Swooshing up the world’s steepest cableway – I was that Bond girl – then realised James had got there first.
The 775m high cableway is part of Switzerland’s new Schilthornbahn 20XX project, linking Stechelberg village (866m) to car-free Mürren (1,650m) in under four minutes.
Spanning almost 1,200 meters of track, with a maximum gradient of 159.4%, it’s a wonder-ride with cabins suspended from 11-meter-long arms to manage the steep slope. For reference, the former record holder was the Loen Skylift in Norway, with an upward gradient of 60°.
I kept going … up ‘Bond mountain’. A gondola to Birg (2,676m), the Bernese Oberland’s highest ski area, where scenes for On Her Majesty’s Secret Service were shot in 1969.
Then the newly opened link (March 15) to Schilthorn summit (2,973m), where Spy World awaits.
This interactive display is a set jet, where your clients can slip easily into George Lazenby’s skis. I ‘flew’ the film helicopter, then fired myself down the bobsled.
What next? The James Bond brunch … Tasty treats savoured in the film-famed Piz Gloria restaurant – the Alps’ first revolving eatery. Dry Martini anyone?
Piz Gloria’s ideal for ‘eye spy’ as the Unesco World Heritage Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains are sensational backdrops, along with 200 other summits.
Clients can also enjoy the skyline viewing platform, and a boutique, for clothing and Bond souvenirs.
Mürren tourist office director, Jürg Sutter-Salvisberg, said: “A direct connection from the Lauterbrunnen Valley to Mürren was a vision on posters decades ago. Now it’s real, and Mürren is directly and quickly accessible with the world’s steepest cable car.”
Why go to this huge CHF135m expense? Michelle Wyss, Schilthornbahn AG’s media and product manager, said: “We needed to meet the ever-increasing expectations of international guests and remain competitive.
“The new structure, started in 2022, will double passenger capacity to 800. The opening of two more cable cars, by late autumn 2025 and spring 2026, completes the project. These will run from Mürren to Birg and further to the Schilthorn.”
Previously visitors had a four-stage journey, which included going by gondola via the car free village Gimmelwald. Now it’s a three-stage trip to the top, and journey times have been cut by a third from the valley floor to the summt. The upcoming cable cars will provide second tracks next to the existing cable cars, and – once finished – will be linked electronically to the cableway to allow the system to run without maintenance breaks.
A big history in skiing
The resort has a long history, with early tour operator Sir Henry Lunn launching Mürren as a winter sports resort in 1910/11.
Henry’s son, Arnold, promoted Alpine ski racing between the wars, and helped found the Kandahar Ski Club in 1924. Arnold’s son, Peter, captained the 1936 British Winter Olympic’s team.
In 1928 The Inferno launched. The world’s longest amateur Alpine ski race (15km) runs from Schilthorn to Lauterbrunnen and is now an annual January festival.
Mürren-Schilthorn ski area has 56 kms of slopes, with guaranteed snow into April. There’s also the Skyline Snowpark and a ski cross course.
Many UK operators now work in Mürren, including Inghams, Macs Adventure, Ski Club of Great Britain, Ski Independence and Crystal Ski.
Director and host of the Mürren Palace Hotel, Samuel Bichsel, welcomed the new facilities: "The direct connection from Stechelberg to Mürren means real added value for our guests. The shorter journey time, no more reloading and of course the spectacular ride on the steepest cable car in the world is extraordinary.
“The future 365-day access from the Schilthorn as our excursion destination will also open up further opportunities for our Hotel Mürren Palace as a year-round destination."
It’s now just 22 minutes from valley to summit, and junior market manager, BeNeLux, UK & Oceania, Kelly Joss proudly tells me: “The new Schilthorn cableway offers faster and more comfortable access to Mürren and to breathtaking alpine views, making the region even more appealing to UK guests.”
A Mürren package might cost a few moneypennies, but by James – it’s worth it!
