Kandersteg

Kandersteg is a village in the Bernese Highlands in Switzerland. Located in the heart of the Alps, Kandersteg is the perfect location to explore the mountains and observe the traditional Swiss alpine lifestyle and it is also on the edge of the Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO world heritage site.

A small farming village with a population of 1,200 Kandersteg today relies heavily on tourism for economic support. The village is also home to Kandersteg International Scout Centre, which is open 365 days and welcomes over 12,000 Scouts and Guides from around the world each year.

In Summer, Kandersteg acts as a resort for hikers from all corners of Europe offering hundreds of kilometres of marked hiking paths. Well maintained and secure via-ferrata and multi-pitch rock climbing areas also attract many guests.

Winter offers a wide range of posted hiking paths and is one of the biggest cross-country areas in Switzerland. The village also has snowshoe trails, sled runs and skiing areas suitable for beginner-intermediate skiers.

The Jungfrau-Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage information point located outside the Tourist Office.

By train
Kandersteg is well served by regular trains, operated by the Swiss Federal Railways. Trains to Kandersteg run from Thun in the north and Brig in the south. The public transport system is punctual, multilingual and easy to use.

By road
Most European motorways will bring you to Spiez which is 30 minutes north of the village. Travellers from the south use the Goppenstein car-train through to Kandersteg.

Get around
In high season there is a local bus which runs from the train station to Sunnbuel Cable Car and the Oeschinen Gondola. The bus is free with a Guest Card which is available from your accommodation in Kandersteg. This service is operated by AFA Busbetrieb who have up to date timetable information.

See




Do

 * Ride the cable cars and see what each one has the offer:
 * Hiking. The most famous routes lead to the canton of Valais, across the Gemmi Pass straight to Leukerbad (with cable cars operating at each end) or through the wild Gastern valley across the higher Lötschen Pass to the Lötschental. There are plenty of other trails, most of them can be checked on this map provided by Kandersteg Tourist Organisation.
 * Speed down the local Sled Run on a traditional wooden sled during the winter.
 * Fall serenely from the sky Paragliding with your instructor.
 * Hiking. The most famous routes lead to the canton of Valais, across the Gemmi Pass straight to Leukerbad (with cable cars operating at each end) or through the wild Gastern valley across the higher Lötschen Pass to the Lötschental. There are plenty of other trails, most of them can be checked on this map provided by Kandersteg Tourist Organisation.
 * Speed down the local Sled Run on a traditional wooden sled during the winter.
 * Fall serenely from the sky Paragliding with your instructor.
 * Fall serenely from the sky Paragliding with your instructor.

Supermarkets
The village has three supermarkets which have a basic range. All are located within a few minutes walk from centre of the village:
 * Coop - open Monday to Saturday (with lunch break at 12:00-14:00) and has the biggest range of goods.
 * Treffpunkt - open on Sunday morning, but closed Wednesday afternoon (lunch break 12:00-13:30 on other days).
 * Volg - Monday - Saturday.

Souvenirs

 * Victorinox or Wenger 'Swiss Army Knife'
 * Piece of local alpine cheese from Hari Käsespezialitäten
 * Kandersteg 'Wanderkarte' Walking Map

Eat
The cost of food in Switzerland is very high, and this reflects in the price of eating out in local restaurants. Some favourites include:



Drink
Kandersteg has a vibrant array of night life, especially during high season.

Sleep
There are over 20 hotels in Kandersteg plus countless more Bed and Breakfasts, Holiday Apartments and the mammoth International Scout Centre who in itself has places for 1,800 people. There is an exhaustive list available from Kandersteg Tourismus



Some of the most popular include:
 * There are several Mountain Huts in Kandesteg surroundings.
 * There are several Mountain Huts in Kandesteg surroundings.
 * There are several Mountain Huts in Kandesteg surroundings.
 * There are several Mountain Huts in Kandesteg surroundings.
 * There are several Mountain Huts in Kandesteg surroundings.

Cope
The village also has Post Office, Doctors Surgery as well as two banks.


 * Cards are rarely used at point of sale in Switzerland, especially in small villages. As there are only 2 ATMs in the town, have cash handy.
 * Remember that Switzerland takes Swiss francs, not euros.
 * During low-season, March-May and October-December almost all of the village is closed - most hotels, tourist information, local shops etc. If you visit during this time it is good to remember that the International Scout Centre is open 365 days and the office provides tourist information, maps, catering as well as accommodation.

Connect
Kandersteg and its approach road from Spiez have 4G from all Swiss carriers. As of Dec 2022, 5G has not reached the village.

Go next
Walk, cable car, or ski out to Leukerbaud, Lötschental, Adelboden or Frutigen.