Great Sledding in Gstaad, Switzerland

 

GSTAAD is a village in the German-speaking section of the Cantone of Berne in southwestern Switzerland located right on the border with the French-speaking part of Switzerland.  Gstaad is known for its luxurious hotels and shopping, nightlife and fine dining.  This car-free resort of Gstaad is a popular destination for international celebrities.  It is the home of the largest ski areas in the Alps (220 km of slopes).

                  

Itinerary: Day trip from Geneva by panoramic train

          You can make an enjoyable day trip to Gstaad from Geneva by land or by

taking the panoramic train from Montreux.  The following itinerary is suggested:

          Onward

                   Geneva to Montreux          7:56am / 9:04 am            1.06 min.

                   Montreux to Gstaad           9:45 am/ 11:03 am          1.18 min.

          Return

                   Gstaad to Montreux           1737H/ 1913H

                   Montreux to Geneva          1919H/ 2024H

Ticketing  and Travel Arrangements

1.     You can travel all the way in this trip using a Day Ticket purchased from your local commune at the price of CHF 40.  Make sure you purchase your Day Ticket in advance as there are limited number of tickets.

2.     Alternatively, if you have a Half Fare card, you can also consider purchasing a Geneva-Gstaad-Geneva ticket at the price of only CHF 47.

3.     It is necessary that you reserve your seat at the panoramic train. You should go to the train station for this and pay CHF 7 for one way seat reservation. Seats for return travel from Gstaad may not be necessary.

4.     You should check on the weather condition in Gstaad to make sure the ski facilities, cable cars, etc are in full operation on the day of your travel. You can make a quick call or access to:

Gstaad Saanonland Tourismu

Haus des Gastes

Promenade 41

3700 Gstaad

Tel. +41 323 748 81 81

http://www.gstaad.ch/

Lunch and Sledding at Eggli

          Eggli is a mountain resort nearest the main town of Gstaad. It is a ski resort which also provides good facilities for a 5 km sledding.

Directions and cable car to  Eggli

1.     You can walk 15 minutes from the train station of the main town of Gstaad to reach Eggli.  Signage will guide you until the Eggli ticketing station or you can ask the local tourism office for direction.

       If you are driving, you can set your GPS to :

                       Eggli (Gstaad) BDGAG-Ige
                       Saanen

                      BDGAG-Ige stands for Bergbahnen Destination Gstaad AG

2.     a 15-minute cable car ride will bring you up to the main resort area of Eggli.  You can purchase your  cable car tickets from the ticketing station at the following prices:

Gstaad – Eggli Cable Car

          One way/return       CHF 18.00/ 26.00 (half fare card holders, pay 50% off)

          For children            CHF 9.00/ 13.00

If you are a group of more than 10, ask for the applicable special rates.

Taking Lunch at Eggli with a beautiful view of the mountains

3.     You might wish consider taking the special MOUNTAIN LUNCH at Bergrestaurant Eggli for the package price of CHF 35/ 24 (for children).  This price is inclusive of a delicious dish of the day (roast beef with sidings of potato and vegetables). It also includes the two-way cable car fee.  Those with Half Fare cards are given the special price of only CHF 24 for the whole package.  Note: lunch does not include cost of drinks and dessert.

It is recommended that you call the restaurant ahead to reserve your lunch seat:

              Bergrestaurant Eggli

              Tel +41 33 748 96 12

This restaurant has terrace with a good view of the mountains. In reserving your lunch you should specify where you want to be seated.

Sledding

4.     The down hill run begins a few yards from the back of the mountain restaurant (Bergrestaurant).  The delightful run takes you through forests and Gstaad’s tranquil mountain scenery before ending in Grund.  From there you can walk back to the Eggli valley station (ticketing station).

5.     This 5 km sledding area is suitable for families and children. You can navigate this distance in  30 minutes of continuous run or about 2 hours of leisurely sledding.  This sledding run is also used as a winter hiking trail. There are no restaurant or toilet facilities in the sledding run.

6.     Sleds are available for rent from the Eggli Valley Station  (behind Bergrestaurant) for CHF 10 who the whole day.  You can request for either small or long sled which can ride two persons.  You can return the sleds at the ticking station below as you finish your sledding.

7.     Tip for those with small children:  the end of the sledding area is a long walk to the ticketing station of Eggli.  Therefore, it is recommended that those sledding with children consider having them picked up by car at the end of the sledding area to avoid the long after a tiring day.

8.     Adults and children must always be mindful of the sledding safety tips including the use of sledding helmet and warm outfit.

             

Other activities to consider

          While sledding at Eggli may already take your whole day, the following other activities are recommended for those who do not go sledding:

1.     Visit to the Gstaad Main Town  --- main town is small compared to the towns found in Chamonix or Zermatt.  It is lined up with lots of shops and restaurants.  The restaurant just in front of the Train station serves good cheese fondue (CHF 23 per person) and other local dishes.

2.     Visit to Glacier 3000  -  You need to take a 30-minute bus from Gstaad to reach Glacier 3000. Glacier 3000 is a world-renown resort where you can enjoy a cable car ride to see the scenic mountains (Alps), experience riding a ski-lift, walk through the snow, try the dog sled rides (huskies),  drive the snow bus  and experience the Alpine coaster (roller coaster in snow).  Cable car fee is CHF 61 per person. 

January 2012