How to Plan the Perfect Interlaken to Jungfraujoch Day Trip

How to Plan the Perfect Interlaken to Jungfraujoch Day Trip

Our Interlaken to Jungfraujoch day trip was one of our favorite experiences in Switzerland! We couldn’t believe that we were swimming in the Swiss lakes one afternoon, and the next were at the Top of Europe surrounded by snow. If it’s your first time to the area, we’re here to help. Here’s exactly how to get to Jungfraujoch from Interlaken Switzerland, trains and cable car info, plus what to do at the peak!

Train vs Eiger Express Gondola

The first step is actually understanding the mountain. Jungfraujoch is nicknamed the “Top of Europe,” as it’s the highest railway on the entire continent!

Many travelers will be staying around Interlaken and the beautiful lakes of Thun and Brienz. Considering this is likely where you’ll be staying, let us break down the easiest ways to get to the top of this incredible mountain.

Iconic Lauterbrunnen Train

For years, the only way to get Jungfraujoch was via train from Lauterbrunnen Switzerland. The trip takes about an hour an a half each way and is known for its scenic views.

However, if you’re coming from Interlaken like we were, then there is another 20 minute train ride to account for.  

Eiger Express Gondola 

The second option is the Eiger Express Gondola that was opened in 2020. It will take you from the Grindelwald terminal to Jungfraujoch in only 45 minutes!

This was the exact route we took, which we will share all about in our article. To compare ticket prices, head to the official Jungfraujoch website.

The most helpful part for us was their interactive map that shows you how to get from Interlaken to Jungfraujoch.

Save Money On Your Jungfraujoch Tickets

We should be completely transparent here – The tickets to get to Jungfraujoch from Interlaken aren’t cheap! When looking at their website, the current price that starts at 100 CHF ($116 USD) just covers one way.

Also, the ticket for the gondola and train start in Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald will cost you a pretty penny. With that said, this is normal for Switzerland.

You can expect to pay top dollar for all the most exciting activities. There is an option to book the train starting in Interlaken, which is much better then if you were going to buy an individual ticket for this section.

Going from Interlaken to Jungfraujoch will cost around 220 CHF or 250 USD per person. So how can you save money?

One option is the “Good Morning ticket” that has a slight price reduction. If you are planning to rent a car, you can start in Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald. The popular Swiss travel pass will also give you a 50% discount on your Jungfraujoch ticket. 

How to Get to Jungfraujoch Switzerland

Jungfraujoch Travel Pass

If you have more then 1 day as we did, we highly recommend buying the Jungfrau Travel Pass (check out exactly what it covers). This starts at 220 CHF for a 3 day pass, but you can go up to 8 days for just 20 CHF more per day.

There is so much included in this pass! While you will have to do the Jungfraujoch add on, it will still save you money in the long run to see more of the epic mountains from Interlaken.

This will give you unlimited access to all the boats, gondolas, and trains in the area. Read all about our own experience using the Jungfrau Travel Pass.

How to Get from Interlaken to Jungfraujoch Day Trip

Planning Your Visit to Interlaken 

Closest Airport: Bern is just 45 minutes away, while Zurich is an hour and a half. Personally, we loved the big city life, as there are so many fun things to do in Zurich Switzerland!

Train vs Car: Public transportation is great throughout the country, but we really enjoy the freedom that comes with having a car. We always use Discover Cars when traveling in Europe. By booking in advance, you can even find cars for under $30 USD a day. 

Interlaken Hotels: Some of the most highly-rated hotels are Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa, Hotel Interlaken, and Adventure Guesthouse Interlaken.

Where to Eat: Interlaken is more like a large town than a city. It’s filled with so many awesome restaurants and bars to enjoy in between your adventures. A few of our favorites are Restaurant Bären, Stadthaus, and Restaurant Laterne!

Smaller Towns: There are endless small towns to stay in around the lakes near Interlaken. Look into Iseltwald, Grindelwald, and Mürren, which are a few of our favorites in the Jungfrau region.

Interlaken to Jungfraujoch Train and Gondola

As we mentioned, we took the Eiger Express Gondola on our own Interlaken to Jungfraujoch day trip. If you compare the price of each route, there isn’t a huge difference. Really, it just depends on where you are starting from. 

We jumped on the train from Interlaken up to the Grindelwald terminal just after 7am. It was already packed with travelers who were getting out early like us.

The first thing to know is there are actually two Grindelwald stops! We did hear of other travelers going to the wrong one, so make sure you get off at the right station.

Grindelwald Terminal is a new state of the art terminal that connects several gondolas. If you’re coming from Interlaken and don’t get off, then you will find yourself at Grindelwald station a few minutes later in the center of town. 

After getting off the train, we followed the signs marked Eiger Express. Before we knew it, there was a small stampede of people leaving the train and getting in line for the cable car.

Remember that the gondola is constantly running all day. The worst that will happen is you will just have a wait a few minutes for the next one. 

The ride was only 15 minutes, which was good because our cabin was completely full. Make sure to read our tip later in this article, where we share how we got a gondola all to ourselves on the way down. 

Jungfraujoch Gondala

Historic Train to Jungfraujoch Switzerland

You might have read that you need a reservation for the train beforehand. This is due to the fact that it can get very crowded in the peak summer months.

Even traveling at the end of August, we decided against paying extra for a seat reservation. This was because we weren’t sure the exact time we would actually get there from Interlaken. 

The benefit of pre-booking, is that if you arrive at your scheduled time then you’re guaranteed at seat. Still, one issue we saw was people arriving before their scheduled time and weren’t allowed on early.

If you want to go before your ticketed time, then you have to line up with everyone who didn’t pre-book a seat. Anyway, if you do want a seat reservation you can make one here. 

Luckily, we arrived early enough where we got on the first train. There is a video that plays during the ride that details the history of how they built it.

It was slightly terrifying to think about, as we barreled through the long tunnel! Half-way through the ride there is a quick 5 minute stop. Be sure to hop out and get a photo of the Eismeer glacier here.

How to Get to Jungfraujoch

Exploring the Top of Europe 

Once we arrived at the top, we were so ready to explore Jungfraujoch Switzerland! The Top of Europe has been set up so you can see all the different areas in one large loop.

Our first focus was definitely on the epic views, and getting outside to walk in the snow. We couldn’t have asked for better weather visiting in the late summer.

Even with all the snow, the sun was shining, and it was still warm enough to be in pants and a t-shirt. Unfortunately, for travelers who visited just a week later, there was a massive snow storm with no visibility.

We started off by taking the elevator up to Sphinx Observatory. It opens up to a large platform where you’ll have incredible views of the glacier and surrounding mountains.

The Aletsch Glacier is the largest in the entire Alps and seems to go on forever. After getting some insane views, we made our way outside into the snow.

If you walk to the left up the hill, it will take you to on a hike to the Mönchsjochhütte Hut. We didn’t end up going to the entire way, but it was still a nice walk out in the great outdoors.

Nothing Familiar

More to Do at Jungfraujoch

There’s truly so much to do at Jungfraujoch that you can spend an entire day up here. If you’re up for some adventure, there is the Snow Fun Park for tubing and zip lining. 

The first thing we did after heading back inside the large complex was walk through the Ice Palace. The long passageway is filled with unique ice sculptures to check out. Be careful here, as we saw multiple people slip in fall inside!

We loved learning about the history of how Europe’s longest railway was built and exploring the different themed rooms. One of our favorite memories was also visiting the highest Lindt Chocolate store in the world!

If you’re up for some lunch, you can grab a seat at the Crystal restaurant with a view. You can also have drinks at the outdoor bar that’s located next to the Snow Fun Park. It’s advertised as the highest bar in Europe, which makes for a fun experience to end your day.

The Top of Europe

Finishing Our Interlaken to Jungfraujoch Day Trip

After about 3 hours at the Top of Europe, it was time to head back down the mountain. We didn’t have a seat reservation, but had absolutely no problem getting a seat in the early afternoon. 

When you get back to Eigergletscher station you may be tempted to catch the gondola down immediately back to Grindelwald. Yet, you should hang back for two reasons here.

First, this area is absolutely beautiful. There are hiking trails and so much to see from just outside the station. If we could do our Interlaken to Jungfraujoch day trip over, we would definitely do the 8 mile hike back to Grindelwald.

Keep in mind that everyone goes directly from the train to rush onto the gondola. Instead, we waited about 2o minutes and took in the views.

By holding off to get back on the gondola, we actually got a car all to ourselves for the way down! We also recommend saving some time to see Grindelwald village if you haven’t been yet. 

Interlaken to Jungfraujoch Day Trip Guide

Have any questions about how to get to Jungfraujoch from Interlaken or want to share your own day trip tips for the Top of Europe? Let us know in the comments below.

Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake

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Brigitte & Jake

We’re Brigitte and Jake! American travel bloggers currently based in Spain. If you can believe it, we started Nothing Familiar way back in 2015 on an Ipad in the Ecuadorian jungle. Ever since, we haven’t stopped traveling! We’ve now been to over 60 countries around the world, with our expertise being Europe and Southeast Asia. We love outdoor adventures, tasting local specialties, and island hopping through tropical destinations. Hopefully, our guides and authentic experiences will inspire you on your own travels!

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