The Eiger Express cable car connects Grindelwald Terminal in 15 minutes with Eigergletscher from where the mountain train climbs to the Jungfraujoch Top of Europe station. One-way prices for the Eiger Express are around CHF38 from Grindelwald to Eiger Glacier station.
The train ride to Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe station in the Alps is a popular day-trip excursion for travelers in Switzerland. Since 2020, the new Eiger Express cable car from Grindelwald Terminal shortened the journey time to Jungfraujoch by around 45 minutes. The final leg to the top of the Swiss Alps remains a half-hour cogwheel mountain railway train ride through a long tunnel carved into the mountain rock. The traditional trains-only route is still available and may be combined with a cable car ride. The price remains the same with tickets available online, from vending machines, or anywhere selling Swiss railway tickets. Day-trip tours to Jungfraujoch are popular and are likely to use the cable car route. Organized tours are often cheaper than solo trips due to the discounts groups receive.
Eiger Express Cable Car from Grindelwald in Switzerland
The Eiger Express cable car operates between Grindelwald Terminal and Eigergletscher (Eiger Glacier) in the Swiss Alps near Interlaken. It uses tricable gondola technology to transport up to 26 passengers per gondola. As the system can transport up to 2,200 travelers per hour, this new faster route is now the most popular way to reach the Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe mountain station.
During the 15-minute cable car ride, passengers are transported from Grindelwald Terminal at 937 m above sea level to the Eigergletscher station at 2328 m. The cable car ride is 6,483 m long but remarkably needs only seven support pillars en route. On a clear day, using the Eiger Express cable car offers spectacular views of the Jungfrau mountains.
Eiger Express Cable Car from Grindelwald to Jungfraujoch
The Eiger Express cable car shortens the journey to popular hiking trails and ski slopes but for most foreign travelers, the main attraction is to reach the cogwheel train leading to the Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe station — Europe’s highest railway station.
The Eiger Express cable car shortens the train ride from Interlaken-Ost, and most other departure points in Switzerland, to Jungfraujoch by 47 minutes. Traveling time from for example Bern dropped from 3h20 to 2h30 and from Zurich from 4h20 to 3h30.
Map of Jungfrau Region: Top of Europe by Train and Cable Car
The fastest route to Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe is by train from Interlaken Ost to Grindelwald Terminal, which may also be reached by tour bus or private car, then the Eiger Express cable car to Eigergletscher, and finally the mountain railway to Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe.
The traditional three-railway route via either Grindelwald or Wengen remains a popular option and may be combined with the cable car route — the ticket prices are the same.
→ See By Train to Jungfraujoch Top of Europe Station in the Swiss Alps for more details on the routing options. The starting point is Interlaken-Ost with the traditional route up via Lauterbrunnen and Wengen and down via Grindelwald. An advantage of this routing is that Eiger Express passengers will join the mountain railway at its first stop (station Eigergletscher), while train passengers may already board and claim unreserved seats one station earlier at Kleine Scheidegg station.
Jungfraujoch has long been a popular day-trip destination from other cities including Zurich, Luzern, and even Geneva. This faster route allows visitors to spend more time at the top of the mountain and less time traveling there. Group tours are often cheaper than buying train tickets separately.
Transportation to the Eiger Express Cable Car in Grindelwald
The Eiger Express cable car departs from Grindelwald Terminal. This station is one stop before the regular Grindelwald train station when arriving from Interlaken. All Berner Oberlandbahn (BOB) trains from Interlaken-Ost to Grindelwald stop here. Train traveling times to Grindelwald Terminal are 5 minutes from Grindelwald and 30 minutes from Interlaken-Ost.
Reaching Grindelwald Terminal station by car or tour bus is also easy. A thousand parking places are available at the station.
Using the Eiger Express Cable Car from Grindelwald Terminal
The Eiger Express cable cars transport up to 2,200 people per hour. It is not possible to make a paid seat reservation. However, groups and individual travelers use separate entrances, so travelers on day-trip tours are likely to enjoy special preferred boarding arrangements.
The Eiger Express cable car operates daily from around 8:00 to 17:00 — exact hours depend on the season.
Eiger Express Cable Car Tickets Prices
The one-way journey from Grindelwald Terminal to Eigergletscher is around CHF38, whether using the cable car or trains. Return journey fares are only a few cents cheaper than two one-way fares.
For skiers and longer holiday guests, a Jungfrau Travel Pass may be good value. The Junior Card free travel for children, Swiss Half Fare Card, and many other Swiss railway passes, including the Swiss Travel Pass, are accepted. Other passes such as the Eurail pass and Interrail give some discounts and usually fully cover the first trains from Interlaken. Tickets are available from almost any outlet that sells Swiss train tickets, or from Jungfraubahnen (Jungfrau Railways).
The return fare from Interlaken-Ost to Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe station whether via cable car or using trains only is around CHF225 to CHF250. Prices are usually a few francs higher in the summer months when hiking trails rather than ski slopes are the main attractions.
Jungfraubahn train tickets are available online or from any place selling Swiss railway tickets. Groups receive substantial discounts making day-trip tours worth considering, especially when traveling during busy periods.
When booking, consider different cancelation options and keep an eye on the weather forecast. Trains will run in bad weather but the best views of the mountain peaks may be limited and ruin an expensive day trip. A timed seat reservation and a travel ticket are two separate transactions. Make reservations in advance if preferred but buy tickets last minute if desired.
More on Traveling to Jungfraujoch Top of Europe in Switzerland
See also Save on Swiss Train Tickets to the Jungfraujoch Top of Europe for savings tips (first train sometimes gives discounts) and By Train to Jungfraujoch Top of Europe Station in the Swiss Alps for more on how to reach the highest railway station in Europe. Arriving in Interlaken on a Golden Pass Express train is a grand way to travel from Montreux on Lake Geneva to the heart of the Swiss Alps in the Bernese Oberland.