[Removed user]

10 July 2017 at 1:42:50 #812578

Hi I am traveling with my wife and 2 kids in Sept. I am staying 4 nights in Lucerne. I am trying to figure out a day trip from Lucerne to Jungfrau using the swiss travel pass. I would really appreciate if someone could guide me and answer my questions below.

1) I am going to purchase swiss travel pass – 2 of them which would cover my kids expenses. Do I need a swiss family card also? How is a swiss travel pass different from a swiss family card?

2) I plan to take early morning golden pass train from lucerne to interlaken. Someone told me that this trip is free with swiss family pass but I see a charge of 56$ round trip. So is the GoldenPass Line not free with swiss family pass?

3) Lastly – could you please tell me how to plan a trip from interlaken to jungfrau. I plan to be in interlaken by 10 AM. I know it is going to be hectic but considering that I may not be able to visit switzerland again soon, I really want to see jungfrau.

Thank you in advance.

Beau

Effortlessly learn from the questions and answers in the forum. Receive a daily e-mail with new discussions. Sign up

[rockoyster]

10 July 2017 at 6:07:35 #866588

Hi Beau and Welcome to MySwissAlps,

Q1.

You can learn about the Swiss Travel Pass here http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass and how the Swiss Family Card works here http://www.myswissalps.com/sw issfamilycard

Q2.

Luzern to Interlaken Express is covered by the Swiss Travel Pass. You don’t need a separate ticket

Q3.

That’s going to be a long day but you can work out how to do it by reading http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfraujoch/gettingther e

Happy travels.

[Slowpoke]

10 July 2017 at 8:47:06 #866589

Hi Beau-

for #3 –

Use the timetable:

http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

Use Luzern as your start, Interlaken Ost as your destination. Set “arrival” in that choice. Enter 1000

On a random day in September, I find trains leaving Luzern at xx05, beginning at 0605, arriving at IO 1 hour 49 or 50 minutes later.

0605->0754

0705->0855

0805->0955.

For 1000 arrival, you can take the o805.

From there, using the 0805 departure fomLuzern, you can reach Jungfraujoch at 1205. The connections are generous ….20 minutes at IO, 12 minutes at Lauterbrunnen and 10 minutes at Kleine Scheidegg.

If you learn to use the timetable, your stay in Switzerland will be much easier. Please carefully read the instruction page at the My Swiss Alps link given above. There are some important details there.

The journey all the way to Jungfraujoch is expensive; the last leg in particular. If you arrive at the top and find your self in the middle of a cloud, you will have an expensive view of the inside of a cloud. Not very scenic.

So, please keep track of the weather, and, make sure to check once you arrive at IO. There are other destinations in the region if JFJ is socked in.

http://www.myswissalps.com/be rneseoberland

http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion

The weather in the high Alps changes quite rapidly, and comes in layers. It may be clear up top while it is cloudy or foggy at lower altitudes, or vice versa. Forecasts are not reliable more than 48 hours in advance, and even at 24 hours, may not be 100% reliable.

http://www.myswissalps.com/ab outswitzerland/nature

In September, the lines will not be long at Kleine Scheidegg. Arno or Annika know better than I, but I think you could wait until you get to IO, or possibly even KS before you buy your ticket for the last expensive stretch. Rail stations near the Jungfrau, including IO, have up to date information, and I’m guessing that they will have a webcam running.

There are webcams.

http://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/live/webcams/

Slowpoke

[Removed user]

10 July 2017 at 9:44:39 #866590

Hi enzaireatl,

Just so you are clear on the Swiss Travel Pass vs. the Swiss Family Card:

The Swiss Travel Pass needs to be bought for everyone over 16, and it covers one person only. You would then order at the same time the Swiss Family Card (free). Only one would be needed and it will cover any children under 16 in your group. If your children are under 5 they don’t need any rail pass or ticket at all.

You can order your rail passes online here.

Lucas

[Removed user]

10 July 2017 at 17:59:57 #866591

Thank you all wonderful people. This helps a lots specially the timetable above. I thought there was 1 direct train from IO to Jungfrau but looks like I have to make 2 stops to get to Jungfrau.

One more quick question since I am traveling with younger kids. Are there plenty of fast food options in Jungfrau (like McDonalds, pizza etc) or the train in general? Thanks.

Beau

[Removed user]

10 July 2017 at 23:53:31 #866592

>> Are there plenty of fast food options in Jungfrau (like McDonalds, pizza etc) or the train in general?

There is no food on the trains between Interlaken and the Jungfraujoch. Here is some information about the restaurants at the Jungfraujoch:

http://www.gletscherrestauran t.ch/en/restaurants.ht ml

Alpenrose

[Slowpoke]

11 July 2017 at 1:22:04 #866593

Hi Alpenrose –

<<“Are there plenty of fast food options in Jungfrau (like McDonalds, pizza etc) or the train in general? Thanks.”>>

I did not notice any McDonald’s in your reply. Is it possible that the Swiss experience of the Jungfrau does not include a McDonald’s?

;-0

Slowpoke

[Removed user]

11 July 2017 at 3:20:03 #866594

>> I did not notice any McDonald’s in your reply. Is it possible that the Swiss experience of the Jungfrau does not include a McDonald’s? ;-0

LOL! Well, each to his own, but personally I think it would be a sad day indeed if McDonalds opened a restaurant at the Jungfraujoch, or indeed on any of the mountain tops. McDonalds is not my thing, but I have eaten there twice: once to get change for a bus in Wellington, New Zealand, and once when my son won a McDonalds food voucher in a junior tennis competition!

Alpenrose

[Slowpoke]

11 July 2017 at 16:38:59 #866595

Hi Alpenrose –

<<“but personally I think it would be a sad day indeed if McDonalds opened a restaurant at the Jungfraujoch, or indeed on any of the mountain tops.”>>

I certainly share your opinion. One goes to Switzerland to experience a “Swiss Way” of doing things.

That logic often does not work with children. However, when I took my 8 year old granddaughter there a few years ago, we managed to find things that she would eat, sometimes pre-packaged at the Coop, or in the “take-away” from the Coop, Migros, etc. And, there is McDonalds in Luzern, right across the street from the train station.

Trying to fit all that kind of stuff into the long daytrip from Luzerm to Jungfraujoch is one of the things that makes that trip a burdensome. Sacrifices need to be made; adults can choose to do that and suffer the consequences.

However, there may be hope for Beau’s children. I know that pizza can be found in Wengen, at da Sina’s, which is a quite nice restaurant about 7-8 minutes walk from the main station.

http://www.dasina.ch/de/ueber -uns.html

I’m sure that there are other places, I just happen to remember da Sina’s because I have enjoyed that restaurant. No doubt, pizza can be found in the region. 😉

In Grindelwald –

http://onkel-toms.ch/en/.

Although it is a long trip on that day, a stop in Grindelwald, for example, could fit between trains.

And, the trains between Luzerne and Grindelwald have a restaurant car. Pizza? Maybe not. Spaghetti? Probably.

By the way- buying McDonald’s food in Switzerland brings to mind the “Big Mac Index” which is a way to judge the cost of living at various places around the world. It lists the price of a BigMac (converted to USD) at various cities. No need to guess….Switzerland is by far the most expensive!

http://www.statista.com/stati stics/274326/big-mac-index-global-prices-for-a-big-mac/

http://www.economist.com/cont ent/big-mac-index/

Slowpoke

[Removed user]

11 July 2017 at 17:21:38 #866596

lol Slowpoke, you take life way too seriously. By the way we hate MCD at least all of us in our family do. But when you talk about sacrifices to be made 🙂 yes we are willing to sacrifice our taste buds just to make sure we can accomplish this trip in a day. But there are lot of choices up at the top; so we may not succumb to a pizza or a MCD burger after all 🙂

I may come back with more questions as I get closer to the trip. You guys have been deliciously helpful.

Thanks.

Beau

[Slowpoke]

11 July 2017 at 19:34:43 #866597

<<“lol Slowpoke, you take life way too seriously. “>>

<<“One more quick question since I am traveling with younger kids. Are there plenty of fast food options in Jungfrau (like McDonalds, pizza etc) or the train in general? Thanks.”>>

Hi Beau – Could be. But, how else can I take questions or comments when I reply to them?

Slowpoke

[Removed user]

12 July 2017 at 0:52:24 #866598

>> I know that pizza can be found in Wengen, at da Sina’s, which is a quite nice restaurant about 7-8 minutes walk from the main station.

Yes, I’ve seen the sign for Sina’s as I’ve been walking to and from my hotel, but I haven’t eaten there yet.

It has the “stamp of approval” from Kim, who wrote in her document about Wengen:

Pizzeria da Sina is just behind the Schönegg. Don’t let the Pub/Disco/Open Late signs put you off, this is a very good Italian restaurant. The pizza is the best I’ve eaten anywhere (including Italy and France) and the pastas and steaks are good, too. They have dozens of different types of pizza – the best one, in my opinion, is the pizza de parma, which is thin crust pizza, mozzarella, parma ham, and arugula (they call it rocket or rucola in Switzerland). They also have great rucola salads. The wine list is mostly Italian (with some fantastic Sicilian reds) with a few big U.S. reds thrown in. We usually eat here at least twice a week, it’s that good.

I must seek it out on my next visit!

Alpenrose