Perched on the mountainside above the Lauterbrunnen valley in the heart of the Bernese Alps sits the car-free village of Wengen. This small village is renowned for many things, but ask anyone under the age of 10 and they’ll tell you all you need to know about is the marble runs.
The village is packed with marble run courses, built out of everything from skis to soup pots. Each one sends a ball — one that is much larger than an actual marble — on a journey through a maze of obstacles, noisemakers, turns and drops. These marble runs have stolen the hearts of giddy children for years, and they are something you definitely do not want to miss if you’re visiting Wengen.
In this post, we’ll explain exactly how to get in on the fun. From buying your ball to finding every single run, we’ve got you covered. So keep reading to learn all about the Wengen marble runs.
About Wengen Kugelbahn
The Wengen marble runs — or “Kugelbahn” in German — started popping up around Wengen in the early 2010s and they never looked back. Now, it’s hard to take a stroll around Wengen without spotting a marble run.
The marble runs quickly gained popularity and are now a main attraction for families visiting Jungfrau. These marble runs create and drive the energy around the village in the summer months. Every kid has a ball with them, and there’s almost always a cohort of children racing from course to course.
What makes this activity so special is that it truly is a community effort. Each run is designed and built by a different local business. They’re each unique, and many even reflect the style and function of the business who created it. And they’re not static either — these courses are often changed, modified, and/or rebuilt year after year.
Though the courses themselves are managed individually, the village has rallied around them and streamlined a process for playing with them. (And sure, also making a little bit of revenue.)
The tourism board sells the balls and distributes the maps, making it easy to participate. The route guides visitors around town, passing local shops and restaurants along the way. Everybody wins. (Hey, America are you listening? More of this!)
Getting Started: Where to buy a ball
To play with the marble runs in Wengen, you need one thing: a ball.
Though I continue to use the term marble run, the Kugelbahn in Wengen actually use a much bigger ball. It’s a couple inches in diameter and made out of wood I believe. It’s not heavy, but it’s not light either. Basically, you need this specific ball to use the marble runs.
You can buy a ball at a few locations in Wengen, but they’re all in basically the same area. The easiest location to find to buy your ball is the Wengen Tourism Office, which is located here, right beside the cable car station.
The balls cost CHF 4.00 each — so it’s basically the cheapest activity you’ll find in Switzerland. The balls come in multiple colors. If you’re buying multiple balls, be sure to pick different colors so you can race them and see who wins.
Wengen Marble Run Map
You can pick up a free marble run trail map at the Wengen Tourism Office when you buy your ball. The map also includes a scorecard on one side, if you choose to play that way. (More on “rules” & scorekeeping in the next section.)
The marble run trail follows the main street in the heart of the village, and then goes up and around the countryside to make a loop. The trail isn’t fully marked, but there are a few “Kugelbahn” signs posted to point you in the right direction. The entire route is 1K (or about 2/3 mile) and is fully paved (read: stroller friendly.) It does have a few steep hills, but is otherwise a lovely stroll.
Most of the runs are concentrated on the main street (Dorfstrasse) in the main part of the village. There are just a few on the back half that wraps up the hill and through the countryside. While these runs themselves might not be “worth” making the extra walk for, the but experience definitely is.
The back half of the route is the most beautiful, and offers amazing views. If you have time, I’d definitely recommend walking the route in full even though it looks like a lot of extra walking for just two more runs.
Quick Reference Digital Map — Google Maps
The provided paper is helpful but not the easiest to follow. Our map had an arial image, but no street or building names. One of the runs was off the route, but with no indication of how to reach it.
I created a handy dandy Google Maps version of the Wengen marble run course, to hopefully make it easier to find the marble runs.
Because the marble runs are individually operated, they may change from year to year. Runs may be added, removed or relocated, and which might not be updated in the published map or in my map below. However, the general route remains consistent. Use this map to track your walking path and find some of the trickier hidden runs. Then, use the paper map to make sure you make it to all of the current runs.
Note: As shown in the image above, Google Maps does not recognize that there is a direct walking path from the cable car station directly over to Dorfstrasse (the main street.) You can either follow the walking path from B to C in the Google Map or you can just walk directly to Dorfstrasse and then over to the playground.
Tips for using this map
- To view the map in Google Maps, click the expand icon on the top right corner.
- Click the star icon to save the map to your Google account for later. To access the map next time, open Google Maps > click the Saved tab > click Maps.
How to Play & Keep Score
The marble runs are not complicated. You put your ball in, you watch it come down, and you have fun with your friends and family. It’s really as simple as that.
To make it a bit more interesting, you can make it a competition. To play this way, every player needs a different color ball. Start the balls at the same time and see who wins. Write down the scores on the scorecard (winner gets 1 point, 2nd place gets 2 points, etc.) After you complete all the marble runs, the player with the lowest score wins.
If I could be a mom for a second, I was say that the Wengen marble runs have two very serious rules: take turns and have fun. In our experience, the kids seemed to be good at both. It was actually really sweet to see the kids of all different ages, speaking all different languages, come together at the marble runs.
Marble Run Operating Hours
The marble runs are typically located in public spaces, but they’re not considered to be open 24/7. Because of their proximity to hotels and homes, the marble runs are only to be used during daytime hours.
The official map lists closing time as 10 PM and does not mention an opening time. There was at least one run that had specific hours posted as 8 AM – 8 PM. So a general rule of thumb would be try to stick to 8 AM – 8 PM, and then use your best judgement between 8 and 10 PM.
Marble Run Season — Summer
More import than the hours is the season. The marble runs are not all open and operating throughout the year.
They usually begin setting them up in June. The marble runs are typically fully operational by July and remain open until roughly mid-October (weather depending.) Most of Wengen’s marble runs close (or are “winterized”) during the winter season and then they are rebuilt or refreshed come spring.
10 Tips for the Best Marble Run Experience
- Play with a group. The routes are designed so the balls can race each other. If you have multiple kids, be sure to get them each a ball. Parents, get yourself a ball too.
- Walk the route clockwise. You can start from any run, but it’s best to complete the loop clockwise. That’s because there’s a very steep hill (between the pool and the train station) and its best to walk that down.
- Save the main square for last. Start at the Tourism Office and end at the square. It’s nice to save a few good ones for the end, plus it’s a good place to hang out when you’re done.
- Budget 1 hour. It takes about 1 hour to walk the full loop and play a few rounds at each course. If you’re staying in Wengen, you could easily do this every single day.
- Keep your ball(s) with you. If you’re staying in Wengen (or plan to pass through often), always keep your ball with you. It’s nice to do a quick run anytime you pass one.
- Not all runs are created equal. Mostly, I just want to call out that the “run” listed on the map near the train station does not use your ball. There’s a ball inside that you move around with a crank.
- Check Instagram. This account is linked on the back of the official Wengen map. It’s not updated often, but it does often note when the runs are open for the season.
- Visit other marble runs. If you love this activity, you are in the right country! The closest similar experience is marble run hiking trail in Hasliberg. It’s an hour drive or 2.5 hour train from Lauterbrunnen.
Peak at the Marble Runs in Wengen
As I mentioned above, the marble run courses in Wengen are always evolving. Some of the most prominent routes come back mostly the same year after year, while others might get a color change or complete rebuild. The concept though is the same, and if anything, they continue to improve.
So for the sake of inspiration, here’s a look at every marble run in Wengen during our visit.
Read More about this Trip
I hope you enjoyed this guide to Wengen’s marble runs. If you visit, I’d love to hear about any new runs that I don’t have pictured here. Also, be sure to check out some of our other related posts from this trip.
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