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Niesen

2,362 m

Switzerland

Also known as Ниесен, ნიზენი

Ниесен · ნიზენი

Elevation
2,362 m
Prominence
407 m
Difficulty
2/10
Hike
Best Season
Jun–Oct
Routes
2

  • AdvisoryReported 25 Apr 2026 · until 8 Nov 2026

    Niesenbahn 2026 season: daily from 25 April to 8 November 2026 (may be extended in good weather). First ascent from Mülenen 08:00, last 17:00; last regular descent from Niesen Kulm 17:45. Extra evening trips on Wednesdays (1 July – 28 October), Fridays (1 May – 6 November) and Saturdays (2 May – 7 November).

    niesen.ch

Routes

2

Showing From Schwandegg via the Niesenalp (trail 6): the ’s line is approximate.

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The operator's top-recommended hike: ride the funicular to Schwandegg (1,666 m), then walk over the Alp Oberniese and the Cheesbödi to Niesen Kulm, a longer but gentler line than the direct trail. About 3 hours up, 1¾ hours down.

Elevation Profile

1,5001,7502,0002,2502,5000 km12345SchwandeggNiesen Kulm
Distance
5.1 km
one way
Ascent
+753 m
−59 m lost on the way up
High Point
2,362 m
Time Up
3h 16m
DIN 33466
Time Down
2h 20m
DIN 33466 · same way back

From the Schwandegg middle station of the Niesenbahn (1,666 m), trail 6 climbs through forest and open ground, then on a narrow path up a steep grassy slope with short forest stretches, to the Alp Oberniese (1,813 m), where alpine cheese is sold in summer. It continues up through pastures to the Cheesbödi crossing (1,988 m), then traverses below the ridge past the paragliding launch to Niesen Kulm (2,336 m), with the summit platform a short walk above on a tarred path. Allow about 3 hours from Schwandegg; it is longer but less steep than the direct trail 5. The operator's hiking ticket covers three sections by train and one on foot, for example Mülenen–Schwandegg by funicular, trail 6 on foot and the funicular back down from Niesen Kulm. In descent the route takes 1 hour 40–45 minutes (5.2 km, 768 m of descent and 93 m of ascent). Guard dogs may be present when herds are on the alp.

Start

Schwandegg1,669 m

  • Niesenbahn funicular Mülenen–Schwandegg
  • BLS train to Mülenen, Niesenbahn funicular to Schwandegg.

Stages

DayStagekmm ascentm descentTime
1Schwandegg → Niesen5.1753593h 16m

Waypoints

  1. Station:
    Schwandegg1,669 m
  2. Feature:
    Oberniese1,813 m

    Alp with cheese sales in summer

  3. Station:
    Niesen Kulm2,342 m

    not on route line

  4. Summit:
    Niesen2,362 m

Key Passages

  • Climb from the Niesenalp to the summit

Equipment

0/3 packed
Footwear
Clothing
Other

Downloads

Route confidence 75%
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Overview

The Niesen (2,362 m), the near-perfect 'Swiss pyramid' above Lake Thun, ends the long ridge from the Albristhorn between the Simmental and Kandertal. A funicular climbs to a summit hotel, and marked mountain trails make it a long but straightforward day hike of about 1,670 m from Mülenen.

Seen from Thun or Spiez, the Niesen rises as a regular pyramid from the shore of Lake Thun, which has earned it the nickname 'the Swiss pyramid'. It is the northern end of the ridge that runs from the Albristhorn and Männliflue, separating the Simmental from the Kandertal, and its summit is shared by the municipalities of Reichenbach im Kandertal and Wimmis. Its prominence is about 400 m, but the height gain from the valley floor is over 1,600 m.

The Niesenbahn funicular, completed in 1910, runs from Mülenen via the middle station at Schwandegg to Niesen Kulm, just below the summit, where the Berghaus Niesen Kulm offers food and rooms. Beside the line runs a service stairway of 11,674 steps, described as the longest in the world, which is open to the public only for the annual stair race.

For walkers the mountain offers a network of white-red-white mountain trails from every side: from Mülenen and Reichenbach, Frutigen, Wimmis, Oey-Diemtigen and Springenboden. The views extend over Lakes Thun and Brienz to the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. The mountain is also a popular paragliding launch.

Climbing Notes

A long day hike rather than a climb: 5 hours and about 1,670 m of ascent from Mülenen (T2), or 2½–3 hours from Schwandegg. The upper flank is steep and stony, so sturdy boots with good soles and rain protection are needed. The operator recommends walking up and riding the funicular down; check the last descent (17:45 from Niesen Kulm in the 2026 timetable, later on evening-trip days). Do not use the funicular stairway, which is closed except for the stair race. The funicular runs from late April to early November; outside that period the summit is a winter hike or snowshoe tour with avalanche-prone steep slopes.

History

The mountain was originally called Yesen, after the yellow gentian that still grows on its slopes; 'an Yesen' became Niesen over time. The funicular was completed in 1910. The painter Paul Klee, who spent holidays nearby, painted the mountain as an abstract pyramid, including a work titled Niesen.

Season

Best Jun–Oct
  1. January: Possible
  2. February: Possible
  3. March: Possible
  4. April: Possible
  5. May: Good
  6. June: Best (best window)
  7. July: Best (best window)
  8. August: Best (best window)
  9. September: Best (best window)
  10. October: Best (best window)
  11. November: Possible
  12. December: Possible
Jan
Funicular closed; winter ascent on foot for experienced parties
Feb
Funicular closed
Mar
Funicular closed; snow on the upper flank
Apr
Funicular opens late April (25 April in 2026); snow high up
May
Snow patches on the upper trails
Jun
Annual stair race on the funicular stairway
Jul
Afternoon thunderstorms; evening funicular trips
Aug
Afternoon thunderstorms
Sep
Clear views
Oct
Short days; check the last funicular descent
Nov
Funicular runs until early November (8 November in 2026)
Dec
Funicular closed

Access & Permits

Hut Booking
Berghaus Niesen Kulm (hotel and restaurant at the top station) is booked through niesen.ch.
Fees
  • Niesenbahn 2026 return fares (adult): Mülenen–Niesen Kulm CHF 64, Mülenen–Schwandegg CHF 40, Schwandegg–Niesen Kulm CHF 37; half price with GA/half-fare card
  • Hiking ticket (three sections by train, one on foot): CHF 51, CHF 25.50 reduced
Rules
  • The service stairway beside the funicular is not a hiking trail and is open to the public only for the annual stair race
  • Stay on the marked trails; guard dogs may be present when herds are on the alps
Getting There

Spiez; Frutigen; Thun

Bern (BRN); Zurich (ZRH)

  • BLS train to Mülenen (request stop) on the Spiez–Frutigen line; the funicular valley station is 200 m from the platform
  • Niesenbahn funicular Mülenen–Schwandegg–Niesen Kulm, 30 minutes, every 30 minutes (15 at peak times), 2026 season 25 April – 8 November
  • Park & Ride at Mülenen station
  • Other trailheads: Wimmis station, Reichenbach, Frutigen, Oey-Diemtigen

Hazards

  • Weather

Huts & Shelters

1
Researched from 6 sourcesConfidence83%UnreviewedUpdated 8 Oct 2026
Sources & Caveats
  • merged with Wikidata/OSM names
  • Natural Earth 10m point-in-polygon + 300 m border buffer; Wikidata P17 countries whose border is within 5 km
  • Fare figures come from a search summary of niesen.ch's 2026 price page, which was not read directly; the hiking-ticket price is from the hiking-trails page.; A Berner Zeitung headline mentions a first-ever winter operation of the Niesenbahn to the summit; the article could not be read, so dates and details are unknown.; Berghaus Niesen Kulm room numbers and opening hours were not verified; its season is assumed to follow the funicular.; Wikipedia places the Niesen in the Bernese Alps; the skeleton's 'Bernese Prealps' classification is the usual Swiss one.
  • normalizeGrade of the easiest researched route
  • OSM agrees
  • coordinates: 1 approx
  • Kirmse analysis gives 432 m (raw GLO-30 424 m)
  • P4552 chain
  • 100% OSM trail graph, 0% short gaps between OSM fragments, 0% DEM least-cost, 0% straight (approx)
  • elevation from copernicus_glo30, highres