Savings rail passes and discount deals make traveling tickets cheaper on cogwheel trains to the Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe station above Interlaken in the Alps of Switzerland.
The cogwheel mountain train ride to the Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe station in the Swiss Alps is one of the most beautiful railway journeys in Switzerland but unfortunately not cheap. However, several discount deals reduce ticket prices while most Swiss railway passes, including the Swiss Card, Swiss Pass, Half-Fare Card, and Junior Card, as well as Eurail passes may also be used on the Jungfraubahnen railway system. Train tickets are available online or from any Swiss Railways selling point. Many day-trip tours to the Jungfraujoch are also available from many parts of Switzerland and are often good value for money as the transportation to Interlaken from Luzern or Zürich is added for very cheap. Whether taking the traditional three-trains ride or the two-trains-and-cable-car option, the price for traveling from Interlaken to the Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe station remains the same, ie high.
Train Ticket Fares for the Jungfraubahnen in Switzerland
The Jungfraubahnen (trains, buses, and cable cars in the Jungfrau region) provide public transportation in one of the most beautiful regions of Switzerland. Unfortunately, cogwheel mountain trains and cable cars are relatively expensive to build and operate and these costs are reflected in the high prices of tickets. Buy tickets online or from any Swiss Railways sales outlet.
A standard return fare for the three trains (or two trains and a cable car) necessary for traveling from Interlaken Ost via Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald and Kleine Scheidegg to the Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe station is a pricy CHF235 (CHF249 first class) in the high season. The final section of the journey from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe station is mostly carved through the rock of the Mönch and Eiger peaks and the return fare for this section alone is around CHF150.
Fortunately, several discount deals are available and most railway passes are valid to reduce the costs of traveling to the splendid views available from the Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe station. Return tickets are slightly cheaper than two one-way tickets on some journeys but further discount offers cannot be combined – only one offer may be used per journey.
Return prices from Interlaken to Jungfraujoch depends on the season:
- High Season (June, July, August) – CHF235 (CHF250 first class)
- Low Season (November and early December) – CHF184 (CHF200 first class)
- Rest if the Year – CHF210 (CHF226 first class)
Note that many trains have only second-class wagons, so first class is hardly worth the surcharge.
The fare remains the same whether the traditional three-train route or the new faster two trains and the Eiger Express cable car route is used. Similarly, the price is the same whether the cable car is used one way and the trains only the other way.
Groups of ten or more receive around 20% discount – the tickets must be bought in one transaction.
Small dogs travel mostly for free but a hefty CHF35 is charged for the return journey on the final train to the Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe station!
Savings Passes for the Train to Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe
Most Swiss railways savings passes are valid for travel on the trains of the Jungfraubahnen. Discounts are given for most cable cars too but the Grindelwald-Pfingstegg cable car is often excluded from special deals.
Standard Swiss rail passes are valid in the Jungfrau region:
- Holders of an SBB Halbtaxabo (Half Fare) or a Swiss International Half-Fare Card receive a fifty percent discount on all the railway fares of the Jungfraubahnen.
- Bearers of a Generalabonnement SBB or a Swiss Travel Pass may travel for free as high as Wengen, Mürren, and Grindelwald but pay half price for further trains. Swiss Travel Pass holders receive only 25% discounts on the railway sections Wengen-Kleine Scheidegg-Jungfraujoch-Kleine Scheidegg-Grindelwald.
- Eurail Pass and Interrail pass bearers receive 25% discount on all trains past Interlaken.
- Children with a Junior Card aged 6 to 15 travel for free with their parents (or the adult registered on a Children’s Co-travelcard), or pay 50% of the regular adult fare. (The Junior Card and Children’s Co-travelcard are fantastic deals for travel on almost all forms of Swiss public transportation. It cost only CHF30 per year and may be bought from any Swiss train station.)
Save with the Jungfraubahnen Transportation Pass in Switzerland
Tourists spending a week in summer in the Jungfrau region should consider the Jungfraubahnen Pass. The Jungfraubahnen Pass allows for unlimited travel on three to eight consecutive days on all trains, buses, and cable cars in the region – the only exception is on the stretch Eigergletscher to Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe station where only a 50% discount is given.
The Jungfraubahnen Pass ranges from CHF180 for three days to CHF305 for eight days. Bearers of other railway passes and half-fare cards get around CHF50 discount. Children without a Junior Card may buy a pass for CHF30.
In winter, a wide variety of other ski passes is available for skiers and other winter sports activities. These usually exclude travel to Top of Europe but usually allow it to be added at a discount.
Discount Tickets on the Train to Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe
Traveling to the Jungfraujoch is hugely popular and special saving deals are often offered in promotions. Some savings tickets are seasonal but it is always worth enquiring if a special offer is available.
Two discount options that are useful for day-trippers are the Good Morning and Good Afternoon tickets – these discounts seem to come-and-go but as they seem to often return unadvertised it is worth enquiring. These return tickets are CHF145 for travel from Interlaken Ost to Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe station and are only on sale on the day of travel from the main stations on the Jungfraubahnen network, or online from Jungfraubahnen (but not from other outlets, including Swiss Railways).
This saving price cannot be combined with other offers so bearers of rail passes will probably receive bigger discounts off the standard fare.
Two early morning or late afternoon deals are sometimes available (most likely in the low season) and good savings if the timing suits:
- The Good Morning fare is valid for the first trains departing from Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe station – depending on the season at 8 am and/or 8:30 am (leave Interlaken Ost at around 06:30 am). Good Morning ticket holders must leave Jungfraujoch at the latest on the 12:00 (noon) train (or in some cases around 13:00 in winter).
- The Good Afternoon ticket is usually available from April to late October for the second last train of the day leaving for Jungfraujoch from Kleine Scheidegg at 3:30 pm, or leave Interlaken Ost at 2:05 pm. The train arrives at Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe at 4:22 pm with the last train leaving the mountain at 5:45 pm.
It is also sometimes possible to save when using a group tour, especially if transportation from other cities are added. On such tours, the bus from Lucerne or Zürich is often added basically for free.
Saving Deals Tickets on the Train to Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe
Special deals are often available for this journey — ask friends and family living in Switzerland to keep an eye out for Jungfraujoch deals that are often only advertised in the local press, or available to supermarket loyalty cardholders.
Taking the train to Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe from Interlaken-Ost is one of the quintessential elements of many a Swiss vacation trip, with the new Eiger Express cable car offering a further interesting variant. Despite the costs, traveling to this most beautiful region of Switzerland is very popular with tourists from all over the world.
