Day Trip to the Top of Europe: The ever popular Jungfraujoch

(This post published on January 31, 2026 – Edit: In the meantime and since COVID, the Jungfraujoch seems to be on EVERY foreign tourist’s “To See” list in the Bernese Oberland, along with Lauterbrunnen / Männlichen / Grindelwald First / Wengen / Gimmelwald / Mürren and Lake Oeschinensee. After reading so many tourists’ current experiences online, I decided to revive the photos of our first trip there, in 2014. Even then, the crowds were atrocious).    

Wednesday October 29, 2014 – Jungfraujoch (its railway station is the highest in Europe at 3,454 m / 11,332 ft, thus nicknamed "Top of Europe") and the observatory named “The Sphinx” are a must-see on every Asian travel group itinerary, and as a Swiss citizen you don’t even have to bother going there in summer. That’s why we thought end of October would be the perfect time, plus the weather was flawless. But I guess vacation time is not over, as there were still so many Asians heading up there. We didn’t stay up there too long because it was just too claustrophobic, but we took the photos of the glaciers and the alpine choughs (birds) and the paragliders, and we visited the Ice Palace, and tried to stay out of the wind (-7°C, but way colder with the wind!), but really the best part was our 2½ km (too short) walk from one train station to the mountain village of Wengen on the way down.  

Interesting information about this location: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungfraujoch. The window in the Eiger North wall was used in a Clint Eastwood movie called “The Eiger Sanction” 

Side note: I had forgotten that we were at high altitude (you know, invincible and such) and I walked too fast and felt like I was going to black out. (Trying to escape the masses).

PART 1: Cogwheel Train from Wengen to Jungfraujoch, via Kleine Scheidegg

It is a 5-hour trip from our home to Jungfraujoch, so we had to leave very early and travel mostly in the dark at this time of year! By 9:45 a.m. we are on the train from Lauterbrunnen to Kleine Scheidegg, and this is the early morning view down into the Lauterbrunnen Valley. (You can see the famous waterfall, but the valley is pretty dark.)

While waiting for the connecting train at Kleine Scheidegg, we can see the railway line where it passes through the gallery on the way to the Eigergletscher station. The train then travels all the way through the mountain to the station at Jungfraujoch, with only one stop for a look through the window at Eismeer. (Sea of Ice). 

Here at Kleine Scheidegg you change to another cogwheel train to go up through the mountain to Jungfraujoch. (Side note: These are older trains that have been replaced since this trip with much newer trains which can carry more people.)

As the train heads up to the Eigergletscher station by 10:30, we look back a the lake called Fallboden. 

Along the way through the tunnel, the train stops once at the station called Eismeer at 3160m, where they have blasted a window into the rock on the east side of Mt. Eiger. Passengers are allowed off the train for about five minutes to view the fantastic Eismeer Glacier (Eismeer = Sea of Ice), through a glass window.  

It takes about 40 minutes to reach the station at Jungfraujoch, from Kleine Scheidegg. As there were lots of people getting off the train and heading for the elevator, I ran up the stairs to beat them to the viewing platform. Not a good idea, because of the altitude here (3570m), as I felt faint. Nevertheless, this is the view that everyone comes for, looking southwards down the Aletsch Glacier, the largest glacier of the Alps. 

Directly across from us is the east face of the Jungfrau. (4,158 m / 13,642 ft)

We got here at 11:40, and first spent a bit of time on the viewing platform of the Sphinx Observatory. Behind me is the Aletsch Glacier, the largest glacier in the Alps (23 km).

To our north is the mountain called Mönch: 4,107 m / 13,474 ft.

Spectacular views to the north past the foot of Mt.Mönch. 

Watching the paragliders, always fascinating. 

Photographing the fantastic scenery. 

The Alpine Choughs stay close to the crowds in the hopes of getting something to eat!

The viewing platform at the Sphinx Oberservatory. Behind the platform is the Mönch, the middle mountain in the famous trio: Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau.

This view is toward the entrance of the valleys from Interlaken at the far back, then the town of Wilderswil and the Lütschine River, and into the Lauterbrunnen Valley. The peak on the right is the Lauberhorn, and the clearing below it is where the mountain village of Wengen is located. 

Panorama view in the direction of Interlaken, with Mt.Lauberhorn in the middle, and below that the train station at Kleine Scheidegg, where we boarded the train up to Jungfraujoch. And at the back, we can see all the way to the Central plateau, the Jura mountains and France and Germany. 

I am very much enjoying the Alpine Choughs, posing for my photos!

Alpine choughs posing for my photos!

After spending an hour up at the viewing deck, we checked out the popular ice caves (Ice Palace). It's specially made for the tourists, but is still interesting to see how compact the ice is here inside the glacier. 

After the ice caves, we descended again to "ground level" where you can go out and walk around on the snow and the glacier. (Jungfraufirn). 

Outside the Sphinx. It's very cold here, but there are hiking paths on the glacier! (-7 degrees today, but the wind makes it very cold!)

A photo of me in front of Mount Jungfrau!

Leaving Jungfraujoch at about 13:45, we are heading back down toward Kleine Scheidegg, where we change trains (Approx. 40-minute trip). The lake here is called Fallboden, with the peaks of Mt.Lauberhorn and Mt.Tschuggen. 

View to the famous Trio: Eiger-Mönch-Jungfrau from the Wengen Train, after leaving Kleine Scheidegg. Fabulous!!!

And this is a zoomed view of the Sphinx Observatory on Jungfraujoch, seen from below!

This brochure shows the region between Lauterbrunnen and Jungfraujoch: The train winds its way up from valley bottom to Kleine Scheidegg via Wengen. Then you change to the Jungfrau train which goes up THROUGH the mountain to Jungfraujoch. 

PART II: Short walk from Allmend Train Station to Wengen

As we headed down toward valley bottom with the Kleine Scheidegg-Lauterbrunnen train, we realized that the afternoon sun on this side of the valley gave us an opportunity to enjoy the day more, so we got out at the next train station (Allmend) and walked the next 2½ kilometers to Wengen, where we then caught the next train going down. It was much too short of a walk. 

View of Wengen from the Allmend train stop. This is at about 2:45 p.m. 

The short stretch from the train stop in Allmend to the station in Wengen is 2½ kilometers, and takes about 40 minutes to walk, so ideal timing to enjoy the walk and catch the next train down an hour later.  

A look behind us as we make our way down the mountain. 

A break along the way to enjoy the scenery.

Behind us we can see one of the "Silberhörnli" ("Silver Horns") of the Jungfrau massif. 

This view is up to the Allmend train stop where we started our walk. Also in the background, the fabulous Mt. Jungfrau. 

After a leisurely walk and a stroll through Wengen, we now await the next train down, an hour later, and you can see that the sun is about to set real soon now!

View directly to the south up the Lauterbrunnen Valley. The sun is setting here at about 4 p.m. 

At 4:20 p.m. we are back down at valley bottom in Lauterbrunnen, where we now catch a train to Interlaken, and ultimately for the 3¼ hour trip home from here. It was a long trip for us to do a day trip here; to Lauterbrunnen it's not so bad, but all the way to Jungfraujoch means total travel time of about 9-10 hours!  

Location of Jungfrau region within Switzerland. 

Crest Hike from Alpe Foppa to Monte Lema via Monte Tamaro

(This blog item published July 5, 2023, therefore the times are no longer sure)

October 24, 2014 – After a good night’s sleep in Linescio near Bosco Gurin, and a breakfast of homemade bread at Pablo’s B&B, we got back on the bus as the sun was rising above the hills, and traveled another 2¾ hours to our starting point for today’s hike: Alpe Foppa on Monte Tamaro. At 1956m, Monte Tamaro is not a high mountain, but it’s the highest in this area, and affords a 360-degree view across the entire Alps and south into Italy, especially on a gorgeous clear day like the one we had.

The 15-km hike from Alpe Foppa (reached by cable car) to Monte Lema – with a detour over the peak of Monte Tamaro – takes minimum 5 hours, which made it a tough hike because we only had about 6 hours till the last cable car down the mountain (we really should have started 2 hours earlier). So not a lot of rest stops. Worst part is at the end, when the goal looks so close, you realize you first have to walk way down and way up again…

(Photos of the hike we did the day before in the Bosco Gurin Valley are HERE).

As we ascend from Rivera with the cable-way to Alpe Foppa, we get a good look at one of Mario Botta's (world-renowned Swiss architect) famous buildings: "Santa Maria degli Angeli", built from 1992 to 1996 and made of concrete and porphyry. 

Before starting on our hike, a quick walk to the look-out platform on the church building, and a look up to the peak called La Manèra, which we first have to scale before heading on to Monte Tamaro, the peak on the right. 

We started at about 11:30 a.m. (?), and the walk across the crest to Monte Lema is about five hours. The last cable-car of the day from there back off the mountain was at about 5:30 p.m.

Heading up the wide (and boring) winding road to the tower and Capanna Tamaro. There was a lot of shade from the mountain on this west side, unfortunately. 

Ah, but the view down to Alpe Foppa and the Magadino Plain below, as we climb higher and higher, is worth the trouble. In the back are the mountains of Canton Graubünden. 

And the view to the West..... The view is all the way to the Monte Rosa Massif in the Alps of Canton Valais, the snow-covered peaks on the left. 

It took almost 90 minutes to get here, just before the final steep climb to the summit of Monte Tamaro, which is the peak in the back. 

Fantastic panorama view toward Locarno to the North, and the Swiss Alps, as we ascend to the summit of Monte Tamaro.

A steep 30-minute climb, and we reach the summit of Monte Tamaro at about 1:30 p.m. According to the sign, we still have another 3+ hours to Monte Lema!

Spectacular views to the west from the summit of Monte Tamaro, past the summit of Monte Gambarogno, and all the way to the Monte Rosa Massif, where the highest peak in Switzerland is located. (All those snow-covered peaks in the back are over 4000 meters)

And this view is to the south-east to the Capriasca Region near Lugano

Enjoying a late lunch break on the summit of Monte Tamaro, looking north-east toward Bellinzona. 

Below is Lago Maggiore, the Maggia Delta, and the city of Locarno with all its "suburbs". You can just make out the Verzasca Dam on the right. 

A clearer view of the lake and the Verzasca Dam

Panorama view of the Magadino Plain and Alpe Foppa on the left, all the way to more Italian Alps in the east. 

This view to the Southwest includes mainly Italy, and the Italian part of the lake called Lago Maggiore.

Heading down off Monte Tamaro. It's a very warm day for the end of October!

As we continue south along the crest of the range between Monte Tamaro and Monte Lema, we get more and more of a view into the lower hills to the West, which are mostly in Italy... with the exception of the village most to the right. This is Indemini, the final village on the Swiss side of the border. 

A zoomed view of the villages to the west of the ridge, which are all in Italy. 

Another look behind us at Monte Tamaro as we continue southward. 

Passing a herd of goats along the way. 

Finally reaching Monte Lema, or so I thought. The cable car station looks so close, but there is still a valley in between!

And here we are arriving at our destination at about 5 p.m. The final descent was to be at 5:30, and there were so many people so we got in line quickly. We thought they might operate the three-car cableway continuously, but this was not the case. I'm not even sure if all the people made it onto this final run. We did, so we were happy about that. 

The elevations we walked on the 15-km stretch between Alpe Foppa and Monte Lema. 

What the hike looks like on Google Satellite Maps