Planning a Trip to the Jungfrau Region? Best Time to Visit, Top Activities & Travel Hacks

Dreaming of visiting Switzerland? The Jungfrau Region is one of the most breathtaking places in the Swiss Alps.

In this episode, I chat with Kelly Joss from Jungfrau Region Tourism about everything you need to know before visiting this stunning Swiss destination. From charming villages like Grindelwald and Mürren to iconic mountain peaks like Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn, we cover must-see spots, the best activities for every season, and insider tips to help you make the most of your visit.

Wondering where to stay in Jungfrau region? How to get around? Or if you really need a car? We’ve got you covered! Plus, Kelly shares some hidden gems and a fantastic one-day itinerary if you’re short on time.

Get ready to be inspired and start planning your Swiss adventure! Tune in now.

Safe travels,

Carolyn

👉 Show notes - Episode 122 

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Transcript

Intro  

Are you dreaming of visiting Switzerland? Planning a trip to Switzerland is very exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. How do you choose which of the many scenic cities, towns and villages to visit, which mountain top excursions should you take? And what's the best way to get around Switzerland and of course, how much of the country can you realistically see within your time frame? If you've asked yourself any of these questions, this is the podcast for you. This is the holidays to Switzerland travel podcast. And in each episode, your host Carolyn Schonafinger chats with Swiss travel experts to answer your most commonly asked questions, provide practical tips and take you on a virtual visit to the most popular destinations, and, of course, some hidden gems to help you plan your dream trip to Switzerland. And you'll hear plenty of conversations about Swiss cheese and chocolate too. Are you ready to plan your trip to Switzerland? Well, let's get started.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Grüezi. Welcome to this week's episode. The Jungfrau Region is one of the most visited regions in Switzerland, so it's great to have Kelly Joss from Jungfrau Region Tourism joining me today. Kelly has lots of helpful information about the region and some great tips to share with us today. If a visit to the Jungfrau Region is part of your Swiss vacation plans, you'll get plenty of ideas and inspiration from this episode. Welcome Kelly. 

Kelly Joss  

Yes, thank you for the invitation. Carolyn, I'm very happy to tell you more about our beautiful holiday destination. So as you hear from the name, it's a whole region. So the Jungfrau Region consists of five different villages, which include Grindelwald, Wengen, Murren, Lauterbrunnen and the haslita, and it's relocated in the heart of Switzerland. So you might heard about the town of Interlaken already. So Interlaken is between the Lake of Thun and Brienz, and the villages of the Jungfrau Region are up in the mountains. So from Interlaken, it's only half an hour to reach the Jungfrau Region. So it's very easy to reach from everywhere in Switzerland actually.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Fantastic. We'll talk more about those villages that you mentioned in a little bit. But first of all, can you tell us what makes the Jungfrau Region a must visit destination, because it is certainly one of the most visited regions in Switzerland. What is it that draws people to the region?

Kelly Joss  

Yes, so as you just said, it's already quite famous destination. So there are some highlights which are popular all over the world, like the Jungfraujoch the top of Europe, the highest railway station in Europe is quite famous all over the world, and also the Schilthorn the other famous mountain top. But it's not only the highlight attractions that are special about the Jungfrau Region. So I think what's special about the region is that it's very unique and various. So you have a lot of different activities and experience for everyone. So it doesn't matter if you're older or younger, if you are traveling alone or with the family, if you are rather sporty or not. So the Jungfrau Region really offers countless outer activities and also culture experience, like visiting Alpine dairies or also discovering local handicrafts and culinary delights. So it's a very various and unique destination to visit.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

There's certainly something for everyone there. So what are the main things to do if someone is coming to the region for just a short time, what are the main things that they tend to do?

Kelly Joss  

So as the Jungfrau Region is a mountain destination, it's actually all about the outer activities. So in summer, it's mostly hiking and mountain biking. You can swim in Mountain Lakes. If you are not really into hiking, you can discover the famous mountain tops like Jungfraujoch or Schilthorn as well. With cable cars, there are also numerous different cable cars, not only these two famous ones, but there are many places you can visit by train or cable car. You can also experience adventure activities like paragliding or on Schilthorn and on Grindelwald field. There's a thrill walk, so it's also a lot to do for adventures people and in winter, it's mostly about skiing, but also a lot of non skiing activities like winter hiking or sledging or spa so it's really about experience the mountains in some. Winter and winter, or actually all year round.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Always something to do. So can you tell us now a bit more about the five main villages that you mentioned before, and what are the differences? Because I know a lot of people, when they're planning to visit the Jungfrau Region, they're unsure where they should stay, and they're probably not familiar or not aware that the villages are actually quite different. So can you give us some more information about that, please?

Kelly Joss  

Yeah, sure. So they are similar, but still quite different. So let's start with Grindelwald. Grindelwald is the biggest village in our region, and it's also its starting point to the Jungfraujoch, or also Grindelwald First. Grindelwald has around 50 hotels, so you will find everything in Grindelwald, from hostels to mountain huts, holiday apartments and even up to a five star hotel. Grindelwald offers, as well, many restaurants, bars and also a sports center with an indoor pool and a rope park and as well as an ice rink. So in Grindelwald, you really find a lot of different entertainment. And in winter, it has access to two different skiing areas. So in Grindelwald, you are in the mountains and still have everything you need, actually where you are. And it's a great place to start the various mountain excursions. And then Lauterbrunnen is quite a small village. So Lautebrunnen lays in an impressive valley between giant rock faces. So when you are in Lauterbrunnen, you have on both sides, you are really between the mountains. And it also is a starting point for countless mountain excursions, like, actually, every destination in the Jungfrau Region, and Lauterbrunnen is famous for it waterfalls. So it's called to be the valley of the 72 waterfalls, including the famous Staubbach waterfall, which you see from the train station. So you arrive in Lauterbrunnen and already see this beautiful waterfall. The Staubbach Fall is one of Europe's highest free falling waterfalls. And from Lauterbrunnen you can go up on one side to Wengen or to Murren and you can reach both destinations within few minutes. So Wengen is the only one side. It lays high above the Lauterbrunnen Valley at the foot of Eiger, Monch and  Jungfrau, and it can only be reached by train from Lauterbrunnen. So that's quite special about Wegen. It's car free, or it's mostly car free, so you cannot drive up, but some hotels use cars for hotel shuttles, and Wengen is also the perfect starting point to go skiing. So the ski area connects Wengen and Grindelwald. And in Wengen every year there's a famous Skiing World Cup downhill race, the Lauber horn downhill race, which is held in January. So Wengen is a bit smaller than Grindelwald and a bit more remote, but still offers a lot to do. And then on the other side of the Lauterbrunnen Valley, there's Murren, with 1650 meters above sea level. Murren is the highest permanently inhabited village in the canton of Bern. So it's really special because you are really in a charming mountain area in modern, and it's also a very sunny terrace, so you have a lot of sun because it's mostly above the fog in modern is also car free, so that makes it a bit more special, because you're really in the mountains without any cars. And special about Murren is the Schilthorn. So at the shield torn, the shield torn was the filming location for the Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service from 1969 and the success of the film has still left its mark on the village, so it's still famous for this movie. You can reach Murren from Lauterbrunnen by cable car up to Grutschalp, and then from Grutschalp, you can take a little train with a very scenic and beautiful view, or on the other side, you take the bus from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg and then up with the Schilthorn cableway. So it's two different ways, and it's quite special, because you reach the village from two different sides. But village is quite small, you can easily walk from one side to the other side and do one way, and then the other way, if you want to see both of it. 

And then the fifth destination is the Haslital. So the Haslitall is a whole area at the other side of the lake of Brienz, and actually also consists, again, of six different villages. Is but Meiringen is the main village, and the Haslital nestles between different mountain passes, so it's less known than Meiringen, and it's also smaller than, for example, Grindelwald, and it's a very family friendly destination. It offers a wide range of activities and also an awareness of tradition and culture. And it's more of a hidden gem because it's still less known than Grindelwald or Wengen. So it really depends on what you're looking for if you choose a destination in the Jungfrau Region, but as everything is very well connected by public transportation, it's also no problem to stay in one village and then visit another, because it's really close together everything. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

I know that Grindelwald is only about 30 minutes from Interlaken and as are the other villages around there. But what about Meiringen and so if someone is thinking of that sounds like a bit quieter, perhaps we might like to stay there. How long does it take to reach there from Interlaken? 

Kelly Joss  

Yes, it's even a bit closer than Grindelwald from Meiringen. From Interlaken to Meiringen, it's about 30 minutes by train, so it's quite near from Interlaken as well. And you could also stay two nights in Meiringen and then two nights in Grindelwald, Meiringen and Grindelwald is even connected over a mountain pass, the Grosse Scheidegg, so you could also visit Meiringen. And then it's only in summer take the bus over the grocer deck to visit Grindelwald. So it's a nice destination to visit as well, because it's so well connected. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Okay, so this brings me on to my next question. Is a car necessary when people are visiting the Jungfrau Region? 

Kelly Joss  

Yeah, so it's really not necessary. So you can visit by car if you want, but it's really not necessary, as you can easily get everywhere by public transportation. And I would also recommend it to everyone to use public transportation as it's really the best and easiest way to explore Switzerland and also the Jungfrau Region, because the rail network is really outstanding, and you can reach every destination by train or by bus. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

That's right. So if you were visiting the region and you're planning on doing some mountain excursions. For example, you can only reach those mountain summits via cable car or Mountain Railway, so you're going to be leaving your car parked in the in the parking garage anyway.

Kelly Joss  

Exactly. Yeah. So I think it's even easier because you are more flexible. You can take the train and take the gondola, maybe if you go down the other way, then you don't have to go back to get your car. So it's even easier to take public transportation, so you're more flexible.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

And what can you tell us about the Regional Rail passes that are available for the Jungfrau Region?

Kelly Joss  

Yes, so there are different rail passes. You might know for whole of Switzerland. It's a Swiss Travel Pass. If you are only traveling to the Jungfrau Region, there's the Jungfrau Travel Pass that's valid for the whole Jungfrau rail network, but for the Jungfraujoch, you have to pay a little bit extra, but all the other railways are included. So if you're staying like three, five or even more days in the Jungfrau Region, it's really useful to have this pass, because you can get everywhere with this pass in the Jungfrau Region, and then if you are visiting, let's say, another destination in Bern, like the city of Bern, or another valley of the Bernese Oberland. I would recommend the Bernard Oberland pass as it's valid for the whole Bernese Oberland. So with the Bernese Oberland pass, it covers, really most of the Canton of Bern or the Berner Oberland. So you can visit Grindelwald and then take the train to Bern or even to Lucerne. It's all covered with this pass. So there are really great railway passes which cover a lot. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Now, I know that visiting the Jungfrau Region is a good idea any time of the year, but do you have a favorite season, or is there a season that you recommend people would visit? 

Kelly Joss  

Yes. So as you said, the Jungfrau Region is really all your destination. I personally would recommend the Swiss autumn or spring. So in May or June or in September or October, because it has less people than July or August. So July and August are really high season, and in spring and autumn, it's also not as hot as in summer, so the temperatures are still mild, and it's perfect for hiking. And also the landscapes are very impressive in spring and in autumn. So in spring you have a lot of water, so you really see these famous waterfalls, like in Lauterbrunnen, and everything is green and blooming, and in autumn you have the landscape turning in this beautiful autumn colors, and there are less people around. And it's also a bit cheaper than staying here in summer. And if you're into skiing, then you have to visit in winter, obviously, then I would recommend visiting in January or March, because in December and February, there are public holidays in Switzerland, so it's better to visit in January or March.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

That's very good advice. Good tip to know. Okay, so if someone is coming to Switzerland and they've only got one full day that they can spend in the Jungfrau region, how would you suggest they spend that day? 

Kelly Joss  

Yes, that's a good question. So you can pack a lot in one day if you want. So one suggestion would be, if you start in Lauterbrunnen and you get up early in the morning to go up to the Schilthorn you can have a great brunch at the shield tone in their revolving restaurant, and discover the exhibitions of the shield torn and then return down to mudden before lunch, and maybe having lunch in Murren and having a stroll through the village. And then you still have enough time to take the train and the cable car down to Lauterbrunnen and up on the other side to Wengen. So you even see another destination in the same day. And then in Wengen, you can take the cable car up to Mannlichen to enjoy an easy and panoramic hike from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg. And if you want, you can take the train down from Lauterbrunnen, from Kleine Scheidegg. Or if you still have energy, you can even go down to Grindelwald to see another village in the same day and then discover Grindelwald and have dinner in Grindelwald. So because everything is so well connected, you can really fit a lot into one day, if you want.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

I think that sounds like the perfect day. I really love Mannlichen and I love that you mentioned that. So because, yeah, a lot of people, I guess, would look at a map, and they think that if they're in Lauterbrunnen and they want to get to Grindelwald, they've got to go on the train back in the valley and then go back up on the train that way. But they can actually go across the mountain, or over the mountain using the cable car. So that's a great option. 

Kelly Joss  

That's really nice. I can go from Murren down to Lauterbrunnen up to Wengen, and then over the mountains again to Grindelwald. You have to get a bit into it to see which village is connected with which one, and how does it work. But I think if you're with it, it's really easy to get into it and to to find out how the cable cars work, and also, because everything is very well signed, and also, like the hiking paths are very well signed, so you don't have to be a professional hiker to get into it, as it's really easy to understand, I think.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Yes, and I'm sure there's a hiking map or a map of the region on your website as well. People can have a look, and I know that they're available in the region. You can pick one up at the tourist offices.

Kelly Joss  

Yes, exactly

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Right. So do you have any insider tips, or are there any perhaps lesser known attractions that we should know about.

Kelly Joss  

Yes, so for Grindelwald, there's the Pfingstegg that's a bit less known. That's a small cable car going up to Pfingstegg. It's only open in summer, but it's really a nice excursion for a half a day or so, and it's really nice for families, as it has a playground and a toboggan course, a summer toboggan course, and a fly line. So it's a really nice mountain excursion for families or for everyone else, of course, too, and it's very close from Grindelwald, so you can take cable car up and you are there in five minutes. Or, as I said before, Meiringen in general, is really a hidden gem, still, I think so the whole area. It's Meiringen itself as a village, but also the Hasliberg, which is the mountain next to Meiringen, and Meiringen itself has the other gorge, so it's a nice gorge you can visit in summer to walk through or the Reichenbach waterfall with its funicular, which you can take to go up and do a little hike. So there are, yes, various spots in the Jungfrau Region which are less known or not as famous as, let's say, the Jungfraujoch.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Yeah, and you mentioned earlier about the bus ride over the Grosse Scheidegg. Could you tell us a little bit more about that? Because that's something that a lot of people wouldn't be aware of. 

Kelly Joss  

Yes. So it's a public bus, so you can't drive with your own car over the Grosse Scheidegg, because it's closed for cars, but you can use the public bus. So it drives not so many times, but I think around every two hours in summer, and it takes you two hours to get from Grindelwald over the Grosse Scheidegg to Meiringen. And it's a very panoramic route. So from Grindelwald, you go up to the Grosse Scheidegg and then down to Schwarzwald Alp to the Rosenlaui Valley, and then down to Meiringen. So you visit a lot of nice places, and if you want, you can also get off the bus and enjoy the view a bit, and then take the next bus in a few hours. You just have to be aware of the timetable, because it doesn't drive so often, but it's really a nice panoramic view, and it's also covered in the Swiss travel pass, I think yes. So it's a nice way. If you want to experience a bit more of the panorama, you can take the bus instead of the train. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Yeah, sounds wonderful. So is there anything else that visitors who are planning to come to the Jungfrau Region that they should know before they get there. 

Kelly Joss  

Yeah. So a nice tip for winter is that the ski pass is valid for the whole Jungfrau ski region. So the ski pass includes the Schilthorn area, the Männlichen Wengen Grindelwald area, and also Grindelwald First, and it even covers the trip up to the Schilthorn. So if you have a ski pass, you can basically visit the shield tone for free, and you can ski one day at the shield tone and one day in Grindelwald first. So it's really nice to have the ski pass for the whole region if you are visiting in winter and if you're not into skiing. There's also a pass for winter hiking, where you can use the cable cars to go hiking or selecting in the region. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Okay. And is that available from around what November to March?

Kelly Joss  

Yeah. So the skiing season normally starts in the beginning of December, and then it lasts until Easter. So it's mostly beginning of April, middle of April. It depends a bit on the snow, but it's usually from beginning of December to middle of April. Yes.

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Fantastic. Thank you very much, Kelly. Now if anyone watching would like to get more information about the Jungfrau Region, where will they find your website and your social media accounts? 

Kelly Joss  

Yes, you can visit our website, that would be Jungfrau Region, dot Swiss. So not CH, but Swiss. And you can also find us on every social media account, like Instagram, which is Jungfrau Region, you will find our account. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

Thank you very much for sharing all that with us. Yeah, it's been wonderful chatting to you about the beautiful Jungfrau Region. 

Carolyn Schönafinger  

If you'd like more info about the rail pass, as Kelly mentioned, you'll find links to the articles I have about them on holidaystoswitzerland.com in the show notes, I've also included links to the Jungfrau Region website and social media channels. So do go and check them out. The show notes are at holidays to switzerland.com/episode122, I really hope you have enjoyed this episode and it has given you an even greater desire to visit the beautiful Jungfrau Region. I'd be super grateful if you could leave a five star rating or a review wherever you listen to podcasts, more ratings and reviews mean that we can reach even more listeners who are also planning a visit to Switzerland. Thanks so much. Next week, we'll be visiting central Switzerland to learn all about the wonderful range of cruises that are available on Lake Lucerne. I hope you'll join me then, but until then, Tschüss.