Planning your Switzerland trip but aren’t sure where to start? Well, you’re at the right blog! I’m putting together a few blogs to help you find the best things to do and see around the country. Here, you’ve stumbled upon my post for the best way to spend a day in Jungfraujoch and Grindelwald. And trust me, it’s going to be a blast. Be sure to grab your warmest coat cause the adventure is about to begin!

Normally, this is where I would discuss stay and transportation, but to keep these blogs short and “straight to the point”, I decided to put all that information in my Zurich blog. After your time here, don’t forget to head over to my other Switzerland blogs to discover more tips for your trip. (Links below!)

Jungfraujoch

If you’ve ever Googled “things to do in Switzerland,” I’m sure you’ve seen Jungfraujoch popped up on several excursion websites as a top attraction to visit. But, what is Jungfraujoch? To put it simply, it’s the highest point in Europe that you can reach by a railway, giving it the title of “Top of Europe.” There are two ways to get to Jungfraujoch, by train or by cable car, also known as the Eiger Express. Both rides are included in your ticket price with the only difference being that the Eiger Express takes 15 mins compared to the 45 mins by train to reach the top. If you’re not completely terrified of heights, I definitely recommend riding the Eiger Express. The ride in the cable car was truly magical; you’ll get the opportunity to view the landscape from atop and watch the scenery turn from green to snow covered grounds. This being said, Jungfraujoch snows all year round, so be sure to bundle up before your excursion. TIP: Don’t forget to bring sunglasses, the light reflecting off the snow is blindingly beautiful.

I visited Jungfraujoch on the third day of my trip with my husband and best friend. We started the day with a train ride from Wengen (where we were staying) to Grindelwald Terminal WAB. We ultimately decided to do so because this trip was already included in our Swiss Pass. This saved us about 12 CHF (~$14USD) per person compared to the tickets that starts your journey to Jungfraujoch at the Interlaken Ost terminal. I definitely recommend just being aware of where you choose your starting point and making sure that it makes the most sense for you. Why pay more when you don’t actually have to? Speaking of saving money, if you have the Swiss Pass, you can purchase your ticket to the Top of Europe at a discounted rate. Be sure to bring proof of your Swiss Pass as it will be checked with your Jungfraujoch ticket if you choose this option. TIP: Check the live camera on their website prior to booking your tickets to assure that the views and conditions are clear. You don’t have to purchase your ticket way in advance, like we did. It could definitely be purchase the day of.

Once we reached the top, we entered the welcome center where you can get lunch at their cafe, stop by one of their gift shops, or satisfy your sweet tooth at the Lindt Swiss Chocolate Heaven shop. We wondered around the area, following signs to see the Alpine Sensations, Sphinx, Ice Palace and Jungfraujoch Plateau, which is all included in your ticket. Each area is a small section to visit and all distinctly unique. The Ice Palace was my favorite section, showcasing intricate ice sculptures and funny displays like the reference to the Ice Age movie in the picture below. The Sphinx and Jungfraujoch plateau are outdoor areas that you can step out to get a view and take photos. Honestly, both of the outdoor sections were a little underwhelming, but that could be due to the fact that it was extremely cloudy the day I went to the Top of Europe. Which is why I recommend checking out the live cameras prior to purchasing the tickets, trust me, it won’t sell out. Learn from my mistake!

Other things to do while you’re at Jungfraujoch is visit the Snow Fun Park or Mönchsjochhütte, however, neither are included in your ticket and will be an extra cost. Snow Fun park is open mid-May to mid-October and offers activities like zip-lining, sledding, tubing, skiing, and snowboarding. Mönchsjochhütte is a restaurant hut that you can walk to from the Jungfraujoch plateau and is only open from the end of March to mid-October. From what I read on this, it’s about a 90 mins roundtrip walk in the snow and requires some physical stamina. I wasn’t able to do either of these since both were closed due to the weather, but if you have, don’t forget to leave a comment below about your thoughts and experience!

Overall, Jungfraujoch didn’t meet my expectations and I was really disappointed with the views, or should I say no views. I’m not completely convinced that this excursion is worth the price, but at least I can say that I went, right? All-in-all we spent about 4 hours total in Jungfraujoch. I believe that my experience would have been totally different if the weather and conditions were better. So in conclusion, I would say go and try it out for yourself if you have the time and money but you don’t have either, it’s not a must do in my opinion.

Grindelwald

After our time at Jungfraujoch, we made our way back to Grindelwald to explore the city. Grindelwald is filled with great shops and restaurants to stop by in and if you’re up for more adventure and fun, it is also home to Firstbahn AG. This adventure park offers activities such as Mountain Cart, Trottibike Scooter, First Glider, First Flyer, and access to First Cliff Walk Presented by Tissot. Tickets and bundles can be purchased on their website BUT I recommend buying the tickets at the location instead of online. As mentioned before, I happened to go on an extremely cloudy day and regretted that I purchase the tickets before hand without checking the live cameras prior. If I knew how cloudy the day would be, I would have moved my itinerary around to accommodate the weather to be sure that I got the views and experiences that I was hoping for. That being said, we purchased a bundle that included 2 activities and unlimited rides on the gondolas about 2 weeks prior to our trip. TIP: If you plan on visiting Jungfraujoch and Firstbahn AG on the same day, like we did, be sure to check operating hours beforehand. The timing will affect the way you go about your day and which excursion you will do first.

When we first booked Firstbahn AG, we decided that we wanted to try out the mountain carts and the First Flyer, which is basically zip-lining. Unfortunately, due to the weather that day, First Flyer and First Glider (basically zip-lining laying on your stomach) were temporarily closed. This left us with mountain carting and the trottibike as our 2 activities, and trust me, we waited as long as we could for the sky to clear up for us to do our original activity but it never did. Nonetheless, we kick off our fun with a ride on the gondola up the mountain to the starting point of our first activity. Ever wondered what it would be like to be in a Super Mario Kart game? Well, mountain carting is probably the closest thing to it. The cart was surprisingly fast and is operated with just brakes while gravity does the rest of the work for you. Even as a scaredy cat, I felt completely safe in my cart. I absolutely loved this activity and had a blast. We passed lots of greenery and cows along the way and I imagine it would be a more beautiful ride on a clear day. TIP: Bring a hat or wear a jacket with a hood to protect your head under your helmet. This is more for hygiene because the helmets gets reused over and over. TIP: Wear gloves on your ride. The combination of the speed, wind, and rocky roads really wears your hands down when holding onto the handles.

After our mountain cart ride and before our second activity, we took the gondola up to the highest point to First Cliff Walk Presented by Tissot. First Cliff Walk is a free viewing point, that will take you along the observation walkway attached to the side of the mountain at 6,500 ft high. Normally, I would say this isn’t for those scared of heights, however, due to the cloudiness on the day that I went, I couldn’t really tell how high up I actually was. Still, we walked along the walkway and took our obligatory photo at the observation platform. I promise, it’s not just me standing in front of a white screen.

To end our time at Firstbahn AG, we made our way to the next activity that was available at the time, the trottibike scooter. And as you may have guessed from its name, it’s basically a combination of a scooter and a bike. This activity takes you around town, riding on sidewalks, designated lanes for scooters/bikes, and sometimes on the actual road with cars. And then after your adventure around town, you meet back at the entrance of Firstbanh AG and will have to drag the trottibike scooter back uphill to return the scooter. This was probably the last activity that I ever wanted to try. As someone who’s scared to even ride an electric scooter, this was a “not so good time” for me. (I mentioned I was a scaredy cat already, right?) I personally did not enjoy this activity at all, mainly because I was not confident in myself with riding the trottibike scooter. I fell off several times, was the slowest in my group, and at the end, gave up and walked my scooter the rest of the trip. Personally, I would not recommend this activity, but you’re someone who enjoys a little bit of adrenaline, this may be the perfect venture for you.

Overall View

Overall, I was a little disappointed with my day in Jungfraujoch and Grindelwald but that is mainly due to the condition of the day. The cloudiness took away a lot of the views and activities that I was looking forward to. On the bright side, I had the best time riding a mountain cart. It was definitely one of my favorite excursion that I did in Switzerland and highly recommend it to everyone of all ages!

I found that Jungfraujoch and Grindelwald is a great spot for outdoor adventures. I would recommend visiting if you have the time and budget for it. If you’ve already visited or plan to, leave a comment below with your thoughts and any tips for your fellow rovers!

Helpful Tips

• Do NOT purchase the tickets for Jungfraujoch or Firstbahn AG in advance. It can be purchased the day of.
• CHECK THE WEATHER prior to deciding what day to do these excursions.
• CHECK LIVE CAMERAS prior to deciding what day to go. This will ensure that you would have the best views.
• Get food at COOP. Grindelwald had one of the larger COOP stores that we visited and many more selections to choose from. Purchasing meals from the grocery stores will save you so much money in the long run.
• Refill your water bottles at any of the FREE water stations. Just look for running fountains/spouts around the city. This is safe water to drink and is the same contents as the water bottles in the store.

Continue your Switzerland adventure with these blogs!

Some blogs are still in the process and are coming soon! Don’t forget to subscribe below to get notifications of new posts!

• How to Spend the Best Day in Zurich
• The Ultimate Day Guide to Lauterbrunnen
• The Perfect Guide to Visiting Lucerne & Meiringen
• Best Things to Do in Interlaken

As always, thanks for being here!

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