Schilthorn - is visiting Piz Gloria worth it in 2026?

8 Highlights at Schilthorn

• The revolving restaurant Piz Gloria offers a 360° panoramic view of the Swiss Alps
• The Walk of Fame commemorates the cast and crew of "On Her Majesty's Secret Service"
• The Schilthorn cable car passes over Mürren and Birg on the way up the 2973 m high mountain
• Visitors can reach the summit of Schilthorn from Stechelberg in 24 minutes using three different cable cars
• With a slope of 88%, the Diretissima is one of the steepest ski runs
• At the Thrill Walk near the Birg mid-station, dizzying heights and stunning views await you
• The hiking area around Schilthorn offers not only numerous trails but also lush flora for nature lovers

Besides the distinctive peaks of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, you can clearly see other well-known summits of the Bernese and Valais Alps. On the other side lie the extensive Jura mountain ranges and the blue-glimmering Lake Thun.

Attractions at the Schilthorn

The most popular destination on the Schilthorn is undoubtedly the revolving restaurant Piz Gloria. Several walks help visitors get even closer to the breathtaking mountain panorama. A good head for heights is usually required here.

The main attractions at the Schilthorn are:

• Summit restaurant Piz Gloria
• Skyline View Platform observation terrace
• Walk of Fame
• View Lounges
• Skyline Top Shop and Skyline Take Away
• Skyline Walk at Birg
• Thrill Walk at Birg

Summit Restaurant Piz Gloria

The filming of the 007 movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" took place on the Schilthorn between October 1968 and May 1969. The villain Blofeld used the newly built revolving restaurant as his base. The restaurant was named "Piz Gloria" in the film and kept that name after filming concluded.

The circular mountain restaurant is surrounded by glass all around. Two separately switchable circular rings, each 2.5 m wide, revolve around a 7.5 m diameter inner area. This design ensures that every guest enjoys a mountain view, as the restaurant's interior completes a full 360° rotation every 45 minutes.

Piz Gloria offers various culinary package deals. You benefit from a discounted price when you book the cable car ride combined with a dining experience.

Swiss Skyline Observation Terrace

Right next to the revolving restaurant is an observation terrace at 2970 m above sea level with views over the Swiss Skyline. Over two hundred mountain peaks can be seen in all directions from here, including not only Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau but also Tschingelhorn, Mont Blanc, and many more. Just beside the restaurant, a fantastic photo opportunity awaits you in James Bond style.

Swiss Skyline Viewing Terrace

Directly adjoining the revolving restaurant is a viewing terrace at 2970 m above sea level, offering a panoramic view of the Swiss Skyline. From here, you can see over two hundred mountain peaks in every direction. This includes not only the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau, but also the Tschingelhorn, Mont Blanc, and many more.

Bond World at Schilthorn

Bond World gives you fascinating insights and background information about the filming of the James Bond movie on Schilthorn featuring George Lazenby as 007. You'll dive right into the world of the secret agent. You'll participate in a tour through seven key scenes from the film as if you were part of the shoot. Of course, a look at the original script is also included. Plus, you’ll get interesting behind-the-scenes stories. Did you know, for example, that:

• a team of 150 people was involved in the filming?
• Bond girl Diana Rigg couldn’t ski, so she was strapped to a sled for the close-ups?
• Bernhard Russi was used as a double for some challenging ski descents?

We won't reveal any more secrets here. After all, it should still be worth your while to visit this fascinating world. But here’s a hint: the Bond World is perfect for your next family outing.

Bond Cinema

The Bond Cinema Schilthorn showcases special stunts, mountain scenes, and key moments from the film on a large screen. Stunning wide-angle shots present sharp images from the beloved Bond film "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". After the excitement you've experienced in Bond World, you can now process everything in a tranquil environment.

The curved screen measures 12 m wide. It displays various scenes and stunts from the James Bond classic. In between, you'll be transported into the breathtaking surrounding mountain scenery, gently reminding you that you're not just in an exciting action movie, but in the heart of the Bernese Alps.

Walk of Fame

In 2015, a Walk of Fame for the film "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" was created. The path honours actors, stunt performers, and other contributors at the summit. Fifteen pillars each feature an information panel with a photo and an explanation of their role in the film. A personal message accompanies the signature and a steel handprint.

The honourees include:

• George Lazenby
• Jenny Hanley
• Stefan Zürcher
• Bernhard Russi
• Sylvana Henriques
• Terence Mountain
• Willy Bogner
• Gabriele Ferzetti
• John Glen
• Vic Armstrong
• Catherine Shell
• Erich Glavitza
• Eddie Stacey
• Helena Ronee
• Terry Ackland-Snow

As a special event, many of the honoured guests were flown in by helicopter in 2015 to inaugurate the Walk of Fame and leave their handprints.

Note that the Walk of Fame may be closed depending on wind and weather conditions.

View Lounges

At the top of the Schilthorn ridge, three wooden structures were built to shield against the wind much like beach chairs do. In different viewing directions, up to four people can enjoy the view at the same time. The View Lounges are located a bit away from the busy area at the Schilthorn, behind the Walk of Fame.

Skyline Top Shop

Inside the summit building, there is a spacious shop offering a mix of sportswear and souvenirs. Whether you've forgotten hats, jackets, T-shirts, umbrellas, or backpacks, you'll find almost everything here. Of course, Swiss watches and the legendary pocket knives are also part of the selection. A special highlight is the umbrella featuring a photo of the revolving restaurant at the Schilthorn with the bright sun in the background.

Skyline Walk at Schilthorn

The mid-station Birg is located at 2,677 m above sea level on a rock massif. This is where you change for the last time before boarding the final gondola to Schilthorn. Besides the large sun terrace at Bistro Birg, there are two other attractions to discover here: the Skyline Walk and the Thrill Walk. Making a short—or even a slightly longer—stop here is definitely worth it.

The Skyline Walk extends from the bistro terrace to a platform, offering a breathtaking panoramic view over the entire Bernese Alps mountain range. The structure is mainly made of steel with a grated floor. Its angular design blends almost seamlessly into the rugged rocky landscape. If you’re not quite brave enough for the Thrill Walk, this is your best chance to snap a great photo of the Swiss skyline.

Thrill Walk at Schilthorn

The Thrill Walk starts right at the Birg station and follows a roughly 200-meter path along the rock face. It winds under the platform and the cable car, featuring several special sections along the way. For instance, there are parts where you can choose to balance on a rope. Of course, you can simply skip the balancing act and walk across the solid grid floor instead.

There are also short stretches with a glass floor, designed to raise the excitement a bit more. And last but not least, there’s a section that kids will especially love: a tunnel made from a steel net, where they can crawl through above the abyss within the structure.

Being fearless definitely helps here. If you’re unsure at any point, you can turn back and return to the starting point. Otherwise, just focus on the stunning view, and the dizzying height will soon be forgotten.

Activities on the Schilthorn

The Schilthorn is a popular destination for excursions all year round. In summer, in addition to many hiking trails, there is always the opportunity for a paragliding flight. This is also possible in summer as well as in winter. For skiing, most of the visitors drive up to the Birg, because the descent from the Schilthorn with a slope of 75% is not for the faint-hearted

Among the most popular activities are:

• Hiking (in winter also with snowshoes)
• Paragliding
• Skiing

Hiking on the Schilthorn

At least 14 designated hiking trails are popular on the Schilthorn. One of the most popular hiking trails is the ascent from the Birg middle station to the summit. The difficult trail covers about 350 meters in altitude and rewards you with a view of more than 200 mountain peaks

Also very popular is an easy hike that leads from the Birg to the Grauseeli. Especially beautiful here is the reflection of the mountains in this small mountain lake. So keep your camera ready and hope for a windless minute

In winter, winter hikes are possible between December and April, which are easier or harder to walk depending on the amount of snowfall. For some trails you will need snowshoes to cope with the deep snow.

Paragliding

The Schilthorn is very popular with paragliders, which is hardly surprising given the view. Where James Bond has already been in action, this leisure activity is particularly fun. Take-off is from the Schilthorn at Piz Gloria in the direction of Stechelhorn. The pilots have to pay special attention to the cable cars. Since the launch site is located in a high alpine environment, it is an advantage if you have a good level of fitness for this tandem flight.

Skiing at the Schilthorn

The ski area at the Schilthorn is famous for the nearly 16 km long Skicross Inferno downhill run, which extends all the way down to Lauterbrunnen. At the upper part of the Schilthorn, the ski area covers the zone between the Birg mid-station (2,677 m above sea level) and the Obere Hubel (2,439 m above sea level).

Birg-Schilthorn Ski Area

The Birg-Schilthorn ski area starts at the mid-station of the Schilthorn cable car. Thanks to reliable snow conditions at this altitude, skiing is possible here until the end of April. The steepest piste in the Jungfrau region is the Direttissima run. It is 400 m long with a gradient of 88%. Nearby, there is another black piste named "Bond." A blue piste called "Engetal" offers an easy descent. The four-seater chairlift Riggli takes all skiers back to Birg at the Schilthorn mid-station.

Skicross Inferno

The Skicross Inferno downhill is the longest run at the Schilthorn at 15.8 km. It covers 2,000 vertical meters and has been the venue for the largest amateur ski race since 1928. The start is just below the Schilthorn peak. The course first leads to the Obere Hubel, with the finish located in the valley at Lauterbrunnen. This route is especially challenging, but it is also open for skiing outside of the official Skicross race.

Skiing at Obere Hubel

From Obere Hubel, there are blue, red, and two black pistes descending. Chairlifts Muttleren and Kandahaar bring winter sports enthusiasts back up.

Events on the Schilthorn

There is always something to experience on the Schilthorn.

• Music events take place at Schilthorn at irregular intervals. These include the Country High Line Dance Party and the Panoramica dance events with Kellerkind next to the Birg station.
• At Piz Gloria every visitor can also plan his own event. Your birthday will be rewarded with a free ride from Mürren or Stechelberg to the Schilthorn and back. For this you have to show your ID at the ticket office
• In August the Inferno Triathlon takes place. This extremely challenging event starts in Thun and takes the athletes up to the summit of the Schilthorn
• In addition to the Inferno Triathlon, there is also an Inferno Ski Race. This race starts just below the small Schilthorn and leads all the way to Lauterbrunnen. Good skiers manage to cover the demanding distance in about 20 min. The winners even manage the race in less than 15 min.

Schilthorn: Location and Getting There

The entire Schilthornbahn facility is located within the political municipality of Lauterbrunnen. The Stechelberg-Mürren-Schilthorn cable car (LSMS) takes you to the summit of the Schilthorn in three stages.

Departing from Stechelberg, the gondola passes through Mürren on the world's steepest cable car route. The next stop is Birg before the line reaches the peak at the Schilthorn. The former intermediate stop, Gimmelwald, is still served to connect the village to the transport network. From here, you can also continue on to Mürren.

At each intermediate station, you switch to a different gondola, which usually doesn't keep you waiting long. The Schilthornbahn takes about 24 minutes to cover the entire route. Departures from Stechelberg run every half hour.

By the way, dogs travel for free on the entire Schilthornbahn network regardless of size. They should, however, be kept on a leash and may need a muzzle if necessary.

Getting to the Valley Station of the Schilthornbahn

The Schilthornbahn is easily reached from Interlaken by public transport in about 50 minutes. From Interlaken Ost, the Bernese Oberland Railway (BOB) runs every half hour to Lauterbrunnen. From there, you continue on PostBus line 141 to Stechelberg, where the stop is right at the valley station. Train, bus, and cable car timetables are well coordinated.

If you come by car, you also drive via Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg. There are plenty of parking spaces right at the valley station in Stechelberg. And by "plenty," we mean 1,500 parking spots.

The History of the Schilthornbahn

The first three sections of the Schilthornbahn between Stechelberg and Birg were completed as early as 1965. After filming for the James Bond movie "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" was finished, the last section from Birg to the summit of the Schilthorn officially opened in 1968. The cableway and the summit restaurant "Piz Gloria" were already used during the filming itself.

The Sections of the Schilthornbahn

With the completion of the Schilthornbahn 20XX project, the route was fundamentally modernized. The Schilthornbahn now runs in three sections from Stechelberg to the Schilthorn—one section fewer than before:

1. Stechelberg – Mürren
2. Mürren – Birg
3. Birg – Schilthorn

Section 1: Stechelberg – Mürren

Since December 2024, a state-of-the-art, double-track pendulum cableway with 85-seat cabins directly connects Stechelberg to the car-free mountain village of Mürren. The route overcomes 775 vertical meters and reaches a maximum gradient of nearly 160 percent, making it the steepest pendulum cableway in the world. The journey time is under four minutes.

The former route via Gimmelwald continues to operate alongside the new direct connection, ensuring year-round access to the mountain village of Gimmelwald.

Section 2: Mürren – Birg

The link between Mürren (1638 m above sea level) and Birg (2677 m above sea level) consists of two independently operated, single-track Funifor aerial cableways. These are the first of their kind in Switzerland and overcome an elevation difference of 1,039 metres. The first track started operation in December 2024, the second followed in November 2025.

The Funifor system is characterised by high wind stability, compact stations, and lower supports. Thanks to the independent operation, one track can remain in service even during maintenance of the other.

Section 3: Birg – Schilthorn

The top section from Birg to the summit of the Schilthorn at 2,970 m above sea level has also been completely renewed and replaced by two single-track Funifor cableways. The route is 1,766 metres long and overcomes 293 vertical metres. The first track began operating in March 2025, with the second opening in April 2026, marking the official completion of the entire project.

Access from Stechelberg to Gimmelwald remains secured via the existing aerial cableway. Access is guaranteed until at least 2035.

The new Schilthornbahn is considered one of the most modern aerial cableway systems in the Alps.

Restaurants at Schilthorn

Apart from the famous summit restaurant Piz Gloria, there is a popular bistro here at 2,677 m above sea level. Piz Gloria was expanded during the summit development between 1985 and 1992.

Summit Restaurant Piz Gloria, the revolving restaurant at Schilthorn

The revolving restaurant rotates with two rings through 360 degrees, offering a panoramic view of the mountains while you dine. The Bernese Alps provide a special highlight with the trio of Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. On the other side, you can gaze over Lake Thun, the Jura massif, and the picturesque central region.

The panoramic restaurant has 408 seats:

• Inner ring: 192 seats at 24 tables
• Outer ring: 216 seats at 36 tables

The restaurant, open daily during the operating hours of the Schilthorn cable car, offers table service. The menu features a wide range of snacks, salads, main courses, and desserts.

• You can book the popular brunch at Schilthorn daily for Piz Gloria. The brunch runs until 2:00 PM and allows you to visit the attractions at Schilthorn afterward.
• From 2:00 PM, there's the Piz Gloria Zvieri. Cheese and freshly sliced meats are served on a platter. Slicing the meat on an original Berkel slicer is part of the enjoyable ritual.
• During Piz Gloria lunch, you'll also be spoiled with culinary delights.

Skyline Take Away on the Schilthorn

The Skyline Take Away is located inside the summit building and offers take-away meals. The room can also be used and rented for standing receptions or presentations and is designed for a maximum of 150 people. In addition to snacks, you will also find hot and cold drinks. The takeaway is particularly suitable for visitors who want to experience as many of the sights on the Schilthorn as possible in a short time

Bistro Birg

The large sun terrace offers a direct view of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. At the popular burger station you can put together your own hamburger or hot dog. On the terrace there is a Quick Corner with grill and wok station. The legendary Thrill Walk Crème Slice is a popular dessert you won't want to miss. The restaurant's indoor dining area also serves. The bistro is open daily during the opening hours of the Schilthornbahn. Musical events also take place here from time to time.

Schilthornhütte (at the Obere Hugel)

The Schilthornhütte stands on a rock in the Engetal, which runs down from the Schilthorn. In summer it is therefore in the middle of the hiking area and in winter in the middle of the ski area. From the Schilthornbahn middle station Birg you need about 40 min by foot. The chairlifts Muttleren or Kandahar lead to the hut in winter

In addition to a sun terrace, the mountain restaurant also has a spacious dining room. The Schilthornhütte offers meals as well as overnight stays in a mattress dormitory. Up to 25 people can find space there with their own hut sleeping bag. The mattress camp is located on the upper floor, the toilets and showers are located on the first floor. Sleeping bags can also be rented.

In summer, overnight stays are possible between June and September, in winter from December to April. According to the weather conditions, these times may change. Telephone and internet work through the mobile network.