TL;DR
The cable car into Mürren just got a serious upgrade. The Lauterbrunnen-Grütschalp aerial cableway has been fully renovated and reopens 11 July 2026 - new 135-person cabin (up from 100), new drive systems, new valley station layout with separated passenger flows, and an on-site energy storage system. After 478,500 passengers in 2025 alone, the capacity boost is well overdue.
The Lauterbrunnen-Grütschalp cable car - the primary access link to Mürren - reopens on 11 July 2026 following a complete renovation that has been underway since 13 April.
The upgrade was required under Swiss safety regulations. The cableway went into service in 2006, and after 20 years of operation it needed a full renovation to obtain a new operating licence and ensure reliable service for the next two decades. The new cabin arrived in Lauterbrunnen on 21 May 2026.
Why This Cable Car Matters
The Lauterbrunnen-Grütschalp line is not just a tourist lift - it's the essential transport link for the car-free village of Mürren and the surrounding area. The cable car climbs 686 metres in around four minutes, and in addition to passengers it can carry up to six tonnes of freight. The mountain station includes a transfer facility where cargo moves onto the narrow-gauge railway, with an average of 5,000 tonnes of materials transported annually.
The BLM line carried 478,500 passengers in 2025 - a 6.9% increase on 2024 - making it one of the busier mountain transport links in the Bernese Oberland. The previous cabin capacity of 100 passengers had become a genuine bottleneck, particularly in peak summer periods when queues at the valley station were a known frustration for visitors heading to Mürren.
What's New
The most visible change is the cabin itself. Capacity increases from 100 to 135 passengers - a 35% improvement at a single stroke - and the new cabin's colour scheme has been updated to match the recently renovated Grütschalp-Mürren adhesion railway trains. The cable car will now operate without a passenger attendant on board.
Beyond the cabin, the renovation covers the suspension and running gear, the drive control system, safety brake hydraulics, and brake hydraulic units. The drive motors, brake systems, and gearboxes have been overhauled.
At the valley station in Lauterbrunnen, an additional platform has been built to separate arriving and departing passengers - a practical improvement that addresses the flow issues the previous layout created. Two new escalators and a new lift have also been installed, along with high platform doors.
Energy Storage Upgrade
An energy storage system has been installed at the mountain station. Both the cable car and the Grütschalp-Mürren adhesion railway already recover electricity during descent, but previously that energy was fed back into the grid. The new system stores it on-site instead, making it directly available during the ascent. The operator says this will meaningfully reduce grid usage costs and peak demand charges.
Practical Note for Visitors
During the closure from 13 April to 10 July 2026, the alternative route to Mürren ran via Stechelberg and the Schilthornbahn cable car. Jungfrau Travel Pass holders had their pass extended to cover the Stechelberg-Mürren route on the Schilthornbahn during this period. The cable car resumes scheduled service on Saturday 11 July 2026 - anyone with a Mürren trip planned from that date onwards will find the main access route back in operation.
About the author
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
