4 days in Jungfraujoch region, which pass?

Hi there,

I'm planning a 4 days-trip for my family, 6 people in total, driving two cars from Heidelberg to interlaken. And 3 nights stays in Interlaken. Our most interested visiting place is Jungfraujoch-top of Europe, but we did not reserve any kind of pass. Could you suggest me the best pass which fit our trip? By the way, can we still drive cars to maybe Kleine Scheidegg and park there, afterwards taking train to the top of the mountain?

Thanks for your reply

<<"By the way, can we still drive cars to maybe Kleine Scheidegg and park there, afterwards taking train to the top of the mountain?">>

Afraid not.

You can park at Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen (or Stechelberg). Probably some others, but those come to mind. From there on upward, it is car free.

Lauterbrunnen has a very large garage. I usually park there, because I like to stay in Wengen.

Arno and Annika (moderators) know all about the rail passes. I don't.

Slowpoke

Hello zhaozhefu, welcome to MySwissAlps!

If you want to focus on the Jungfrau region, a 3 day Jungfrau VIP pass may suit your needs. If you want to explore a somewhat larger area, please look into a 4 day Regional-Pass Bernese Oberland. You can find all information on these passes through the links I've inserted, including detailed validity overviews and purchase options.

Does that help you choose?

Thanks a lot, Slowpoke, you are really a expert! Like you mentioned, it is impossible by car to reach Kleine Scheidegg, I think I will just buy the 3 days VIP pass according to Annika's suggestion. But by train is really not flexible and maybe will miss a few fantastic landscape in the way...As for the other two lakes, are they possibly reached by car or train? Or must transfer by cable car?

Ya, it helps me a lot, appreciate so much! But I also check the price in Jungfrau.ch, and 3 days pass cost 245 CHF which is quite more expensive than the price in Acp railway. Makes me little bit confused, how can be such big difference. And no offense, can I trust the Acp railway? If I order on it , how long will it takers bring me the voucher? And I heard that the ticket is really limited right now, That means when I arrive interlaken, should I change the voucher immediately? Thanks for help again, Myswissalps really helps me a lot:)

<<"But by train is really not flexible and maybe will miss a few fantasticlandscape in the way...As for the other two lakes, are they possibly reached by car or train? Or must transfer by cable car?">>

Most people find the rains to be better for scenery, even more so in the mountain regions. Their routes are often through places where cars cannot go ...no roads. And, everyone gets to look; the driver does not have to keep an eye on the road. There is no shortage of scenery on the rail roads, Ludftseilbahnen (Gondola car lifts) and other kinds of "ski" lifts available around the Jungfrau region. Of course, if the road permits stopping, you can get out of a car for photographs. There aren't many trains left in Switzerland where you can open the windows....but the ones around the Jungfraujoch do allow that for good photographs.

Swiss trains between major cities are now almost all on twice per hour schedules. The trains in the Jungfrau region are scheduled for every 30 minutes. Maybe every 20 in high season (now.) But, in practice, once the trains that go to and from Kleine Scheidegg and Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald fill up at, for example, Layerbrunene), another one is usually available within a very few minutes. The company that runs those cograils does not make money if people wait at the station.

I do not have personal experience on the line from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch.

I have read that at this time of year there can be waits for a train; the seats are sold quickly.

Arno and Annika have commented on that elsewhere; perhaps they are the best to answer that question. on those details.

Also-

www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfraujoch

The highway driving is usually not a problem even if you only speak English.

However, if you get into a city, where the roads are rarely on a grid, and the intersectios come up quickly, you'll find an ability to read street signs quickly in German to be useful. Even witha GPS, although they minimize the problem. Since you are coming from Heidelberg, perhaps you can reead German?

I cannot tell from the thread what other two lakes you are referring to.

Perhaps this map my help:

map.geo.admin.ch/?topic=geol&X=204500.00 &Y=647982.63&zoom=1&la ng=de&bgLayer=ch.swiss topo.pixelkarte-farbe&layers_opacity=0 &layers=ch.swisstopo.g eologie-geocover

A careful study of the timetable will give you an idea of the flexibility and speed of the public transport system:

www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

<<":Ya, it helps me a lot, appreciate so much! But I also check the price in Jungfrau.ch,and 3 days pass cost 245 CHF which is quite more expensive than theprice in Acp railway. Makes me little bit confused, how can be such bigdifference. ">>

Look carefully at the validity maps in the links that Arno gave you. My guess is that the cheap one does not include the very expensive special train up to Jungfraujoch from Kleine Scheidegg.

Slowpoke

Hi zhaozhefu,

Buying online is cheaper than in Switzerland in many cases, but the pass you'll get will be the same. All retailers we list at myswissalps.com/ jungfrauvippass/ price are trustworthy. In your case you can take a look at www.acprail.com/rail-passes/jungfrau-passes. I don't know how long shipping takes exactly, but I recently purchased a pass from them myself and it only took a few days.

You won't receive a voucher, you will receive the actual pass you can use to travel.

Hi Arno,

I checked the price of 3 days vip pass on www.jungfrau.ch/de/som mer/tourismus/ausflugs ziele/jungfraujoch-top-of-europe/angebote/#jungf rau-vip-pass_238 and www.acprail.com/rail-passes/jungfrau-passes respectively. They are really different. The price on Jungfrau web is CHF 245, but on Acprail is Euro 184. And the exchange rate between Euro and CHF is almost 1:1. But I was wondering if I need the other pass e.g. Swiss pass to get 184 euro price on Acprail.

Thanks very much!

Zhefu

Hi Zhefu,

I see what you mean, but the passes are identical. Almost all passes are cheaper through ACP and other retailers, when compared to buying in Switzerland or from a Swiss website. You don't need another pass to buy it for € 184. If you go to www.acprail.com/rail-passes/jungfrau-passes and start ordering the pass, you will see that they also offer a discount for pass holders: € 165 (it's in your screenshot too actually). So the € 184 pass is the regular one. That's how they offer it, so that's the one you should receive.

The Jungfrau Railways increased the pass price by another CHF 10 earlier this year, while ACP Rail did not, so that makes the gap even bigger.

Thanks! I will order it now!:)

<<"Almost all passes are cheaper through ACP and other retailers, whencompared to buying in Switzerland or from a Swiss website. You don'tneed another pass to buy it for € 184. If you go to www.acprail.com/rail-passes/jungfrau-passes and start ordering the pass, you will see that they also offer adiscount for pass holders: € 165 (it's in your screenshot too actually).So the € 184 pass is the regular one. That's how they offer it, sothat's the one you should receive.The Jungfrau Railways increasedthe pass price by another CHF 10 earlier this year, while ACP Rail didnot, so that makes the gap even bigger.">>

Good to know.

Slowpoke