Jungfraujoch, also known as The Top of Europe, is the highest accessible spot in all of Europe. From here you can see endless views in nearly every direction. This UNESCO world heritage site has hosted James Bond films among others, and this spot gives you a vantage point of the Alps that you won’t find anywhere else in Switzerland (unless you are spending days summiting one of the peaks).
Was it worth it?
After visiting the Jungfrau region in late September 2023, one of the primary questions I receive is, “Was Jungfraujoch worth it?” The main reason that is asked is because there is an extra cost to get up to this point. If you have the Jungfrau travel pass there is a 50% discount off the ticket price which is currently 82 CHF. To gain entry to the top of Europe, I recommend going to a ticket counter at any of the local train stations, or visitor center. They can help you schedule your time up and back down – both are required and will set the length of time you are able to stay at the top of Europe.
Reservations are required and fill up quickly. We got lucky with buying ours the day of and getting some of the last few seats on the train. It isn’t a bad idea to book a day or so in advance. We had a 2-hour window to explore and would recommend longer. At 2 hours we were a little rushed but still got to see everything. If you are traveling with kids, I would say 3 hours would be your sweet spot.
What to wear?
If you are planning to visit the Top of Europe in late September, I would recommend dressing warm, for Jungfraujoch only. The weather apart from the high altitudes is quite nice. Bring a heavier coat, hat, gloves and a really good pair of boots. I switched to some new hiking shoes this trip and really loved them. I will link them here. They did give me a few blisters, but I wore them new to hike miles in the Alps 🙂
When to go?
We only did some light research before deciding to go here, and we were surprised by many different things about this place. We went mid-day from about 1200 – 1500. First off, the cons, Jungfraujoch is very popular and therefore can get very crowded. Our experience was, when we exited the train and walked into the main entrance there were people everywhere. However, as you get past the main entrance/exit part though it does thin out. Depending on the time of year/day, be ready for crowds. Additionally, Jungfraujoch has a premium cost to get to, if you are traveling with more than a couple of people the cost to get to Jungfraujoch is not going to go unnoticed. I would recommend going earlier in the morning to miss the crowds.
What to do?
The pros – The views, the views, the views. Seriously, you are not going to get a better place to view the Swiss alps and feel like you are on top of the world. The mountains stretch for miles in all directions, we were surprised to see a beautiful glacier wrapping around through a valley in between peaks. There are several different places to view the sights both outside and inside. Additionally, Jungfraujoch is easy to navigate through as it is well marked with signage. One of our favorite features is the walkthrough ice cave – included with ticket price. The ice carvings inside are pretty incredible and featured a baby grand piano as well as several animals all carved out of ice, amongst other things.
The Sphinx observatory and the outside platform are crowded but you shouldn’t have any problems getting to a spot to get a good view. The outdoor viewing area is also worth it. The path to get there is snow covered and slick. We saw many people sliding in shoes that were not made for the conditions so dress appropriately. My Columbia boots did the job, and my boyfriend swears by his Salomon’s.
There are also many other activities on the Top of Europe that we were unaware of. Those activities include – tubing, sledding, skiing, and ziplining. There may be others, but they were not happening in late September. Some of these activities are seasonal so be sure to double check if you plan to go up. Additionally, these activities cost extra money and you want to be sure you allow for enough time with your reservation.
How do we get there?
Ok, so if you’ve decided you want to go, you will probably want to know how to get there. There are two main ways to the Top of Europe through the Jungfrau region. First, the way we did not take. You will need to use your Jungfrau pass to get to Grindelwald. If you are spending some time in or staying in Grindelwald this is a great option. Both Grindelwald and the top of Europe can be seen in the same day if you schedule your train correctly. From Grindelwald take the Eiger Express gondola to the Eiger Glacier Station. From the Eiger Glacier Station change to the Jungfrau Railway. Hop on the train and the last stop will be Jungfraujoch.
The second option, and the one we did, was use our Jungfrau pass from Wengen. We took the train up to Kleine Scheidegg and changed there to the Jungfrau Railway. Kleine Scheidegg can be accessed easily from anywhere in the Jungfrau region, but the train up there is going to leave from Lauterbrunnen. The train ride up is not short of beautiful sights. There was even a stop along the way under the mountain that had a tunnel to a viewing area. It is a short stop so don’t linger too long or you’ll have to wait for the next train. They will check your tickets when you are boarding in Kleine Scheidegg. Make sure you are on time.
In conclusion, I really enjoyed The Top of Europe. There were a lot of unique things to do and see. Be sure to schedule enough time for them – sledding, Lindt chocolate factory, ice cave, a local cultural museum, ziplining, tubing, and of course all of the viewpoints. I recommend visiting the top of Europe on your trip to the Jungfrau region. Yes, to me, it is worth the extra cost and there were many extras up there we were not expecting. Until next time, keep adventuring! XO, Joanna
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