Have you ever dreamed of visiting the magnificent Swiss Alps but worried about accessibility? Well, I’ve got some great news for you! In a previous post, I shared some basic tips about visiting major Swiss attractions. Though it’s been a while, I wanted to write a more detailed guide specifically about our Jungfrau experience for wheelchair users. This post will focus exclusively on wheelchair-specific information, so for general Jungfrau trip planning, please check my other posts through the links below.
Free Entry for Wheelchair Travelers
Ya know what’s really awesome about Switzerland? Wheelchair users get free entry to most tourist attractions! This includes mountain trains and cable cars at major destinations. So if you’re traveling with family, you only need to worry about tickets for your companions. In our case, we bought two VIP passes for our family of three, including my mom who uses a wheelchair. At Jungfrau, the staff helped us board the cable cars and mountain trains without requiring a separate ticket for the wheelchair user.
Eiger Express
We chose to go to Jungfrau from Grindelwald Terminal. First, you need to travel from Grindelwald Terminal to Eiger Glacier, and we took the newest and fastest route – the Eiger Express cable car. If you’re using a wheelchair, staff will check your companions’ tickets and help you board right away. Your companions will need to purchase VIP passes.
The Eiger Express cable cars are quite spacious. They normally accommodate about 30 tourists in two rows with seats, but for wheelchair users, the staff fold up some seats to create extra space. This made our journey very comfortable.
Jungfrau Mountain Train
From Eiger Glacier to Jungfrau, you’ll need to take the mountain train. Here, people usually line up and scan their entry cards (like subway turnstiles) when it’s time to board. Since the turnstiles aren’t wheelchair-friendly, you’ll need to wait in line and then have staff help you through a separate gate. With so many tourists around, staff might not notice you right away, so make sure to get their attention for assistance. After passing through the gate, regular tourists take stairs down, but wheelchair users need a separate elevator – staff will guide you to this. They’ll also tell you which train car can accommodate wheelchairs, so wait there until the train arrives.
Sphinx Observatory
To reach the Sphinx Observatory, one of Jungfrau’s main attractions, you need to take an elevator. When we visited, the line for this elevator was extremely long. It was tough to navigate through the crowd with a wheelchair, so we had to wait longer than others.
One reason for the long wait was that only one of the two elevators was operating. Hopefully both will be running when you visit!
After reaching the top via elevator, there’s another set of stairs to access the Sphinx outdoor viewing platform, but there’s a separate elevator for wheelchair users. It might be a bit difficult to find, so keep an eye out for it.
You might wonder if it’s worth the wait… Despite the long queue, I strongly recommend visiting as it’s the only outdoor viewing platform accessible by wheelchair at Jungfrau. When coming back down, kind people let us board the elevator first, which made our return journey quicker.
Ice Palace (Eispalast)
Another attraction at Jungfrau is the Ice Palace. Following the signs, you’ll pass through a large snow globe area, but then there are stairs going down. We did notice a wheelchair lift from a distance, but it seemed like a hassle, so we decided to turn back instead of exploring further.
The Plateau
Finally, there’s the famous Plateau area where you can take photos with the Swiss flag. Since you need to climb stairs to reach it, it wasn’t accessible by wheelchair. My sibling and I took turns going up to snap some photos. We visited in winter when there was heavy snow, but even in summer, there’s always snow there, making it difficult for wheelchairs even if there weren’t stairs. However, there’s a large window next to the stairs where wheelchair users can still enjoy the magnificent views of Jungfrau. My mom waited there while we took quick turns going up to the Plateau.
I hope these tips help make your Jungfrau trip more enjoyable if you’re using a wheelchair.
Key Accessibility Points at Jungfrau for Wheelchair Users
- Free entry for wheelchair users at Jungfrau and most Swiss attractions
- Spacious cable cars on the Eiger Express with seats that fold up for wheelchair access
- Separate gates and elevators at the mountain train station
- Accessible Sphinx Observatory via designated elevators
- Limited access to the Ice Palace and Plateau areas
- Magnificent views still available from accessible indoor areas
Truth be told, traveling with a wheelchair in the Swiss Alps isn’t completely obstacle-free. But with a bit of planning and the right expectations, it can still be an unforgettable experience! The staff at Jungfrau were genuinely helpful, and the views are absolutely worth it.
