NOTE: The mountain bus service is back! It's a small bus and you must reserve a place one day in advance.
This panorama trail has big mountain views and a lot of variety in the terrain, with ridges, lakes, grassy marshes, cliffs and dramatic peaks. It has just enough climbing to make it feel like a proper hike, but not so much that our kids complained.
This one way trail starts in one mountain resort and ends in another, with a scenic bus and train ride back to your starting point.
There are beautiful alpine lakes at along the way, where there are picnic areas with fire pits and tables and also nearby restaurants.
It's a full day outing that requires a little planning, so you don't miss your bus, which needs to be reserved.
Trail info
You start at the Meiringen cable car. Parking is at Steinmühlestrasse 40, 6072 Meiringen. The nearest train station is Meiringen, Bahnhof, then a 10 min walk through the village to the cable car station.
Ride the cable car up to the Alpen Tower viewpoint. Hike across to Engstlenalp, where you’ll find the bus stop. The bus takes you to Innerkirchen, where you transfer to a train that takes to Meiringen, your starting point.
Trail: Moderate • 3.5 h • 10.2 k • 150m up, 490m down
See trail map
The path is a red/white mountain trail, mostly a narrow dirt footpath with rocky sections and lots of uneven terrain. There are often steep slopes on the side, but no cliff drop-offs. I found it to be a relatively safe trail and would bring children from about 7+ with hiking experience.
Tickets
Buy a one way ticket for the aerial cableways from Meiringen to Alpen tower.
You pay for the bus tickets separately on the bus.
Bus reservations
You'll need to reserve a spot on the private shuttle bus that runs from Engstlenalp to Innertkirchen. It runs once in the morning from Innertkirchen to Engstlenalp. It runs twice in the afternoon from Engstlenalp to Innertkirchen.
It has limited spots. It only runs if at least 4 people have reserved. See the schedule here: engstlenalp-bus.ch
Reserve by phone +49 33 550 50 50 or by email at info@meiringen-hasliberg.ch
Make sure to plan your day so you reach the bus in time. We started hiking about 11:00 and arrived in Engstlenalp at about 14:30.
