How to plan the ultimate mountain break in Switzerland's Jungfrau region

The peaks of Switzerland’s Jungfrau region are a quintessential Alpine scene. Ride heritage railways to dizzying panorama points, hike glacier trails and picnic in wildflower meadows.

This article was adapted from National Geographic Traveller (UK).

The jewel in the sparkling Swiss Alpine crown, the Jungfrau region is home some of the best-recognised peaks in the Alps. It’s here, among high-tech cable-cars and heritage cogwheel trains, that you’ll find a summer playground of meadows, lakes and car-free trails laid out around Switzerland’s towering triptych of postcard perfect mountains: Jungfrau itself (13,642ft), Mönch (13,465ft) and Eiger (13,025ft), the notorious ‘Ogre’ whose wall-like slopes have thwarted even the most accomplished winter adventurers. In summer, once the snows recede, these mighty mountains become a more bucolic arena for easy-going outdoors pursuits with trains, cable-cars and funiculars funnelling hikers, bikers and panorama-seekers to glacier-topped peaks and lush green valleys. 

And there’s never been a better time to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Jungfrau-Aletsch. This part of the Bernese Alps is easier than ever to access as the Jungfrau region — a rough triangle formed by the towns of Grindlewald, Lauterbrunnen and Interlaken — is now served by the Jungfrau Express from Zurich Airport, which cuts an hour off previous journey times. And there’s plenty to pack in once there. In a single day, you could lunch in an isolated mountain hut at 12,000ft, hike on a 14-mile-long long glacier then scale over 6,000ft in a dizzying 15 minutes aboard the high-speed Eiger Express cable-car.

See & do

Visit the Top of Europe
Take the Eiger Express cable-car from Grindelwald, then at the Eiger Glacier station, jump on the Jungfrau Railway to Europe’s highest train station to visit the ice tunnel, Bollywood Restaurant and Sphinx Observation Terrace.

Descend via Kleine Scheidegg
Ride one of the yellow and red trains that navigate the Wengen side of the mountain.

Have a panoramic sundowner
A 100-year-old funicular hauls you up an unfeasibly steep track from Interlaken Ost to Harder Kulm summit. Here, sundowner in hand (from Panorama Restaurant), it feels like you’re standing on the prow of an ocean liner, Interlaken, Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau spread before you.

Get out there

Walk to lunch
Looking down from the Eiger’s Sphinx Observatory, the slowest moving ants you’ve ever seen forge a distant, snowy path. The ants, it turns out, are walkers navigating the glacier to the Mönchsjoch mountain hut for lunch.

Take a hike
Instead of taking the cable-car back, walk the two-hour Eiger north face path through steep pastures, spotting birds of prey on your way down to Alpiglen train station, to hop on a train back to Grindelwald.

Grindelwald first
At the top of the cable-car, there’s a cliff walk, restaurant and two zip-wire rides; further down, you can pick up mountain carts and, at the bottom, trottibikes (aka scooters) for riding back down to town.

Sleep

Eiger Selfness Hotel
A comfortable hotel in the centre of Grindelwald. A three-night B&B stay includes a full body treatment in the onsite spa as well as dinner at adjacent Barry’s restaurant. Doubles from £276.

Berghotel Schynige Platte
It’s not only the mountain-top location and view of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau that make this hotel special, each room has a night sky painted on the ceiling and telescopes to see the real thing. One night’s stay including cogwheel railway ticket, evening meal and breakfast costs £126.

Interlaken Youth Hostel
Located by the train station at Interlaken Ost, this modern hostel is perfectly placed for exploring Jungfrau’s peaks. Prices range from £51-191 in high season, depending on whether you share a dorm, a room for four to six or take a double with en suite and balcony.  

Bachalpsee Lake, set above Grindelwald in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland.

Photograph by Jungfraubahnen 2019

Getting there & around

Swiss flies non-stop from London, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Manchester to Zurich or Geneva as do British Airways and EasyJet.
Average flight time: 2h.
Take the train from London to Geneva or Zurich, changing in Paris.
Average journey time: 7-8h.
The Jungfrau Express is a new rail link connecting Zurich Airport and Interlaken in around two hours.
The Jungfrau Travel Pass allows unlimited travel within the region for three-eight days, with an extra charge for Top of Europe at the Jungfraujoch. From £160.