Lauterbrunnen City Guide
Lauterbrunnen Hostels: Valley Hostel and Mountain Hostel Gimmelwald
A Lauterbrunnen hostel means one of two properties, not a long list: Valley Hostel Lauterbrunnen on the floor of the Lauterbrunnen valley, and Mountain Hostel Gimmelwald one cableway stop below Mürren. This page covers both from what their own sites state, plus the cableway fare and visitor tax a Gimmelwald stay adds. For the wider Lauterbrunnen Switzerland guide accommodation picture, including camping and hotels, see where to stay.
Quick answer Lauterbrunnen hostel options at a glance
Lauterbrunnen has two hostels. Valley Hostel has 92 beds in 26 rooms across three chalets on the valley floor at Fuhren. Mountain Hostel Gimmelwald sits one cableway stop below Mürren in a car-free village, with shared dorms and private doubles. Neither publishes a nightly rate. Every bed carries the municipal visitor tax of $4.25 (CHF 3.50) per adult per night.
Key takeaways
- Valley Hostel sits on the valley floor in Lauterbrunnen itself: read what it is
- Mountain Hostel Gimmelwald sits one cableway stop below Mürren in a car-free village: see reaching Gimmelwald
- Still too much? Camping Jungfrau's tent pitch starts at $38.40 (CHF 31.60): see if a hostel bed is still too much
The Two Hostels Compared
The Lauterbrunnen valley keeps its hostel choice simple. One property works out of the village on the valley floor, the other sits on the high side branch in the car-free hamlet of Gimmelwald. Both are small and both trade in bunk beds and shared kitchens. The difference is where you wake up and what it costs in cableway fares to reach.
| Hostel | Setting | Rooms | Suits | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valley Hostel Lauterbrunnen | Valley floor at Fuhren, road and rail access | 92 beds in 26 rooms, private or multi-bed dorm | Travellers who want the train station and waterfalls close by | None of the altitude or car-free calm of Gimmelwald |
| Mountain Hostel Gimmelwald | Car-free Gimmelwald, one cableway stop below Mürren | Shared dorms and private double rooms | Hikers and climbers chasing adventure sports from the door | Every arrival and departure rides the Stechelberg-Mürren cableway |
Neither hostel publishes a nightly rate on its own site, so this table compares setting and room stock rather than price. Figures current in Q3 2026.
Valley Hostel Lauterbrunnen
What It Is
Valley Hostel Lauterbrunnen spreads 92 beds across 26 rooms in three chalets. You choose between a private room and a multi-bed dorm room, which makes it work for couples and families as easily as for solo travellers on a budget. The chalets sit at Fuhren, 3822 Lauterbrunnen in the canton of Bern, a short walk from the village centre and the railway line that runs the length of the valley floor.
Why Pick It
Staying here puts the valley floor on your doorstep without any cableway logistics to plan around. Trümmelbach Falls, the train station, the shops and the trailheads off the valley floor are all reachable on foot or by a short train hop, unlike Mountain Hostel Gimmelwald, which needs a cableway ride for every arrival and departure. That makes Valley Hostel the simpler pick for a first night or a late arrival.
For a wider look at the area see the Lauterbrunnen Switzerland guide.
Who It Suits
The mix of private rooms and dorms suits mixed groups, where one half wants a bunk and the other wants a door that closes, without splitting the group across two different properties. The three-chalet layout gives more of a village-camp feel than a single institutional building, which matters after a day spent on the trails or riding the valley's lifts. Solo budget travellers and families both fit the same roof here, which is not true of every hostel in the region.
Mountain Hostel Gimmelwald
What It Is
Mountain Hostel Gimmelwald offers two room types: shared dorm rooms and private double rooms. It sits in Gimmelwald, the small hamlet at the end of the valley's high side branch, one cableway stop below Mürren at 1,364 m, and it is one of only two hostels this guide can name in the whole municipality. Read more about the village itself in the Gimmelwald guide and about its larger, higher neighbour in the Mürren guide, which the same cableway line reaches one stop further up.
What It Sells Itself On
Adventure. The hostel markets itself on hiking, mountaineering, skydiving and paragliding on the doorstep, a pitch that Valley Hostel down on the valley floor does not make in the same way. If a trip is built around the Mürren via ferrata or the ridge walks above Gimmelwald, this is the bed to consider rather than commuting up from the floor each morning.
Quiet evenings come as a bonus too, since no cars reach the village at all and the hamlet counts only around 109 residents.
Who It Suits
It suits travellers who plan to spend the day in the high villages and are happy to ride the cableway with their bags on arrival and departure, and anyone who wants dark skies over village lights rather than a lit village square below. It suits fewer people hauling skis, strollers or heavy luggage, since every move in and out of Gimmelwald runs on the cableway timetable rather than a road, and a missed last ride down means an unplanned night.
Reaching Gimmelwald Without a Car
The Cableway
Gimmelwald is reached on the Stechelberg-Mürren cableway, riding up from the valley floor and getting off one stop before Mürren. The cableway's base station at Stechelberg is reached from Lauterbrunnen village by the valley's postbus. From the Gimmelwald station it is a short walk through the hamlet to the hostel.
The ride is free with a Swiss Travel Pass or a Berner Oberland Pass.
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Single to Gimmelwald | $14.34 (CHF 11.80) |
| Return to Gimmelwald | $28.70 (CHF 23.60) |
| Swiss Travel Pass holders | Free |
| Berner Oberland Pass holders | Free |
A Budget Angle
Holding either pass strengthens the case for the Gimmelwald hostel, since the cableway ride that complicates everyone else's arrival costs a pass holder nothing. Remember to add the visitor tax separately, covered next.
The Visitor Tax on a Hostel Bed
What You Pay
The visitor tax, the Kurtaxe, is $4.25 (CHF 3.50) per adult per night. Children aged 6 to 16 pay $2.13 (CHF 1.75) per night, and children under 6 stay free of it. It applies to every bed in the municipality, so a dorm bunk and a hotel suite carry the same charge per person.
You pay it through the accommodation provider, so the hostel adds it to the bill rather than collecting it separately.
What It Unlocks
Paying the tax unlocks the regional Guest Card, which carries local discounts during the stay. It is worth budgeting from the start, since it is charged per person per night on top of whatever the hostel quotes.
Source: Jungfrau Region visitor-tax regulation.
Hostel Stay Dos and Don'ts
Do
- Book Valley Hostel early in summer, since 92 beds in 26 rooms go fast in high season
- Ask both hostels directly for a nightly rate, since neither publishes one on its site
- Budget the visitor tax of $4.25 (CHF 3.50) per adult per night on top of any quoted rate
- Check whether the Swiss Travel Pass or Berner Oberland Pass covers the cableway ride if choosing Gimmelwald
- Pack light for Gimmelwald, since luggage travels by cableway
- Compare the campsite in Lauterbrunnen camping if a hostel quote comes back high
Don't
- Don't drive to Gimmelwald expecting parking, the village is car-free
- Don't assume a dorm bed means no private option at Valley Hostel, it offers both
- Don't book the Gimmelwald hostel without checking the cableway running times for arrival
- Don't compare hostel prices to hotel prices without reading the hotels page first
- Don't forget the tax applies to every bed, children aged 6 to 16 included at the reduced rate
- Don't treat either hostel's silence on price as unusually opaque, no Lauterbrunnen hotel publishes a full list either
If a Hostel Bed Is Still Too Much
The Campsite
Camping Jungfrau, the valley's other budget option, publishes real prices, which makes it a useful benchmark even without camping plans. Its own tent pitch starts at $38.40 (CHF 31.60) per night, and its basic shared Herberge cabin starts at $48.10 (CHF 39.60) per night for up to six guests. If a hostel quote comes back much higher than that for a dorm bed, the campsite is worth a look.
See Lauterbrunnen camping for the full price table, or the wider where to stay overview to compare the whole market, including hotels.
Tours From the Hostel Door
Two guided days fit naturally around a hostel stay in the valley. Prices are the platforms' listed US-dollar figures.
from $310.00
Lauterbrunnen-Mürren: Swiss Alps Tour from Interlaken
An hour in Lauterbrunnen village then three hours loose in car-free Mürren, all by public rail and cable car with a small group. Trümmelbach Falls sits on the route but its entry fee is paid separately at the gate if you stop there.
Check Availability
from $274.09
Hike Lauterbrunnen-Mürren Including Trümmelbach Falls Visit
From the listed $274.09, the operator adds $34.12 in mandatory extras, so budget for roughly $308 total before booking. The route itself is the valley's classic ridge walk to Mürren, with Trümmelbach Falls built into the day rather than left as a separate stop.
$274.09 plus $34.12 mandatory extras
Check AvailabilityPrices, ratings and details are the platform's own. Dollar figures are the listed prices. The platform bills in your account's currency.
Where to Go Next
Where to Stay
The full accommodation overview, from hostel beds to hotel rooms across the valley.
Lauterbrunnen Camping
Tent pitches and rental cabins at Camping Jungfrau with published prices.
Lauterbrunnen Hotels
Hotel options on the valley floor, including Hotel Silberhorn's own rates.
Gimmelwald
The car-free hamlet below Mürren, home to Mountain Hostel and quiet trails.
Lauterbrunnen Hostels: Questions
How many hostels are there in Lauterbrunnen?
Two. Valley Hostel Lauterbrunnen sits on the valley floor at Fuhren, and Mountain Hostel Gimmelwald sits in the car-free hamlet of Gimmelwald one cableway stop below Mürren.
How many beds does Valley Hostel Lauterbrunnen have?
92 beds in 26 rooms spread across three chalets, with a choice of private rooms and multi-bed dorm rooms.
How much does a hostel bed cost in Lauterbrunnen?
Not stated. Neither Valley Hostel Lauterbrunnen nor Mountain Hostel Gimmelwald publishes a nightly rate on its own site, so contact the hostel directly for a quote and add the visitor tax on top.
How do I reach Mountain Hostel Gimmelwald?
Ride the Stechelberg-Mürren cableway and get off at Gimmelwald, one stop before Mürren. A single costs $14.34 (CHF 11.80) and a return $28.70 (CHF 23.60), free with a Swiss Travel Pass or Berner Oberland Pass.
Do I pay the visitor tax on a hostel bed?
Yes. The Kurtaxe is $4.25 (CHF 3.50) per adult per night and $2.13 (CHF 1.75) for ages 6 to 16, under 6 free. It applies to every bed in the municipality, paid through the hostel, and unlocks the regional Guest Card.
Which hostel is better for hiking?
Mountain Hostel Gimmelwald markets itself directly on hiking, mountaineering, skydiving and paragliding from the doorstep. Valley Hostel Lauterbrunnen gives easier access to the valley floor trailheads and the station for early starts.
Is there anything cheaper than a hostel bed in Lauterbrunnen?
Potentially, yes. Camping Jungfrau publishes a tent pitch from $38.40 (CHF 31.60) per night, and a bed in its basic shared Herberge cabin starts at $48.10 (CHF 39.60) per night. See Lauterbrunnen camping for the full price table.
Lauterbrunnen Hostels on Film
Three looks at Valley Hostel and the wider valley's budget beds.
Valley Hostel, Lauterbrunnen
A walkthrough of Valley Hostel's rooms and setting on the valley floor.
Video: astramediaValley Hostel Lauterbrunnen Switzerland With Staubbach Falls View
A guest's look at a Valley Hostel room facing Staubbach Falls.
Video: Shayla SumaiyaSwitzerland: The Cheapest Accommodation in Lauterbrunnen Valley
A budget traveller's take on the valley's cheapest beds.
Video: Dee'sWe may earn a commission if you book through one of our links, at no extra cost to you. Full affiliate disclosure