Eurail Pass and Jungfrau

turbohack

3 posts
new member

Jul 8, 2011 - 3:59 PM

Hello -
We are planning a trip with our children (ages 19 and 23) to Europe. We are staying in Interlaken (unless there is a better location?) and plan to take the cog rail to the Jungfrau "Top of Europe" train.
Should we use our Eurailpass to travel to Kleine Scheidegg then take the cog rail up? Is the fare the same from Kleine Scheidegg as from Interlaken?
I noticed a website that offered a reserved seat on the cog railway. Is this required?
Should we purchase tickets in Interlaken the day before or might they be sold out by then.
Any Swiss passes/cards more economical for a family of 4?
Thanks so much - can't wait to get there (again) !
Oh - is there a video/DVD/Blu-Ray or something we can purchase to show our kids the area before our trip (mid-August)?
Tony

Annika

7349 posts
expert &
moderator

Jul 9, 2011 - 7:19 AM

Hi Tony, and welcome! As for your trip to the Jungfraujoch: you can buy your tickets at the railway station of Interlaken. You can do so the day before or the day itself, right before boarding the train. Tickets won't be sold out: extra trains run if there are lots of visitors, so that won't be a problem. You don't have to order your tickets online in advance either.

I don't know which of the Eurail passes you consider, but most offer a 25% discount on the return trip Interlaken-Kleine Scheidegg-Jungfraujoch. Regular fares can be found at the Jungfrau Railways website.

Based on your post, it's hard to say whether you need a Swiss rail pass as a supplement to your Eurail pass. This depends on which Eurail pass you have and what your further travel plans in Switzerland are. If you only want to make the trip to the Jungfraujoch, your Eurail pass should suffice. If you plan on lots of other trips involving mountain transportation, a Swiss rail pass such as the Swiss Half Fare Card or one of the regional passes might be economical.

You'll find lots of (amateur) videos on the Bernese Oberland at YouTube; just enter 'Bernese Oberland' or 'Jungfraujoch'. I included an example below. Amazon lists several Switzerland DVD's as well; this one (at the English Amazon website) might be interesting to you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkjV1mwQx6k

MySwissAlps.com recommends to read this:
Multi-country rail passes

Last modified on Feb 22, 2014 - 8:25 PM by Annika

turbohack

3 posts
new member

Jul 9, 2011 - 10:40 AM

Thanks Annika - you Swiss are really on top of things!
The Eurail Pass is the 15 day saver - seems the best option for 12 days in 5 countries - mostly Switzerland. We will wait until a day or two before we arrive in Interlaken to book the Jungfraujoch.

I'm still wondering if we can save on the cost of the trip up inside the mountain if we use the Eurailpass to get from Interlaken to Kleinsheidegg THEN use the Jungfraujoch ticket from Kleinesheidegg up the cog railway. Is this an option or must one travel from Interlaken (Ost) to the Jungfraujoch and return (through Grindelwald zum beispiel)?

Tony

Annika

7349 posts
expert &
moderator

Jul 10, 2011 - 7:04 AM

Hello Tony! I'm not sure if I understand your question on the Jungfraujoch trip correctly. Your Eurailpass covers the entire route, so there's no need to buy some separate ticket from Kleine Scheidegg on without your Eurailpass discount.

From Interlaken, you first have to travel to Kleine Scheidegg. This can be done through either Wengen or Grindelwald. At Kleine Scheidegg, you have to change trains to the Jungfraujoch. The Eurailpass provides a 25% discount on the entire route between Interlaken and the Jungfraujoch, regardless of whether you travel via Wengen or Grindelwald. So what you should do is purchase return tickets from Interlaken to the Jungfraujoch, choose whether you want to travel by Wengen or Grindelwald (you can pick one route for the way up to the Jungfraujoch and the other for your way back) and show your Eurailpass. This will result in a ticket with a 25% discount.

Did you take a look at the timetable and a rail map? Such a map may help you understand what the route Interlaken-Wengen or Grindelwald-Kleine Scheidegg-Jungfraujoch looks like. You can get there by clicking the link 'Overview of the Swiss network on on which the Eurail Global Pass is valid' at the Eurail Global Pass page.

Does this answer your question?

Last modified on Nov 1, 2018 - 4:17 PM by Arno

louisawasjerry

1 post
new member

Aug 17, 2011 - 9:41 AM

Hi Tony
Could you mind to share with me regard your trip to Jungfrau? I have purchased the first class eurail pass.
My questions are:
1. The route from Interlaken to Jungfrau
2. How much extra i expect to pay?
3. Which train ticket is not entitle for free with my eurail pass?

looking forward for answer thank you

Annika

7349 posts
expert &
moderator

Aug 18, 2011 - 5:12 AM

Hello louisawasjerry, and welcome to the forum. As for your questions: you can enter the route from Interlaken to the Jungfraujoch in the Swiss timetable for specifics. You can travel via either Lauterbrunnen/Wengen or Grindelwald, and it's nice to take one route on your way up to the Jungfraujoch and the other on you way down back to Interlaken. Most Eurail Passes provide a 25% discount on the Jungfraujoch trip from Interlaken. Fares can be found through either the timetable or the Jungfrau railways website.

I'm not sure if I understand your last question correctly, but the Eurail Pass provides free traveling on most SBB trains. Private railroad companies and some mountains trains/cable cars are discounted. Some mountain trips and most bus lines are not included. Specifics are listed at the Eurail Pass pages. Please select the Eurail Pass you have and click the link for further information. You'll also find a link to a map showing the area of validity there.

Last modified on Nov 1, 2018 - 4:17 PM by Arno

turbohack

3 posts
new member

Aug 18, 2011 - 11:15 PM

I just returned from my European vacation where I spemt 2 1/2 days in Switzerland at an Interlaken Hotel.
Here's what I can tell you:
1. It seems the Eurail passes get you a small discount on the JungfrauJoch train but prepare to spend around $160 Swiss Francs for a round trip from Interlaken thru Grindelwald OR Lauterbrunnen. You can go up one way and return the other way. We wanted to hike a bit but had to do it another day. IF you book your trip after you arrive, ASK about the weather forecast and get up VERY early the day you plan to travel up. The first train gets you a discount and you beat the rush of tourists and should get the best weather in the morning. We heard that that weather would be good the next morning after we arrived and got up at 5:00 am to get ready for the earliest train ( around 6 am I think it was - leaving Interlaken West ). We had the mountain to ourselves before the hoards of tourists joined us. Also, we heard the weather was getting worse the afternoon and the next day, and it did rain MOST of those days.
2. Seems the Eurail Pass does not cover trains going up to smaller towns in the Apls or Cable Cars. We wanted to visit Murren the day after the trip to the Jungfrau and found out it costs extra.
3. Switzerland is very expensive - but worth it! Also, they use the Swiss Franc as their currnecy, NOT the Euro.
4. The help you will get at the train stations is the best of all the countries we visited. Well run and well displayed.
5. One more comment: Take the train to the JungfrauJoch. It was the highlight of our entire trip and well worth the cost. There's not much better view than the one from the "Top of Europe". My kids (ages 19 and 23) LOVED it! Whichever route you take to the top, you will start your ascent in Kleine Scheidegg. Trains from Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen will take you there. Beatiful scenery all the way!

I hope this helps future travelers. I'd be glad to answer any questions - and please - if I'm in error - correct me!

Tony

Annika

7349 posts
expert &
moderator

Aug 19, 2011 - 5:22 AM

Hello Tony, and welcome back! Thanks so much for sharing your experiences. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed your stay and especially the trip up to the Jungfraujoch. It's very special indeed. Too bad that you experienced rainy weather though. Did it impede your travel plans?

You're right about the Eurail Pass. It offers free traveling on the national network, but many private railroads, mountain trains and cable cars are either discounted or not covered at all. One of the national rail passes normally offers better discounts, but the Eurail Pass is an obvious choice for a short stay in Switzerland combined with a visit to other European countries. Each of our Eurail Pass pages links to a map with the exact area of validity.

You're welcome to share your tips and help out other forum visitors! Thanks and best regards,

Eurail Pass and Jungfrau

SWISS TRAVEL MUST KNOWS

NEED SOME TIPS ON WHERE TO SLEEP?