Schilthorn
Bond fans know the summit as Piz Gloria, the revolving restaurant stormed in On Her Majesty's Secret Service; everyone else knows it as the best front-on view of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau in the Alps.
- Best forCouples · Photographers · Walkers & hikers
- In August9°C · 19 rainy days
- Ideal stayA day trip from Interlaken
- Approx. flying time~11h 55m from Los Angeles
- CurrencyCHFSwiss franc
- LanguageGerman, French, Italian and Romansh
- Local time15:081h ahead of the UK
- PlugsType C / JBring an adapter
- Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
- Dialling code+41
Why go
A summit of 2,970 metres above the Lauterbrunnen valley, reached by a chain of cable cars, the Schilthorn faces the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau head on across a deep trench of air. The revolving restaurant at the top, used as a villain's lair in a 1969 Bond film, still turns. Below it a viewing terrace and a walkway hang out over the drop, and on clear days the panorama runs for a very long way.
Most people ride up from Stechelberg or Mürren and come back the same day, which makes it a half-day out of Interlaken, Wengen or Lauterbrunnen. Go early, because cloud builds through the morning and the whole point is the view. Winter turns the mountain into a ski area with a long descent to the valley floor, while summer opens up walking routes down to Mürren and beyond.
- Ideal stay
- A day trip from Interlaken
- The vibe
- High, thin-aired, cinematic
From our guides
The ride up from Stechelberg, via the clifftop village of Mürren, is half the fun. Have breakfast in the slowly rotating restaurant — the full panorama drifts past your coffee in forty-five minutes. Book the first cabin on a clear morning.
Featured in Ten epic cable-car days with zero hiking required
Things to do
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Piz Gloria
The revolving summit restaurant completes a full turn in roughly three quarters of an hour, so the panorama drifts past while you eat.
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The Bond exhibition
A walk-through installation on the summit devoted to On Her Majesty's Secret Service, filmed here in 1969, with props and a helicopter simulator.
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Thrill Walk at Birg
A metal walkway pinned to the cliff face at the station below the summit, with glass floor sections. Included with a cable-car ticket.
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Mürren
A car-free village on a shelf high above the valley, midway up the cableway. Worth breaking the journey for an hour of chalets and quiet lanes.
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The Northface Trail
A signed summer walk from Mürren with a running commentary of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Around two hours, and mostly easy going.
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Lauterbrunnen valley
The trench below, walled with cliffs and waterfalls, including the Staubbach dropping nearly 300 metres beside the village.
Getting there
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Fly to
Zurich (ZRH)
Nearest airport to Schilthorn, about 114km away as the crow flies.
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Then
To Murren
Bern (BRN) has very few flights, so most visitors arrive at Zurich (ZRH) and take the train, about three hours to Lauterbrunnen with changes; from Bern it is nearer two hours.
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On the ground
Getting around
From Lauterbrunnen a cable car and mountain railway climb to Murren, and the Schilthorn cable car goes on from there via Birg; the alternative line starts at Stechelberg.
Public transport: Superb, and unavoidable. Murren is car-free, so you leave any car at Lauterbrunnen or Stechelberg.
Flights
Los Angeles Schilthorn, Switzerland
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Roughly 11h 55m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.
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Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.
When to go
Daytime highs run from about -10°C in January to 10°C in July. Wettest in June, with rain on about 22 days.
The year at a glance — pick a month for detail
August9° · rain 19 daysCold and often wet.
Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis). Live conditions from MET Norway, CC BY 4.0.
Where to stay
Small alpine hotels and chalet guesthouses, holiday flats and a couple of hostels. No chains, no resorts, and in the car free villages your luggage goes up by lift and handcart.
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Best base overall
Muerren
A car free village on a cliff shelf, with the cable car to Piz Gloria from the edge of town and the Jungfrau opposite. Everything arrives by rail or lift, and prices reflect it.
Find stays in Muerren -
Best with children
Lauterbrunnen
On the valley floor with waterfalls, a station, shops and easy trains to Wengen and Grindelwald. Sunlight is short in winter, and the valley fills with day visitors.
Find stays in Lauterbrunnen -
Best value
Stechelberg
At the very end of the valley by the bottom cable car station, with guesthouses, a campsite and free parking. Little to do in the evening beyond dinner at your hotel.
Find stays in Stechelberg -
Quietest
Gimmelwald
A tiny farming hamlet one cable car stop below Muerren, with a hostel and a few rooms in chalets. No shops, no restaurants to speak of, and a sensational view.
Find stays in Gimmelwald
Worth knowing before you book: Rooms in the car free villages are few and sell out in both summer and ski season. Check the first cable car time when you book, as a clear early morning is the whole point.
Search everything else in Murren by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.
Good to know
- Timing
- Book the first cabins on a clear morning. Cloud usually forms over the peaks by midday, and the summit is worth nothing in fog.
- Rail passes
- Swiss travel and regional passes give substantial discounts on the cableway. Check what yours covers before buying a full-price ticket.
- Pack this
- It can be near freezing at the summit in July while the valley bakes. Take a warm layer, a windproof and sunglasses.
- Webcams
- Summit webcams show actual conditions before you commit. Consult them, because tickets are not cheap and the weather changes quickly.
- Vertigo
- The cliff walkway and glass floors are secure but genuinely exposed. There are easy ways around both for anyone who would rather not.
Nearby destinations
Wengen
Switzerland · 9km away →
Oeschinensee
Switzerland · 11km away →
Jungfraujoch railway
Switzerland · 11km away →
Interlaken
Switzerland · 14km away →
Grindelwald
Switzerland · 17km away →
The Bernese Oberland
Switzerland · 43km away →Elsewhere in Switzerland
Related articles
Quick answers
When is the best time to visit Schilthorn?
Daytime highs run from about -10°C in January to 10°C in July. Wettest in June, with rain on about 22 days.
How long should I spend in Schilthorn?
Our suggestion: a day trip from Interlaken.
How do I get to Schilthorn?
Bern (BRN) has very few flights, so most visitors arrive at Zurich (ZRH) and take the train, about three hours to Lauterbrunnen with changes; from Bern it is nearer two hours.
Do I need a car in Schilthorn?
No. Superb, and unavoidable. Murren is car-free, so you leave any car at Lauterbrunnen or Stechelberg.
What currency and language are used in Schilthorn?
Currency: Swiss franc (CHF). Language: German, French, Italian and Romansh. Plugs: type C and J.
Who is Schilthorn best for?
Best for couples, photographers and walkers & hikers. In a phrase: high, thin-aired, cinematic.