Jungfrau Region - complete 2024 guide for towns, activities and accommodation 

Jungfrau Region must-sees

If your time in the area is limited, these are must-do activities:

1. Visit a mountain top, such as Jungfraujoch or Schilthorn, for an up-close view of the Alps.
2. Make a hike. Even simple short trails like Grütschalp to Mürren are a delight. A walk in the Lauterbrunnen Valley is a good option too.

If you're really pressed for time, you can do the one-day Jungfrau Region trip we composed to see several highlights.

The mountains of the Jungfrau Region

You may have heard of the famous Schilthorn and Jungfraujoch. But there are more viewing points. Roughly from north to south, these are:

• Schynige Platte, to be reached by cogwheel train from Wilderswil. You'll have great views of Lake Brienz in the north, and the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau mountains in the south.
• Grindelwald-First, a top above Grindelwald that's packed with fun activities. You'll also look down on the Grindelwald Valley and the Wetterhorn, and you can walk to the mountain lake Bachalpsee.
• Pfingstegg, an affordable viewpoint south of Grindelwald with a toboggan run.
• Männlichen, to be reached by cable car from Wengen and gondola from Grindelwald. This is one of the best places to see the peaks of the Jungfrau Region, plus the valleys of Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen.
• Kleine Scheidegg, which is more of a 'saddle' than an actual mountain top. You can reach it en route to the Jungfraujoch. It's well worth a stop. There aren't many other spots where you're so close to the imposing Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau.
• Allmendhubel, an affordable viewpoint that's just a short funicular ride from Mürren.
• Schilthorn, above Mürren too. There's a 360°-view of the Bernese Alps here, which you can enjoy from the revolving restaurant.
• Jungfraujoch, the highest rail station of Europe. You're literally within the Alps, which is a magical experience.

Free vistas: great views without paying for mountain transport

Assuming you have a rail pass that allows free traveling, you can also enjoy the Jungfrau Region from valleys and free mountain locations.

Some of my preferred spots are:

• Winteregg. This tiny train station on the way from Grütschalp to Mürren has lovely views over the Lauterbrunnen Valley and the snowy peaks south of it.
• Girmschbiel. This small meadow is just a few minutes walk from the train station of Wengernalp (between Wengen and Kleine Scheidegg). You'll come face to face with the Jungfrau, the Breithorn, and other mountains.
• Grosse Scheidegg. This bus stop is located in the mountains between Grindelwald and Schwarzwaldalp in the Reichenbach Valley. There are wonderful views of the mountains Wetterhorn and Eiger, and you'll look down on the village of Grindelwald.

Traveling info and map of the Jungfrau Region 

How to reach the Jungfrau Region

The town of Interlaken is the gateway to the Jungfrau Region. Please learn how to get there my Interlaken travel guide. Here's how to travel to the other towns:

• how to reach Lauterbrunnen
• how to reach Wengen
• how to reach Mürren
• how to reach Grindelwald

How to travel in the Jungfrau Region: car versus public transport

You don't need a car to get around in the Jungfrau Region. From Interlaken, a car only gets you to Lauterbrunnen/Stechelberg and Grindelwald. From there, trains and cable cars take you up in the mountains. There are frequent trains from Interlaken to Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen.

Please find a comparison between modes of transport here.

Car-free areas

The Jungfrau Region is car-free beyond Grindelwald and Stechelberg (near Lauterbrunnen). Mountain tops and the villages of Wengen, Mürren, and Gimmelwald can be reached by public transport only.

So you'll have to park in Interlaken, Matten, Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald Terminal.

Travel distances and durations

The Jungfrau Region is a small area. The towns and attractions are relatively close to one another, which explains why you can see a lot in just one day.

Some examples:

• The train ride Interlaken-Lauterbrunnen takes 20 minutes.
• The train ride Interlaken-Grindelwald takes 35 minutes.
• Getting from Wengen above the Lauterbrunnen Valley to Mürren on the other side of the valley requires 45 minutes.
• You need 45 minutes to get from Wengen to Grindelwald in the other valley.

Rail passes suitable for the Jungfrau Region

There are nation-wide passes that are also valid in the Jungfrau Region. Examples are the Swiss Travel Pass and the Swiss Half Fare Card.

In addition, there are regional passes that include most of the mountain trains and cable cars in the Jungfrau area. The main ones are:

• The Jungfrau Travel Pass. This is a good choice if you'll focus on the Jungfrau Region only.
• The Berner Oberland Pass. This is a good pick if you want to travel west, north, or east of Interlaken too.

If you need help figuring out which rail pass suits your plans, please use our guide with free tools and a step-by-step plan.

Train and mountain railway companies

Public transport in the Jungfrau Region is operated by several companies. Together, they form a seamless network of trains, cogwheel trains, cableways and funiculars. You'll hardly notice this variety of companies.

Simplified, this is how things work:

• The Berner Oberland-Bahn ("BOB") operates the trains between Interlaken Ost, Zweilütschinen, Lauterbrunnen, and Grindelwald.
• The Jungfraubahnen (or "Jungfrau Railways") is an umbrella term for several sub-companies. Together, they provide traveling to Wengen, Grütschalp-Mürren, Kleine Scheidegg, Eigergletscher, Jungfraujoch, Schynige Platte and Grindelwald-First. An example of a sub-company is the Wengernalbahn ("WAB"), operating the cogwheel trains between Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Kleine Scheidegg, and Grindelwald.
• Additional smaller companies operate other routes, such as the cableways to Schilthorn and Männlichen, or the buses in and from Grindelwald.

The Swiss timetable contains all routes, with all modes of transport, by all companies.

Best months to stay in the Jungfrau Region 

I recommend visiting the Jungfrau Region in early January to late February and late April to late October:

• January and February are best for a winter stay. These are the coldest months in which you can expect most snow in the mountains.
• Late April to October are fine for other outdoor activities.

January and February

December can be a bit too early to expect a sufficient amount of snow in the mountains of the Jungfrau Region. That's why I prefer the months of January and February: they offer the best chance of winter fun in the mountains.

The snow season can start earlier and last longer than this. This varies each year. Mountain transport in the Jungfrau Region mostly has fixed operation dates. But in exceptional cases, if there's a lack of snow for example, the cableways may start operating later or stop earlier.

April and May

Late April and May are low season in this region. Still, I love visiting during this time of the year. Even though alpine hikes mostly aren't possible yet, and you can't visit all mountains because of maintenance breaks, the peace and quiet are wonderful.

You can enjoy scenic train trips and valley hikes. And the scenery is at its best, with a stunning combination of flowery spring meadows, blossoming trees, and snow on the mountain peaks.

June, July, August

Most mountain transport is running by June. This is when you can enjoy nearly all activities, except maybe for the high-altitude hiking routes.

July and August are the warmest, and also the busiest months. Many tourists from abroad visit the Jungfrau Region. The Swiss themselves do too during the school holidays.

You can still beat the (potential) crowds: taking the first cable car or mountain train of the day is a simple trick.

September

September is a perfect month in the Jungfrau Region. The air is often crisp and clear, there are fewer tourists, and weather can be very pleasant.

The downside is that there's not much snow left on the peaks, especially after a warm and dry summer.

October

October is when fall begins. I love how the valleys and trees start coloring. And more than once, we've been able to rise above low-hanging clouds in the valley, looking down on them from a mountaintop in the beaming sun.

Most mountain transport in the Jungfrau Region operates until mid-October.

November and December

November and the first half of December are low season. There's normally fresh snow in the mountains, but it can be too early for snow activities. Several mountain transport routes are closed for maintenance.

The 2nd half of December is much more popular. This especially goes for the days around Christmas in mountain villages like Wengen, Mürren, and Grindelwald. Most mountain routes start operating, and so do ski lifts in favorable weather.

Jungfrau Region weather and forecasts 

Which temperatures to expect

Temperatures drop with altitude. This means that it's significantly warmer in Interlaken or Lauterbrunnen (in the valley) than in Wengen or Mürren (on the mountain slopes). Examples:

• Typical summer daytime temperatures for Lauterbrunnen at 800 m altitude are 19°C to 23°C. In winter it can get 5°C to 10°C.
• Average summer daytime temperatures for Wengen, which is about 400 m higher, are 14°C to 20°C. Expect 2°C to 6°C in winter, with reasonable chances of frost at night.

You'll experience even larger differences when traveling up and down the mountains. That's why it's so important to dress in layers and adapt to varying temperatures.

When to expect rain

It can rain year-long in the Jungfrau Region. Most rain falls between May and August. If you see rain in the forecasts, this can mean several things:

• Typical patterns for warm days are a clear start in the morning, then a building of clouds in the day, followed by showers in the late afternoon or early evening.
• On other days, there's a mixture of sunny and rainy spells.

Bottom line is that I experienced continuous rain for days only a few times during our visits. A mix of sun and rain, or brilliant skies for days or even weeks in a row, are more likely.

Snow in the Jungfrau Region

Snowfall in the mountains of the Jungfrau Region is common from December to March, sometimes even April.

Don't expect snow in the villages though. Although Wengen, Mürren and Grindelwald are likely to get snow-covered, there's no guarantee. You may need to use cableways and ski lifts to start your winter activities.

Fog and low clouds from in fall and winter

Year-long, fog or low clouds may block the views from the valleys of Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. This is especially common in autumn (October-December), and to a lesser degree in winter.

Make sure to check mountain webcams each morning. That's because the sky at higher elevations may be perfectly clear. So a mountaintop visit may pay off, and it can even be special: looking down on the clouds is magical.