Home » Destinations » Europe » Switzerland » Swiss Alps » Jungfraujoch Day Trip
- Last Updated on November 3, 2024
A day trip to Jungfraujoch is the highlight of a summer stay in the Swiss Alps. The highest train station in Europe, at 11,333 ft, it is nicknamed “the top of Europe.” This is the best way to get those classic snowy alpine glacier views (and pics) in summertime. This guide covers everything you need to know to plan your trip. This day is ideally paired with a stay in Lauterbrunnen Valley.
Table Of Contents
STAR RATING KEY:
★★★ Top priority
★★ Highly recommended
★ Worthwhile
No Star – Skippable if not interested
Things To Do - Jungfraujoch Day Trip
Sphinx Observatory
The view from the top is the highlight of your Jungfraujoch day trip. There are indoor and outdoor areas. Try to get outside, even if briefly, to enjoy the best views. Go straight there via the marked elevator as soon as you get off the train. If it’s too cloudy to see anything, go do your indoor activities and try again later.
Lindt Swiss Chocolate Heaven
This experience involves visiting 2 rooms. One of these is the chocolate shop, which is obviously the best room (we highly recommend eating a piece of Swiss chocolate while looking out at the snow). The other room is an exhibit on how chocolate is made. Although this room is not all that informative, it offers a photo op where you can take a picture that looks like you’re making chocolate.
Alpine Sensations
This is a walk-through “show” about the history of the railway to Jungfraujoch. It’s not really worth a special stop, but if you happen to walk through it, now you’ll know what it is.
Ice Palace
This treasure is open all year round, regardless of weather, and hosts some of the most elaborate ice sculptures we have ever seen. This is a must-see!
Jungfraujoch Plateau
This plateau will give you beautiful views, and you get to actually be out in the snow. If you’re well-dressed and cold-hearty, go for it. If not, skip it – the views from the Sphinx Terrace are better.
Snow Fun Park
This is the place to go for snow play in summer. You can go tubing or ziplining. This is great for kids and adults, but you must be dressed appropriately.
Cost and Hours: CHF 20 for zipline, CHF 15 for snowtubing (like sledding). Open daily 10:30am-4:30pm from mid-May through mid-October (see Jungfraujoch website for exact dates).
On any given day, this may be closed, depending on weather and temperature. Unfortunately, they don’t publish availability on their website, so you won’t know whether it’s open until you get there (even if it says it’s open online, it may be closed when you get there). In general, you can expect it to be open in July and August.
Monchsjoch Hut
This is the highest-altitude serviced hut in Switzerland. It has snacks and drinks available for purchase when you get there. The main draw isn’t the hut, but the 1 hour hike across the glacier to get there (2 hours round trip). You must have weather-appropriate hiking shoes and be in very good physical shape to do this walk. The hut is open mid-March through mid-September (see Jungfraujoch website for exact dates).
Souvenir Shops
There are numerous souvenir shops on top of the mountain to choose from. They also sell gloves, sweaters, scarves, etc., in case you forgot something.
Where To Eat In Jungfraujoch
Restaurant Crystal
This restaurant has glass walls from the waist up, offering the best views around. They serve Swiss cuisine a la carte. According to their official published hours they are open all day, but in reality, they choose their own hours and post them on a piece of paper on the restaurant door. When we went, they had a piece of paper on the door saying the restaurant was closed, but we went in anyway and asked. They said that sign was old, they actually were open, and had been wondering why no one had come in. The point is – don’t be afraid to just go in and find someone if you’re hungry.
Aletsch Self-Service Restaurant
This type of restaurant is popular in Switzerland. You grab a tray, pile it up with whatever looks good, and pay before you sit down. This restaurant is more economical than Crystal, but more crowded and not nearly as nice. Their official opening hours are “it depends.”
Getting To Jungfraujoch
How you get there will depend on your starting point, but all paths converge at Eigergletscher.
Murren/Lauterbrunnen To Jungfraujoch Day Trip
If you’re starting in Murren, take the train to Grutschalp, then the cable car from there to Lauterbrunnen.
From Lauterbrunnen, take the train to Kleine Scheidegg. There you will get off and catch the train to Eigergletscher. There you will switch trains again to head up to Jungfraujoch. The whole journey will take around 2 hours from Lauterbrunnen (add another 30 minutes if you’re coming from Murren).
Interlaken To Jungfraujoch Day Trip
If you’re starting in Interlaken, take the train to Grindelwald Terminal (different from Grindelwald station). From there, catch the Eiger Express cable car to Eigergletscher. There you will switch to the cogwheel train up to Jungfraujoch.
Pro Tips
It is highly recommended that you reserve a seat for the Eigergletscher – Jungfraujoch portion of the trip. It only costs CHF 10 and will be well worth the much shorter line.
During the train ride from Eigergletscher to Jungfraujoch, there will be a 5-minute stop to take photos of the glacier. It’s worth it to get out – don’t miss this!
Cost - Jungfraujoch Day Trip
Prices vary depending where you start your journey, but they are all in the ballpark of CHF 220 per person round trip just for the tickets. Your ticket includes the Sphinx observatory, Lindt Swiss Chocolate Heaven, Alpine Sensations, Ice Palace, Jungfraujoch Plateau, Monchsjoch Hut, and shops. It does not include the Snow Fun Park.
Book tickets at the Jungfraujoch website.
When To Go - Jungfraujoch Day Trip
Time of year
The best time to go to on a day trip to Jungfraujoch is in the summer, May-September. July and August are the nicest months with regard to weather, but they are very crowded. We personally like June, as the crowds are way less, but the weather is still reasonably warm.
Time of day
You can go to Jungfraujoch any time of day, but we think getting there in the morning (around 10:00 AM) is best. The mornings tend to have less cloud cover than the afternoons. It is also the perfect timing to do some activities before and after a scenic lunch. Speaking of clouds, before leaving, check the Jungfraujoch live webcams to see how the weather is. If the weather is bad, there’s no point in going, and you should look for alternative entertainment for the day. When you get there, go straight for the Sphinx observatory. If it’s too cloudy to see anything, go do some indoor activities and try again later.
What To Wear In Jungfraujoch
Weather varies considerably here. Fortunately, there are detailed weather reports on the Jungfraujoch official website of what to expect when you are up there. Even for those whose only outdoor activity will be the Sphinx observatory, a big jacket and gloves are still required to go on the terrace (even in summer). Inside and on the train it can still be pretty cold, so bundle up. Don’t worry – you won’t be too hot in your big jacket if it’s unzipped. Dress more warmly than this if you’re going to do any snow play. In that case, consider ski pants (waterproof) with a base layer, as well as an extra warming layer under your jacket (even in summer). Regular tennis shoes are fine for inside and the Sphinx Terrace, but for snowplay you should invest in waterproof hiking shoes with thick socks.
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