be sure to subscribe to the Holidays to Switzerland Travel podcast so you never miss an episode..
You can see the full show notes and listen to this episode > here.
