If you are heading up the Jungfraujoch, chances are you are missing out on this insider tip!
The Jungfrau website does its best to send you the fastest route, allowing them to get more people up the mountain faster.
BUT, in my expert opinion, if you only have one day to see the Interlaken area, there is a far better option!
Table of Contents
The Quick Route
The standard and fastest route up the Jungfraujoch looks like this
- Interlaken -> Grindelwald Terminal
- Grindelwald Terminal -> Eigergletscher
- Eigergletscher -> Jungfraujoch
- And back again
This is the route that Jungfrau promotes and most people end up doing.
Yes, you can choose your starting point, just in case you are not staying in Interlaken.
You could start in
- Interlaken Ost
- Grindelwald
- Grindelwald Terminal
- Lauterbrunnen
And if you have another starting point you can use the link below the Interlaken Ost box that says “Other departure locations, to see what other options you have.
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The Route I Recommend To My Clients
The route I would recommend, which is available for most of the year, is to go up via Grindelwald and back down via Wengen and Lauterbrunnen.
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This lesser-known route offers you the best of both worlds.
You get to see and experience the views from the Grindelwald valley, and also include the stunning Lauterbrunnen Valley on your way back.
Of course, you can do it in either direction, but I recommend Lauterbrunnen last. You can stop there and spend the rest of your day exploring the valley to its fullest.
NOTE:I have a full itinerary guide for the Lauterbrunnen Valley, in case you want to get the most out of your visit
The red route above shows you the alternative return route.
- Jungfraujoch -> Kleine Scheidegg
- Kleine Scheidegg -> Lauterbrunnen
- Lauterbrunnen -> Interlaken Ost
Of course, you can reroute back to Grindelwald from Lauterbrunnen if need be—just change trains in Zweilütschinen.
Overview of The Complete Route
If we choose to return on the right via Lauterbrunnen, you would get this complete journey…
Keep in mind that you could start anywhere other than Interlaken Ost. So, the above is just a guide to what is possible.
Either way, if you have a short time in the Jungfrau area, this is the route for you!
