Experience · Switzerland

Tobogganing from the Faulhorn to Grindelwald

Switzerland takes sledging seriously enough to have the world's longest run: 15 kilometres from the Faulhorn summit down to Grindelwald, with the Eiger's north face glowering across the valley as you career past.

Best forAdventure seekers · Groups of friends · Skiers & snowboarders
In October14°C · 16 rainy days
Ideal stayA day, based in Grindelwald
Approx. flying time~11h 55m from Los Angeles

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Tobogganing from the Faulhorn to Grindelwald, Switzerland

Happens around Grindelwald, Switzerland — nearest airport Bern (BRN), about 52km away.

CurrencyCHFSwiss franc
LanguageGerman, French, Italian and Romansh
Local time14:071h ahead of the UK
PlugsType C / JBring an adapter
Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
Dialling code+41

The experience

The run drops around 1,600 metres over roughly 15 kilometres from the Faulhorn down to Grindelwald, and reaching the top means a two and a half hour winter hike from the First gondola with your sledge dragging behind you. The reward is a long descent with the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau standing across the valley, past the huts at Bussalp and out onto the valley track.

Conditions matter, so the full run only operates with good snow, typically in the depths of winter, and a weekday after fresh snowfall is the version to aim for. Grindelwald has shorter sledge runs from First to Bort and down from Bussalp for anyone not walking up. Build it into a few days in the Jungfrau region, where the trains and lifts do most of the hard work.

Ideal stay: A day, based in Grindelwald
The vibe: Cold, giddy, thoroughly Swiss

From our guides

The catch — and the badge of honour — is the two-and-a-half-hour winter hike up from First to reach the start, sledge in tow. Rent a proper wooden sledge in the village, go on a weekday after fresh snow, and accept that braking technique is learned empirically.

Featured in Ten winter adventures beyond the ski piste

Make a trip of it

The hike to the Faulhorn

A signed winter walking route from First, gaining around 500 metres with a sledge in tow. Take proper boots, spikes and food, since nothing is open at the top in winter.
The descent to Bussalp

The upper half is the fast part, a long series of curves with the north face of the Eiger opposite. Braking is done with your heels, and learned quickly.
The shorter alternatives

The First to Bort run and the Bussalp run are both served by lift or bus, take minutes rather than half a day, and suit families or a quick second go.
The Jungfrau view

The three peaks stand directly across the valley for most of the way down. Stop for them, because you will not look while moving.
Grindelwald afterwards

The village has the full apparatus of a Swiss ski resort, so a hot chocolate and a long soak are readily available at the bottom.

Getting there

Fly to
Bern (BRN)

Nearest airport to Grindelwald, about 52km away as the crow flies.
Then
To Grindelwald

About two and a half hours by train from Bern (BRN) or three from Zurich, changing at Interlaken Ost for the mountain line to Grindelwald. By car it is roughly an hour and a half from Bern.
On the ground
Getting around

Take the First gondola from Grindelwald, then hike about two and a half hours up to the Faulhorn with your sledge before the 15-kilometre run back down. Wooden sledges are hired in the village, and the run needs winter conditions and a clear day.

Public transport: Excellent. Trains reach Grindelwald and the First gondola starts in the village, so the whole day works car-free.

Flights

Los Angeles Grindelwald, Switzerland

Flying from

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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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Pick your departure date, then your return.

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Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.

When to go

Daytime highs run from about 3°C in January to 22°C in July. Driest January to April; wettest in June, with rain on about 22 days.

The year at a glance — pick a month for detail

October14° · rain 16 daysCool and often wet.

Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis).

Where to base yourself

Chalet hotels and holiday apartments in Grindelwald, a few grand old hotels, plus hostels and guesthouses. Self-catering flats are common and eating out is expensive.

Best base overall
Grindelwald

The run finishes here and the First gondola leaves from the village, so nothing needs a car. It is the priciest of the valley towns and the centre gets busy at weekends.
Find stays in Grindelwald
Best value
Grindelwald Grund and Itramen

Lower down the valley by the station, with holiday flats and guesthouses at fairer rates and a short bus or train up. Less atmospheric and a climb back at the end of the day.
Find stays in Grindelwald Grund and Itramen
Quietest
Wengen

Car-free across the valley, calm in the evenings and connected by train. Reaching First means changing at Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald, which eats an hour each way.
Find stays in Wengen
Best with children
Interlaken

Lower, warmer and cheaper, with shops, pools and the widest hotel choice, plus trains up the valley. It is around forty minutes from the lift, so mornings start early.
Find stays in Interlaken

Worth knowing before you book: Christmas, New Year and February half-term fill the valley and many places want a week. Check the sledge run is open before travelling, since it depends on snow cover to the village.

Search everything else in Grindelwald 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.

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Good to know

Conditions: The full run depends on snow cover and can be closed even in midwinter. Check the local run status on the morning you plan to go.
Kit: Rent a wooden sledge in the village, and wear waterproof trousers, gloves, goggles and boots with grip. A helmet is sensible and widely available to hire.
Timing: Start early, since the hike takes half the morning and the light goes by mid-afternoon. Weekdays after fresh snow are far quieter.
Getting there: Trains reach Grindelwald from Interlaken Ost in around 35 minutes and gondolas leave from the village. Regional passes cover most of the lifts.
Fitness: This is a genuine mountain walk at altitude in winter, not a lift-served activity. Anyone unsure should take one of the shorter runs instead.