The Complete Guide to Switzerland’s Jungfrau Region: Things to Do, Maps, Helpful Tips, and More!
Are you looking to visit the Jungfrau region of Switzerland? This incredibly scenic alpine area should be on any Switzerland itinerary, with its picture-perfect rolling green meadows, epic mountain views, scenic cable car rides, and quaint mountain towns. However, planning a trip to the Jungfrau region can get quite complicated and overwhelming, but we’re here to help! In this guide, we’ll go over absolutely everything you need to know to plan a trip to Switzerland’s Jungfrau region, including how to get there, how to get around, things to do, when to go, where to stay, how to plan your time, and much more!
If you’re planning a trip to Switzerland, chances are you’ve been at least partly influenced to travel here from pictures you’ve seen of the Jungfrau region of Switzerland- whether you knew it or not! With its idyllic mountain villages, rolling green alpine meadows, epic mountain backdrops, picturesque cable cars, and photogenic Swiss cows, the Jungfrau region is certainly one of the most scenic places to visit in Switzerland!
The Jungfrau region is a small part of the Bernese Oberland area of central Switzerland, centered around the well-known Jungfrau massif, a series of three epic peaks in the heart of the Swiss Alps. In the Jungfrau region, you’ll find a mix of beautiful alpine valleys and high mountain plateaus connected through a series of scenic cogwheel trains and cable cars.
And throughout the whole region, there is no shortage of epic mountain views, scenic hikes, and fun activities like via ferratas, ziplines, alpine restaurants, and more.
Because of the area’s beauty, the Jungfrau region is one of the most popular places to visit on a Switzerland itinerary. But a visit here is also one of the most complicated to plan! There are tons of different towns, cable cars, trains, hikes, and travel passes that you have to research and choose from, and it can all become quite overwhelming very quickly.
For us personally, Switzerland’s Jungfrau region was one of the hardest trips we’ve ever had to plan. But it’s a great thing you’re here- because we want to share our hours and hours (and hours) of research and planning all with you!
Our goal with this absolutely massive Jungfrau guide is to share everything you need to know (and everything we wish we knew before going!) to plan your trip to the Jungfrau area in Switzerland, and have it all in one convenient place. We’ll go over how to get to the Jungfrau area, how to navigate the complicated transportation around the Jungfrau region, share all the amazing things to do, and give you our best tips on when to go, where to stay, how to plan your time in the Jungfrau region, and much more! Plus we’ll give all our honest thoughts about what it was like to travel to this part of Switzerland.
Like we said, this is a huge guide, so feel free to use the table of contents below to jump around as needed!
In this Jungfrau Switzerland guide:
Overview of the Jungfrau Region of Switzerland
The Bernese Oberland is a large region in central Switzerland known for its beautiful scenery and proximity to the Swiss Alps. The Jungfrau region specifically is easily the most popular and most visited part of the Bernese Oberland.
The Jungfrau region is known for its beautiful valleys, cute cliff-side villages, scenic cable car rides, and its high mountain plateaus filled with epic hiking trails and stunning views of the Swiss Alps, and in particular, its views of the Jungfrau massif (made up of three famous mountains- Jungfrau, Eiger, and Monch).
The idyllic landscape beneath the Eiger in the Jungfrau region of Switzerland
When you think of Switzerland, you likely think of places that look like the Jungfrau region.
So, how is the Jungfrau region laid out?
Well, the gateway into this region is through the town of Interlaken. Anyone going to the Jungfrau region will first travel through here.
Then, from Interlaken, you can go into one of two valleys that make up the Jungfrau region. These two valleys are divided by a high mountain plateau, and are also bordered by high mountain plateaus on either side. So if we simplify it, the Jungfrau region is made up of two valleys and three high mountain plateaus.
Lauterbrunnen Valley- one of the two main valleys in the Jungfrau region of Switzerland
Sounds pretty simple, right? Well, not so fast. The logistics get a bit more complicated, but we’ll get more into that in just a little bit.
But, the basic gist is that in one valley you can travel into the town of Lauterbrunnen. In the other valley, you can travel to the town of Grindelwald.
From Interlaken, you can travel to either of these two towns by car or train, but then to head up from these two towns to any of the mountain plateaus to see quaint mountain villages, embark on epic hikes, and get to amazing viewpoints over the Swiss Alps, you’ll have to take a combination of trains, lifts, and cable cars. Here’s the brief rundown:
Out of Grindelwald, the most popular places to access are First and Phingstegg.
Out of Lauterbrunnen, popular towns to access are Murren, Gimmelwald, and Wengen, and a popular excursion point is the Schilthorn.
From either valley, you can access the high mountain plateau in between, where you can access the towns of Kleine Scheidegg and Mannlichen as well as the popular excursion destination, Jungfraujoch.
Don’t worry, we’ll cover more on each of these later, but this is just a simplistic overview to help orient you to the Jungfrau region!
Map of the Jungfrau region in Switzerland
This map of the Jungfrau region is from the Jungfrau website (we’ve added our own extra labels) and is meant to give a good overview of the different town and modes of transportation throughout the region. As you can see, it’s a bit complicated, and probably a bit overwhelming at first glance (I know it was for us!). But hopefully, in just a little bit, you’ll be feeling much better and on your way to planning your perfect Switzerland itinerary.
A map of the Jungfrau region from the Jungfrau website. We think this is the best map of the area that showcases most towns and transportation routes in the area. The yellow lines represent the different trains and cable cars of the Jungfrau region (more on those below!)
How to Get to the Jungfrau Region in Switzerland
Before we talk about getting around the Jungfrau region, we need to get there first!
Luckily, this part is pretty easy.
You’ll likely be flying into either Geneva or Zurich, and from either of these cities, you’ll travel to Interlaken by either car or train.
Here are some distances to Interlaken from other popular cities in Switzerland:
Geneva to Interlaken: 3 hours by train or 2.5 hours by car
Zurich to Interlaken: 2 hours by train or car
Zermatt to Interlaken: 2.5 hours by train or car
Once you’re in Interlaken, you can base yourself here, or continue into either Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald Valleys by either car or by train.
Once in the valleys, to get to any of the other towns or excursion sites in the area from either Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen, you’ll travel around by cable car and train into the mountains.
Do I need a car in the Jungfrau Region of Switzerland?
The quick answer here is: no, you don’t really need a car in the Jungfrau Region, especially if this is the only place on your Switzerland itinerary.
You can travel into Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald by car, but then to get anywhere else in the area, you’ll be taking cable cars and trains. So, your car will just be hanging out down in the valley (there are parking lots in Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald, and Stechelberg at the end of Lauterbrunnen Valley), and you’ll likely be paying for it. Given the costs and hassle of parking, the costs of a rental car itself, and the already high costs of the cable cars you’ll still be needing to take despite having a car, it often doesn’t make sense to rent a car for the Jungfrau Region.
Often, people visiting Switzerland rely on train travel- it’s super convenient and easy to figure out, but it is also expensive. We traveled to a few different areas around the Alps and sometimes we did wish we had a car for the longer journeys between different regions, but we’d still say that if you’re visiting primarily car-free towns (like the Jungfrau region and Zermatt, for example), having a car just wouldn’t be worth it.
With that said, let’s get into traveling through Switzerland by train…
How to travel by train in Switzerland
Train travel in the Jungfrau region of Switzerland is pretty easy!
We know it can sometimes feel overwhelming or daunting to try and figure out public transportation in another country, but trust us when we say train travel in Switzerland is super easy, and you have nothing to worry about!
The trains in Switzerland are very easy to navigate and figure out. Some things that made them super convenient are:
They run very frequently. We found that they typically run about every half hour to all the main destinations.
They make all the announcements in multiple languages- mainly in German, French, and English.
All the train platforms are very well-labeled with what trains are coming and going, and they even tell you where to stand on the platform based on which ticket class you have.
There are lots of monitors throughout the stations so you can figure out where you need to be for your connections. There are also monitors in the trains that tell you which stops are coming up so that you won’t miss it!
Making connections is super easy. When you first book a train route that has a few connections, it might seem like the connections are super tight and you might not have enough time to make them. But trust us- you’ll have plenty of time. Most stations are small with only a few platforms, and between the monitors in the stations and the information on your ticket, you’ll know exactly where to go, so don’t stress!
Buying train tickets in Switzerland
First, it’s good to know that there are a few different ticket types you can buy for Switzerland trains.
Point-2-Point ticket: This is a standard ticket between two destinations, and the one you’ll likely be buying. It’s usually good for a 24 hour period, so you can hop on the train any time on the given date and head out.
Supersaver ticket: You’ll likely see the option for this type of ticket when buying your train tickets. These tickets are not flexible- they are for a specific train at a specific time, and cannot be changed. The benefit is that these tickets are cheaper, especially the further ahead you book (the price increases as you get closer to the departure date until it essentially reaches the price of a regular full fare ticket and then disappears). This kind of ticket is useful for someone who wants to save some money and has a rigid itinerary that they know they will be following. For us, we wanted some flexibility, so we never purchased this type of ticket.
Saver day pass: This ticket is good for a full day and is good for all train rides you take that day. Like the Supersaver ticket, the price of the ticket increases the closer you are to the departure date. This might be good for someone who knows they will be doing a ton of train travel in one day and can buy the ticket far enough in advance, but for most people, you probably won’t even need to consider buying this.
Now that you know the ticket types, how do you buy Switzerland train tickets?
There are a few ways.
Use the SBB website. This is the official website for the Swiss Federal Railway System, and here you can buy tickets for all kinds of transport, including buses, trains, boats, and cable cars. Simply type in your departure place, your destination, and the day you want to travel, and it will bring up a whole list of options. The nice thing is that when you click on an option, it will give you all the details you’ll need for your trip including connection times and the exact platforms each train arrives on and departs from, as well as useful maps if you’re more of a visual person.
The SBB App: Another great way to buy Switzerland train tickets is to use the SBB app. And guys, if there’s one piece of advice I have for Switzerland train travel- it’s to download the SBB app!
This app is incredibly useful. You can easily buy and store your tickets on it, and have easy access to the route details (train numbers, connections, platform information, etc). You can also store any Switzerland Travel Passes (more on these later) in it as well.
It also makes it super easy to cancel a train ticket, too, if needed. We found this out the hard way- the very first train ticket we bought was on the SBB website, and we actually ended up having to cancel it. However, we couldn’t just do it online- we either had to complete a form or do it right at the station and we didn’t get a full refund. On the app, it’s a simple click and you get the full refund!
In person: You can simply head to the train station and buy your train ticket at the counter, or there is usually a self-service ticket kiosk. We did this often, as we made last minute travel plans a lot, and we had no problems buying our tickets at the station and hopping on the next train out. The kiosks are especially useful, because when you buy the tickets, it shows similar information about connections and platforms as the website or app would- so again, be sure to take a picture of these details as you’re booking the ticket.
Buying train tickets at the station kiosk
More tips for traveling by train in Switzerland
Most of the time, public transportation in Switzerland is based on the honor system, but you will get the occasional fare inspector asking for tickets. Be sure to have them readily available on your phone or in hand. And also be sure to have readily available any travel passes you may have used to book your ticket with, because they will check for those as well!
To save money, we recommend always buying the 2nd Class fare as opposed to the 1st Class fare. We didn’t really notice too much of a difference in the two classes on the train, and your ride will likely be short enough to not really make a difference in the quality of your trip- so we recommend just always buying the 2nd Class ticket!
A common tip for European travel that we always hear is that traveling around with suitcases is hard- and based on what we saw on the Swiss trains, we can kind of agree. We traveled with light backpacks that were easy to store at our feet or on our laps while on trains, but we saw many people struggling with huge suitcases. This looked pretty hard on trains to lug up and down between the trains and platforms, and there wasn’t a whole lot of room on the train for storing them either. If you can, we definitely recommend traveling with a backpack!
Switzerland is a notoriously expensive country to travel to, and part of the reason is because of the transportation. Luckily, there are some ways you can save some money, and that is through the magical but somewhat confusing world of Switzerland Travel Passes. We’ll talk more about these when we talk about getting around the Jungfrau region below (or skip to it now!).
Packing light is the way to go for Switzerland train travel!
How to Get Around the Jungfrau Region of Switzerland
Okay, here is where things start to get a bit complicated.
Figuring out how to get around the Jungfrau region was the most overwhelming aspect of planning our Switzerland itinerary, but once you become a bit more familiar with it, it really isn’t so bad- and we’re here to help!
As we mentioned above, to get anywhere in the Jungfrau region from the valleys (Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen), you’ll be taking combinations of trains and cable cars up into the mountains. Depending on where you’re going, you may have to take a long series of different modes of transportation to get from one place to another.
A handful of cable cars run from the valleys up onto the high mountain plateaus above Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald- it’s likely you’ll be taking a few of these to get around the Jungfrau region of Switzerland
The best way to figure it all out is to look at the map of the Jungfrau region- we’ll put it here again for reference.
Map of the Jungfrau region from the official Jungfrau website. Solid yellow lines are trains, while dashed yellow lines are cable cars.
This Jungfrau map shows all the different towns, and the modes of transportation that connects them all. Find your starting point, find your ending point, and then use the different modes of transportation to connect them.
So for example, let’s say you’re staying in Grindelwald and you want to visit the Schilthorn. A good way to do this would be:
Take the train from Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen
Take the cable car to Grutschalp
Take the train to Murren
Take the cable car to the Schilthorn
Or maybe you want to go from Gimmelwald to Jungfraujoch:
Take the cable car from Gimmelwald to Stechelberg
Walk or take the bus from Stechelberg to Lauterbrunnen
Take the train from Lauterbrunnen to Kleine Scheidegg
Take the train from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch
Keep in mind that there may be different ways to connect Point A to Point B. It’s usually best to choose whichever route is likely to be the quickest and cheapest. But other than that, it doesn’t matter too much what route you take. Taking these different types of transportation is honestly half the fun of visiting the Jungfrau region!
The Grindelwald cable car
How to buy tickets for the cable cars in the Jungfrau region
Our strategy for buying cable car and train tickets in the Jungfrau region was to simply buy them as we went at the different stations. Each station will usually have a ticket counter and/or a self-service ticket kiosk. We’d buy our tickets and hop on the next lift or train.
Using this strategy, it’s also possible to buy a ticket that will take you through multiple connections. For example, in Lauterbrunnen, we were able to buy a ticket from the station that took us to Murren. There was a connection in Grutschalp, but the ticket included this connection. So you don’t have to buy individual tickets for each connection you need to make- they can all be included in one purchase/ticket.
One of the many trains in the Jungfrau region
You can also buy lift and train tickets using the handy SBB website or app in the same way we described it for train travel above. You can type in any departure and destination location and it will provide you with your different route options. Then you can simply buy the ticket that works for the entire route you want.
No matter how you buy your ticket, be sure to keep it on hand in an easily accessible place (whether it’s a physical or electronic ticket) so that you can quickly show a fare inspector or use it to scan through any gates at each connection.
Jungfrau region cable car prices and timetables
Knowing prices for the Jungfrau region cable cars ahead of time is pretty important if you’re trying to travel to Switzerland on a budget and want to decide which travel passes you might need. You can find a current price list for Jungfrau cable cars here (it’s one of the first links on this page, and is updated yearly). You’ll notice that it gives prices for individual tickets from one place to another, but also gives the total prices for specific routes that involve multiple modes of transport.
Knowing the timetables for individual cable cars and trains in advance is also super helpful when planning your Switzerland itinerary. It’s good to know when the first cable cars start and the last ones stop, so you can plan your days around these timetables and not get caught somewhere unexpected without a way down! Check out this site to look up the timetables for the various Jungfrau cable cars- you can type in any departure and destination points to see what time the cable cars and trains run.
You can also get similar information on Jungfrau cable car prices and timetables by going to the SBB website and putting in your various planned routes into there.
What Passes Do I Need For the Jungfrau Region in Switzerland?
Okay- this is the other really complicated part of planning a trip to Switzerland.
You might notice that once you start looking at the prices for all the Jungfrau cable cars and trains, things start to very quickly add up. Switzerland ain’t cheap!
The good news? There are ways to save quite a bit of money!
The bad news? It requires you to navigate the complicated world of Switzerland travel passes…
Switzerland has a collection of travel passes that allow you to save money on transportation for a fixed period of time. Some of these passes apply to only specific regions of the country while others are more broad. And they each vary on costs, how long they’re good for, what areas are covered, what modes of transportation are covered, and how much they are discounted. Some of the passes are overlapping in what they cover, and some of these passes are additive, meaning that if you buy one of these passes, it will give you discounts on the other passes. So yea, it gets confusing quickly.
While there are tons of different passes for Switzerland, we’ll go over the ones likely to be most relevant for a visit to the Jungfrau region here.
You’ll be relying on lots of public transportation in the Jungfrau region, so we recommend getting at least one of the passes below!
The Swiss Travel Pass
What it is: The Swiss Travel Pass is a comprehensive travel pass that includes most transportation throughout Switzerland. It gives you unlimited travel by train, bus, or boat throughout the country, and offers discounts (usually 50%) on most mountain cable cars (including most of the ones in the Jungfrau area). It also gives discounts or free admission on some attractions around the country, and gives extra discounts if you choose to buy other travels passes (like some of the ones we mention later).
Days it’s good for: You can buy passes that are good for either 3, 4, 6, 8, or 15 consecutive days. Of course, the longer the pass is good for, the more expensive it will be.
There is also a Swiss Travel Pass Flex option, where the pass works on non-consecutive days within a given month. This pass will be a bit more expensive since it offers more flexibility.
How much it costs: The price of the Swiss Travel Pass depends on how many days it’s good for, and can range from 244 CHF for the 3 day pass to 459 CHF for the 15 day pass. For a flex pass, the price will range from 279 CHF to 470 CHF. Check here for the most up-to-date-prices (scroll down a bit to the fare section and expand the menus for each pass type).
Area it covers: The Swiss Travel Pass is good throughout the entire country. We liked using this Map of Validity for the Swiss Travel Pass to see what things specifically are covered. You’ll have to zoom in quite a bit on the map to the area around Interlaken to see all the specific transportation lines. The different colors represent different modes of transport. Solid lines mean the transportation is fully covered by the pass, while the dotted lines indicate a 25% or 50% discount on tickets.
More information: The official site for the Swiss Travel Pass is here, but we actually liked to use this site as it gives a lot of good information about where the pass is valid. You can buy the pass at either website.
The Swiss Half Fare Card
What it is: The Swiss Half Fare Card is another general travel pass good throughout the country. As the name suggests, it offers half off discounts on most travel, including mountain cable cars and trains. Plus, it’s just a single price and is good for an entire month.
Days it’s good for: An entire month starting on the day you specify during your purchase.
How much it costs: The pass is a flat fee of 120 CHF.
Area it covers: The Half Fare Card pretty much covers the same area and transportation routes as the Swiss Travel Pass, it’s just that it only offers a 50% discount on train tickets rather than providing unlimited travel. Check out this Map of Validity for the Swiss Half Fare Card. It works the same as the one we linked above, with the different modes of transportation in different colors.
More information: To buy the Swiss Half Fare Card and to get more information on what’s included and how it works, we liked using the SBB site and this site. You can buy the pass at either site.
The Bernese Oberland Pass
What it is: The Bernese Oberland Pass is a regional pass that is specific to the Bernese Oberland area of Switzerland. It’s basically a more localized version of the Swiss Travel Pass, and includes free transportation on most trains, buses and boats within the Bernese Oberland region, as well as free or half off travel on the mountain cable cars, plus extra discounts on different attractions in the area.
Days it’s good for: You can choose passes that are good for 3, 4, 6, 8, or 10 consecutive days.
How much it costs: The cost of the Bernese Oberland Pass depends on how long it’s good for. The prices range from 240 CHF for a 3 day pass, to 435 CHF for a 10 day pass. However, if you also have either the Swiss Travel Pass or the Half Fare Card, you get about a 30% discount on the pass!
Area it covers: This pass covers the entire Bernere Oberland region, stretching between Lucerne and Bern and down to Visp. This is a great map for determining where the pass is valid and what discounts you get on each mode of transport. Note that solid lines represent free transport while dotted lines indicate half off discounts.
For the Jungfrau region specifically, it provides free transport on most routes, including the cable car from Murren to the Schilthorn (a big savings!). Things that have just a 50% discount include: the Schynige Platte Railway, the Harder Kulm funicular, and the First cable car. The Wengernalpbahn between Wengen, Kleine Scheidegg, and Grindelwald, the Eiger Express, and the Jungraujoch Railway are each discounted by 25%.
More information: To buy the pass and learn more about it, this is a check out the official Bernese Oberland Pass site.
Jungfrau Pass
What it is: This is another local pass that’s very specific to just the Jungfrau region of Switzerland. It grants you unlimited or discounted travel on all the trains and mountain cable cars in the Jungfrau area.
Days it’s good for: You can buy a pass that is good for 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 consecutive days.
How much it costs: The cost of the Jungfrau Pass depends on how long it’s good for, with prices ranging from 210 CHF for a 3 day pass to 330 CHF for an 8 day pass. However, if you have a Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card, you get about a 30% discount on this pass! For the most up-to-date costs, check on the Jungfrau site.
Area it covers: The map here shows all the transportation lines in the Jungfrau area that are covered. As you can see, most of the transportation routes are fully covered with this pass!
The only things not included are the cable car grom Grindelwald to Phingstegg, the bus from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg, and the cable car from Stechelberg to Gimmelwald and Murren.
Things that aren’t fully covered by the pass but are discounted include:
The cable car from Murren to the Schilthorn: This is 25% off with the pass.
The final train up from Eigergletscher to Jungfraujoch: This is set at a fixed price of 85 CHF for the summer months with the Jungfrau Pass, so quite a significant savings.
More information: To buy the pass, head to the Jungfrau site.
City guest cards
Some of the towns in the Jungfrau region give guest cards to those who are spending the night there. These are often included when you book your accommodation, and provide extra discounts to some of the local transportation and attractions nearby. These cards aren’t as well advertised, but they are good to know about for a little bit of extra savings.
This site provides a good overview on the various discounts you can get by staying the different towns in the Jungfrau region.
We stayed in Interlaken, and their guest card was actually pretty good. It provided free travel on the local city buses, and good discounts on things like the Schynige Platte Railway (20% off) and the Harder Kulm funicular (15% off).
How to decide which Switzerland Travel Pass is worth it
As you can see, there are a number of travel passes to choose from for travelling in the Jungfrau region of Switzerland. We told you it was confusing!
Knowing which ones are worth getting and will actually save you money is tricky, and definitely requires a bit of effort and work. As much as we’d love to have one, there really is no one-size-fits-all solution, and it really all depends on your individual plans for your time in Switzerland, like where you’re staying, how long you’ll be there, how much you’re moving around, and what cable cars and trains you’ll be taking.
In our opinion, the best way to figure out which Switzerland travel passes are worth it is to make a plan in advance. If you’re looking to save money or travel in Switzerland on a budget, this is one place where planning ahead and making at least a loose itinerary is worth it rather than just going and winging it.
This is what we recommend:
Decide what you want to do in Switzerland- what hikes, viewpoints, and excursions are at the top of your to-do list.
Decide where you’ll be staying. Try to base it centrally to the things you’d like to do to cut down on travel time and expenses.
Look at the maps to figure out the most efficient transportation routes for everything.
Get price estimates for all the traveling you need to do. You can do this by looking at the price charts we linked above and also by putting all your routes into the SBB website or app. Add up all of these costs.
Next, pretend you have the Swiss Travel Pass. Apply the discount you’d get to all the same tickets you priced previously. Add those costs up, plus the cost of the Swiss Travel Pass. Compare the total to the step above to see if it would be worth it.
Do this for every travel pass you are considering, and for all the combinations of travel passes you might want. For example, you might consider the Jungfrau Pass on its own, or you might want to do the Jungfrau Pass with the Swiss Travel Pass, the latter of which will get you an extra discount on the former.
I know, this sounds like a lot of work, and it kind of is- but it’s worth it. As we were planning out our Switzerland itinerary, I had quite a few spreadsheets going comparing the costs of different plans using different combinations of passes to see which would save us the most money, and I was kind of driving myself a little crazy. In the end, you might not follow your planned itinerary to a T when in Switzerland, but doing this will still give you a good enough idea of how much you’ll likely spend and how you can save money doing it.
After doing all of this ourselves, here are some general takeaways we got (but again, we still recommend you figuring all this out for your specific situation!):
The Swiss Travel Pass might seem like a no-brainer, being that includes all train travel throughout the country, but it’s expensive. We found that it often might not be the best option. It’s probably really only worth it for those who plan on doing lots of train travel in a very short amount of time.
The Half Fare Card was the most cost-efficient for us, since we were spending a good amount of time in the country and this card was a flat fee. We weren’t doing a ton of train travel, but using mountain cable cars a lot, so this pass ended up being the winner for us.
The Jungfrau Pass might be your best option if you are only visiting the Jungfrau region and nowhere else in the country. If you plan to venture just outside of the Jungfrau region but still within the Bernese Oberland, then the Bernese Oberland Pass is likely the best.
Things to Do in the Jungfrau Region of Switzerland
Now that we’ve gone over most of the super complicated logistics to traveling in Switzerland (phew!), it’s time to get into the fun stuff…things to do in the Jungfrau region!
Knowing all the amazing things to do in the Jungfrau region will help you plan your itinerary, which in turn will help you pick out travel passes and transportation routes, so let’s get into it…
We’ll be dividing up this list of things to do in the Jungfrau region by location- first will be things to do out of Grindelwald, then things to do out of Lauterbrunnen, and then things to do on the mountain plateau between them. We’ll also talk about things to do near Interlaken, as well as small day trips you can make beyond the Jungfrau region in the surrounding Bernese Oberland.
Things to do in the Jungfrau Region: Grindelwald area
Explore the town of Grindelwald
The scenic town of Grindelwald
The town of Grindelwald is a cute mountain town at the base of the Alps. During a stroll through town, you can get great views of the jagged mountains (including the massive north face of the Eiger), stop at cute shops, bakeries, and restaurants, and wander past typical Swiss homes adorned with pretty flower baskets.
Grindelwald is a tourist hub and not a car-free town, so it isn’t as quaint or quiet as some of the other towns in the area, but it’s still a great place to explore and it serves as a base for other adventures that we’ll talk about now.
A cable car view over Grindelwald
Visit First
First is a mountain excursion area above the town of Grindelwald, and it’s one of the most popular things to do in the Jungfrau region.
To get here, you’ll take a cable car out of Grindelwald. If you’re traveling into Grindelwald by train, be sure to get off the last train stop (“Grindelwald”), and not the stop before it (“Grindelwald Terminal”).
From this train stop, it’s about a ten- minute walk to the cable car station (follow the main street and look for signs for First).
The bottom station for the Grindelwald First cable cars
If you haven’t already on the SBB website or app, you can buy tickets at the cable car station inside or at the self-service kiosk outside. The lines inside looked quite long, but hardly anyone was using the kiosks so we easily bought them there and got in line for the next gondola up.
The ride up to First from Grindelwald takes about 30 minutes and is super scenic- so enjoy the ride! The cable car stops at two stations enroute, but simply stay on the gondola as it passes through these.
Views of the Grindelwald First cable car
Views back down to Grindelwald and out to the Eiger
Once up at First, there are a few things to do! Just be warned- this is a busy place. It’s a huge tourist hot spot in the Jungfrau region so come prepared for big crowds. We got on the gondola shortly after they started running in the morning, and when we got to the top, it was already pretty busy. However, as the day went on, it somehow got even more crowded. So getting there early does make a difference here (even though it may not seem like it at first!).
Here are some of the things to do at Grindelwald First.
The First Cliff Walk
A metal walkway clings to a cliffside and brings you to a viewpoint over Grindelwald Valley and the Eiger towering above it. It’s a quick walk, but it’s very scenic, and we didn’t find it scary at all. Just be prepared to wait in line for a bit at the viewpoint to take a picture! We waited for about 20 minutes in the morning but the line only grew longer as the day went on.
Kevin walks along the First Cliff Walk with amazing mountain views!
More views from the First Cliff Walk
The final viewpoint at the end of the First Cliff Walk
Views over Grindelwald from the First Cliff Walk viewpoint
Lunch with a view
The Berggasthaus First is a restaurant with a giant patio overlooking Grindelwald and the Eiger. I liked sitting here and watching the clouds form and dissipate in the valley below.
Views from the patio on Grindelwald First
Hike to Bachalpsee Lake
From the First cable car station, you can hike to a famous and super picturesque lake overlooking the Swiss Alps. The hike from First to Bachalpsee Lake is pretty straightforward and well-traveled, though steadily uphill, and will take about two hours to hike roundtrip.
When we hiked this trail, the path was incredibly slick and icy, but tons of people were still making the trek, so it’s a pretty busy trail- probably one of the most popular hikes in the Jungfrau region!
Most of the hike to Bachalpsee Lake is a steady uphill trek. Usually in the summer months you’d be traversing a bright green meadow, but it was a winter wonderland for us!
Looking back down the Bachalpsee Lake Trail back towards Gindelwald First
Approaching the lakes!
You can walk along the shore of Bachalpsee Lake to take in the views
The famous views from Bachalpsee Lake!
You can continue the trail further uphill past Bachalpsee Lake to get a higher vantage point over the lake (the trail continues all the way to Schynige Platte but you don’t have to hike too far to get good views back over the lake!).
The higher vantage point over Bachalpsee Lake
Zipline or cart down the mountain
First has a couple of adventure experiences that you can use to make your way back to Grindelwald. These include the First Flyer and First Gliders (two forms of ziplines) to get you back from First to the midstations, and then mountain carts and trottibikes that will get you further back down towards Grindelwald. These are an added price and not included in your cable car ticket to First. You can check out the different activities here.
Again, just be prepared for long waits for these activities. You can’t book a specific timeslot for these, and when we were at First, the line for the ziplines got up to 180 minutes!
The morning line for the Grindelwald First ziplines!
Hike to Grosse Scheidegg
This easy hike crosses from First over to a small mountain village in about 5.8 km (3.6 miles). Hiking in the direction towards Grosse Scheidegg means a mostly downhill hike (losing about 200 meters or 600 feet), so it’s a relatively easy but scenic option for hiking near Grindelwald. From Grosse Scheidegg, you can take a bus back to Grindelwald, which will take about 40 minutes.
Visit Pfingstegg
Like First, Phingstegg is another high mountain excursion site above Grindelwald. To visit Pfingstegg, you’ll take a different cable car route out of Grindelwald. You can find the timetables and prices for this cable car here.
Like First, there are a few different activities up here.
Zipline or tobaggan- A 350 meter zipline glides along with views of the Alps, or you can speed down a toboggan run.
Hike to the Baregg Hut- One hike near Grindelwald we really wanted to do was this hike from Phingstegg to the Baregg Hut. This 5.8 km (3.6 mi) out-and-back trail is a moderate hike that leads to a mountain hut and restaurant with incredible views over the Ischmeer Glacier. En route, you’ll traverse across beautiful alpine meadows with views of waterfalls and cliff faces.
Things to do in the Jungfrau Region: Lauterbrunnen area
Explore the town of Lauterbrunnen and its waterfalls
Like Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen is another cute mountain town in the Jungfrau region. Lauterbrunnen is in a valley tucked in between tall cliffs that block out most of the epic mountain views, but it’s pretty in its own right. Cascading down from these cliffs are as many as 72 waterfalls, and between these falls, the towering cliffs, the rolling green meadows, and the cute Swiss architecture, Lauterbrunnen is a very idyllic and picturesque place.
Exploring Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen is a popular place to visit in the Jungfrau region, both because of its beauty and because of its location as the gateway to many other places in the Jungfrau area. So the town can get a bit crowded and cramped.
Also, it’s not a car-free town, so the streets can get busy.
Strolling through the busy streets of Lauterbrunnen
Regardless, strolling the streets, stopping in cafes or getting street vendor waffles (these were delish!), spotting Swiss cows with their iconic bells, and admiring the views of the various waterfalls is a must-do in Lauterbrunnen.
The famous and most prominent waterfall in Lauterbrunnen is Staubbach Falls. It’s easy to walk to, and there is even a path that brings you up behind the falls (just be prepared to get soaked! And make sure to have on good shoes as the path can be slippery).
Lauterbrunnen’s famous waterfall- Staubbach Falls
Walk or bike to Trummelbach Falls and Stechelberg
A flat and scenic walking path runs all the way through Lauterbrunnen Valley to the town of Stechelberg. It’s about 6.5 km (or 4 miles) one way, and will take about 2 hours to walk it. This is a great thing to do in the Junggfrau region if you’re looking for a more laidback but scenic activity. When you make it to Stechelberg, you can take the Lauterbrunnen Valley bus back to Lauterbrunnen if you don’t feel like hiking back.
The walking trail between Lauterbrunnen and Stechelberg
You can also rent an e-bike in Lauterbrunnen to ride out and back on.
About halfway down the valley, you can make a stop at Trummelbach Falls, another popular waterfall in Lauterbrunnen Valley. But what makes Trummelbach Falls unique is that it’s actually a series of ten subterranean falls that are found within the cliff side, instead of cascading down the face of the cliff. These powerful waterfalls drain from the glaciers of the Jungfrau massif and have carved intricate pathways through the cliff.
One of the ten cascades of Trummelbach Falls
A series of walkways and paths weave through the mountainside to the ten different waterfalls. You can take an elevator from the bottom up to the 6th waterfall, and from there, you can continue climbing the pathways and stairs to the top three falls. Then, walk all the way back down to the base to visit the rest of the falls on the way!
The dark walkways through the rocky cliffs of Trummelbach Falls
Trummelbach Falls are typically open from April to early November, and you can buy your tickets right at the ticket office outside of the falls (adult tickets are 15 CHF).
Visit Murren
Murren is a small mountain town perched on the cliffside above Lauterbrunnen Valley. It’s a car-free town so feels a bit less chaotic and more quaint than Lauterbrunnen below. From town, you can get breathtaking views over Lauterbrunnen Valley and the Jungfrau massif.
Mountain views from the quaint town of Murren, which sits on the cliffs above Lauterbrunnen Valley
Epic mountain views from Murren, Switzerland
To get here, you have three options:
Take the cable car from Lauterbrunnen (right near the train station) up to Grutschalp, and from Grutschalp, take a scenic train to Murren.
From Lauterbrunnen, walk or take the bus to Stechelberg. From Stechelberg, take the gondola up to Murren (stopping in Gimmelwald en route).
From Lauterbrunnen, walk or take the bus to Stechelberg, and take the new direct cable car from Stechelberg to Murren (bypassing the need to go to Gimmelwald first).
The view of Lauterbrunnen Valley from the Lauterbrunnen-Grutschalp cable car
From Murren, you can hike the Northface Trail, a 6.8 km (4.2 mile) point-to-point trail that weaves through subalpine meadows, past farms, and gives amazing views over the Swiss Alps. The trail ends in Allmendhubel, a small village above Murren. You can hike back down to Murren, or take a funicular back down.
The Northface Trail in Murren
The view back towards Murren from the Northface Trail
Murren is also home to a famous via ferrata. This via ferrata includes metal bars that cling to the cliff edge 400 meters above Lauterbrunnen Valley, as well as swinging bridges, tight rope walks, and lots of exposure. Check out this short video for what you can expect along the way. The via ferrata is free to use, and you can rent equipment from the Intersport store right in Murren. If you don’t feel comfortable doing it alone, you can also hire a guide. The via ferrata is a point-to-point trail that runs between Murren and Gimmelwald, so to return any equipment, you’ll need to return to Murren via cable car.
Visit Allmendhubel
This small hamlet is a small town above Murren. The easiest way to get there is via funicular. Once there, you can dine at the Panorama Restaurant, hike the easy Flower Trail which showcases over 150 alpine flower species, hike the Mountain View Trail to Grutschalp , and it’s also the ending (or starting) point for the Northface Trail.
Visit Gimmelwald
Gimmelwald is another quaint mountain town perched above Lauterbrunnen Valley, but because it’s kind of out of the way of things, the town has a quieter and more quaint feel to it that other towns in the area.
To get here, you’ll take a bus or walk from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg, and then take the cable car to Gimmelwald. Or, if you’re already in Murren, simply take the cable car down to Gimmelwald.
Visit the Schilthorn
The Schilthorn is famous excursion point and one of the best things to do in the Jungfrau region, encompassing an epic viewpoint over the Swiss Alps and Jungfrau massif from the summit of a 2,970 meter tall peak.
Up here, you can eat at the Piz Gloria, a revolving restaurant (reservations recommended!), visit Spy World (a James Bond exhibit, as one of the movies were filmed up here!), and walk the viewing terrace to take in the epic views.
On the way to the Schilthorn, the cable car stops at the Birg cable car station. A stop here is included in your Schilthorn ticket, so feel free to get off here on your way up or down. Here, you’ll find a café, more views, and the Birg Thrill Walk. Like the First Cliff Walk, this pathway includes walkways affixed to the cliff wall (some even have see-through bottoms), with epic views out to the Jungfrau massif.
From Birg, you can also hike to Grauseeli Lake, a scenic alpine lake near the cable car station. Or, you can include it on a hike down from the Schilthorn summit back to Birg.
How to get to the Schilthorn in Switzerland
The cable car to Birg and the Schilthorn from Murren
There are three ways to reach the Schilthorn, all of which start in Lauterbrunnen.
The first way is to take the cable car near the Lauterbrunnen train station up to Grutschalp.
From Grutschalp, take the train to Murren.
Once in Murren, you’ll walk across town to the Murren cable car station. It’s about a ten minute walk (less than a kilometer).
Take this cable car to Birg and the Schilthorn.
The second way to get to the Schilthorn is to take the bus or walk from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg. From here, take the cable car straight through to the Schilthorn (transferring at Gimmelwald, Murren, and Birg on the way).
The third way is a brand new option with a newly constructed cable car that runs right from Stechelberg to Murren and then goes through to Birg and the Schilthorn (so it essentially bypasses the need to go through Gimmelwald!).
Whichever route you take just depends on where you’re staying, what else you have planned that day, and whatever will get you there most efficiently and quickly.
You can find all the timetables and prices for the various routes to the Schilthorn here.
Things to do in the Jungfrau Region: The mountain plataeu
The high mountain plateau between Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen is an incredibly picturesque region with insane views of the Jungfrau massif, and is also the gateway up to one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Jungfrau region- Jungfraujoch. Visiting this area is definitely one of the best things to do in the Jungfrau region!
You can access this area from either Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen.
The Wengernalpbahn is the train the runs up from Lauterbrunnen Valley, passes through Wengen, goes up to Kleine Scheidegg and then continues back down the other side of the plateau into Grindewald, so you can use this train from either valley to access this high plateau.
The Wengernalpbahn sitting at the train station in Lauterbrunnen
From Grindelwald, you can also directly access two other mountain stations on this plateau (Mannlichen and Eigergletscher) from cable cars.
We were really looking forward to visiting this part of the Jungfrau region during our Switzerland trip, but unfortunately, this just wasn’t in the cards for us as the entire area was buried in snow and some of the key trails we wanted to do were actually closed. So we decided to save some time and money and wait to visit this area of Jungfrau on a return visit (because of course, you can’t see everything all in one go!).
Here are some of the things that were on our to-do list in this part of the Jungfrau region.
Visit Mannlichen
Mannlichen is a small mountain station on top of the plateau with amazing views over the Swiss Alps and the Jungfrau massif.
To get here from Grindelwald, you can take a direct gondola near the Grindelwald Terminal station.
To get here from Lauterbrunnen, you’ll take the Wengernalpbahn train up to Wengen, and then make a short walk to the cable car station that will bring you to Mannlichen.
At Mannlichen, be sure to do the short but scenic Royal Walk up to an incredible viewpoint of the area.
We also really wanted to do the Mannlichen Panorama Trail, a point-to-point trail between Mannlichen and Kleine Scheidegg and one of the best hikes in the Jungfrau region. It’s 5km (3 miles), and when done in the direction towards Kleine Scheidegg, it’s mostly downhill with continuous views towards the epic Jungfrau massif. This looks like a truly epic hike and one high on our list for when we come back!
Hike the Eiger Trail
Another popular hike in the Jungfrau region is the Eiger Trail. This point-to-point trail follows the base of the north face of the famous Eiger mountain and connects the station of Eigergletscher to the mountain station in Alpiglen. It’s about 6 km (3.7 miles) and best walked towards Alpiglen for an entirely downhill walk. Once in Alpiglen, you can hop on the Wengernalpbahn train and take it back to Grindelwald or to Lauterbrunnen (or anywhere in between).
Visit Jungfraujoch
A visit to Jungfraujoch is one of the most popular things to do in the Jungfrau region. It’s an excursion site perched on a rocky cliff within the Jungfrau massif. Up here, you’ll feel totally immersed in the Swiss Alps, with glaciers and peaks surrounding you in all directions. Also referred to as “The Top of Europe” for its designation as the highest railway station in Europe, Jungfraujoch stands at 3,454 meters tall, and you’ll certainly feel like you’re standing on top of the world from this viewpoint!
Jungfraujoch is part of the Jungfrau Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage Site, which protects and showcases the Alps’ longest glacier, the Aletsch Glacier. From the viewing terraces on Jungfraujoch, you can see this glacier’s never-ending expanse as it sprawls between the peaks of the Swiss Alps.
Aside from taking in the epic views, you can also visit an Ice Palace, visit unique cinema experiences, buy chocolate from the highest Lindt shop in the world (yes, please!), dine on Swiss and international cuisine at a few different restaurants, and even hike across the Aletsch Glacier to the Monchsjoch Hut, which is a unique mountaineer-like experience trekking across snow (but much easier than the real thing!).
There are a few different way to get to Jungfrajoch from either valley below.
From Lauterbrunnen, take the Wengernalpbahn up to Kleine Scheidegg. Then transfer to the Jungfrau Railway. This railway is the highest cog railway in Europe. It mostly goes through the mountain without many views, but it goes directly to the Jungfraujoch station.
From Grindelwald, you can also take the Wengernalpbahn to Kleine Scheidegg and then transfer to the Jungfrau Railway. Alternatively, you can take the scenic gondola (the Eiger Express) directly from Grindelwald to the Eigergletscher station where you can connect with the Jungfrau Railway.
Because it’s a busy place in the Jungfrau region, the Jungfrau Railway is one train where it is recommended to reserve a seat in advance.
It’s an expensive ticket, but if you have any of the travel passes we mentioned above, you will get some discounts, so be sure to check the passes carefully for the kind of discount they each provide for the Jungfrau Railway.
Things to do in the Jungfrau Region: Interlaken area
Interlaken is the gateway into the valley of the Jungfrau region, and even though Interlaken is more of a city and doesn’t have the same mountain-town feel of places like Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald, nor does it have quite the same scenic views as the valleys of the Jungfrau region, there are still a few things to do near Interlaken that are worth looking into.
Visit Schynige Platte
The Schynige Platte is a popular place to visit in the Jungfrau region. It’s another high mountain excursion area that sits at the start of a mountain ridge that borders the valley into Grindelwald. To get here, you’ll take the Schynige Platte Railway out of Wilderswil. You can reach Wilderswil from the Bernese Oberland Rail (it’s between Interlaken and the start of the Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald Valleys). From Wilderswil, it’s about an hour train ride up to Schynige Platte.
At the top, you’ll find a restaurant and hotel, and plenty of views over the Alps.
But Schynige Platte is also the start of some great hikes. These range from easy and short loops, to longer and more challenging hikes. Two of note that caught our eye include:
The Schynige Platte Panorama Trail: A 6 km (3.7 mile) loop along the ridge with amazing views.
The Faulhornweg: This is a long point-to-point hike that goes from Schynige Platte all the way to First above Grindelwald, and along the way, it summits a peak called Faulhorn. It’s a challenging 16 km (10 mile) ridge hike with stunning views and ends at the famous Bachalpsee Lake and First. To finish the hike, you’ll take a cable car ride down to Grindelwald and then continue back to your starting point by train (or to wherever your next destination might be).
Visit Harder Kulm
The Harder Kulm is a scenic viewpoint on a mountain just outside of Interlaken. From here, you can look over Interlaken, Lake Brienz, Lake Thun, and the Jungfrau massif looming over the two valleys of the Jungfrau region in the distance.
To get here, you’ll take a funicular out of Interlaken (near the Interlaken Ost station) to the Harder Kulm summit, where you can walk out on the viewpoints, dine at a restaurant, and start a hike. Many people like to visit here for sunset to watch the alpenglow on the Alps.
An easy walk you can do from this viewpoint is the Harder Kulm Circular Route which is mostly forested but still offers some good viewpoints away from the crowds back near the funicular station.
One hike that we were really interested in was the Augstmatthorn. This is a challenging 17.5 km (11 mile) out and back hike along the ridge near the Harder Kulm station. It’s a long hike with a lot of elevation gain and the ridge does become narrow and exposed at times, but it gives great views over the valley and lakes below.
Visit the Niederhorn Mountain Viewpoint
If you are looking for a slightly less crowded viewpoint that’s similar to what you’d get at Harder Kulm, check out the Niederhorn Mountain Viewpoint. A cable car takes you up from the town of Beatenberg (about a 20 minute bus ride from Interlaken) to an epic viewpoint over Lake Thun.
Go on a scenic boat cruise in Lake Thun or Lake Brienz
If you’re looking for something more laidback and relaxed to do in the Jungfrau region, then consider taking a scenic boat cruise on one of the beautiful blue lakes that surrounds Interlaken.
Cloudy views of Lake Thun near Interlaken
Take a day trip from Interlaken
While you’ll likely be focusing most of your time in Switzerland in the Jungfrau region (trust us, there’s enough here to see to fill weeks of your time!), don’t forget that the entire Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland is filled with incredible scenery and epic hikes, and many can be done as a day trip from the Jungfrau region. It’s a little beyond the scope of this post, but we did want to briefly mention some of the best day trips from Interlaken just in case any interest you as you’re planning out your Switzerland itinerary.
The Breinzer Rothorn Trail
This 5.4 km (3.3 mile) ridge trail is a beautiful hike above Brienz Lake. To get here, take a train to the town of Brienz (only about 20 minutes away from Interlaken) and catch the Brienzer Rothorn Railway to the summit. Hike to the Turren cable car station to catch a cable car ride to the town of Lungern, where you can take the train back to Interlaken and the Jungfrau region.
Visit Oeschinen Lake
This famously blue lake is found in the heart of the Bernese Oberland, outside of the town of Kandersteg.
From Interlaken, take the train to Kandersteg (about an hour and 15 minutes) and catch a gondola up the mountain where you’ll have a short walk to the shore of the lake.
Up here, you can admire the views from shore, grab a bite to eat, take a rowboat out on the lake, and even ride an alpine coaster. Check out their website for information about the cable car timetables and prices.
If you’re up for hiking and want higher vantage points over this beautiful lake, consider hiking the Oeschinensee Panorama Trail, which looks absolutely stunning.
Visit the Eggishorn
The Eggishorn is an epic viewpoint over the Aletsch Glacier (the same glacier that’s seen from the more famous Jungfrajoch viewpoint). It’s found in the Aletsch Arena region of Switzerland, which has a collection of cable cars, hikes, viewpoints and activities.
The Eggishorn is the highest viewpoint in the area, and from up there, you can see the full expanse of the Aletsch Glacier as it cascades down from the backside of the Jungfrau massif and wraps around the valley between peaks and ridges.
A view of the Aletsch Glacier from the Eggishorn viewpoint
To get to the Eggishorn, you’ll take the train from Interlaken to the town of Fiesch, which will take about two hours. Right from the Fiesch train station, you’ll take a series of two cable cars up to the Eggishorn viewpoint. Once here, you can walk a small interpretive path with viewpoints, grab a bite to eat, do a short hike to the true Eggishorn summit for panoramic views, and even do a via ferrata if you’re up for the challenge.
Hiking to the Eggishorn summit!
Things to do in the Jungfrau region on a rainy day
Let’s face it- you won’t always have perfect weather, especially in the mountains (we sure didn’t!). So you might have to deal with a rainy day or two while you’re in the Jungfrau region, or at least have to deal with gloomy days when the mountains aren’t out. On these days, it just might not be worth spending money on expensive lift tickets to the high mountain excursion sites.
This is mostly what we experienced during our time in the Jungfrau region. We had lots of rain down in the valleys, and lots of snow at the higher elevation mountains sites.
So, what can you do in the Jungfrau region if it rains? Here are a few things that we recommend. We wouldn’t prioritize any of these on an otherwise nice sunny day out when it would be more worth it to visit the epic viewpoints and hikes in the Jungfrau area, but they are things to think about when it’s just not possible or worth it to hit the trails.
Visit the Aareschlucht Gorge and Reichenbach Falls
The Aareschlucht Gorge (or Aare Gorge for short) is a beautiful gorge located about a half hour east of Interlaken, near the town of Meiringen.
An elevated walkway clings to the cliffside of the gorge and weaves in and out of the cliff walls as it follows a beautiful river through the gorge for 1.4 km.
Walking through the scenic Aare Gorge in Switzerland
The path through the Aare Gorge
A small cascade in Aare Gorge
Nearby, you can also visit Reichenbach Falls, a beautiful waterfall that has been made famous for being the place where Sherlock Holmes was supposedly killed in the famous novels!
Reichenbach Falls
Visit Thun
Thun is a picturesque Swiss town at the base of Lake Thun, about a half hour outside of Interlaken and an easy train ride away. We didn’t get a chance to visit Lucerne on our Switzerland trip, but we felt like Thun was a good alternative that was close to the Jungfrau region, as it has a look and feel to it that made it seem almost like a mini version of the more popular Swiss town!
Exploring Thun
One of the main attractions of this town is the Thun Castle, a medieval relic built in the 12th century, and is now home to museums and exhibits. You can get a guided tour of the castle, visit the museum, or just explore around the outside of the castle and admire its architecture.
The Thun Castle
You can also explore the Old Town of Thun, which is mainly on the street Obere Hauptgasse. You can admire the old town Swiss architecture and stop into cute cafes and shops. You can also visit the town square where a weekly Saturday market is held.
Wandering the Obere Hauptgasse in Old Town Thun
While exploring town, be sure to visit this picturesque covered bridge which reminded us of the famous covered bridge of Lucerne. You might also be able to catch some surfers here…yes surfers! The rapids that form in the river as it empties out from Lake Thun and crosses under the bridge attract surfers to this spot, and it’s fun to watch them try and tackle the waves.
The covered bridge in Thun
Visit the St. Beatus Caves
Just outside of Beatenberg along Lake Thun, an extensive cave system sits in the cliffs along the lake. A one kilometer path will take you through its chambers, cave features, and streams. The area also has a museum, shop, and restaurant.
Make your own Swiss Chocolate
Ok, who doesn’t love a good Swiss chocolate?! And if you find yourself stuck inside on a rainy day, why not learn how to make your own? The Funky Chocolate Club in Interlaken offers workshops where you’ll learn about the different types of chocolate and how to make it yourself. But the most important part? You can eat unlimited chocolate during the workshop!
Where to Stay in the Jungfrau Region of Switzerland
As you might have gathered by now, there are lots of places to stay within the Jungfrau Region, and choosing which one adds yet another layer of complexity to planning your Switzerland itinerary.
Really, our biggest tip is this: Make a list of all the top things you want to do in the Jungfrau region, and find a central place between all of them. Having a centrally located place will be most efficient transportation-wise, potentially saving you a good chunk of time and money on extra transportation routes you otherwise might have to take by staying somewhere less central.
Here are some of our thoughts to help you in making your decision on where to stay in the Jungfrau region.
Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald
Both Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald make very convenient bases for visiting other areas throughout the region, so they are both good places to stay in the Jungfrau region.
They both are cute mountain towns, though they are quite big, touristy, and are not car-free, so they won’t quite have quite the small mountain town charm and feel like other places in the Jungfrau region have.
They are also both down in the valleys. From Lauterbrunnen especially, mountain views are limited, but it has its own idyllic feel to it with the tall cliffs and tall waterfalls. To us, Grindelwald felt a little less cramped and more scenic in terms of mountain views.
The quaint valley and cliffside views of Lauterbrunnen
Mountain views in Grindelwald
To decide which of the two towns might be best for you, again it comes back down to your itinerary- what places in the Jungfrau region do you want to visit the most? Pick whichever town would require the least amount of transportation to get to wherever you plan on going. For example, if your priorities are Murren, the Schilthorn, and Jungfrajoch, staying in Lauterbrunnen is your best bet. If you want to visit First and Jungfrajoch, stay in Grindelwald.
Murren, Gimmelwald, and Wengen
These three towns are quaint, car-free mountain villages perched on the cliffs above Lauterbrunnen Valley and are great places to stay in the Jungfrau region. Staying at one of these villages will give you a true mountain town experience, with epic views over the Jungfrau massif and down into the valley below. We’ve heard that Gimmelwald especially is a very quiet, laidback, quaint town since it’s kind of out of the way compared to the other mountain towns.
Epic mountain views in the quaint mountain town of Murren
The town of Wengen perched above the Lauterbrunnen Valley
Another great reason to stay in one of these towns is that you can really experience the quiet and calm of the mountain village once all the tourists have left for the day.
Keep in mind that in choosing any of these towns, you’re signing up for a bit more time and money when it comes to transportation in the Jungfrau region, since you’ll often have to use cable cars or trains to first get back down into the valley before going to other towns and up to other mountain plateaus. For example, to get from Lauterbrunnen to Grindelwald, it’s a simple train ride. However, to get from Murren to Grindelwald, you’ll first have to take a train to Grutschalp and then a cable car just to get to Lauterbrunnen, where you can then continue your journey.
If you’re planning on spending most of your time in one area of the Jungfrau region, then staying at one of these high mountain towns might still be most efficient. For example, if your main goal is to visit Jungfrajoch and do hikes around Mannlichen and Kleine Scheidegg, then staying in Wengen would be perfect.
Again, the common theme here is to really plan out your Jungfrau itinerary first, and then figure out where to stay based on that!
Interlaken
Mountain views from Interlaken
Interlaken is more like a city and outside of the main scenic Jungfrau region, so you might be thinking, why would I stay here?
Well, there are a few reasons, and ultimately, we decided to stay in Interlaken ourselves!
While you won’t experience the quaint mountain town feel here, Interlaken does serve as a good central place to stay in the Jungfrau region, particularly if you plan on venturing to other places in the Bernese Oberland, not just in the Jungfrau region itself.
Like we mentioned above, there a number of things to do in and around Interlaken, such as the visiting the Schynige Platte area, going up to Harder Kulm, and taking various day trips to places like Brienz, Thun, or Kandersteg.
If part of your Jungfrau itinerary includes venturing out to other areas of the Bernese Oberland, staying in Interlaken might be the most convenient base. It will give you easy access into the Jungfrau valleys while also poising you to make day trips to other nearby areas without the need to take the series of trains and cable cars out of the Jungfrau region first.
We also found accommodations to be slightly cheaper here than they were in the mountain towns of the Jungfrau region (though still expensive!).
For us, Interlaken made the most sense to stay in. We planned to visit Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald, Brienz, Harder Kulm, Schynige Platte, and potentially Kandersteg, and Interlaken was central to everything.
If you decide to stay in Interlaken, ideally you’ll want to stay right around either of Interlaken’s train stations (Ost or West). Our Airbnb was within walking distance of Interlaken West as well as a Migros for groceries. Mainly, we wanted to avoid having to figure out city buses (we were already dealing with enough transportation logistics as it was!).
Towns near Interlaken
If you’re trying to save some money (and hey- every penny counts in such an expensive place!), you might want to consider staying in a town further outside of Interlaken and around either Lake Thun or Lake Brienz.
Unterseen is a neighboring town to Interlaken. It’s a bit quieter and we did find cheaper places here, however it will be about a 20 minute walk to bigger grocery stores (Migros and Coop) and the train stations.
Beatenberg and Darlingen are on opposite sides of Lake Thun, and we did see significantly cheaper accommodation options out this way. However, you’d be up to a half hour from Interlaken. Local buses usually run every hour, so it’s not the most convenient thing, and you’d be at the mercy of yet another transportation schedule at the start and end of your day, and this will just add time and money into commuting back and forth. So it’s not as convenient but it could potentially save you some money. We recommend looking on the SBB website to get an idea of general timelines for the buses going to and from these towns. https://www.sbb.ch/de
The town of Bonigen sits near Lake Brienz, only about 15 minutes from Interlaken and buses run about every half hour or so, so this option isn’t too bad.
There are also plenty of options in the town of Brienz at the end of Lake Brienz. They seem to be a bit cheaper than Interlaken, and it’s only a 20 minute train ride to Interlaken Ost.
For us personally, we were willing to pay the higher price for the convenience of staying in Interlaken. We were already overwhelmed by all the transportation logistics and didn’t need to add anything else into the mix!
Best Time to Visit the Jungfrau Region of Switzerland
If you’re looking to hike and access all the viewpoints of the Jungfrau area, the summer months between mid-June to late October is the best time to visit the Jungfrau area. Trails will close if there is too much snow, and some of the railways and lifts only operate during these months (for example, the Schynige Platte Railway starts in early June and ends sometime in late October).
That said, sometimes the shoulder seasons of June and September and October can be a bit of a gamble depending on how the snow falls any given year. If you want pretty good chances of snow-free trails, coming in the peak months of July and August is best- but of course, this is the most crowded and popular time to visit as well.
We travelled to the French and Swiss Alps in early to mid- September. We had heard and read numerous times that September is a great time to visit. It typically has great weather, and the heavy summer crowds have dissipated.
Well, unfortunately for us, we were zero for two on the weather and crowd fronts.
In fact, we had incredibly bad luck weather-wise! Throughout our entire trip in the Alps, we experienced a crazy mix of weather. It started off in Chamonix with a heat wave that was bringing thunderstorms and rain to the mountains, and by the time we made it to Switzerland, cold fronts were passing though and dustings of snow at the higher elevations were already starting to appear. Just as we arrived to Interlaken, an unseasonal “polar vortex” passed through the area. For two days, heavy rain poured in the valleys while the system dropped literal feet of snow at the higher elevations like Grindelwald First, Mannlichen, and Kleine Scheidegg. Some of the trails we were really looking forward to (like the Mannlichen Panorama Trail) were closed, and the ones that weren’t, like the hike to Bachalpsee Lake out of First, were barely passable for us since we certainly didn’t plan for or pack gear for winter hiking conditions!
Snowy winter conditions on the Bachalpsee Lake Trail in September!
Our months of planning went down the drain in just two days (but hey- we hope we can at least help you! And we’ll be extra prepared for when we decide to head back!). We didn’t have the experience we wanted, and didn’t get to do most of what we had planned in the Jungfrau region.
On top of this, the crowds in the Jungfrau region were insane, even this late into the year. Honestly, I couldn’t imagine crowds being any heavier in the summer months, but maybe they are? Maybe it was because the days of rain and bad weather caused unusual crowding on the few nice days we did get, but just know that even into mid-September, the crowds here are still pretty heavy (we’ll talk more about the crowd situation towards the end of this guide).
Because of all this, it is hard for us to recommend visiting Jungfrau in September (or later) in earnest, even though it’s often recommended by others. I do know that we just had really bad luck, and historically, this isn’t the norm (at least for weather). Historically, September does have nice weather, but it’s always a luck of the draw when travelling in shoulder season. And in fact, as we were leaving, the snow was melting, trails were opening back up, and things were turning back to normal. (Yes, it’s ok…you can feel sorry for us…)
When we visit the Jungfrau area again, we would probably go midsummer. We figure, it’s going to be crowded regardless, so I’d rather have the peace of mind that feet of snow are not just randomly going to get dumped on us!
If you do visit the Jungfrau region in the shoulder months, expect anything- heat, cold (we experienced temperatures ranging from 85 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit in the span of ten days in the Alps!), rain, and snow.
How Expensive is the Jungfrau Region of Switzerland?
As we’ve said a few times now, Switzerland is not cheap, so plan accordingly.
How expensive is it?
Here’s a look at our exact budget breakdown for the Jungfrau region in Switzerland. Keep in mind that this budget is for two people. We spent 4 nights and 4 full days in the Jungfrau region and were on a midrange budget, staying at an Airbnb in Interlaken, and traveling around to Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Murren, First, Thun, and Meiringen. We converted everything to USD.
ACCOMODATION: $1355.94
FOOD: $66.09 (mostly groceries and minimal eating out)
TRANPORTATION: $291.98 (this includes all trains and cable cars used during our time in the Jungfrau region)
TRAINS INTO AND OUT OF INTERLAKEN: $169.65 (Trains used at the beginning and end of our trip to the Jungfrau region)
MISCELLANEOUS: $20.13 (A load of laundry, and the entry fee to Trummelbach Falls)
TRAVEL PASSES: $283.52 (This was the cost for two Swiss Half Fare Cards which we used throughout our time in Switzerland to save money on travel)
TOTAL JUNGFRAU BUDGET FOR TWO PEOPLE: $2187.31
Yikes, this one definitely hurt…just reliving this amount of spending is throwing me into a spiral…
*Deeeeeep breaths, Melissa*…ok, let’s continue.
Is it possible to travel to the Jungfrau region of Switzerland more cheaply than this?
Sure, it’s possible! But you’ll of course have to make some sacrifices here and there.
Here are some of our suggestions on how to save money in the Jungfrau region of Switzerland:
Book your accommodation in advance: This is a big one. We hemmed and hawed before finally booking something. We waited until about a month out- don’t do this! The prices don’t necessarily go up as you get closer to your trip, but all the cheaper places will be snatched up a lot sooner. We ended up paying hundreds of dollars more than we needed to by waiting so long.
Skip the restaurants: There are lots of tempting places to eat around the Jungfrau region, but we were able to save a ton by shopping at the Migros and Coops grocery stores, cooking at our Airbnb, and packing lunches for the day.
Plan ahead: This is a common theme of this guide, but the Jungfrau region requires lots of advanced planning, especially if you’re trying to save some money. Figure out all the things you want to do, and pick a location to stay in that’s central to it all to cut down on transportation costs back and forth.
Pick the best travel pass: Take the time to calculate all your transportation costs for the Jungfrau region and do all the variations of the different travel passes so you can pick the one that saves you the most money. Your future self will thank you.
Cut out expensive excursions: Jungfraujoch, the Schilthorn, and First are all expensive excursions in the Jungfrau region. To save money, skip these in favor of cheaper places to visit, or maybe just pick your favorite one. We only did one of the three (First), so it kept a lot of money in our pockets!
How Much Time Do You Need in the Jungfrau Region of Switzerland?
Grindelwald First and the First Cliff Walk
Honestly, the Jungfrau region of Switzerland is so beautiful, and there is so much to see and do, so of course we can only say, the more time you have the better. But we know, you probably have some sort of time limit.
We planned an itinerary for four days in the Jungfrau region and even with this much time, we still had trouble trying to fit in everything we wanted to do. But we thought four days was an ideal amount of time in the Jungfrau region because it would allow us to dedicate one day to the Lauterbrunnen side of the area, one day to the Grindelwald side of the area, one day to the area around Interlaken, and one day for a day trip from Interlaken into the greater Bernese Oberland region.
Of course, if you have less time, it’s still worth visiting the Jungfrau region, you’ll just have to be very selective with what you see and do.
Here are some of our tips when it comes to planning a Jungfrau itinerary.
Don’t overplan your day
If you’re anything like me, you’ll try to plan out an overly ambitious itinerary squeezing as much as you can into a single day. But one good thing to know is that in the Jungfrau region, things take longer than you might expect and you might not be able to do as much as you think.
Between timing things around all the trains and cable cars and their limited schedules, waiting in lines, and actual travel time between each place, you’d be surprised at how much time gets eaten up. Also, many of the cable cars and cogwheel trains stop running in the late afternoon or early evening, so there are certain time restrictions you have to take into account when planning your day.
We’d recommend only planning for two main things per day- one morning activity and one evening activity. You may be able to squeeze in one more thing in if everything you plan to do is all in a similar area, or if you plan to start really early.
Read timetables carefully
Make sure to carefully check all the timetables for each lift and train in the Jungfrau region you plan on using and plan your day around those. For example, let’s say you want to visit the Schilthorn and Grindelwald First on the same day. We’d recommend visiting the Schilthorn in the morning and then Grindelwald in the afternoon to maximize your time, since the Schilthorn cable car starts earlier in the day, and the First cable car runs later in the evening. Basically, put whatever cable car or train runs the latest as your last activity for the day.
Plan your time efficiently
If you have multiple days in the Jungfrau area, we’d recommend spending one day on the Lauterbrunnen Valley and surrounding area, spend another day dedicated to the Grindelwald side, and maybe a third day dedicated to the area near Interlaken. This way, on any given day you won’t have to keep travelling back and forth on transport (costing you time and money!). Focus on a single area each day to be more efficient with your time.
Include flexibility and padding into your itinerary
One thing is for certain- don’t expect perfect weather for your entire time in the Jungfrau region! It’s good to have some contingency time in your itinerary in case of bad weather. Having flexibility and backup plans is also a good idea. We got rained out a lot, and spent a lot of time restructuring our plans and figuring out things to do while we were there, rather than having set Plan Bs in advance. But we were also glad that we stayed in Interlaken, which allowed us to more easily get to places like Thun, Meiringen, and Beatenberg for rainy day activities.
Tips for Visiting the Jungfrau Region of Switzerland
We’ve covered a ton, I know, but hang in there because we’re almost done. Here are just some of our final tips to keep in mind for when you visit the Jungfrau region!
Make sure to come prepared for anything
When packing for your trip to the Jungfrau region, plan for anything. Be sure to pack rain gear just in case. Bring layers, since the high mountain environments can be much cooler and windier than down in the valleys, even in the summer (especially if you go to Jungfraujoch).
Also be sure to pack sun protection like sunscreen and a hat, as most places in the Jungfrau region are high altitude and completely exposed to the sun.
Use the webcams
We loved all the webcams throughout the Jungfrau region. They’re placed at most of the mountain stations and towns, and checking them will give you a good idea of the weather and conditions at any given place before making the decision to head there. You can find them for the Schilthorn, here, for areas around Murren here, and for lots of other main areas on the Jungfrau website here. Oeschinensee Lake webcams can be found here.
Weather in the Jungfrau region
Checking weather is key if you plan on spending time at higher elevations in the Jungfrau region.
We liked using MeteoSwiss, and Meteoblue for general area forecasts. We also used Mountain Forecast for weather of more specific locations and elevations.
Stores close early
If you plan on mostly making your own meals while in the Jungfrau region, keep in mind that the grocery stores like Coop and Migros close relatively early, between 7-8 pm. So don’t plan on getting off the cable cars after a long day and heading into the store in the evening for snacks or groceries!
Be prepared for crowds
This was the biggest shock factor of the Jungfrau region for us.
We knew this area was popular and that we should expect crowds, but these crowds were on a whole different level, and we think this is important to talk about for just a second.
We visited Chamonix and Zermatt before coming to the Jungfrau region, and the crowd situation in both of those places were manageable. But here, the crowds were pretty overwhelming, and quite honestly, took away from the experience a little bit.
It started early in the morning and went late into the evening. Our early morning train from Interlaken into the valleys felt like the New York City morning commute. On the evenings back, the train had standing room only and sometimes we felt packed in like sardines.
Typical crowds on the train station platforms in the Jungfrau region
Standing room only!
At the busier train platforms, it was quite chaotic, with people shoving and trying to push through us and cutting us off as they ran through the train doors.
Some of the cable cars were jam-packed as well. For example, the cable car from Lauterbrunnen to Grutschalp was packed. At Grutschalp, we were all herded like sheep to get onto the train in Murren, where people were crammed in.
Packed into the Grutschalp cable car!
Popular excursion places in the Jungfrau region were especially bad. Grindelwald First honestly felt to me like I was in Disney World- between the massive crowds, the long lines, and the nearby screams coming from the ziplines.
The long lines forming at Grindelwald First
The trail to Bachalpsee Lake
And even as late as 7 o’clock at night, the line for the Harder Kulm funicular was still so long, and ultimately turned us away from the experience at the end of an already long and crowded day.
Because of this, our whole experience in the Jungfrau region just felt kind of…off. We felt like the area is not quite the idyllic and peaceful experience that is often portrayed. Instead, it felt chaotic, touristy, and overcrowded, and we feel it’s not really a place to get a genuine appreciation for a true Swiss experience or the Swiss culture.
We just thought we’d mention all of this because honestly, we had never experienced crowds like this before, and it kind of made everything more stressful and less enjoyable. And this was in September! I can’t even imagine how it might get in the peak summer months.
We don’t mean to deter you from visiting at all! But we just wanted to put you in the right mindset…
And maybe we just had a particularly bad experience. There was a lot of bad weather for a few days, and perhaps as soon as the sun came out, the crowds were just amplified as everyone was getting out for the first time. And because of the weather, we didn’t have the chance to experience too many of the quieter mountain towns like Gimmelwald or Wengen.
So, we’ll just have to go back in better weather to really know. But regardless, we were really surprised with the experience we had still in in mid-September!
More Switzerland Guides
Are you planning a trip to Switzerland and want more information about where to go, things to do, and how to plan? Make sure to check out all our Switzerland guides for tons more helpful info!
JUNGFRAU GUIDES
How to Visit the Eggishorn Viewpoint in Switzerland- The BEST Viewpoint over the Aletsch Glacier
How to Visit the Aareschlucht Gorge and Reichenbach Falls: A Good Rainy Day Activity in Switzerland
ZERMATT GUIDES
Best Things to Do in Zermatt (+ Complete Summer Travel Guide!)
The PERFECT One to Four Day Zermatt Itinerary (Summer Edition)
How to Visit Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in Zermatt + BEST Things to Do
How to Visit Rothorn, Blauherd, and Sunnegga in Zermatt + BEST Things to Do
The Matterhorn Glacier Trail in Zermatt: Complete Trail Guide, Map + Tips
How to Hike to the Hornlihutte in Zermatt: Complete Trail Guide
Hiking the Crystal Trail (Kristallweg) in Zermatt: Complete Trail Guide, Map, + Tips
ALPS ITINERARY
Are you planning a trip to the Jungfrau region of Switzerland? We hope our guide helps you plan your perfect Switzerland trip! Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below, and what your experience was like!