Jungfrau
The Train to the Top of Europe Has Been Running Since 1912
The Jungfrau Railway bored its tunnel through the Eiger in stages between 1896 and 1912, a 16-year construction project that at the time was considered one of the most ambitious engineering works in history. The railway climbs from Kleine Scheidegg to the Jungfraujoch saddle at 3,454 metres – mostly through that tunnel, with two intermediate stops at viewing windows cut into the Eiger’s north face – emerging into a world of permanent snow, research stations, and extraordinary Alpine views. The journey takes 35 minutes. The engineering still impresses.
The Jungfraujoch is the reason most visitors come to the Bernese Oberland, and for good reason: on a clear day you look south across the Aletsch Glacier – the longest glacier in the Alps at 23 kilometres – and feel the scale of something that photographs cannot adequately contain. Altitude affects some people even at 3,454 metres; move slowly for the first hour and drink water.
What It Costs
In 2026, the standard return ticket from Interlaken Ost to Jungfraujoch costs CHF 261 in the May-October peak season. A seat reservation (mandatory May-October, strongly recommended otherwise) adds CHF 10. The total is significant. With the Swiss Travel Pass, the fare drops to CHF 180 return from Interlaken; with the Swiss Half Fare Card, CHF 131. The Jungfrau Travel Pass covers the Grindelwald-Jungfraujoch section from CHF 63.
The Good Morning ticket saves approximately CHF 60 per adult if you arrive at Kleine Scheidegg early enough to board the first ascent – the specific cutoff times are on the jungfrau.ch website and worth checking.
2026 note: The Lauterbrunnen-Grutschalp aerial cableway is closed for renewal from April 13 to July 10, 2026. Routes from Lauterbrunnen via Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg are affected. Plan via Grindelwald and the Eiger Express gondola (opened 2020, reaches Eigergletscher station in about 15 minutes) during this period.
Grindelwald
Grindelwald is the most practical base: the most accommodation options, direct access to the Eiger Express, and the village itself is pleasant with a clear view of the Eiger’s north face from the main street. First mountain above Grindelwald is the better hiking territory once you’ve done the Jungfraujoch. The trail to Bachalpsee – a lake reflecting the Eiger and Wetterhorn on calm mornings – is 1.5 hours from First station. The First Cliff Walk, metal walkways and bridges bolted to the cliff face, is exciting without requiring technical skills.
Lauterbrunnen Valley
Lauterbrunnen valley is one of the most dramatic landscapes in Switzerland: a flat-floored trough with 1,000-metre vertical walls on both sides and 72 waterfalls including Staubbachfall, which falls 297 metres in a free drop from the cliff edge. The car-free villages of Murren and Wengen are accessible by funicular and cableway from the valley floor. Murren gives access to the Schilthorn (2,970 metres), used as a filming location for the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service; the rotating restaurant at the top is called Piz Gloria and the view covers 200 Alpine peaks.
Practical Notes
Interlaken is the transport hub: 50 minutes from Bern by fast train, 2 hours from Zurich, 2.5 hours from Geneva. The Swiss Travel Pass covers regional trains and most transport in the valley; mountain railway individual tickets are not included but the pass gives discounts.
Clear views from the Jungfraujoch are never guaranteed. Check conditions at jungfrau.ch before making the ascent, as cloud typically builds from mid-morning. Early departures in summer give the highest probability of a clear view and save money with the Good Morning ticket simultaneously.
Hotel prices reflect the mountain tourism premium: mid-range hotels in Grindelwald start at CHF 180-250 per night double in peak season. Murren, being car-free and slightly less touristed, can be marginally cheaper for equivalent quality.