[Switzerland 2023] Day 4: Visiting Jungfraujoch - Top of Europe From Lauterbrunnen
By Elin Chow - Wednesday, October 18, 2023
The Jungfraujoch is one of the most popular destination in Switzerland, attracting more than one million visitors every year. Also known as the Top of Europe, the Jungfraujoch station, which sits at an altitude of 3,454 meters, is the highest railway station in Europe.
Visiting Jungfraujoch is expensive, even with the discount provided by various train travel passes. In fact, it is one of the most expensive mountain excursions in Switzerland. Tickets to the Jungfraujoch can be purchased online or any of the railway stations.
We purchased our Jungfraujoch tickets at the ticket counter at Lauterbrunnen station. The staff at the counter told us that we could get the discounted Good Morning tickets, but the train will be leaving in 3 minutes. We have to run to the platform as fast as we could to catch the "last" train of the day.
WHAT IS GOOD MORNING TICKET
The Good Morning ticket, which is only available from May to October, will allow you to travel to the Top of Europe at a reduced price. With a Half Fare Card, it will cost 85 CHF round trip.
However, the ticket is only valid for one of the first three connections to Jungfraujoch, which means that we have to board the 7.45 am, 8.15 am or 8.45 am train at Eigergletscher station. For the return journey, the Good Morning ticket is valid for descend from Jungfraujoch up to and including the connection at 1.17 pm.
I would recommend buying the tickets on the day so that you can check the weather before deciding to go. Even though there are plenty of things to do and see on Jungfraujoch in all weather, it is still a waste of money if you visit on a cloudy or rainy day when the visibility is low. To make the most of your money spend on this trip, you should choose a clear, sunny day to visit. You can check the Jungfraujoch webcam before buying your ticket.
We also received Jungfrau passports when we bought the tickets at the counter. The passport contains information about Jungfraujoch, as well as an empty page where you can get it stamped with the day of your visit.
The journey to the top began the minute we boarded the Wengernalp railway at Lauterbrunnen station. It is the longest rack and cogwheel railway in the world connecting Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald to Kleine Scheidegg. Trains from Lauterbrunnen to Kleine Scheidegg departs every 30 minutes. The trip passes through Wengen and takes 38 minutes in total.
As the train starts its steep ascent up the mountain, you can enjoy stunning views over Lauterbrunnen valley and the surrounding mountains. At dawn, the landscape was bathed in the ethereal light of the blue hour, creating a serene and enchanting ambiance.
The best views of the whole journey are on the right side of the train. But unfortunately, we were seated on the left side as we only managed to board the train at the last minute before its scheduled departure time. All the window seats on the right side were taken when we got on the train.
Eventually, we arrived at Kleine Scheidegg station, a mountain pass nestled at the foot of the iconic Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau peaks. At this station, we boarded the red Jungfrau railway train to Eigergletscher railway station. The journey from Kleine Scheidegg to Eigergletscher by train takes 5 minutes.
As the sun gradually rose, the train climb steadily up the mountain alongside alpine pastures. Snow-capped peaks facing the sunrise light up bright white while the shadows remained dark and blue.
It was so picturesque.
Arriving at Eigergletscher railway station, we were treated to awe-inspiring views of the majestic 1800-meters high Eiger North Face. The station takes it name from the adjacent Eiger Glacier.
At Eigergletscher station, we transferred to another Jungfrau cogwheel train to Jungfraujoch. This journey is entirely in a dark tunnel (known as Jungfrau Tunnel), which is built to protect the railway line from snow and extreme weather. The construction of the Jungfrau Railway is one of the most impressive rail engineering feats in the world. Opened in 1912, the tunnel took 16 years to build.
The 7 km long tunnel is built into the Eiger and Monch mountains. It is a steep ascend up to the top, so we had to remain seated for this part of the journey. The journey from Eigergletscher to Jungfraujoch takes about 35 minutes. In total, it took us 1 hour 41 minutes to travel from Lauterbrunnen to Jungfraujoch.
On the journey to the summit, the train will make a five minute stop at Eismeer station. At 3,159 meters high, the Eismeer Station is the second highest train station in Europe. Here, you can choose to get off the train to a viewing area where you can admire a spectacular view of the Ischmeer Glacier (Sea of Ice) through picture windows.
Remember the train only stops at this station for five minutes. Quickly snap some photos and get back on the train as soon as the announcement is made through the speakers. You are not allowed to stay here. There is nothing at this station except the viewing windows and toilets.
You will probably find that someone has taken your seat when you re-board the train. However, it does not really matter, as you will be reaching the destination soon.
The Jungfraujoch train station is located inside the tunnel. From here, it is just a short walk to the Top of Europe building, a five-storey complex that houses several restaurants, a cafe, a souvenir shop, a post office, an observatory, and an ice palace. You may experience symptoms of altitude sickness as soon as you stepped off the train. Symptoms of altitude sickness include dizziness or lightheadedness, fatigue, loss of appetite, loss of energy, headache, shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting.
Therefore, I would really recommend packing some medication for altitude sickness. We took medicine to prevent altitude sickness two days before travelling to Jungfraujoch. It really helps to prevent and reduce the symptoms of altitude sickness during the few hours we were there.
We walked through the tunnel and entered the Top of Europe building. This is the start and end point of your journey to Jungfraujoch. On the right side, a cafe sits next to the entrance of the building, with large floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the beautiful Aletsch Glacier and distant snow-capped peaks. Here you enjoy the fascinating view of Aletsch Glacier with a drink and some snacks.
Stretching 23 kilometers, the Aletsch Glacier is the longest glacier in Europe. The Jungfraujoch has several viewpoints that allow you to enjoy views of the Aletsch Glacier from different perspectives.
On the left side, you will find a souvenir shop and the highest post office in Europe. The post office even has its own postal code. You can buy postcards and Jungfraujoch stamps from the souvenir shop and send them to yourself and your loved ones. We had tried sending ourselves a postcard, and we really received it in two weeks.
Price: 16 CHF
Other than postcards, we also bought a wooden cow from Trauffer as a souvenir. Handmade and handpainted, the iconic wooden toy cow is really a great souvenir to bring home from our Switzerland trip.
We started by walked through a long tunnel. Halfway through the tunnel, there is an elevator that will transport you up to the Sphinx Observatory. Perched on the edge of a steep cliff, the Sphinx Observatory is an astronomical observatory, and an international research station. At 3,571 meters high, it is one of the highest observatories in the world. It is not accessible to the public, but you can visit the open viewing deck, called the Sphinx Observation Deck for the best views of the Alps.
SPHINX OBSERVATION DECK
We took the high speed elevator up to the Sphinx Observation Deck, which ascended 108 meters in just 25 seconds. The open viewing deck offers awe-inspiring panoramic views of the Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau peaks, as well as the surrounding mountains and valleys.
From the top, the sweeping panoramic vistas took our breath away. Every view is like a postcard come to life. The open viewing deck is open to the public throughout the year, but the hours of operation may vary depending on the season. Do note that the observation deck may be closed due to poor visibility or extreme weather.
Time stood still as we were mesmerized by the beauty of the Alps. The jagged snow-capped peaks stood boldly against the clear, blue sky. Everywhere we look, it is picture perfect. The reflection of sunlight on the white snow dazzled our eyes, but fortunately, we brought our sunglasses.
From the observation deck, you can also enjoy breathtaking views of the Aletsch Glacier. It was absolutely impressive!
ALPINE SENSATION
We continued through the tunnel and entered Alpine Sensation next. The 250 meters long corridor, which sits between the Sphinx Hall and Ice Palace, is a tribute to the miners who lost their lives during the construction of the Jungfrau Railway.
The attraction is opened in 2012 to mark the hundredth anniversary of the Jungfrau railway. At the entrance of the attraction, a huge snow globe with Swiss landscape welcomed us.
We stepped onto the moving walkway that took us on a journey through time, recounting the countless sacrifices made by the miners in building the Jungfrau railway.
ICE PALACE
At the end of the Alpine Sensation tour, we stepped into a shimmering blue world of ice. Located 30 meters below Alage, Europe's longest glacier, between Monch and Jungfrau peaks, the Ice Palace is a must visit attraction for traveling to the Swiss Alps. It is open all year round, and accessible in all weathers.
Exploring the ice tunnel under the glacier is a cool and exciting experience. The temperature inside the cave is kept at a constant minus 3 degree Celsius. It was freezing cold. We were shivering and our hands were numb from the cold. If you plan to visit the Ice Palace, make sure you bring a warm jacket, even in summer.
Do note that the ice floor inside the cave is very slippery. So walk carefully and hold onto the hand rails.
The Ice Palace consists of a series of tunnels and chambers carved out of the glaciers, featuring stunning ice sculptures of animals, ice crystals and other nature wonders. You can take your time to admire the intricate details of the ice carvings. We saw eagles, bears, and even found Scrat from the Ice Age frozen in the ice. The kids around us were really excited when they spotted the familiar cartoon character here.
We had a lot of fun walking on the glacier, through the long tunnel of ice. It is an unique experience that is suitable for all ages.
GLACIER PLATEAU
From the Ice Palace, we followed a path and exited to the Glacier Plateau, stepping right into a winter wonderland. The Glacier Plateau is the most picturesque viewpoint of Jungfraujoch, offering unobstructed views of the German Black Forest and French Vosges on one side, and Aletsch Glacier with its mountain peaks on the other side.
There is guaranteed snow and ice on the Glacier Plateau 365 days a year. This is probably one of the places in Switzerland where you can experience and play in snow in Summer.
You will get an impressive view of the Aletsch Glacier from here as well. It can get freezing cold out here, especially when there is wind. But it can be also quite warm when the sun is high in the sky.
If you hate the long queue, there is also a smaller Swiss flag located at the end of the Glacier Plateau that you can take a photo with. The queue is usually much shorter, and in fact, there was no queue at all when we were there.
After touring the Glacier Plateau, we headed back to the cafe to replenish our energy. We bought the iconic "Top of Europe" coffee from the cafe. The price of the coffee includes the Top of Europe souvenir cup. So we were actually paying for the cup instead of the coffee.
To save money on meals, we brought our own food. We bought Shin Ramyun cup noodles from Coop for 2.95 CHF each. The cafe is selling a smaller cup sized Shin Ramyun for 9.50 CHF (excluding hot water). That is a total rip off! If you plan to bring instant cup noodles like us, please remember to bring hot water as well. Otherwise, it will cost you 4.20 CHF to buy hot water from the cafe.
We were starting to feel a little fatigued and light headed from the elevation, so we decided to head back down from the Top of Europe. Before leaving, we went to get our Jungfrau passports stamped at the passport counter. The counter is located just beside the cafe.
We descended from Jungfraujoch on the same route. However, the train does not stop at Eismeer in this direction. It will make its way straight down to Kleine Scheidegg, with a stop at Eigergletcher. On the return journey, each of us also received a free Lindt chocolate as souvenir from the train conductor.
The landscapes look completely different in the afternoon than it does in the morning. Rolling green hills dotted with dark wooden houses, subalpine meadows filled with wildflowers, and cows with large bells ringing roaming the hill. Beautiful.
Arriving at Lauterbrunnen station, we dropped by Coop and grabbed some yogurt to snack on.
We also bought marinated wings from Coop and cooked them for dinner. The advantage of staying in a hostel is that we can cook our own meals and save money on food.
CONCLUSION
Jungfraujoch is one of the best place to go for panoramic views of the Swiss Alps. It is open 365 days a year, regardless of weather. No matter what season you visit, there is guaranteed snow and ice all year round. However, summer is the most expensive time to visit, and also the most busiest months.
The best time to visit is first thing in the morning. It is usually less crowded, and the weather is also generally clearer in the morning. I would recommend you spend at least three hours at Jungfraujoch (excluding travel time) in order to visit every attractions on the top.
Do note that ample of sun protection for the skin is necessary due to the high UV index at higher altitudes. Also don't forget your sunglasses as there is a great risk of snow blindness on the glacier at high altitudes.
If you are interested to know more about our trip, you may want to check out our 11D10 Switzerland Trip Itinerary + Overview post. Be sure to follow me on my Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to get the latest updates on my blog! Also, do not forget to share my blog posts with your family and friends if you find them helpful. In the meantime, you might also want to check My Wanderlust page for some of my other travel adventures.
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