Jungfraujoch

The Jungfraujoch is a high saddle between the Mönch and the Jungfrau in the Bernese Alps, and its railway station at 3,454 metres is the highest in Europe. It is marketed as the Top of Europe, and it is the most visited high-mountain destination in the Swiss Alps. The attraction is that people of almost any fitness level can reach a glacier world of ice and rock in a few hours, without climbing equipment, by a railway that runs largely through the mountains themselves.

The Jungfrau Railway, which opened in 1912, was the dream of the Zurich industrialist Adolf Guyer-Zeller, who planned a line that would tunnel through the Eiger and the Mönch to the saddle. The tunnel was dug over sixteen years in a remarkable feat of engineering, and the final section runs through the rock with stops at windows cut into the north face of the Eiger. The railway itself starts from Kleine Scheidegg, which is reached by mountain railways from Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. Since 2020, the Eiger Express gondola has offered a faster route from Grindelwald to the Eiger Glacier station, where passengers join the railway to the top, and visitors often combine the two routes for the up and down journey.

At the top, a complex of tunnels and terraces holds the main sights. The Ice Palace is a series of caves carved into the glacier ice, with ice sculptures and passages lit in blue. The Sphinx Observatory is a research station on a ridge above the station, reached by a lift, and its viewing platform gives a panorama over the Aletsch Glacier, the longest in the Alps and part of the UNESCO World Heritage area, and on clear days the Black Forest and the Vosges mountains. A path leads out onto the Jungfraujoch snow plateau, where visitors can walk on the glacier snow in the open air. There are restaurants, a chocolate shop, exhibitions about the building of the railway and facilities for visitors with mobility needs.

The altitude matters. Air at 3,454 metres holds much less oxygen than at the valley, and some people feel breathless, dizzy or tired, so take things slowly, drink water and avoid heavy meals. The weather can change quickly, and low cloud can hide the views, so check the webcams and forecasts before you set out. Warm clothing, sunglasses and sun protection are essential, even in summer. Ticket prices are high, and early or late trains and various passes can reduce the cost, so look up the current options.

The Jungfraujoch suits first-time visitors to the Swiss Alps, families and anyone who wants to see a high glacier without a climb. Allow a full day, and go early for the clearest conditions.