Have you ever dreamed of standing on the “Top of Europe”? When planning my family trip to Switzerland, Jungfraujoch was the very first destination on my must-visit list. In this post, I’ll share everything you need to know about visiting Jungfraujoch from Grindelwald Terminal – including parking information, must-see attractions, time required, and internal maps to help you make the most of your Swiss Alps adventure.
Checking the Weather Before Your Jungfrau Visit
The day before our planned trip to Jungfraujoch, the weather in Grindelwald was terrible, so we ended up visiting Zermatt instead. Naturally, our family’s biggest concern the next day was the weather forecast. We only had two days available in Grindelwald, and if both days had poor visibility, we’d miss out on seeing Switzerland’s iconic mountains like Jungfrau and First properly.
Thankfully, we woke up to absolutely perfect weather conditions! This made our decision to head to Jungfraujoch an easy one.
Grindelwald Terminal – Your Gateway to Jungfrau
There are several ways to reach Jungfraujoch from Grindelwald, but the most popular route starts at Grindelwald Terminal with the Eiger Express. This recently built cable car is incredibly fast, taking you up to Eiger Glacier station in record time and significantly cutting down your overall travel time to Jungfraujoch. That’s why most tourists choose this option.
Keep in mind that the Eiger Express only goes as far as Eiger Glacier station. From there, you’ll need to transfer to a mountain train for the final leg of the journey up to Jungfraujoch.
Parking at Grindelwald Terminal
During our stay in Grindelwald, we had a free parking space at our Airbnb. However, the steep downhill walk from our accommodation to the terminal wasn’t manageable for my mother, who uses a wheelchair. So we drove to Grindelwald Terminal instead. The parking facilities there are quite spacious, likely because many visitors arrive by train rather than car.
Here are the parking fees:
A quick tip for those traveling with rental cars: You might see parking spaces marked “FREI” and think that means “free” (as in no charge). I made this mistake initially and was quite happy about it! However, I later discovered it simply means the space is “available” or “vacant.” I learned this lesson when I returned to find I still needed to pay the parking fee.
Buying Tickets for Jungfraujoch
When it comes to ticket options for visiting Jungfraujoch, you have two main choices:
- A simple round-trip ticket just to Jungfraujoch and back
- The Jungfrau VIP Pass, which allows access to most mountains in the Interlaken area
If you’re only planning to visit Jungfraujoch, the round-trip ticket is your most economical option. However, if you intend to explore other peaks like First or other mountains in the region, the Jungfrau VIP Pass offers better value. Since we planned to visit multiple locations, we purchased the two-day Jungfrau VIP Pass.
Riding the Eiger Express
The recently opened Eiger Express cable car gets you to Eiger Glacier station at impressive speed. The views during this ride are absolutely breathtaking – you’ll see the famous Eiger North Face and spectacular panoramas of Grindelwald valley stretching out below you.
Eiger Glacier Station
After arriving at Eiger Glacier station via the Eiger Express, you’ll need to take one more mountain train to reach Jungfraujoch. While the cable car journey up to Eiger Glacier was quick with minimal waiting, the mountain train to Jungfraujoch operates on a fixed schedule and often has substantial queues due to the high volume of passengers.
Although the train can accommodate everyone in line at once (so you won’t miss a departure), be prepared to stand in line for quite some time. This was one of the few bottlenecks in our journey.
Welcome to Jungfraujoch
Once you arrive at Jungfraujoch station by mountain train, simply follow the crowd inside. The complex is surprisingly massive and extensive – it’s not just a single observation deck but rather a series of attractions spread throughout. I highly recommend checking the maps posted throughout the facility to plan your visit efficiently.
Sphinx Observation Deck
After grabbing a quick bowl of ramen, our first stop was the Sphinx Observation Deck. Following the map, you’ll pass through a somewhat dark corridor until you reach the elevators. These take you up to the observation platform.
Unfortunately, there was quite a wait for the elevators. There were two elevator shafts, but one was closed for maintenance when we visited, which made the queue even longer. It would have been much more efficient if both elevators had been operational.
After the elevator ride, you’ll climb a few more stairs to reach the outdoor observation platform. We visited on a clear day with perfect visibility, allowing us to see for miles in every direction.
It was extremely cold outside, making it difficult to stay out for long periods, but we managed to take plenty of family photos before heading back down. The elevator queue was substantial going down as well – hopefully both elevators will be working when you visit!
Ice Palace (Eispalast)
Our next intended stop was the Ice Palace (Eispalast), but we noticed stairs at the entrance and had to skip it since my mother was in a wheelchair and couldn’t navigate the steps. We only managed to take a photo with the large snow globe near the entrance before moving on.
The Plateau
Our final destination was the Plateau. When people think of Jungfraujoch, they often picture this spot – a snowy field with the Swiss flag prominently displayed against a backdrop of mountains. The name “Plateau” literally means “highland” or “high plain,” and it offers the perfect setting for taking iconic photos. On clear days like when we visited, the scenery is absolutely spectacular.
Total Time Required
Our family spent approximately 5 hours and 30 minutes on the entire Jungfraujoch excursion. We arrived at Grindelwald Terminal around 11:30 AM, and by the time we returned, it was nearly 4:00 PM.
The journey from Grindelwald Terminal to Jungfraujoch took about 1 hour and 30 minutes each way. We spent roughly 2 hours exploring the attractions at Jungfraujoch itself.
Since we visited on a beautiful day, there were many tourists, which affected waiting times. The duration of your visit may vary depending on weather conditions and the season.
Our excursion took longer than expected, and my mother was quite tired afterward, so we didn’t visit any other locations that day. Instead, we had dinner at a restaurant called Bebbis in Grindelwald and called it a day.
If you’re planning to make the most of your Jungfrau VIP Pass by visiting multiple locations in a single day, I recommend starting your Jungfraujoch tour early in the morning so you can finish in time to visit somewhere else in the afternoon.
Jungfraujoch truly lives up to its reputation as one of Switzerland’s premier tourist destinations. The transportation infrastructure and variety of attractions make for an enjoyable and memorable experience, even if it does take a full day of your itinerary.
