Resort overview
Dramatic views of the north face of the Eiger, the Monch and the Jungfrau dominate your attention and the friendly locals only add to the charm of this pretty, car-free village. Arguably one of the prettiest, if not the prettiest ski village in the Alps. Arriving by train is the only way to get to Wengen, you can either travel by rail from the airport or park your car near the station at Lauterbrunnen and enjoy a scenic chug up the mountain on the cog railway.
The village sits on a gently sloping shelf above the Lauterbrunnen Valley, it's small size means wherever you stay is going to be pretty convenient and not far from the slopes. A short high street is at the centre of the village lined with shops and hotels as well as an ice rink and the nursery slopes are in the middle of the village too. The few cars that are about are the hotels' electric shuttles or taxis so the whole place feels almost pedestrianised.
Skiing in the resort
You can ski right into the heart of Wengen, from where you have the choice of a train or the faster cable car to access the main ski area. It's dominated by blues and reds so whether you're progressing or cruising around the skiing is perfect. There are a few testing runs over by the Wixi chairlift including the Lauberhorn downhill course, one of the longest and toughest on the World Cup circuit, but it's mainly suited for intermediates.
There are three ski areas to explore and spending a day in each is recommended. Across the valley, Murren is about an hour away by train and has the most challenging slopes in the area. So a good place for any confident intermediates and experts. Beginners can enjoy the nursery slopes in the village or take the train up to Kleine Scheidegg and explore some of the easy runs around there.
Refurbishment and replacement of lifts have made moving around the mountain much quicker. We'd suggest taking the train at beginning of the day to get straight into the midst of the ski area. A lot of the skiing is below 2,000m but thankfully there is extensive and very effective snow cannon cover. Especially for the sunny blue run back to Wengen at the end of the day.
Après ski
Whilst Wengen doesn't hit the heights of Ischgl or Kitzbuhel's party scenes, it is pleasantly surprising, with a few small bars that offer a decent atmosphere at the end of the day. Up on the mountain, the wigwam bar Tipirama regularly has DJs and live bands before skiing down the home run to the Wasch bar for a final stop off before the village. And the village has a few little cosy bars too, where everyone seems to head to so there's a good atmosphere straight off the slopes. There are some bars and discos later on in the evening but it tends to be a little more subdued.
What we like:
- Extensive intermediate skiing across three large areas
- Car-free charming village, only accessible by train
- Stunning views of the Eiger, Monch and the Jungfrau from the village and ski area
Worth knowing:
- There is limited truly challenging terrain, but plenty of off-piste
- Linking between some pistes can involve paths and flatter sections
- Taking a morning up the Jungfrau express to the highest railway station in Europe is well worth the trip. For more information see myswitzerland.com
