Hi everybody.
Today i'm in beautiful Grindelwald in the Bernese Oberland in beautiful Switzerland.
My plan for today is to visit the Jungfraujoch
which is one of the highest peaks that you can visit here in Switzerland.
What makes it special is that you can go up with a train and it's a glacier.
We're going to check that out today.
If you were wondering what to go see in Switzerland and what to do in the Swiss alps
this video may give you an idea.
A trip to the Jungfraujoch is certainly one of the highlights of any travel to Switzerland.
Stick around to the end of this video for many tips on this amazing trip
including prices and savings when to go and what to bring with you.
The Jungfrau mountain is one of the most famous mountain peaks in Europe.
With an elevation of 4158 meters or 13 642 feet above sea level
it thrones high above the beautiful Lauterbrunnen valley.
The whole Jungfrau region in this part of the Swiss alps gets its name from the majestic mountain in the Bernese Oberland.
The Jungfrau sits next to the UNESCO protected Aletsch glacier.
It links the canton of Bern with the Vallais canton.
The Jungfraujoch is a glacier saddle that connects the Jungfrau and the Mönch
which is another world famous 4000er in the Bernese alps.
It lies at an elevation of 3463 meters which is more than 11 000 feet.
It is directly overlooked by the Sphinx mountain.
The Jungfrau line is the railway that connects interlaken via the Kleine Scheidegg to the Jungfraujoch.
It runs partially underground in a tunnel through the Eiger and Mönch mountains.
The Jungfrau railway station at an elevation of 3454 meters (11 332 feet) is the highest in Europe.
It is world famous and also known as the "Top of Europe".
About one million tourists travel to the Jungfraujoch every year.
This makes it one of the most important and most visited travel destinations in Switzerland.
The Jungfraujoch has already been accessible to tourists since 1912.
Adolf Geyer Zeller first thought of the idea of a tunnel in 1893
and the building of the tunnel started only three years later in 1896.
It took 16 years to complete with many construction problems, monetary shortages inclement weather and several deaths due to construction accidents.
The worst accident occurred in 1908 when 30 tons of dynamite accidentally exploded.
When construction finally finished the railway reached only to the height of the Jungfrauejoch saddle.
An elevator helps to cover the remaining distance tom the Sphinx peak viewing platform now.
The train to the mountain leaves from Kleine Scheidegg
which can be reached by train from Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen.
The train enters the tunnel running eastward through the Eiger shortly after leaving Kleine Scheidegg.
It runs close behind the Eiger's north face
It stops at the Eismeer or "Sea of Ice" station where visitors can get out to watch the glacier through large windows in the mountain.
The terminus of the Jungfrau railway connects directly to the Sphinx observatory via a short tunnel
and Switzerland's fastest elevator.
This scientific observatory is built right at the peak of the Sphinx mountain
At an elevation of 3571 meters, the observatory house is one of the Global Atmosphere Watches'research stations.
So what else can you do at Jungfraujoch?
Apart from the viewing platform and the Sphinx observatory i'd recommend to visit the Ice Palace
an exhibition of colorfully lit ice sculptures inside the glacier.
The tunnels also offer access to the Vallais sites and the Aletsch glacier
where visitors get to experience a snow-covered winter landscape in the middle of the summer.
Back inside the Top of Europe building, the Lindt Swiss chocolate experience shop awaits you.
Here you can put together your own mix of delicious Swiss chocolates.
If you are a chocolate fan like me you don't want to miss this one.
You may also want to send a postcard from the highest post office in Europe which is also located on the Jungfraujoch.
It even has its own postal code 3801.
And the Jungfraujoch boasts another record:
It houses Europe's highest radio relay station.
But this one is unfortunately not accessible to the public.
If you're not too tired yet go on a snow walk to the Moench's hut.
And there's even a snow fun park for winter sports although that one was closed when I was there.
A secured snow path just above the glacier is prepared for walkers in the summer.
It leads from the Jungfraujoch to the Moench's hut.
The normal route to the Jungfrau and Moench starts from there.
Let me give you a few tips for your visit to the Jungfraujoch.
The first question you may ask is Jungfraujoch worth the money?
The trip there will not be cheap.
A standard return fare for the three trains necessary to get from Interlaken via Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald to Kleine Scheidegg
and from there to the Jungfrau Top of Europe station, costs a whopping 235 CHF (253 USD) in the high season.
If you want to travel first class you have to pay 249 CHF.
Is a trip to the Top of Europe worth the price?
Some travelers say it's overpriced for what you get
If that's the only trip you plan to do in the Jungfrau region i am indeed not sure if it's a good deal
unless you are determined to touch and walk on snow.
My recommendation would be to spend a few days in the region,
either staying in Interlaken or directly in Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Mürren or Grindelwald.
Also check out my videos on these beautiful Swiss villages linked below.
If you plan to stay for more than a day in the region
A 3-day Top of Europe pass becomes an interesting alternative.
The Top of Europe pass costs CHF 239 and allows you to use the entire train network of the Berner Oberlandbah
and several cable cars in the Jungfrau region for three days.
The pass also includes one return trip to the Jungfraujoch
and gets you 10% off the Top of Europe shops
If you have the Swiss Halfway card you can get the pass for CHF 149 or 160 USD
Is a visit to the Jungfraujoch worth it?
If you want to see spectacular alpine views walk in and on a huge glacier and experience snow in summer, I'd definitely say "yes".
But get the 3-day pass to make it part of a more extended program.
There is so much more to see in the Jungfrau region.
When should you go to visit the Jungfraujoch?
The best time is in the summer between the months of May and September.
That's when you will most likely get the best weather.
What's the best time of the day to go?
My recommendation would be to take the first train in the morning when there may not yet be as many people going up.
But check the weather forecast and webcam on www.jungfrau.ch beforehand.
It's frankly not worth taking a long trip if the mountain is covered in clouds.
Reserve your seat online if you want to have the peace of mind to get a seat on the train. 0:15:54.800,0:15:59.440 I didn't and I still got a nice and comfortable seat.
How long does it take to go up to the Jungfraujoch?
That depends on where you start your journey.
It can be up to 1.5 hours and it's good to know that the last 45 minutes are in a tunnel inside the Eiger mountain.
While they do show some video clips during the trip, you may also want to bring a good book.
Spend at least a couple of hours there
The exhibitions, terraces, viewpoints, shops and restaurants are all worth seeing.
also note that there is no overnight accommodation for visitors at the Jungfraujoch.
The tunnels are locked at night.
What should you wear for your visit to the Jungfraujoch?
I would definitely bring a jacket with a warm sweater or sweatshirt underneath.
Also bring a hat, scarf and gloves as it will be quite chilly up there.
Sunglasses will be good to have too.
Bring solid shoes with a good profile, preferably hiker boots.
If you plan to do the walk to the Moench's Hut you don't need winter boots
but a good pair of wool socks will help keep your feet warm.
Should a visit to the Jungfraujoch be part of your Switzerland travel experience?
If you were wondering what to do in Switzerland in summer and you want to have a truly unique experience
make sure to include Jungfraujoch on your list of Switzerland travel destinations.
I found it a really memorable experience to stand on the Top of Europe and would go back any day.
It's one of the best places to visit in Switzerland
and makes for such an amazing travel experience in the Swiss alps.
I hope you enjoyed this video.
If you did, please also check out my other videos on beautiful Switzerland.
There's so much more to explore.
Give this video a 'thumbs-up' and leave me a comment below
and if you haven't done so yet, please subscribe to my channel
and I hope we see each other next video. Have a good day!