According to wholevehicles, the Jungfrau is the third highest peak in the Bernese Alps and one of the most beautiful mountains in Switzerland. The snow-white Jungfrau and the nearby black mountain Schwarzmench became the basis for the legend of the unrequited love of a black monk for a young maiden, which every tourist who comes here will inevitably hear. “Jungfrau Top Region” includes three peaks: Eiger (Eiger, 3970 m), Munch (Monch, 4099 m) and Jungfrau (Jungfrau, 4158 m).
On the slopes of this resort, thousands of skiers work out their skiing and snowboarding skills every year, interspersing snow with fun apres ski. Winter lovers are attracted by excellent skiing opportunities in seven areas of a large ski area, connected by mountain trains, lifts, ski-buses and pistes.
How to get to the Jungfrau
Flight to Zurich or Geneva, then by train to the main road junction of the resort – the town of Interlaken. The train from Zurich with a change in Bern takes about 2 hours, tickets from 70 CHF. From Geneva, also go through Bern, the journey takes almost 3 hours, but the price is practically the same – 72 CHF one way. Trains in both directions run every hour or even more often.
From the Interlaken-Ost station, trains diverge to communes and resorts – Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Kleine-Scheidegg, Murren, Wengen. The journey takes from 30 minutes to 2 hours, the price depends on the distance – a ticket to Grindelwald costs from 12 CHF, for a trip with a transfer to Kleine Scheidegg you will have to pay about 41 CHF, and a trip with two transfers to the station on Jungfraujoch will cost 105 CHF. You can find timetables and tickets on the official website of the Swiss Federal Railways. Read more: railway “Jungfrau”.
During the ski season from different European cities buses of the Bus2Alps company are equipped to the resort (site in English)
Jungfrau trails
The resort combines three towns – Grindelwald (Grindelwald), Wengen (Wengen) and Murren (Murren). As well as a transport hub and just a charming town of Interlaken (Interlaken), where all trains arriving from the villages of the Jungfrau arrive.
More than 40 km of trails are waiting for cross-country skiers in the resort, of which 30 km are located near Grindelwald, 12 km near Lautrebrunnen and 2 km near Mürren.
The main 15-kilometer toboggan run of the resort runs along the Faulhorn-Bussalp-Grindelwald route, another one stretches for 6 km from Männlichen to Holenstain. Another three kilometers of illuminated track go from Isenfluh to Lauterbrunnen.
Always popular fondue-parties in the mountain restaurant Bussalp (Bussalp), which is located next to the Big Max toboggan run. At the end of the parties – a spectacular night descent with torches.
Wengen
Wengen includes the Kleine-Scheidegg massif (Kl. Scheidegg, 2961 m) – Mannlichen (Munnlichen, 2230 m), dividing the area into two parts. This region’s largest skiing area is ideal for “intermediate” skiers – for beginners, the snow in the lower part of the slopes will not seem too comfortable, and for “pros” there will not be enough really difficult slopes. Experts will be interested only in the uppermost sections: from the Eigergletscher (Eigergletscher, 2320 m) you can go down towards Wengernalp (Wengernalp, 1873 m), from there the chairlift throws you to the Lauberhorn (Lauberhorn, 2473 m).
But the main “hit” is the train ride to the top of Kleine Scheidegg, from where you can go down to Wengen, then go up to Mannlichen and slide down to Grindelwald. However, although there are some steep slopes on the Lauberhorn and Männlichen, most are still designed for relaxed sliding.
If you’re looking for some real adventure, you should leave the slopes and go to the free ski trails, such as “Oh God!”, which leads from the Eiger Glacier to Wixi.
The most famous in the entire Jungfrau area is the “black” track Lauberhorn-Rennstrecke – tough and in some places quite difficult: its length is 4250 m, the elevation difference is more than a kilometer.
Fest
On the southern slopes of the valley there is the Föst ski area (First, 2168 m) – it is most convenient for guests from Grindelwald to get there. The trails start at Oberjoch (2501 m), their total length is about 50 km. There are nine lifts. The descent below the gondola lift from Föst to Bort is quite risky. Above the Fest, the slopes become more gentle. A wonderful descent along the valley from the highest point of skiing – Oberjoch through Hovald (Hohwald) stretches as much as 10 km.
And on Faulhorn (Faulhorn, 2681 m) begins the longest toboggan run in Europe: the fifteen-kilometer Big Max, which descends into Grindelwald.
Everything for snowboarding
The Jungfrau area is also well-deservedly popular with snowboarders: a half-pipe was built for them at the intermediate station Schreckfeld (Schreckfeld, 1955 m), and at the very top in Oberjoch there is also a large fun park. Another fan park with halfpipe and twister bar is located in Mürren, and one halfpipe at the top of Oberhubel (Obere Hubel, 2437 m).
Entertainment and attractions Jungfrau
Information about the country, traditions of cheese making, mountain tourism and winter sports can be obtained at the local Museum of History. To see a lot of birds and plants at an altitude of 1400 m – in the Alpine bird park, located at the foot of the Wetterhorn.
One of the most exciting excursions is the ascent to the Jungfrau, the highest railway station in Europe, which is called the “Top of Europe” (Top of Europe, 3454 m). You will have to go up there by train with two transfers for about three hours. The last section of the journey is the pride of the Swiss: in no other country in Europe there is a railway track laid at such transcendental heights. The station has several restaurants, a gift shop, a Glacier Museum and a meteorological station. And, of course, an observation deck with a panorama of the Swiss and French Alps, from where you can even see Mont Blanc in clear weather.
Another unforgettable trip to the top is a 30-minute ride on the longest cable car in the Alps, “in the footsteps of James Bond” to the Schilthorn, where the first series of the film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” was filmed. It ends with a visit to the world’s first revolving restaurant on top of the Piz Gloria mountain (2971 m).
Developments
In mid-January, the grand show of the World Snow Festival takes place in the center of Grindelwald, where craftsmen from all over the world create amazing ice sculptures. January also hosts the Bull-Trophy, the international curling championship. In Wengen, at this time, the International Lauberhorn – World Cup Race competitions are held, and in Mürren – the International Inferno Ski Race (1800 skiers take part in them).
