Jungfraujoch Top of Europe: must knows to plan your visit

• Attraction type: Scenic trip;
  Natural site, Mountain top, By train
• Escort: independent (no guide)
• Region: Jungfrau region (Bernese Oberland)
• Duration: 1 day or less

What is the Jungfraujoch?

The Jungfraujoch is a viewing point in the Bernese Alps, at an altitude of 3,454 m. A cable car and a cogwheel train can get you there. It is the highest train station in Europe.

Jungfraujoch sits in between the mountains Mönch and Jungfrau, in the heart of the UNESCO Natural World Heritage property "Jungfrau - Aletsch - Bietschhorn". The views from the Jungfraujoch are absolutely amazing, and so is the trip up there. Other viewing points within the UNESCO area are the Bettmerhorn and Eggishorn.

Activities at the Jungfraujoch

This is what to expect once you have reached the Jungfraujoch:

• A lift takes you 117 m further up to the Sphinx observatory. You can enjoy a 360° view here, both from the terrace and from the comfort of a building with panoramic windows.
• There is an Ice Palace with many ice sculptures to admire.
• The Alpine Sensation is a moving walkway with images, light and music, connecting the hall below the Sphinx observatory to the Ice Palace.
• There are multiple restaurants.
• You can go out in the snow and enjoy the view of the Grosser Aletsch glacier and the surrounding mountains.
• From mid-May to mid-October you can play in the snow and use the zipline in the Snow Fun Park (not included in the train ticket).
• In Lindt Swiss Chocolate Heaven you can learn about the history of chocolate and how it's made. Of course you can buy chocolate here as well.
• There are several exhibitions and informative multimedia shows.
• You can hike across the glacier to the Mönchsjoch hut in about an hour. Be sure to only do this in good weather and with proper hiking gear. Do not leave the marked trail.

The journey is an attraction too!

The trip from Interlaken is part of the fun. Cogwheel trains and a cable car take you from Interlaken (at an altitude of 570 m) all the way up across several climate zones to the Jungfraujoch (at 3454 m).

Preparation

Plan your trip: there are several ways to travel up and down, and it's fun to create a varied round trip.

Check the weather forecast as there's no point in going up if the Jungfraujoch is covered in clouds. Dress in multiple thinner layers so that you can adapt to the different temperatures throughout the day. Note that it can be very windy at the top. Take along gloves, sun glasses and perhaps a hat. Solid shoes help too.

Allow at least two hours to visit the Jungfraujoch. This does not include the time to get there. It's either a day trip or half-day trip, depending on your departure time and pace.

The Jungfraujoch is located at an altitude of 3454 m. Anyone can suffer from (light) altitude sickness from about 2000 m. Usually it helps to take things slow and sit down for a while. Special precautions apply to children under 2 years old, as well as people who are pregnant or in poor health: before visiting areas over 2500 m, you'd better consult your doctor. In most cases though, staying at such altitudes for just a few hours is no problem.