Departing from Grindelwald once again, we find ourselves heading through the Kleine Scheidegg to our ultimate destination – Jungfraujoch, the Top Of Europe, or so they say.
Jungfraujoch
The Jungfraujoch experience is a collection of tunnels accessed by the Jungfraujoch rack rail directly under the saddle or “Joch” of the Jungfrau. However, most of these tunnels are actually under the south side of Mönch and provide access to the glacier, the observatory, as well as other necessities for people to visit. It all starts with a train ride.
As you can see from the price on our tickets, they are not inexpensive, so get a travel pass if traveling by family or small groups. As a couple we probably could have saved some money, but we wanted to remain flexible since we slow travel and never know what we are doing one day to the next.
With the exception of the glacier stop, which by the way you can only view going up (so get out if you want to see it), all other exhibits in the Jungfraujoch can be visited in any order.
The Eiger Glacier
The first stop, while on the train, is the Eiger glacier. Since our hiking trip from Kleine Scheidegg showed us the bottom of the glacier, we thought it only fitting to see where it begins as well. It is a five minute stop, so you must hop off and hop back on once you are done.
In the photographs above, you can just see where the glacier drops over the edge and descends rapidly. From there, you can pick up the view of it from below (see our previous post on Kleine Scheidegg).
Jungfraujoch – Glacier
While you are still inside the complex, the first glimpses of the glacier are impressive. Here are some photographs while we were still winding through the corridors trying to find our first tour.
Jungfraujoch – Museum Exhibits
There are a few museum related exhibits on the lower floor the include dioramas and other artifacts in glass enclosures. They all make for interesting reading.
Jungfraujoch – Ice Palace
The ice palace, or palast, is a corridor and rooms with ice carvings in them. It is cold, kept at a constant minus six degrees celsius, so you will need to bring something warm to supplement your apparel.
Here are also some videos of walking through the ice tunnel. The floor is actually not as slippery as one would think, probably due to intense cold temperature they keep it at.
Jungfraujoch – Alpine Sensation
The Alpine Sensation is a mixture of museum and distractions for children. It still offers enough to stop and take a look at some of the interesting exhibits and information they have on the history of the Jungfraujoch. However, if you take the moving walkway they may be more difficult to read.
Jungfraujoch – The Sphinx
Though not completely sure why it’s called The Sphinx, probably a mixture of the astronomy dome and the platforms resembling that form from a distance, it offers outside panoramic views of the glacier and the surrounding peaks. Bundle up though, it’s cold outside!
Here are some remaining still photographs in a slideshow.
This concludes our trip to Grindelwald and the surrounding areas. We really enjoyed the hotel, the town, the hiking, the air and of course the mountains! We hope to return one day with our children. But until then, on to Lucern, our next stop on our trip.
What a journey to beholden