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Jungfraujoch Top of Europe – How to plan your visit

When we visited Interlaken over the Easter holidays with the boys who are aged 9 and 5 at the time we knew the one thing we wanted to do was a day trip to Jungfraujoch Top of Europe. It was unlike anything we had done before. And for the record it was amazing! Albeit a little daunting to decide on the best route up. So I am sharing what we did, information about Jungfraujoch tickets, the Jungfraujoch restaurant, the ice palace and our experience to help you plan your own trip. This once in a lifetime experience really does have to be on your bucket list.

AD – we were given passes to Jungfraujoch Top of Europe for the purpose of this post. We paid for our own meal in the Jungfraujoch restaurant. All words and opinions are my own.

Table of Contents

Where is Jungfraujoch Top of Europe?

Located in the mountain range that towers above Interlaken in the Bernese Oberland of the Swiss Alps. Jungfraujoch is the mountain train network that winds its way up the side of the mountains in the Jungfrau region and in some cases through them. The mountain range is made up of Monch, Eiger and Jungfrau. The Top of Europe is a tourist attraction which allows you to get as close as possible to Mount Jungfrau. It also has eternal snow regardless of the time of year. Although as we discovered there is a lot more to it than just seeing the mountain. 3,463m above sea level it boasts Europe’s highest train station and post office. It is also the highest any of us have been.

How do you get to The Top of Europe – Interlaken to Jungfraujoch

The area is made up of a network of cogwheel train and cable car routes. There are several different routes up to the Top of Europe. We had Jungfraujoch tickets that allowed us to travel from Interlaken to Jungfraujoch. We decided to take the most direct route and use our passes as much as possible. Meaning that we caught the first train from Interlaken Ost. There is a large car park at the mainline train station which when we visited was hardly a quarter full. Parking is relatively cheap too with up to 8 hours of parking costing just 7 CHF.

The route we took up to The Top of Europe was from Interlaken to Jungfraujoch. There are several different routes you can take. And if you get a pass instead of single Jungfraujch tickets then you will be able to travel all the different routes. As we wanted to try out as many different modes of transport as possible we took a different route up to the one we took back down. We tried to keep it as simple as possible.

Route up to Jungfraujoch Top of Europe – Jungfraujoch tickets

Initally we left Interlaken to Jungfraujoch on the train. The train system is very easy to understand with details on the platforms of the expected trains and clear instructions on what part of the train to get on. The train runs from Interlaken Ost straight into the Grindelwald Terminal, which takes around thirty minutes.
There is a short walk from the station to the Grindelwald Terminal, where we caught the Eiger Express up to Eigergletscher which takes around fifteen minutes.
The final transfer, once you arrive, is onto a cog train that takes you up The Top of Europe. There are directions and staff on help to direct you. It is possible to get reserved seats on this train so be mindful of this when boarding. The journey takes around thirty minutes but with a brief stop at Eismeer to look at the glacier through the glass and marvel at the history behind the station.

Route Down from Jungfraujoch Top of Europe – Jungfraujoch tickets

On the way back we decided to explore more of the rail route and enjoy the white landscape.
From the top of Europe we caught the train down to Kleine Scheidegg, if you have time then it is worth getting off here to soak up the views and grab a bite to eat. After you cross over the platform to pick up another train.
This will take you down from Kleine Scheidegg to Grund. The views are beautiful, once at Grund, it is a ten-minute walk to the Grindelwald Terminal along a pedestrian footpath next to the river.

At the Grindelwald Terminal, you pick up the train back to Interlaken Ost.

What is the Eiger Express?

The ultimate way to travel across the mountain range to the Eiger glacier station. The new Eiger Express is a giant tricable gondola which takes you soaring up to XXX. Starting with grassland and Swizz wooden cottages and ending up with thickly covered snowy mountains. The journey time is around fifteen minutes. It is truly amazing and the one ride I would have loved to do again if there had been time. You can travel both ways on the gondola on Jungfraujoch tickets and with multiple leaving the stations at a time you should not need to wait long.

What is there to do when you get to the top?

There is so much to do. Not only is the travel pretty epic both up and down. But actually, inside Jungfraujoch Top of Europe there is so much to do. When you arrive you come into the main building, where the shop and restaurants are located. From here you follow the tour signs around the various attractions. They are linked by a long corridor which has been carved into a mountain.

360-degree cinematic experience.

You walk into a large expansive room which is surrounded by cinema screens that run the whole length of the walls, from floor to ceiling. Placed at odd angles the screens portray a dramatic video focusing on the mountain range and Jungfrau. It gives you a 360-degree panorama of the mountain world which otherwise you would not see. It is a great introduction to what you are going to experience.

Sphinx Observation Terrace

Our next stop was the Sphinx observatory deck and terraces. Here we got spectacular views of the mountain range on a lovely clear day. There is an inside area with large glass windows. But more excitingly there is an outside open viewing deck and also a little walkway. Having had fresh snowfall a couple of days before our visit some of the walkways were closed. As it was covered in snow. But that made no difference as we had the perfect viewpoint. The panoramic views really do take your breath away.

Being up so high, with so much snow (guaranteed 365 days a year) and with such dramatic views of the mountains. It is definitely one of the world’s most beautiful places. With the UNESCO World Heritage site – Aletsch Glacier, the longest glacier in Europe spreading out in front of you. When you think you have seen it all you turn the corner and find Jungfrau right in front of you. In the Summer there is also a bar which is open so you can enjoy a cold drink. As it is surprisingly warm at the top even outside.

Alpine Sensation

From the Sphinx observation deck, you follow the signs to the Alpine Sensation which is the next part of the tour. Walking into a room with a giant snow globe that depicts Jungfrau and Fungfraujoch as it is today. The are various wood carvings with photo opportunities. Before you walk down tunnels to understand how Jungfrau was dug out. Just how big a job it was especially as it was started in the late 1800s. It was dangerous work and there is a memorial to those that lost their lives in creating the Jungfrau railway.

Jungfraujoch Ice Palace

The next stop on the tour is the Jungfraujoch ice palace and one of the boy’s favourite parts. You access the Jungfraujoch ice palace through a carved ice long tunnel with giant ice bricks giving way to the tunnel with an ice floor. We walked on the Jungfraujoch ice palace floor without any trouble, but there is a handrail if needed. The boys thought it was great fun to slip and slide all the way down it! At various points, it opens up into an ice cave, where there are amazing ice sculptures including penguins and bears. Plus they found an even narrower tunnel which was great fun to run through. We really enjoyed the Jungfraujoch ice palace.

The Plateau

Not thinking it could get any better we then found the Plateau which is an outside viewing platforms located directly under the Jungfrau mountain peak. Gives you even more excellent views across the mountain peaks and also of the glacier. Walking on the snow was a massive tick in the box for the boys. Although getting up and down was fun. Several people opted to slide down. Again several photo opportunities, it was totally spectacular. There is also a snow fun park but this was closed when we visited.

The Chocolate Experience

As you come back into the main building, you are presented with the Lindt Chocolate Experience and shop. After learning how chocolate is made you have the opportunity to pick (and pay for) your own treat to take home. They have giant-sized bars, bags and things that you are unlikely to get in the shops. Plus a pick and mix section of all your favourite flavours.

Crystal Jungfraujoch Restaurant

There are three places to eat within the main building and also a snack stop. Crystal Jungfraujoch Restaurant was the only one open when we visited out of season. We decided to stop for Fondue overlooking the fantastic views of the white peaks. Eating out in Switzerland is not cheap and the prices were in the Jungfraujoch restaurant were on par with those we have seen elsewhere. The Fondue was very good, service prompt and polite and very helpful. The Jungfraujoch restaurant was a good place to rest before picking up our souvenirs from the gift shop on the way out.

How long do I need at Jungfrauloch top of Europe?

We caught the train from Interlaken Ost at 10.05 am in the morning and got back late afternoon into Interlaken around 5 pm. For us it was an all-day event. If you did not eat at the top then you could perhaps save an hour or so. But I can not stress enough to really experience it you need a full day. Just getting up there is an adventure. Make the most of it.

Top Tips for visiting Jungfraujoch Top of Europe with kids

There is so much to do and the excitement levels are high. Especially if you do not live somewhere that regularly gets snow. Make sure you have plenty of snacks for refuelling and water, as the high altitudes can cause headaches and altitude sickness.
You may need to take it slower than usual because of the increase in altitude. The boys had never been so far above sea level before. I would not plan to do anything else on the same day as visiting The Top of Europe. As not only will you want to enjoy it and take it all in. The kids will most likely be tired out.
Remember the suntan lotion you will need it for little faces and necks even in the winter. As the sun reflects off of the snow.
It sort of goes without saying but wear sensible shoes. I saw a number of ladies in heels. There is the opportunity to get outside and snow can be slippery, especially when walking up an incline to the plateau. And it is cold in the Jungfraujoch ice palace.
There are lifts to most places and you could bring a buggy. But you will not be able to take it outside onto the snow. Plus it was not that busy when we visited as the season is just opening up. I can imagine that as one of the most popular tourist attractions it gets a lot busier in the Summer months.
More tips…
Toilets are clearly signed, spotless and do include baby change. There are no toilets once you work your way around the tour. Only in the main building. It is easy to walk back to if needed.
Pick up a map of the different routes up and down. This will help you work out which route you want to take in case your plans change. Maps can be found at the Interlaken ticket office or at the Grindelwald Terminal.
There are lots of signs around and it runs in smooth Swiss efficiently. Everything is timed so that you get off of one mode of transport/train ride onto another with a few minutes in-between to allow you to get to it. All very clever and made me wonder what London Transport could achieve if run on the same basis.
If you want extra peace of mind then use their website to plan your route. This will give you timings for each of the modes of transport. We then took a photo of this so could refer to it if needed. On our second day exploring other areas of the network, we didn’t bother. As it honestly flows so easily.
Take layers, we ended up with way too many. The sun was shining and we got really hot with thick coats, jumpers, long sleeve tops and t-shirts. Some areas are colder than others such as the ice palace.
Print your tickets or pass out as I think they probably scan better than making the QR code larger on your phone. Especially if you have the tickets for all your party on one phone as we did.

How much does it cost to get to – Jungfraujoch tickets

It really depends on what you want to do. You can select different elements of the journey up and down on the Jungfraujoch tickets website. Which will affect the ticket prices you pay. You can also add seat reservations on elements of the journey up which will show on our train ticket.

Alternatively, they run a number of special offers. We saw one for 49CHF to get to the Top of Europe as well as a 3 day Top of Europe Pass for 149CHF. Both these options start at Interlaken and will work out cheaper than selecting individual journeys on the website. They do require you to have one of the various sports passes though.

Alternatively, you can buy a swiss travel pass which allows you access to all the routes without having a sports pass. We had a two-day all-access pass Jungfraujoch tickets which gave us the flexibility to travel all over the mountain range. As much as we wanted.

Meaning that you can go on any route, at any time and multiple times if you want. For our two days, Jungfrau travel pass children under the age of 6 are free. A child between 6 and 16 is 30 CHF. The adult tickets are 195 CHF. This pass includes the Top of Europe. It is possible to buy passes for up to eight days. If you opted for a longer duration the children’s passes remain at 30 CHF with the adult’s trip tickets increasing slightly each time up to 273 CHF for the full eight days.

Two days worked well for us as we were able to do all that we wanted including visiting Grindelwald First. And going on all the cable car routes and train journeys with our Jungfraujoch tickets. Find out more about the ticket options on the website.

Is Jungfraujoch Top of Europe worth it?

We had a brilliant day so absolutely yes it is such a unique experience. We will always remember the holiday that we went up the mountains to see the glacier. However Jungfraujoch Top of Europe is so much more than just the glacier itself. It is a great experience that offers different things at different times of the year. We visited in April before the Summer season in Interlaken started. I think this was the best time as it gave us the benefit of a quieter visit and a chance to take photos uninterrupted.