Today we enjoy what is undoubtedly one of the highlights of our
stay in the Bernese Oberland, as we travel on the Jungfrau Railway
to the Jungfraujoch - Europe's highest railway station. We begin on
the Bernese Oberland Railway, trundling through the foothills of
the Alps from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen, through flower-filled
pastures and past pretty villages. Over the course of the route,
the line climbs 1,532 feet above sea level, passing isolated
chalets and small farming cabins.
In Lauterbrunnen we join the Wengeralp Railway, continuing our
ascent through ever-changing scenery to Kleine Scheidegg, where we
join the Jungfrau Railway for the final six miles of our journey.
Climbing further from Kleine Scheidegg, the distinctive string of
red and yellow carriages of the Jungfrau Railway disappear into the
tunnel through the Eiger Mountain. During the journey the train
pauses at two separate observation stops; windows hewn out of solid
Alpine rock between the tunnel and the infamous north face of the
Eiger, with spectacular views down to the valley below. Finally,
the train arrives at Jungfraujoch, the 'Top of Europe', located at
11,332 feet above sea level.
With free time at the summit station, you will have plenty of
time to explore the Ice Palace and its many ice sculptures. You can
spend time on the Sphinx Terrace, enjoying superb views onto the
Aletsch Glacier, which, at 14 miles is the longest ice stream in
the Alps, and provides a sharp contrast to the lush meadows and
Alpine pastures of the lower lying hillsides near the valley floor.
You can also enjoy the walking plateau, which is eternally covered
in snow. After time to explore and to enjoy lunch, we descend via
the charming mountain resort of Grindelwald.
Includes