Via Ferrata Mürren – Exciting Adventure in the Swiss Alps

Where is Via Ferrata Mürren

Via Ferrata Mürren is located on the cliffs between two villages – Mürren and Gimmelwald. The former is also the starting point, which lies at an elevation of 1638m.

It’s situated above Lauterbrunnen Valley in the Berner Oberland region. It can be found in Canton Bern in the south-central part of Switzerland.

Due to its incredible location, you can enjoy stunning views of the majestic trio – Eiger, Jungfrau, and Mönch while climbing. Additionally, you can also marvel at the beautiful Lauterbrunnen Valley.

Getting here

Mürren is a car-free village, meaning the only way to get there is by cable car. Since we traveled around Switzerland by car, we had to park in Lauterbrunnen Valley and continue by public transport from there.

Two routes are available – cable car to Grütschalp and then scenic train or cable car from Stechelberg via Gimmelwald.

We first planned to take the cable car to Grütschalp, so we parked in a huge car park garage near the train station. The cable car would take us up the mountain where we would transfer to a mountain BLM train to Mürren. The whole ride takes 23 minutes and costs 11.8 CHF.

But since scheduled maintenance lasts for 10 days in October and May, it was out of service when we came. Make sure to check the maintenance dates before coming. Because of this, we had to change our plan and use the other option.

So we took the bus from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg, which only took 16 minutes and cost 4.6 CHF. You can also go to Stechelberg by car and use the huge parking lot there. Next, we took the cable car to Gimmelwald and transferred to Mürren.

These rides took us less than 10 minutes, and we paid less than 10 CHF one-way.

Check the schedule on SBB.

What is via ferrata?

Since you’re looking at this post, you probably have an idea of what a via ferrata is. But let’s take a look at the proper explanation.

A via ferrata translates to “iron way” in Italian. It is something between hiking and climbing, using different types of features such as metal rungs, ropes, ladders, and bridges. They can be both vertical (climbing a peak) and horizontal (which is the case of Mürren Via Ferrata).

The beauty of this type of activity lies in the fact that anyone can do it even without any prior experience. Different difficulty levels are available, so you will also find easy routes perfect for families with kids, such as Via Ferrata Pinut.

The fact that you’re clipped and using the equipment to protect you once you fall doesn’t make this activity 100% safe. You do not want to fall or slip at all. Remember that if you do, your carabiners are first going to slip down to the closest attachment point, which can be a few meters.

Only then will your shock absorber come into play. Because of this, it’s important to choose a route that corresponds to your abilities. If you’re completely new to this world, make sure to take a guide or a friend who knows what they’re doing for additional support.

All you need to know

Starting point

The starting point is located in the mountain village of Mürren. Once we arrived in the village, we could see hiking signposts sending us in the right direction. There is a tennis court on the left. We walked along a narrow dirt path surrounded by a tall stone wall on the left.

Soon, we reached a small tower with a wooden door leading to a short tunnel. This is the official starting point of Via Ferrata Mürren.

Ending point

The end is located in a tiny village called Gimmelwald. Once we got out of the forest, we were just a few minutes walk from the cable car station. If you’re staying in Mürren, you can either walk back which takes over 1 hour) or take a cable car.

Difficulty

The official difficulty rating is K3 in the German classification on a scale between K1 and K6. That makes it easy to moderate difficulty.

You can expect a steep rocky terrain with vertical sections, which are secured by cables and ladders.

For me (and I believe most hikers) the most difficult part is the short section with extreme exposure. This is where you walk along a cliff face on metal rugs with 600m of pure air between your feet and the ground.

Another extreme feature was the Nepal Bridge – a very wobbly and unstable suspension bridge. I took a few minutes to mentally prepare for crossing it.

Additionally, there are two tightropes, where you cross a small gorge on a single rope while holding two ropes at approximately head height.

I had slightly different expectations, and I was worried the extremely exposed sections were gonna take most of the trail. But I was wrong. A lot of sections are a simple hiking trail leading through a forest with no exposure at all. In fact, we didn’t even need to use the harness all the time.

When it comes to physical difficulty, it’s a steady decline which makes it physically easy. Anyone with an average fitness level would be able to do this without any issues.

Necessary equipment

Before heading out for a day full of adventures, don’t forget to pack proper equipment. You will certainly need a few essential items.

First of all, you need a good helmet to protect you in case you slip, but also against bumping your head against the rocks all the time (happened to us a few times).

We can’t imagine heading out without a pair of climbing gloves, which provide a better grip but also protect your hands.

Lastly, you need a climbing harness and lanyard (two carabiners connected to a shock absorber and your harness through an elastic rope.

You’ll use these to secure yourself on the wire ropes. This is the most important thing, as it provides a safe experience. In case you slip, your harness and lanyard are gonna save you from falling all the way down.

If you don’t have any of these, head to Intersport in Mürren. They provide rental service for 25 – 35 CHF. They don’t rent any equipment when it’s raining. They don’t rent gloves, but you can buy a pair for around 10 – 20 CHF.

What shoes should I wear?

This is a very important question! Having good shoes is gonna make the whole experience more comfortable and easier. While there are shoes made specifically for similar technical terrains, it’s not an item you would normally pack with you.

So in case you don’t have proper shoes, you can rent them at Intersport, too. But we both did the whole route wearing our normal hiking shoes (high ones). The most important thing is to have a good grip.

Do you need a guide?

No, a guide is not necessary at all as long as you feel comfortable with doing this on your own. We had some previous ferrata experience, so we felt confident with going without a guide. We know how the equipment works, too.

However, if you’ve never done a ferrata before, you should definitely go with a guide. It can feel overwhelming to cross the metal rugs along the cliff. So if you need some extra support, you will appreciate having an experienced person with you.

You will also benefit from the complete explanation of the proper use of the equipment, which is essential to be safe.

Don’t forget about travel insurance!

As avid hikers and adventure lovers, we spend much time in the mountains. Hence we ensure we always have the right insurance to cover the costs if anything happens. If you plan to go hiking in higher altitudes, please double-check until which elevation you’re still insured.

But that’s nothing you must worry about when doing the Via Ferrata Mürren. All you need to do is make sure that via ferrata is covered.

Our recommendation for any sports lovers is SafetyWing.

Recently they added a new adventure sports add-on, which lists more than 30 different activities, including scuba diving and mountaineering (including both climbing and via ferratas). There is one condition though – you have to stay under an elevation of 6000 meters.

The add-on only costs 10$ per month! Considering how affordable the basic plan is, you get a lot of bang for your buck. We love that Nomad Insurance is one of the cheapest options in the market.

On the Via Ferrata Mürren

Forest walk

After we crossed the tunnel at the beginning of this trail, we only walked for a few minutes before arriving to the section where you can already clip in. We believe this is built for the beginners and it’s a place where guide explains how everything works, since there’s no risk at all.

It was just an easy hike through a forest, with occasional steep sections. Juraj did not use his harness yet, but I did. I felt unsafe due to the many wet and slippery leaves on the ground. It only took us around 15 minutes to get to the most exciting section.

Walking along the cliff face

Soon, we found ourselves standing on an iron base for base jumpers looking at the vertical cliff face and multiple metal rungs along the cliff. We couldn’t see too far, which made it even more exciting (or scarier?).

It was time to gather all the confidence and place the first foot on the small piece of metal separating me from the 600m drop. Let me tell you, my knees were shaking, and I was still asking myself what am I doing here?

But after a few steps and getting familiar with the situation, all the fear disappeared, and I was really enjoying this incredible section. Luckily, most rungs are close to each other, so there’s no need to make big steps. Even short people or kids will be fine here.

As soon as you realize that as long as you put your feet in the right place, nothing can happen to you, it completely changes the whole mindset.

The challenging thing for me was the fact that I had to descend a few times. The metal rungs were below each other, kind of in the shape of a ladder. When climbing similar features up, you don’t have to look down. But seeing what’s below and climbing downwards feels completely different.

This section didn’t take long and we were at the other end in less than 10 minutes. Once it was over, I wished for it to be longer. It was by far the best part of the whole Via Ferrata Mürren!

Tightropes

After walking through a forest along an easy trail, we soon reached a point with tightrope. Altogether, there are two tightropes crossing a small gorge with a waterfall on the left and view over the valley on the right.

The tightrope is a single cable with two more cables above, which you can hold and use to clip in. When I first saw the rope, my thought were: “How are we supposed to walk over this?”. I mean, it’s just one cable, right?

But to my own surprise, it felt really stable and didn’t move too much. This made crossing it much easier. So despite the scary look, it was actually a lot of fun to walk along the two tightropes.

In addition, you can enjoy views over mighty waterfalls both on your side and under your feet.

Zipline (optional)

You can skip both tightropes when doing the whole ferrata with a guide. If you join a guided tour, you’ll do the zipline over Mürrenbach Falls instead. It is the only way to use the zipline.

Ladders

We were already half-way through. After the waterfalls, we walked along an easy almost narrow forest trail covered in orange leaves. It was really beautiful! The fact that we came in autumn made the whole environment look completely different.

We didn’t use the safety equipment in this part, since there is no need for it at all. It felt easier than many other hikes we did, for example, Augstmatthorn, Stoos Ridge Hike, or Schäfler Ridge hike to Seealpsee. They both take you along a narrow trail with extremely steep slopes on the sides.

This “boring” section did not take too long. Soon we found ourselves at the top of vertical ladders taking us further down and closer to Gimmelwald. Due to nearby water streams, they were all wet, and water was dropping from them all the time. Despite that, they were not slipper at all.

Adrenaline was present in this part, too. The ladders often end on a narrow trail with a cliff dropping only a few centimeters from your feet.

But since we often visit Slovak Paradise, where we climb even longer and wobblier ladders without any safety equipment, we’re used to them.

Nepal Bridge

As we were getting closer to the end, we soon reached the last highlight of this trip – the famous Nepal Bridge. This feature seems intimidating from afar since it’s very narrow. It also appears to be steep at both ends, but that’s just an optical illusion.

It took me a while to gather strength to cross the bridge. But after seeing a family with two kids overtake us and walk across with ease, I thought I must do it, too!

The bridge is not stable at all as it keeps rocking from side to side and up and down. So if you’re really scared, it helps to be on the bridge alone since you can feel the movement of others. Similar to the cliff face walk, there’s around 400 m of thin air below you.

Best time for Via Ferrata Mürren

The best time for this experience is the summer months up till early autumn. We recommend planning this trip between mid-June and October when the weather is the most stable. Additionally, Via Ferrata Mürren is officially closed in other months.

Summer provides beautifully lush green nature, and meadows are in full bloom. The daylight lasts for longer, which means you have plenty of opportunity to do this trip and you’re not limited by the short days.

We did the Via Ferrata Mürren in autumn and had a great time. We had to reschedule our plans though, since it was raining one whole day. Luckily, the next day it was a warm and sunny day. We especially enjoyed all the autumn foliage and incredible orange and red hues.

But I must admit that fallen leaves are very slippery on muddy terrain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where to eat

• Alti Metzg – A place to enjoy a traditional fondue or a house soup which changes on a daily basis.
• Restaurant Stägerestübli – Traditional meals with great views. Try raclette, spätzli, or rösti here.
• Café LIV – A perfect place for a coffee stop with some cake. They also sell tasty sandwiches.
• Tham restaurant – An authentic Asian food which is cooked to perfection and extremely scrumptious.

Other activities

• Visit Schilthorn – An epic mountain peak at 2970m. It takes 32 minutes by cable car to reach this place! But the journey offers incredible views. At the top, you can enjoy brunch at Piz Gloria 360 rotating restaurant, and 007 references all around. The James Bond movie was filmed in this location!
• Panoramic train ride to Winteregg – A historic BLM railway takes you to Winteregg in a single carriage. Prepare for countless breathtaking views, ride along beautiful Swiss houses, and meet Chamois in their natural habitat!
• Paraglide over Lauterbrunnen Valley – A once-in-a-lifetime bucket list experience. It’s not the cheapest, but well worth every penny! Enjoy stunning views of Lauterbrunnen Valley from above and float in the air marveling at Eiger, Jungfrau, and Mönch.