Cold weather vacations are always magical. If you say 'holiday', the first thing that comes to our minds is the snow clad mountains with stunning landscapes. Summer holidays do not have to mean sea and sand everytime, a break amid the vastness of the mountains can give you an equally fulfilling experience. So pack your bags and get on to your summer adventure to Swiss Alps.
Jungfraujoch as many would also know it as the 'Top of Europe' is a viewing point at an altitude of 3454 meters above sea level located between the well known mountains of Monch and Eiger. This is Europe's highest train station and that's how the name 'Top of Europe' and it has views across Switzerland and beyond into France , Germany and Italy. It is the glacial pass surrounded by the mountains Eiger and Monch. The best time to visit is between the months April to September.
Switzerland is the home to the most scenic rail journey in the world. And Jungfraubahn railway to the highest station in Europe is no different. Jungfrau experience begins once you step into the cogwheel train and that was the time when the dazzling snow peaks under the bright blue sky had completely blown me away. As you start ascending gradually a sea of a giant glacier unfolds in front of you - Aletsch Glacier.
Gush of icy winds poking your face and crunching snow with every step you take, this is an out of the world experience from the valley floor in Interlaken to the eternal snow of the Bernese Alps. This is a very unique and rare experience to be so close to a mountain peak without actually having to climb to the summit by foot.
From the very onset of the journey from Interlaken, as the cogwheel train climbs up, the views on either side take your breadth away. It looks like the beautiful artwork of artist 'nature' playing around with shades of green and white.The small villages at the foothills of the mountains with lush green backgrounds render their own beauty while the snow capped peaks of the Swiss Alps standing tall add glamour to the canvas but be advised check the weather before you plan this trip . You're in the mountains and the weather changes very frequently so try to visit on a day with better visibility.For us, weather Gods were smiling and we were lucky enough to have beautiful sunshine at the top of the summit .
It takes around 2 hours of travel from Interlaken so plan atleast a day to soak in everything this place has to offer. Although 2 hours might sound long but you will hardly feel it as you gaze out of the train window mesmerized by the most beautiful of landscapes. Though the trip is not cheap but worth visiting. The altitude here is pretty high so there's less oxygen which will leave you short of breath so try to take things slower.
Arrival at Jungfrau:
One of the best ways to explore Jungfrau is to spend a couple of nights at Interlaken and plan a day trip to the top of Europe from there.
There are two routes available to Jungfraujoch from the valley of Interlaken-- one through Lauterbrunnen and the other through Grindelwald and it takes approx same length of time about two hours. Once you arrive at the station,the next train you take is to Kleine Scheidegg and this part of the journey is on the cogwheel train. The train will take you through the majestic backdrop of ice,snow and rock and the view from here is spectacular. The right side of the train is the better place to sit on the way up, it has better view points including the beautiful villages of Lauetbrunnen and Grindelwald, so do not miss out on capturing the beautiful shots you grew up looking at on your desktops and laptops😊.
On arrival to Kleine Scheidegg the next train will take you to the top of Europe. The train continues up the mountain through a tunnel.
Note: 1. Try to make reservations for the Jungfrau railway journey.
2. Preferably try to go up through Lauterbrunnen and comedown through Grindelwald or vice-versa to experience the amazing views of both the routes.
Lake Brienz
While descending to Interlaken we would recommend you to pause by Lake Brienz,the turquoise lake to enjoy the beauty of nature. The color of the water provides a soothing experience to the eyes. You will see a lot of fishing activities going on in and around the lake with ample options for boating,kyaking or a quick stroll.
Things to do :
Once you are at the Jungfrau there are plenty of options to explore and there are directions given clearly throughout to each of the attractions. Major attractions include
1. Eismeer, also known as Sea of ice, is a vantage point where the cogwheel train from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch stops for 5 minutes for everyone to take a peak at this natural wonder so do not miss out on this.
2. Sphinx Observatory - needless to say this is our top pick among all attractions here as will be for most of the other visitors. This is literally standing at the cliff of the peak.
3. Panoramic viewpoint - this is where we ended up spending most of our time as it gives you access to open views of the peaks up close.
4. Ice Palace - beautiful sculptures made of ice showing true craftsmanship.
5. Snow fun park - this is the place which has a lot of snow adventure activities going on including skiing, tubing, zipline,etc with open level area for kids to play around.
6. Alpine Sensation
7. Lindt Swiss Chocolate World
8. Also don't miss out on this restaurant named Crystal with direct views of the Aletsch glacier serving finest Swiss dishes and international delicacies.
