Ski holidays in Mürren, Switzerland

Mürren is one of Switzerland's most remarkable ski resorts, a car-free village perched on a cliff ledge 1,650 metres above sea level with dizzying views over the 300-metre cliff walls of the Lauterbrunnen valley. The resort is known from the James Bond film "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969), in which the Schilthorn summit station Piz Gloria played a central role. A ski holiday in Mürren is for anyone seeking an authentic, remote alpine experience.

The ski area is compact with 54 km of pistes and 14 lifts, but makes up for it with an incredible vertical range from the village up to the Schilthorn at 2,970 metres. The descent from the Schilthorn is one of the most spectacular in the Bernese Oberland, with steep sections and panoramic views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Piz Gloria, the revolving restaurant on the summit, is worth a visit even for those who do not ski.

Mürren can only be reached by cable car from Stechelberg on the valley floor or by train and cable car from Lauterbrunnen. That inaccessibility is part of the charm. The village has kept its traditional character with timber buildings, small hotels and simple restaurants. There is no luxury shopping street or nightclub here, just genuine Swiss mountain culture.

For the experienced skier, Mürren offers surprisingly good off-piste terrain, especially in the Birg area below the Schilthorn. Families appreciate the gentle pistes around Allmendhubel and Winteregg. The ski area is rarely crowded, which gives a sense of freedom that is hard to find at more popular destinations.

5 tips about Mürren

1. Beginners at Allmendhubel The gentle, sunny pistes around Allmendhubel and Winteregg are ideal for beginners and intermediate skiers, without losing the view over the valley.
2. Allow time for the cable car As Mürren can only be reached by cable car from Stechelberg or by train and cable car from Lauterbrunnen, plan your journey times carefully, especially in the morning.
3. Use the full vertical range With only 54 km of pistes but a vertical range up to 2,970 metres at the Schilthorn, you still get plenty of variety, so ride all the way up to experience the contrast between easy and steep sections.
4. Off-piste at Birg Experienced skiers should not miss the Birg area between the Schilthorn and Mürren, which offers excellent off-piste terrain beyond the 14 lifts and the marked pistes.
5. Visit Piz Gloria even without skis The revolving restaurant on top of the Schilthorn is worth a visit for the views of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, whether or not you are skiing that day.

Pistes and lifts in Mürren

The 54 km of pistes, served by 14 lifts, stretch from Allmendhubel above the village to the Schilthorn at 2,970 metres. The Schilthorn descent is the big challenge, with steep, varied terrain and unforgettable views. The Birg area between the Schilthorn and Mürren offers excellent off-piste for experienced skiers. Around Allmendhubel and Winteregg the pistes are gentler and sunny, perfect for families and intermediate skiers. Despite the compact area, the variety is great thanks to the large vertical range.

Piste map for Mürren

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The map downloads as an image file. On your iPhone it lands in the Files app. Tap the icon at the bottom of the address bar to open the map straight away.On your iPad it lands in the Files app. Tap the icon at the top right of the address bar to open the map straight away.On your phone it lands in the Downloads folder. Tap the download notification that appears to open the map straight away.The file lands in the Downloads folder. You can also look for the icon at the top right of the screen and open the map from there.

Snow reliability in Mürren

Mürren sits at 1,650 metres with skiing all the way up to 2,970 metres at the Schilthorn, a vertical range that gives good conditions for reliable snow for much of the season.

The high summit station combined with the village's position means snow reliability is rated as good, which is a key reason why the area draws skiers despite the relatively compact offering of 54 km of pistes and 14 lifts.

Best time to travel to Mürren

January to March bring the best snow conditions. The high altitude of 1,650 metres and the north-facing mountainsides ensure good snow. March is especially tempting with sunshine on the higher pistes and beautiful views.

Avoid the peak weeks around February half-term, when accommodation is hard to come by. The Schilthorn is snow-sure well into April.

Will there be lift queues in Mürren?

Mürren is part of Schilthorn, and the lift system there carries 15,052 people an hour across 17 lifts. 8 of the 17 lifts are gondolas or high-speed chairlifts and 2 are drag lifts, which take longer to get through when it is busy. The fastest lifts carry up to 1,600 people an hour, for example Winteregg. Per kilometre of piste there is less lift capacity than at an average resort on this site, so a busy week is felt more clearly here. The queue you actually notice is almost always down in the valley between eight and half past nine. If you are on the lift before nine you avoid it.

When is Mürren busiest?

How busy the slopes get is not decided by the English half term but by when the local families and the neighbouring countries are on holiday. These are the weeks that fill Mürren in the 2026/2027 season.

• Switzerland: The Swiss Sportferien vary from canton to canton, and sometimes between municipalities in the same canton. They are spread from late January to early March, which makes the pressure more even than in the neighbouring countries.
• Germany: Germans are the largest foreign group in the Alps and their winter holidays are spread across early February.
  1 to 6 February: Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia
  8 to 12 February: Bavaria and Saarland
  8 to 19 February: Saxony and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
• England: The English February half term is 15 to 19 February 2027 for most councils, with a few areas breaking up a week earlier. The Easter holidays run from 26 March to 9 April.
  8 to 12 February: half term in a few council areas, for example Hull
  15 to 19 February: half term in most of England, including London, the Midlands and the North
  26 March to 9 April: Easter holidays for most English schools
• Easter holidays: Easter 2027 is early, on 28 March. Austria and Germany take their holidays around the weekend, while the French holidays fall after Easter, in April.
  20 to 29 March: the whole of Austria, all states at the same time
  22 March to 3 April: most German states, including Bavaria, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia
  3 April to 3 May: the French zones, which fall after Easter 2027 and only affect the highest resorts
• Long weekends: Long weekends fill the slopes with day visitors from the nearest cities, even when no schools are on holiday.
  26 December to 3 January: Christmas and New Year, the most expensive period of the year
  6 January: Epiphany, a public holiday in Austria, Italy and parts of Switzerland
  27 to 29 March: the Easter weekend. Easter Monday is a public holiday across the Alps, but Good Friday is a working day in Austria, Italy and France
  1 to 2 May: May Day, a public holiday across the Alps

Because the cantons spread their holidays out, the pressure is more even here than in the neighbouring countries. Mid-January and March are still the quietest weeks.

Mürren is suitable for

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Frequently asked questions about Mürren