Schilthorn: Magnificence in Nature

Last updated: 29 July 2023

By: @russellofearth

So you’re in Switzerland for a limited time and you want to immerse yourself in some of the natural beauty but not exactly sure where to start? Well, I just happen to have the perfect suggestion, head to Schilthorn!

Schilthorn is a 3km (2970 m) high summit, part of the Bernese Alps located in the Bernese Oberland region of Bern, Switzerland.

Now if you’re an avid skier then you’re going to be in heaven because there’s plenty of choices for downhill runs, all with varying difficulty. Now I’m not a skier, actually I’m about as far from a skier as you can get (I’m more likely to be the guy ordering at the bar and watching the skiers hit the slopes…) but I can certainly tell when skiers are in their element and I saw a lot of them enjoying themselves on the slopes of Schilthorn!

So if you’re like me and skiing isn’t your thing then don’t worry because there’s plenty of other things to enjoy! There is literally one awesome sight to see after another when visiting Schilthorn, it can be a little confusing to try and figure out what your day looks like…. let’s take a moment and break it down.

There are 3 main sections of the mountain where all the activities are located; Schilthorn, Birg, and Allmendhubel. Each section has been given a number and name to help you decide where you want to spend your time;

Schilthorn 1 – View

Birg 2 – Thrill  

Murren 3 – Chill

You can decide to do one or all three depending on how much time you have or your interests.

Parking and Tickets

Parking

Upon arrival you can park in the main car park, there are plenty of spaces and you pay on exit. We found parking without an issue however I can see that during the peak season you want to get in early otherwise you’re going to need to hunt. Once parked, head over to the ticket kiosk.

Tickets

Ticket prices vary depending on what activities you plan to do, whether you plan to visit 1, 2, or 3, the time of day (there are early morning/late evening tickets) but for a single adult wanting to visit all 3 sections the price is 102 CHF / 70 GBP / 103 USD.

It’s not cheap but this ticket will give you return access to all 4 cable cars and entry to all sections of the mountain. Ultimately, you should look at it like this, how often are you in Switzerland? Why not make the most of it!

Cable Cars

Once you have your tickets, walk up the stairs and take your place in the queue. Now we visited just outside of peak season so the cable cars ran every 30 minutes but this increases to every 15 minutes during the busy times of year. Make sure you hold your place in line because there will be tourist buses arriving and the line does get long.

Once the cable car arrives it’s a mad dash through the ticket barriers to board the cable car. Have your tickets ready to be scanned before boarding and this will make the whole process a little bit easier. Each cable car will carry a maximum of 75 people, this is displayed on the TV screen at the ticket barriers so you know if you’ll make it on that cable car or if you need to wait for the next one. Yes, it’s like waiting for lifeboat on the Titanic so be prepared for people pushing, running, and squeezing past you…

The ride from the Stechelberg to Gimmelwald doesn’t take long, which is great because you’re more than likely standing shoulder to shoulder with someone carrying skies…

Once the doors open you basically just follow the crowds and head to the second cable car to make your way to Murren. The process is pretty much the same, wait in a queue, stand shoulder to shoulder and board the cable car. Whilst this might sound boring you need to keep in mind that you are treated to some of the below views…so it’s not bad at all.

Before you know it, you arrive at the Schilthorn, a staggering 2970m above sea level!

Schilthorn 3 – View

Once you arrive at the summit you are treated to one of the most spectacular views in the world, the Swiss skyline! It’s from the Skyline viewing platform that you can see the magnificent peaks of Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau! It helps having the information boards on the railing so you can ensure that you’re looking at the right peaks because we were told that from the platform you can 200 mountain peaks!! Incredible!

Now you’re probably going to spend a substantial amount of time on the viewing platform taking photo after photo, I know we did! The Swiss skyline is truly something to behold so take your time and enjoy the view and the atmosphere. You will also notice the Piz Gloria, the circular building which houses the 360 degree revolving restaurant but it has a much more intriguing story than just a restaurant…

Yes, that’s right! Schilthorn, Piz Gloria, and the village of Murren has a place in cinematic history, in James Bond history. It was the setting for the sixth James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service starring Australian George Lazenby in the titular role. And Schilthorn is very proud of its inclusion in James Bond history and even has a 007 Bond World interactive museum!

To learn more about Schilthorn’s involvement in the 1968-69 filming of On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and the James Bond experiences available today, such as the interactive 007 museum, then click here

Now that you’ve experienced the wonderful scenery and exhausted your camera’s battery, it’s time to head down one level to Birg and experience a very unique view! The cable car will provide enough time to replace your camera battery because you’re going to need it…

Birg 2 – Thrill

Standing at 2677m above sea level, it’s no accident that Birg has been given the name Thrill because this is where your heart is going to race and the adrenalin is going to start pumping!

As soon as you exit the cable car at Birg you’ll follow the crowds to the outdoor terrace where you’ll be treated to spectacular views but also have the option to sit down at the cafe and order something warm (or cold, depending on what you’re thirsty for). Our favourite part was that it wasn’t just tables and chairs, there were also bean bags! Perfect for reclining and soaking up the views.

But where’s the thrill that we were told about? Good question. Turn to your left and you’ll see a viewing platform. A viewing platform with a difference. This viewing platform has a glass bottom so you feel like you’re suspended in the air surrounded by mountains.

Welcome to the Skyline Walk.

Even if you don’t have a fear of heights, there’s something to be said about stepping foot on a piece of glass suspended over snow covered mountains that makes your heart skip a beat and stomach turn….once you get over that initial shock it’s an awesome experience and provides for some terrific photos.

There is another thrilling project underway for Birg, the opening of the Thrill Walk in 2016! This will be a cliff path which leads from the Birg terrace down to the vertical drops of the rock massif! It sounds very cool, here’s a rendering of what you should see later this year!

After spending the day taking in the views and visiting James Bond World, it has to be time for a little relaxation so take the cable car down to your next stop of Murren.

Allmendhubel 1 – Chill

Arriving in the traditional village of Murren, which sits 1650m (5413ft) above sea level, the first thing you notice is just how tranquil the village is, there’s no noise which just makes the mountains seem all that more impressive. It’s only as you start walking through the village that you realise why this is, it’s a car-free village! It’s not accessible by public roads so the population of 400 use the cable cars to get around, even the school kids!

One really interesting fact is that even though the population is 400, there are approximately 2000 hotel beds in Murren so it just highlights how busy this small village must get during the peak time of year! There is also a separate cable car which is exclusively used for bringing goods to the hotels in Murren.

One of the main attractions of Murren is the Allmendhubelbahn funicular which will take you to the Allmendhubel hill where you can visit the Panorama restaurant, Skyline Chill, and Flower Park.

Allmendhubel sits 1907m (6257ft) above sea level and is the perfect place for families and hikers to experience the beautiful surroundings at their leisure. You can take some time for yourself and relax in the serenity and feel far away from the stresses of life.

It’s little wonder that people can spend a day, a weekend, or a full week exploring all that Schilthorn has to offer and hopefully after reading this you will add Schilthorn to your Must Visit List!

The Essentials

Location: Canton of Bern. Head towards Murren on the no 8 road

Price: Check out the Schilthorn website for all ticket pricing options

Verdict: If you’re after amazing views and a great day out then you can’t go past Schilthorn!

Disclaimer

In the interest of full disclosure, Roaming Required were guests of Basel Tourism Council. All views and opinions expressed in this post are strictly our own.