Schilthorn Piz Gloria: our guide to the James Bond mountain

The Schilthorn is the 2,970-metre summit above Mürren where James Bond fought Blofeld in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Today it is one of the best viewpoints in the Bernese Oberland: from the terrace you look straight across at the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. We went up on July 9, 2026, with our dog Miley, spent the whole day between the summit, Birg and the little Grauseeli lake, and took the last cable car down to Mürren. This guide has everything you need to plan your own day, with 2026 prices and what we would do differently.

Is the Schilthorn worth it?

Yes, on a clear day the Schilthorn is worth the money, because you get the classic view of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau from the front, plus the James Bond history, two free cliff walks at Birg and an easy hike to a mountain lake. On a cloudy day it is not: you pay CHF 115 to stand in fog.

What makes the Schilthorn different from the Jungfraujoch is the angle. On the Jungfraujoch you are in the middle of the glaciers; from the Schilthorn you look across the Lauterbrunnen Valley at the whole wall of the Bernese Alps at once. Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau line up side by side, and the operator counts more than 200 peaks on a clear day. In good visibility you can see as far as the Black Forest and Mont Blanc.

We were lucky and unlucky on the same day. When we reached the top at 10:40, the three famous peaks were sharp against a blue sky. Fifteen minutes later clouds came up the valley and swallowed the Eiger completely. We sat it out on the ridge, and by 13:00 the clouds had gone again. That is typical for summer afternoons in the Alps, so plan for the morning and keep a buffer.

How to get to the Schilthorn

You reach the Schilthorn only by cable car, from Stechelberg at the end of the Lauterbrunnen Valley, with stops in Mürren and Birg. The ride takes about 24 minutes. Alternatively you go up from Lauterbrunnen with the cable car to Grütschalp and the little train to Mürren, then join the Schilthorn cable car there.

The cable car system was completely rebuilt between 2023 and 2026. The new line has three sections:

• Stechelberg to Mürren: a new direct cable car, opened in December 2024. With a gradient of 159.4 percent it is the steepest cable car in the world. The cabins hold 85 people and climb 775 metres in about four minutes.
• Mürren to Birg: a new double cable car (Funifor), first track opened in December 2024, second track in November 2025.
• Birg to Schilthorn: the final section, completed on April 2, 2026.

The old cable car from Stechelberg via Gimmelwald to Mürren still runs. You need it if you want to stop in the village of Gimmelwald, but for the summit the new direct line is faster.

The ride itself is part of the experience. Leaving Stechelberg, the cabin glides out through the open roof of the valley station and straight up the rock face. On the way you look down on the car park, pass the Mürrenbach Falls on the cliff and then see the chalets of Mürren with the Eiger behind. Between Birg and the summit, look down to the right: the turquoise Grauseeli lies below you, and from up here it almost looks like a heart.

Schilthorn ticket prices 2026

A round trip from Stechelberg to the Schilthorn costs CHF 115 for adults in 2026 (about US$139). From Mürren it is CHF 91.40. Children from 6 to 15 pay half, children under 6 and dogs ride free.

Further fares: with the Jungfrau Travel Pass you get 20 percent off (CHF 92 from Stechelberg), with a Eurail pass CHF 86.40. The Berner Oberland Pass includes the whole trip. All prices are the official ones from schilthorn.ch, valid from April 2 to December 12, 2026.

Where to buy: If you drive to Stechelberg, the simplest option is the ticket office or the machines at the valley station, or online on the operator’s website. There is no early-bird discount on the plain ticket in 2026. The only morning deal is the brunch combo (see below). Tours from Interlaken or Lucerne are worth it if you have no car and want transport, tickets and a guide in one; you will find them at the end of this guide.

Swiss Travel Pass, Berner Oberland Pass and Half Fare Card

With a Swiss Travel Pass the Schilthorn costs CHF 45.70 instead of CHF 115, because the section from Stechelberg to Mürren is free and you get 50 percent off from Mürren to the summit. With the Berner Oberland Pass the trip is completely free. The Half Fare Card halves every price.

If you only visit the Bernese Oberland for a few days and plan two or three mountain excursions, compare the Berner Oberland Pass with single tickets. The Schilthorn alone covers a good part of the pass price. The Swiss Travel Pass is the better choice if you also travel around Switzerland by train. We drove, bought our ticket directly, and paid the full fare.

Opening hours and the best time to go

The Schilthorn is open all year. In summer 2026 the first regular cable car leaves Stechelberg at 7:23 and reaches the summit at 7:55. The last descent from the summit is at 17:50 until October 11, 2026, then at 17:20 until December 12.

• Morning: clearest air, softest light and fewer people. We arrived at the valley station around 10:00 and the hall was already full. Earlier is better.
• Midday: clouds often build up between 11:00 and 13:00 in summer. Check the webcams on schilthorn.ch before you buy.
• Afternoon: quieter on the summit, but the last cable cars down are full. Our cabin from Birg to Mürren at about 17:30 was packed.

Closures: The old Stechelberg to Gimmelwald to Mürren cable car is closed for maintenance from October 19 to 30, 2026 (daytime), and the Lauterbrunnen to Grütschalp to Mürren line from October 26 to November 6, 2026. The new main line to the summit keeps running. Always check the current timetable before you go.

Parking and public transport

Drive to the Schilthornbahn car park in Stechelberg; it is right next to the valley station and has well over 1,000 spaces. You pay at the machine at the ticket office. By public transport you take the train from Interlaken Ost to Lauterbrunnen (about 22 minutes) and the PostBus line 141 to Stechelberg, Schilthornbahn (12 minutes, every 30 minutes).

• Navigation: “Schilthornbahn Talstation, Stechelberg, 3824 Lauterbrunnen”.
• Parking fee: the operators state different figures (jungfrau.ch lists CHF 8 for 8 hours). Bring a card or coins and check at the machine.
• Alternative: park at the Lauterbrunnen car park (974 spaces, CHF 18 for 8 hours), take the cable car to Grütschalp and the train to Mürren. This route has the best views of the Jungfrau on the way up, but it takes longer.

Coming from Interlaken by car, the drive into the Lauterbrunnen Valley takes about 25 minutes. We came from our base in Brienz, which adds about 20 minutes.

What to do on the summit

On the summit you have the panorama terraces, the 2970 m sign everybody photographs, the revolving restaurant Piz Gloria, the James Bond Walk of Fame along the ridge and the indoor Bond exhibition. Plan at least two hours up here.

The panorama terraces

The main terrace runs around the summit building. Glass panels name the peaks, and coin telescopes help you find the Eiger North Face. Looking north you see the lower hills of the Bernese Oberland and, on a clear day, Lake Thun in the distance. To the south the view opens onto rugged, glaciated peaks that far fewer visitors pay attention to.

Piz Gloria revolving restaurant

The 360° Restaurant Piz Gloria turns once around its own axis in 45 minutes, so you see the whole panorama while you eat. It opened in 1969, the year the Bond film came out. It is open from 8:00 to 17:50, hot dishes are served from 11:00 to 16:30, and dogs are allowed.

A popular option is the Schilthorn brunch, served daily until 14:00 with table reservation. The brunch alone costs CHF 39 for adults. As a combo with the round trip from Stechelberg it costs CHF 125 if you go up before 8:51, and CHF 135 if you go up between 8:51 and 11:51. That makes the brunch one of the few ways to save a little on the Schilthorn.

The ridge: Walk of Fame and View Lounges

From the terrace a path runs a few hundred metres along the ridge to the west. Along it stand 15 panels of the James Bond Walk of Fame, each with a photo, signature and a steel handprint of an actor or crew member of the film, from George Lazenby to the stunt team. Further along there are wooden View Lounges, small shelters with benches where you can sit out of the wind. This was our favourite place to wait for the clouds to clear.

Below the summit you also find a round viewing platform on the ridge and a photo point with a self-timer: press the button, step back to the floor markings, and download your photo later from the operator’s website.

Spy World, the Bond exhibition

Inside the summit building an interactive exhibition tells the story of the film. When we visited in July 2026 it was signposted as “Spy World”. You walk through a corridor with the original film posters and the famous gun-barrel opening projected on a door, sit in a bobsled and a helicopter simulator that flies you over the snow, look at photos from the shooting with a digital magnifying glass and can morph your own face into a Bond scene. Even the toilets are part of the show: look in the mirror and Bond characters appear. It takes 30 to 45 minutes, is included in the ticket, and is the best place to go when the summit is in cloud.

The James Bond story

The Schilthorn became famous through the sixth James Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, shot here in 1968 and released in 1969. In the film the summit station is “Piz Gloria”, the hideout of Bond’s enemy Blofeld, and George Lazenby plays Bond for the only time.

The timing was a lucky one for both sides. The cable car to the summit had just been completed in 1967 and the summit building was not yet finished. The film company paid for parts of the unfinished building, including a helicopter landing pad, and used it as its set; in return the mountain got its name and a story that still attracts visitors from all over the world more than 55 years later. The name Piz Gloria stayed.

Today you meet the film everywhere on the summit: on the Walk of Fame, on the screens of the terrace, in Spy World and even in the lettering on the building.

Birg: Skyline Walk and Thrill Walk

Birg is the intermediate station at 2,677 m, and it has two free attractions you should not skip: the Skyline Walk, a glass and grating platform that sticks out over the cliff, and the Thrill Walk, a steel path bolted to the rock face below the station. Get off here on the way down; both together take about 30 to 45 minutes.

• Skyline Walk: you stand on a grating floor with nothing below you but a few hundred metres of air. The glass railing names Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, which you see straight ahead. Probably the best photo spot of the whole trip for the three peaks.
• Thrill Walk: stairs lead down to a walkway along the cliff with a glass floor section, a rope net and a narrow tunnel you crawl through. Not for people with a fear of heights, but well secured. Dogs are better left with someone at the top.

Our favourite detour: the Grauseeli

The Grauseeli is a small mountain lake below Birg, and for us it was the highlight of the day. A marked trail leads down from Birg station in about 25 minutes; the way back up took us 40 to 45 minutes at a relaxed pace. On a calm afternoon the whole chain of the Bernese Alps is reflected in the water.

We left Birg at about 14:50. After a short descent on a rocky path you see the lake below you, still with a snowfield on the shore in July. A small blue sign says “Grauseewli”. We spent more than an hour there: Miley swam, a paraglider took off from the slope above us, and the cable cars floated overhead. Only a handful of other hikers came by, while up on the summit hundreds of people queued for the 2970 m sign. That is exactly the kind of detour this website is named after.

Practical notes: The trail is a normal mountain path, steep in places and rocky; trainers with a good grip were enough for us in July. Take water, there is nothing at the lake. Keep an eye on the time: the last cable cars from Birg down to Mürren leave around 17:30 in summer, and they are full.

Schilthorn with a dog

The Schilthorn is very dog-friendly: dogs ride all cable cars for free, they are allowed in the restaurants, and the operator only asks you to keep them on a leash. Miley came with us all day.

• The cabins are crowded at peak times. Stand at the window with your dog and avoid the first rush of the morning if your dog is nervous.
• On the summit the floors are partly metal grating, on the Skyline Walk entirely. Some dogs do not like walking on it.
• Bring water and a bowl. The Grauseeli is perfect for a swim, but the water is ice cold.
• The Thrill Walk is not suitable for dogs.

Our day on the Schilthorn, hour by hour

This is how our day went on July 9, 2026. If you want to copy it, start one or two hours earlier than we did.

• About 10:00: valley station Stechelberg, the hall already busy. Cabin up through the open station roof.
• 10:20: change in Mürren, then on to Birg and the summit.
• 10:40: summit, clear view of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
• 10:55: clouds come up and cover the peaks. We walk the ridge, look at the Walk of Fame and wait in a View Lounge.
• 13:00: clouds gone. Best photos of the day.
• 13:45: Spy World: bobsled, helicopter simulator, the mirror in the toilets.
• 14:35: cable car down to Birg.
• 14:50 to 16:20: hike to the Grauseeli and back.
• 16:20 to 17:15: Skyline Walk and Thrill Walk at Birg.
• 17:30: one of the last cable cars down to Mürren, completely full.
• 17:50 to 19:00: evening walk through car-free Mürren and dinner on a terrace with a view of the Lauterbrunnen Valley.

If you only have half a day, go up early, spend two hours on the summit and stop at Birg on the way down. You can visit Mürren on the way back to the valley; the village is worth a separate visit, and our guide to it follows soon.

Tips we learned the hard way

• Check the webcam before you pay. The view is the reason to go. If the summit is in cloud, go another day or spend the time in the valley.
• Be early. The first cable cars of the morning are the quietest and have the clearest air.
• Bring a jacket. At 2,970 metres it is roughly 13 degrees colder than in Stechelberg, and it is windy on the ridge. In July we still saw snow.
• Sunglasses and sun cream. The UV light is strong, especially with snow around.
• Do not rush down. Birg and the Grauseeli are included in your ticket and are much quieter than the summit.
• Mind the last cable car. Note the time of the last descent and do not wait for the very last cabin.
• Food: the restaurant is good but expensive, as everywhere in the Swiss mountains. A picnic at the Grauseeli is a good alternative.

Tours and tickets

If you have a car, buy your ticket at the valley station or on the operator’s website. If you travel without a car and want everything organised, a guided day trip from Interlaken or Lucerne is the easiest way. These are the options we would look at:

FAQ: Schilthorn

How long does it take to get to the top of the Schilthorn?

About 24 minutes from Stechelberg, with changes in Mürren and Birg. From Mürren it takes about 15 minutes.

How much does the Schilthorn cost in 2026?

CHF 115 for a round trip from Stechelberg and CHF 91.40 from Mürren for adults. With a Swiss Travel Pass you pay CHF 45.70, with the Berner Oberland Pass nothing.

Schilthorn or Jungfraujoch?

The Schilthorn gives you the better view of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, because you look at them from the opposite side of the valley. The Jungfraujoch takes you into the glacier world itself. If you can only do one and the view of the famous three peaks is your goal, choose the Schilthorn.

Is the Schilthorn worth it in bad weather?

Not really. With low cloud you see nothing from the summit. Spy World is indoors, but it does not justify the full price on its own.

Can you hike up the Schilthorn?

Yes, from Mürren on a long, demanding mountain trail with about 1,300 metres of ascent. Most hikers take the cable car down. We did not hike up ourselves, so check a trail guide before you try.

Is the Schilthorn open in winter?

Yes, the summit is accessible all year. In winter it is part of the Mürren ski area. Check the winter timetable on the operator’s website.

Check Schilthorn tickets and tours →

Down in the valley, the Staubbach Falls and the Trümmelbach Falls fit perfectly into the same day. Planning more days in the region? Start on our Switzerland home page; our guides to the Bernese Oberland and the Lauterbrunnen Valley are coming next.