Switzerland on a Budget? Skiing the Jungfrau from Lauterbrunnen

Ski writer Rob Stewart books a Ski Miquel holiday in Lauterbrunnen with his 16-year-old daughter and her friend over the Easter school holidays, and finds some of the best snow of the season and great Swiss value. What, really?

Finding the right time of the season to take two sixth-form students on a skiing holiday can sometimes be a challenge, but the Easter school holidays proved to be spot on, as the Jungfrau Ski Region provided not only perfect snow conditions but surprisingly good value for money too. Come on, bear with me on this one…

Is Switzerland too expensive for a ski holiday?

Switzerland is often thought of as an expensive destination, and while it’s hard to argue against some of the reasons why (a tough exchange rate between the pound and the Swiss franc, and a high-wage society meaning prices are generally high), there are ways to really experience what British skiers say is one of their top bucket-list ski destinations without feeling stressed about the cost.

Ski Miquel, founded in 1980 and now with nine destinations in France, Andorra, Austria, Switzerland and Alaska (random but cool), is a British-operated chalet company that offers the traditional catered ski holiday experience at prices that are, well, almost 1980s-like. Okay, not quite, but certainly attractive enough for me to book a holiday with my daughter and her friend for the first week of April.

The concept is simple: package deals with flights and transfers included, seven nights in a catered chalet staffed by enthusiastic British hosts, social skiing on the slopes led by the reps and afternoon tea, obviously. So far, so 1980s, except the food is prepared by a professional chef and the chalet staff generally aren’t straight out of finishing school.

Why stay in Lauterbrunnen?

Lauterbrunnen might not be the first name on the list of famous ski resorts, but the historic village that lies in Rivendell (no elves in sight, but Lord Elrond’s presence oozes out of the walls of rock and the waterfalls cascading from high above) offers easy access to both Wengen on one side of the valley and Mürren on the other. And while it’s not actually in Rivendell, ’cause that’s a made-up place, there is nowhere in the world that gets even nearly as close to Tolkien’s vision for his Elven stronghold in The Lord of the Rings. Perhaps because he visited the area in 1911, more than 40 years before the book was released.

What is Ski Miquel’s Chalet Rosa like?

Adding to the feeling that you’re being set up in some kind of Tolkien version of Disneyland is Ski Miquel’s accommodation base in the village, Chalet Rosa. Built in 1658, it’s one of the oldest buildings in Lauterbrunnen and is as authentic a Swiss chalet (with a hint of Nordic style) as you’ll ever get. Fortunately for me and the other guests, it was fully renovated in 2006 and offers 11 en-suite bedrooms that can sleep up to 30 people. The cosy communal living room has a simple bar and proved to be a friendly gathering spot after the four-course meal (canapés served in the bar beforehand), with wine served on six nights through the week.

Virtually next door to Chalet Rosa is the infamous Horner Pub, known for its BASE-jump hangout vibe (Lauterbrunnen’s cliff faces are world famous in the BASE jumping community). It’s the perfect spot for a decent pint before dinner, and it’s not unusual to overhear lunatics (sorry, BASE jumpers) planning their next moves. It’s a rather niche sport, with ever-dwindling numbers. I wonder why. There’s a dedicated wall to former jumpers who aren’t with us anymore, and it’s unnervingly well populated.

Skiing the Jungfrau: where modern Alpine skiing began

Fortunately, winter sports in this region, known as the Jungfrau, are slower and more gentle. It’s generally regarded as the birthplace of modern Alpine skiing, made popular by Sir Arnold Lunn after he first visited the area with his father, Sir Henry Lunn, in the late 1800s. Sir Arnold organised some of the first ever Alpine skiing competitions in Wengen and Mürren, where the railway could be used to access the snowy slopes, and that railway is our first stage of the journey from Lauterbrunnen to the large, modern ski area that links with the town of Grindelwald.

How do you get to the slopes from Lauterbrunnen?

Although the walk to the station from Chalet Rosa is around 10 minutes, Ski Miquel has its own ski locker right in the station itself, so it’s an easy and quick boots-on before the train departs to Wengen. Some trains go all the way to Kleine Scheidegg (2,061 metres) and it’s possible to ski directly from there. Alternatively, get off in the village of Wengen and walk a few minutes to the Männlichen cable car, which whisks you up to the top (2,230 metres). From here, the wide slopes offer views across to the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, arguably the most spectacular rock vista in the Alps. It’s almost surreal in its vastness.

Skiing Wengen, Kleine Scheidegg and the Lauberhorn

Ideal for intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders, the ski area, with several high-speed chairlifts, links back towards Kleine Scheidegg, where the highest point in the area can be reached via the Eigergletscher chairlift (2,320 metres). Several red and black runs head down towards Grindelwald or Wengen from here.

On the opposite face sits the Lauberhorn, a fairly inconspicuous mountain that plays host to the start of the longest men’s World Cup downhill race. It’s an annual event in the middle of January that forms Switzerland’s biggest sporting weekend, alongside a super-G and slalom. The chance to ski this long run, which finishes in the hamlet of Innerwengen, is surely one of skiing’s top 10 must-dos.

Can you ski the Lauberhorn downhill?

Yes, and it’s one of my favourite ski runs in the Alps. The chance to take anyone down it is always a pleasure, and this week it’s the turn of my daughter Amelie and her friend JK. They don’t seem to appreciate the gravitas of such an iconic piece of sporting real estate, or even the sense of achievement in getting down without a fall, despite me harassing them with YouTube clips of famous and daring athletes flying over 50 metres through the air off the Hundschopf (Dog’s Head) jump before steering into Canadian Corner at 100km/h. Teenagers. We stop for a hot chocolate in Wengen’s quaint, car-free main street before jumping back on the train to Lauterbrunnen (12 minutes).

Skiing Mürren and the Schilthorn

One of the advantages of staying in Lauterbrunnen is its location, jammed in between Wengen and Mürren. Mürren is often overlooked by those staying in Wengen or Grindelwald because of the logistics of getting there. Not so from here: choose between the train to Wengen or the cable car to Mürren, both departing from the railway station. The cable car has been replaced for the 2026/27 season, and capacity has risen from 100 to 130 people.

We decided to do one full day here during the week, but you could easily do two or more, because while the ski area is relatively small, there are plenty of interesting pistes and off-piste areas to explore. The mighty Schilthorn (2,970 metres) provides the highest lift-served point in the region, and from the top the famous Bond run (skied by George Lazenby in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service) is a properly steep black. Getting Amelie and JK down that was more of a challenge, but they are both upper-intermediate skiers and they managed it. Looking back up, the sense of achievement was more real this time. Or was it relief? Probably. Schilthorn maxing, as I think one of them put it.

Fact: the new Schilthorn cable car officially opened on 2 April 2026, following a complete renovation project.

We decided to ride back down to the Lauterbrunnen valley via the second access cable car to Stechelberg. It happens to be the steepest cable car in the world, and by the time we get the chance to panic as it drops over the edge at the height of a Thorpe Park roller coaster on steroids, we’re down in the car park. The bus back to Lauterbrunnen from here takes around 10 minutes and stops close to Chalet Rosa, and the ride down is definitely worth it for the experience.

Grindelwald, the Eiger Express and First

Further afield from Lauterbrunnen is the village of Grindelwald, which can be reached three ways: by train, by road or on skis from the Wengen–Grindelwald ski area. In 2020 the new Grindelwald Terminal fully opened, a sort of mini airport terminal with a railway station, shops, bars and cafés that is also the starting point for two major lifts. One, replacing the old bubble lift to Männlichen on the Grindelwald side, now takes around 19 minutes rather than the 30-minute ride on the old one. The second, the Eiger Express, is a new route carrying skiers and pedestrians to Eigergletscher station. It’s part of the V-Bahn, one of the world’s largest lift projects (let’s not get into the technical details, it’s just awesome, okay?), and it has cut the journey time for foot passengers heading to the Jungfraujoch, Top of Europe (more on that later), as well as to the ski area itself. Personally, I think one of the best things about it is that you can now ski down to Grindelwald and get back to Wengen far faster, on better slopes. It has transformed the ski area.

Grindelwald also has another, separate ski area called First (pronounced “fee-erst” in the local valley dialect). Getting there is a bit of a faff if you’re not staying in Grindelwald itself, but the effort can be worthwhile. The long gondola to First winds its way up to sunny, mostly south-facing slopes with the best views of the Eiger. Long blue and red runs are often virtually empty, and perhaps best of all are the big zip lines, the First Flyer and the First Glider. Both are included on the lift pass for the week, so they were an obvious draw for Amelie and JK. I reluctantly joined them and, like them after the Schilthorn run, relief is how I would best describe the feeling. Fortunately, there’s a series of little wooden huts serving drinks (well, beer in this case) close to the end of the ski run, which finishes at a bus stop in a random location. But it’s Switzerland, and we’re soon back at the Eiger Terminal and heading home. Do allow a full day for this excursion, though.

Is the Jungfraujoch worth it on a ski holiday?

For non-skiers, and those looking for a few hours off the slopes to experience something entirely unique, the Jungfraujoch, Top of Europe, should definitely be on the to-do list. It’s not included on the lift pass, but there is a discount if you have one: the adult price is CHF63 (about £57) instead of CHF129.60.

We decided to go on a bad-weather day, and there’s a debate to be had about that. On a sunny day the views from the top (it’s the highest railway station in Europe, at 3,454 metres) are incredible, with the Aletsch Glacier, the largest in the Alps, flowing down into the Valais below. However, we wanted to save the sun for the ski slopes, and there’s so much to see and do without the views too: ice caves in the glacier, a museum dedicated to the people who built the railway, visual installations, the famous Sphinx building with its express lift, several restaurants and a chocolate shop filled exclusively with Lindt. The price includes the return train journey through the Eiger itself (with a stop to view the glacier through a hole in the mountain), starting at Eigergletscher station, which you reach by train from Kleine Scheidegg or by cable car from the Eiger Terminal.

It all adds up to what makes this area more than simply its ski slopes, and while a premium price is often attached to the resorts, staying in Lauterbrunnen really does make it far more accessible.

Does a traditional catered chalet holiday still work?

Apart from the chalet staff’s night off (we took the short train journey to Interlaken for pizza), coming back to a decent meal, plenty of food, well presented, with lots of wine to wash it down if that’s your thing, really feels like a chalet holiday should. Like-minded people having a great time. That social side doesn’t work for everyone, but a ski holiday is where it works best. Ski Miquel have clearly got this right and proven it over the past 45-plus years. They haven’t been tempted to go down the ‘luxury’ route, but have built a solid, comfortable product that lets families and individuals enjoy a world-class ski area at an honest price.

I just wish all ski holidays could be more 1980s-like. Well, apart from the straight skis and one-piece ski suits, obviously.

How much does a Ski Miquel holiday in Lauterbrunnen cost?

Rob, his daughter and her friend travelled with Ski Miquel over the Easter period in 2026.

For the 2026/27 season, packages start from £814pp, including:

• Return flights from London Gatwick to Geneva (or from Manchester for an extra £35)
• Group airport transfers
• Seven nights’ half-board chalet accommodation, with full breakfast, afternoon tea and a four-course evening meal on six of the seven nights
• Discounts on ski rental and ski lessons

A six-day ski pass costs from CHF404 (adult).

Rob rented ski equipment from Skiset in Wengen (Ski Miquel use Intersport in Lauterbrunnen).

More information and bookings: skimiquel.co.uk

Lauterbrunnen skiing FAQs

Can you ski from Lauterbrunnen?

Not directly from the village, but it’s the gateway to two ski areas. The train from Lauterbrunnen station runs up to Wengen and Kleine Scheidegg for the Wengen–Grindelwald slopes, and a cable car from the same station goes up to Mürren and the Schilthorn.

Is Lauterbrunnen cheaper than Wengen or Grindelwald?

Accommodation in Lauterbrunnen tends to be better value than in the better-known resorts, and staying in a catered chalet means breakfast, afternoon tea and most evening meals are already paid for. Ski Miquel’s Lauterbrunnen packages start from £814pp for 2026/27, including flights and transfers.

Is the Jungfrau Ski Region good for intermediate skiers?

Yes. The Wengen, Männlichen and Kleine Scheidegg slopes are wide and well suited to intermediates, while the Lauberhorn downhill and the Schilthorn’s Bond run give confident upper-intermediate and advanced skiers a real challenge.

Is the Jungfraujoch included in the ski pass?

No, but holders of a Jungfrau lift pass get a discount. The adult price drops to CHF63 (about £57) from CHF129.60, including the return train journey through the Eiger.

Is Easter a good time to ski in Switzerland?

It can be. When Rob visited in the first week of April 2026, the Jungfrau Ski Region had some of the best snow of the season, and the high slopes of Kleine Scheidegg, Männlichen and the Schilthorn hold their snow well into spring.

Read more about skiing in the Jungfrau

• Jungfrau Ski Region: A Winter Trilogy of Alpine Majesty
• Spring Skiing Between Grindelwald and Wengen
• The Eiger Express is fully open
• Mürren’s Schilthornbahn 20XX project is open
• Best Family Ski Resorts in Switzerland
• 11 of the Best Ski Resorts by Train