Jungfraujoch – My first time Top of Europe

“You’ve never been to the Jungfraujoch before?” “But you grew up there just around the corner!” Most people don’t want to believe me that, despite a few trips to the Jungfrau Region and ski weeks in Grindelwald, I have never been to the Jungfraujoch – the tourist magnet in the Bernese Oberland. It’s my parents’ fault. Ironically, during the school holidays when I attended the grammar school in Thun and therefore had a ski holiday two weeks later than my siblings in primary school, they took advantage of a special offer and crowned their holidays with a spontaneous flight of fancy. In the meantime, I guess I was poring over a very fun math test.

So it’s high time to finally change this and visit the – in my opinion – best-marketed mountain. To be honest, with the slogan “Top of Europe” the guest is misled a tiny bit. In Switzerland, for example, the Klein Matterhorn at 3,883 m above sea level (accessible by cable car from Zermatt) trumps the Jungfraujoch by over 400 metres. In addition, the Jungfraujoch is not – as the name Top of Europe suggests – located on a summit, but in a hollow between Mönch and Jungfrau.

So what exactly lies behind the fascination of the Jungfraujoch and why do countless tourists make a pilgrimage to the mountain every day?

Early in the morning, Lauterbrunnen is enveloped in a mystical atmosphere. “Hopefully the fog will disappear by the time we reach the top,” says Annemarie, who accompanies us on the trip. Even before the train leaves Lauterbrunnen station, she lets us in on the exciting story of the construction of the Jungfrau Railway. A little more than 100 years ago, the Swiss Adolf Guyer-Zeller showed a lot of imagination, courage and entrepreneurial spirit when he implemented his vision of building a railway line high up into the Alpine Olympus. The fascination with this extremely daring building has continued to this day. “Nowhere else can you get so comfortably from 700 m above sea level to over 3,400 m above sea level in just under two hours,” says Annemarie, explaining Top of Europe’s recipe for success. In addition to exciting anecdotes from the more than one hundred year history of the Jungfrau Railways, Annemarie also knows every vantage point that should be captured photographically. “After the next bend there is the most beautiful view of Wengen and the Lauterbrunnen valley,” she says and promptly a panorama opens up, where even my mouth remains open. Fortunately, the windows can be opened, so you can shoot wildly unhindered.

With the altitude we slowly leave the fog behind us and as ordered, the fog wall at the Wengernalp dissolves completely and reveals the impressive view of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Freshly snowed in, they provide the perfect backdrop in front of the lush green meadow.

With the Jungfraujochbahn from Lauterbrunnen to the Jungfraujoch

Leisurely from Lauterbrunnen through the Wengwald, past Wengen, over the Allmend with many “ah’s” and “oh’s” to Wengernalp

Train change on Kleine Scheidegg

At Kleine Scheidegg we have to change trains. The second stage from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch runs mostly in a tunnel after the Eiger Glacier station. There are two stops along the way, where you have about five minutes to marvel at the view. The first stop is immediately behind the north face of the Eiger. With a lot of luck, you can even spot daring climbers here. The second stop is at the so-called Arctic Ocean and offers a breathtakingly beautiful view of the eternal ice. And then, poof, you reach the terminus on the Jungfraujoch, which is also the highest railway station in Europe. Aha, so it’s Top of Europe after all.

From 2,061 m above sea level to 3,454 m above sea level in 52 minutes – including a pit stop on the north face
of the Eiger

Top of Europe

Managed! Thin air and fun in the snow on the Jungfraujoch

The Jungfraujoch itself offers a wide range of activities for its guests. The latest coup: a Lindt chocolate shop. The panorama of the Aletsch Glacier, the Mönch, the Jungfrau and the Kleine Scheidegg (which is hidden under a thick blanket of fog) is only part of the attraction. In case of bad weather, guests can visit the Ice Palace and the “Alpine Sensation” exhibition. In any case, you should plan at least two hours of stay, says Annemarie. The enthusiasm of the tourists on the viewing platform is contagious. The camera is in continuous use and of course the experience is also captured with selfies. “We were there” as a message for the friends back home.

sandwiched between monk….

… and Virgo

Ice Palace Jungfraujoch

Literal culinary highlights at Restaurant Crystal

Idyllic drive to Grindelwald

After two hours, including a well-deserved refreshment, it is also time to return to the valley. Fortunately, we didn’t mind the altitude. Depending on the weather, however, it can happen that the skull buzzes a bit later in the valley. We choose the Kleine Scheidegg – Grindelwald variant for the way back, so that we can see a little more of the region.

A trip to the Jungfraujoch is a special experience and is ideal, for example, if you have foreign guests visiting or want to escape the thick fog soup. Since the tickets are relatively expensive, it is worth waiting for special offers, or keep an eye out for seasonal ticket promotions on the Jungfrau Railways website. Currently, for example, there is the “Good Morning” and “Good Afternoon” ticket, for which you pay 135 CHF (round trip) from Grindelwald/Lauterbrunnen.

Note: My visit to the Jungfraujoch was supported by the Jungfrau Region. Thank you very much for this! As always, my readers can be sure that I always represent my views and enthusiasm.