Being Cost effective to Jungfraujoch

Thank you Kim, for your detailed reply. Some additional notes for you, kauaisam:

• you can plan your trips through the Swiss timetable and the Jungfraubahnen timetables. Please refer to the Männlichen website for that specific timetable;
• a variation of the plan Kim proposed under #3 would be to get up to Wengen by train, to Männlichen by cable car, walk to Kleine Scheidegg, make a return trip to Jungfraujoch and then head back, either by foot or by train, via Grindelwald. This will cost some extra time and it would be quite a full scheme for 1 day. But if you have time left, or if you can spend a few days in this area, it would be nice if you could try to explore the 'Grindelwald side' of Kleine Scheidegg as well. The train trip between Grindelwald and Kleine Scheidegg is amazing and litteraly comes across the foot of the impressive Eiger north face. Walking down from Kleine Scheidegg is do-able as well. It would require you to take the train back from Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen at the end of the day, which can be done through the less scenic, but much cheaper route through Zweilütschinen. Involving Grindelwald in your plans would allow you to explore both valleys in this beautiful Jungfrau area;
• information and purchase options on the Swiss Half Fare Card can be found on the Swiss Half Fare Card page.

All further Jungfraujoch details can be found here.

Good luck on your further planning!

kim11 said: I would encourage you not to worry about cost. The expensive part of the journey up to Jungfraujoch is from Eigergletscher station (the farthest up you can hike) to the top and back. Travel below that is much less expensive.

The transportation in the Jungfrau region is managed by the Jungfraubahn. You can research all the fares for mountain transports (trains, gondolas, cable cars, etc at http://www.jungfrau.ch/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-4//327_read-2542/.

You are wise to understand that weather is a consideration! You don't say when you are going but you should always dress in layers, have a waterproof shell, and sunblock.

Specific answers to your query:

[1. Cable car Lauterbrunnen to Mannlichen, hike to Kleine Scheidegg, ride to Jungfraujoch, ride back to KS, hike down to Wengen, cable car to Lauterbrunnen?]

There is no cable car from Lauterbrunnen to Mannlichen. You must take the train from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen, then the gondola from the center of Wengen up to Mannlichen. Both are very lovely rides. The train is 15 – 20 minutes, the gondola 7 minutes.

The hike from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg is stunning and a “must do” (by the way, walking is the only way you can get between these two points). It is about 2.8 miles on a very wide path with 50 meters/160 feet ascent and 200 meters /660 feet of gradual descent. A very easy hike but extremely panoramic.

From Kleine Scheidegg you could either take the train up to Jungfraujoch or hike up to Eigergletscher station and catch the Jungfraujoch train on its way up there. The hike up is short (less than a mile) but a little bit steep with 260 meters/858 feet of vertical ascent. It is a 10 minute train ride between Kleine Scheidegg and Eigergletscher station.

On your return, you could certainly hike down from Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen. It is about 4 miles, 785 meters/2600 feet of descent, takes about 2 hours. You would then take the train (no cable car) from Wengen down to Lauterbrunnen.

[2. Cable car to Jungfraujoch, ride back to KS, hike down to Wengen, cable car to Lauterbrunnen?]

There is no cable car to Jungfaujoch, only train. You could go directly up from Lauterbrunnen to Jungfraujoch by train. You will stop (but not change trains) in Wengen, stop and change trains in Kleine Scheidegg, then go straight up from there with a stop (no train change) at Eigergletscher station.

[3. Hiking from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen, then to KS. roundtrip to Jungfraujoch, hike down from KS to Lauterbrunnen or hike down from KS to Wengen, cable car to Lauterbrunnen.]

Hiking from Lauterbrunnen to Kleine Scheidegg (via Wengen) is probably a bit more than you will want to do. The Wengen to KS portion alone is 4 miles with 785 meters/2600 feet of ascent. The hike from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen is steep in places and is about the same amount of distance and climbing. That would be a long hike!

My recommendation would be to take the train from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen, the gondola from Wengen to Mannlichen, hike from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg, take the train up to Jungfraujoch, return by train to Kleine Scheidegg, hike from Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen, then take the train back down to Lauterbrunnen. This is the best from a difficulty and views standpoint.

There are very good descriptions of hikes in the area (including some of these) at www.walkingswitzerland.com

Hi Rajarshi,

The Good Morning Ticket is not useful if you have a pass providing discounts. The pass offers more discounts than the Good Morning Ticket. Assuming that you mean the Swiss Half Fare Card, you would just purchase a regular ticket and pay half of the regular price (CHF 90.90 per person).

Hello aparnaj,

This certainly would be a very nice day trip.
Please check this website to be sure the cable car from Wengen to Männlichen is in operation while you're staying there!

Your 12-year old son will travel for free if you have a Swiss Pass and the (free) STS Family Card. For details, see the Swiss Pass page. If you don't have the STS Family Card yet, I guess (but I'm not sure) you can get the STS Family Card In Switzerland showing your Swiss Pass at the (first) railway counter.

If the cable car from Wengen to Männlichen is open the costs of a return ticket will indeed be around CHF 21,- (using your Swiss Pass).

From Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch this page shows you the price for a regular return ticket, CHF 116,- , but the Swiss Pass will give you a 25 % discount.

Your itinerary includes the returnticket Wengen-Männlichen and the hike from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg and the other way round
On your way back a (worthwhile) alternative would be to go by train from Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen (and Lauterbrunnen), or to walk from Kleine Scheidegg to Wengernalp (not too long and quite easy) and take the train from there to Wengen (and Lauterbrunnen).

The Timetable may be of help planning your trip.

I can't do all the calculations, but I hope this helps!

Have a nice stay!