11th July 2008 - Murren to First
Today we are going to First. This journey uses a mix of trains cable cars and 2 gondola rides which are the longest in Europe.
Our journey starts at Murren where we catch a Bahn-Lauterbrunnen-Murren BLM train.
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The BLM mountain railway stops at Winteregg.
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At Winteregg there is a passing loop for the other train. On the other side of the valley we can see Wengen.
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After 20 minutes the train arrives at Grutschalp were we transfer to the Murrenbahn cable car.
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From the cable car we can see Lauterbrunnen in the valley and the Staubbach falls.
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The railway station is accross the road from the cable car.
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From the railway station we can see the Murrenbahn cable car going back up to Grutschalp.
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We wait for a Wengernalpbahn train to Wengen.
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These trains are yellow and green.
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As we arrive in Wengen we look over the Lauterbrunnen valley towards Murren.
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We leave the train at Wengen station.
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and walk to the Mannlichenbahn cable car station on the main street.
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from the Mannlichenbahn cable car we look back on Wengen and can see the line of the Murrenbahn on the opposite side of the valley.
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At Mannlichen we have views over the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau.
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The Gondelbahn Grindelwald Mannlichen (GGM) aerial gondola is the longest in Europe at 6240m. We catch a four seater gondola at Mannlichen for the 30 minute descent to Grindelwald Grund.
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From the gondola we can see the north face of the Eiger.
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Down in the valley is Grindelwald and Grindelwald Grund.
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At the Grindelwald Grund station we can look back to our strating point at Mannlichen.
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We cross the Schwarze Lutschine river.
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At Grindelwald Grund station we catch the Wengernalpbahn train from Kleine Scheidegg to Grindelwald.
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A train to Kleine Scheidegg departs.
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Behind Grindelwald Grund station we can see the BOB train from Interlaken arriving in Grindelwald.
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The Grindelwald train from Kleine Scheidegg arrives.
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We climb to Grindelwald.
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Behind Grindelwald we can see the Eiger and Oberer Glacier.
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From Grindelwald we catch the First Gondela Cableway.
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This is the second longest cableway in Europe and passes through two stations at Bort and Schreckfeld.
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At 2168m we reach the Bergrestaurant First .
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In the valley below lies Grindelwald and the North face of the Eiger.
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There are several mountain paths starting at the Bergrestaurant First .
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You can read more about the Gondelbahn Grindelwald Mannlichen here.
You can read more about the First Gondola cableway here.
