I would probably stay in Interlaken but would consider going up the Schilthorn instead where you get a great view of all three mountains.

I have stayed in Wengen three times. It is a small car-free village right in the tops of mountains. It is on the route to Jungfrau. Your hotel staff will advise you if the weather is clear to go up. If it is not clear, don't waste your money. It is expensive. I think it was 102 CH per person with only a 25% off with a Swiss Pass. The Schilthorn was beautiful also, and I went there when it was not clear.

Coming from Milan, is it inconvenient If we were to travel to wegen. Esp with a luggage in tow. Also, on the last day of our stay in Swiss, we will have to depart to Zurich airport.

Hi Jopudding,

Are you departing for Zürich late in the day on 31 Dec or on 1 Jan? If you have three nights, it is feasable to spend your time in Wengen, a really lovely spot. If you only have two nights, you may find Thun to be a more convenient base. Staying in Thun would require fewer train changes from Milan, and it's only about 1h20 from Zürich (a few trains are direct, requiring no changes).

Have fun!

s

Sorry, forgot to ask --

Do you already know about the Swiss rail site? You can use it to find the entire schedule of the train system (including from Milan) and the number of times you'll have to change trains. It's at

www.rail.ch

s

Why is it inconvenient? You'll be arriving in Interlaken at some point and all you'll need to do is switch trains. If luggage is a major deal, maybe consider leaving your luggage in a locker at the Interlaken train station.

Wengen or Grindelwald are the closest towns to the Jungfrau. Between the two, Wengen would be my choice. Or even Lauterbrunnen, which is a short train ride from Wengen. Lauterbrunnen is a tranportation hub of sorts and a good place to access many places within the BO.

Getting from Interlaken to Wengen is easy, even with luggage...just make sure you sit on the right end of the train, as the train splits at Zweilütschinen - - part goes to Grindelwald, part to Lauterbrunnen. The carriages are well marked, so it's hard to mess up.

Hi again,

I just checked the rail site, and there are a few trains daily from Milan to Thun that are direct and require 0 changes.

Trains from Milan to Wengen require 3 to 4 changes.

s

Great sites for info on Swiss trains, passes, Half-Fare Cards (which cost about $130 to start and then you get half off so it may not pay for your plans) - www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com - if checking pass prices check prices both in US dollars and same pass bought in Switzerland in Swiss francs as there can be differences depending on exchange rates. You probably are best just buying tickets as you go - you can get an Early Bird Special on the Jungfraujoch train if you want to leave Interlaken or above town at an oscenely early time but can return on any train I believe.

You said on the 30th you are going to the Jungfrau and the next day will be an easy day. That's an OK plan if the weather is good on the 30th but be sure to check the forecast first. If you find the weather will be more favorable on the 31st then do the Jungfrau that day. The Jungfrau is very expansive and not worth doing if there is no visibility.

I enjoyed the Shilthorn but I thought it paled in comparison with the Jungfrau. JMO, some will disagree

I don't know anything about staying in Interlaken, but went to Jungfraujoch about 3 weeks ago. We were planning to stay in Murren but a lot of places were closed as it's 'maintenance' time for a lot of places I think, so we ended up staying in Lauterbrunnen. It was lovely. We found relatively cheap hostel accommodation and did the Jungfrau trip the next day. The lady at the hostel said the weather was expected to be good and because it wasn't too busy we didn't need to buy out tickets in advance. We (family of 2 adults and 2 children under 13) bought the early pass up(before 7am and taking the midday return train down) which was 138 chf(?) each and (as the hostel owner had suggested, as did a few fodorites!) junior passes for the children which meant that they were 30chf each instead of 66 chf.
It was a fantastic day (albeit with a bit of light headedness from the change in altitude) but fantastic views. We can't complare to Schilthorn as we didn't get there this time.
We also took the hiking path from Klein Schidigg downhill to Wengenalp station and picked up the train for the rest of the return trip. The next day we had an easy day with a walk from Lauterbrunnen right along the valley to Trummelbach falls. (We didn't go in to the falls as we didn't want to pay to go in and we had enjoyed the beautiful scenery all along the valley anyway!
don't know if thats any help but have a great trip...

You can pay to ascend the Jungfrau any day you want - but on many days it will be a wasted effort. Unless the weather is clear at the top of the mountains ( and it can be covered by clouds several days in a row) you will see very little either on the way up or from the top. You have to allow several days - it took us 3 - in Interlaken to make this worthwhile. In the meantime we explored a lot of other towns/lakes nearby - but that was in May - not winter.

Also be aware that it is much colder at the top of the mountain - and anyone who has any sort of lung problem - or who has ever smoked - is likely to be very uncomfortable up there - since there is much less oxygen in the air. I was a little lightheaded, but we had a snack in the restaurant and then felt better and toured the area. But some people who came up with us on the train went right back down again, since they could't catch their breath - or were very dizzy.

My grandmother and I did the Jungfraujoch trip in May this year and we had to wait two days before the weather was any good. The day we arrived it was very overcast, the next day it was overcast and raining, then the day after that was an absolute stunner! On the rainy day we went on a boat cruise on Lake Thun, explored Thun's old town and castle etc. On our Jungfrau day we did that until lunchtime then caught the train to Brienz and explored the open-air museum "Ballenburg" for the remainder of the afternoon. The scenery was gorgeous! Make sure you do a full circle trip for the Jungfrau, so that you can admire the beautiful scenery of both valleys. We were staying in Grindelwald.

Irishwhistler reminds us that anyone planning to do the Jungfraujoch train should hop on it whenever the weather is fine as it may not be on more than a few days. Do not put it off if the sun is out! May be your last chance.

Do u guys think that we have time on our way to Jungfrau or back on our way down to stopby wengen? Read alot abt it being a very beautiful quaint carfree village! Or should we go the next day as a seperate day trip from Interlaken? How much time do we need in Wengen?

Wengen is a small village known more for its stupendous location and not for anyone in particular to see. An hour will be more than enough for most folks IMO.

If you get an early start, you should have plenty of time to visit Wengen on the return. Just keep in mind that it gets dark pretty early in December.

There are some wonderful walks in/around Wengen. I could spend days there and not run out of things to do, regardless of time of year. If you just want to poke around a bit and see the place though, you won't need a huge amount of time. If you want to take the Mannlichen cable car (assuming it's open) you'd be better allocating a full day to Wengen/surrounds.

In any case I would not make a special day trip to Wengen itself - perhaps there to do some of the walks or Mannlichen lift Melnq8 talks about but the village has little of special interest to warrant a whole day trip there but yes could be a swell day doing excursions from it by foot or lift or train or combo of all.

If we buy a round trip ticket to jungfrau, are we able to getoff at Wengen on our way back for a short walk before heading back to Interlaken. Will there be additional train fares?

Usually tickets in Switzerland IME allow for you to break your journey at any place but I would ask about this when buying your ticket. Anyway I think the components added up if you say have to buy a Jungfraujoch to Wengen ticket and then Wengen to Interlaken would be the same as buying a round trip ticket but not sure. Please let me know when you find out for sure.

I also believe that with a return ticket to Junfraujoch you can either go via Wengen or Grindelwald for the same price and some go up one way and down the other. I would suggest doing this as the Grindelwald amphitheater is very different from the view of the Lauterbrunnen Valley you see going up thru Wengen. And Grindelwald offers even many more hiking/walking possibilities right from town - short easy ones than Wengen I would suggest. And Grindelwald is a lovely town to traipse around in - much bigger than Wengen and to me at least more interesting and again rave rave views from anywhere in town.

So, the idea is to go up by way of Wengen and come down via Grindelwald?
How far is Grindelwald from Lauterbrunnen or Wengen( one's presumed starting point)?

Well I thought you were coming from Interlaken - if staying in Wengen or Lauterbrunnen then from Grindelwald you'd have to take the train down to Zweilutchenen (sp?) where you would change to catch a train to Lauterbrunnen and Wengen (via Lauterbrunnen) - taking probably 30 mins or so from Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen and of course costing more, unless you had a Swiss Pass in which case trains from Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen and Wengen are covered in full.

If staying in Wengen or Lauterbrunnen then I would make the Grindelwald valley a sweet day trip from there (from Wengen hop the cableway to Mannlichen and then, after taking in the sweeping views called amongst the finest in the Berner Oberland, take another aerial cableway down to Grindelwald - or do the easy few-mile famous ridge walk to Kleine Scheidegg and hop the train down to Grindelwald from there - the toylike train that ever so slowly descends to Grindelwald.

<If we buy a round trip ticket to jungfrau, are we able to get off at Wengen on our way back for a short walk before heading back to Interlaken.>

Yes.

<Will there be additional train fares?>

No. Just book a round trip from Interlaken when you leave in the morning. If you'd prefer to go up one side and return via the other, just make this clear when you buy your ticket.

It's very simple.

So if you go up one way and return the other the round trip ticket will be more expensive? You have to declare when buying your ticket which route? I had thought you could with an Interlaken-Ost to Jungfraujoch ticket go via either routing without formality.

This is not the case and I defer to Melnq8's better knowledge over mine to clarify that.

It would make sense that the route via Grindelwald costs more however since if I recall correctly it is longer and thus more expensive - the most direct route to get up quickest is via Lauterbrunnen and Wengen to Kl Scheidegg and then to the Jungfraujoch.

and the change of trains in Lauterbrunnen is simply from one platform to another and is necessitated by a change in track width from one train line to the even more narrow-gauge train line that climbs up to Kl Scheidegg - in Grindelwald it is not a seemless change as you have to walk between different stations - not real far but not just getting off one train and clamboring onto another.

Not sure what you mean about having to change stations in Grindelwald PalenQ? We went up the Jungfraujoch from Grindelwald and didn't have to change stations at all. It is true that there is another station down in Grindelwald village and more people definitely joined the train from there but we just boarded at the main station. I would recommend going the full circle, one way or another because the scenery is gorgeous!

Irishwhistler90 - I had a brain fart - I have seen that station from the main Grindelwald station in my mind and forgot that trains from the main station stop there too - the secondary station could be the main station of the Grindelwald to Kl Scheidegg train?

anyway a seemless transfer in Grindelwald and thanks for setting me straight.

A tip on taking trains from Interlaken-Ost to Lauterbrunnen, Wengen or Murren or to Grindelwald

From Interlaken-Ost there is one long train that departs and at Zweilutchenen (sp?) this train splits - so be sure you are in the correct half of the train if going to Lauterbrunnen (look for Lauterbrunnen signs on the train cars or the Grindelwald marked portion - everytime I take this train I see folks who have to scramble out of the train and switch to the half that will take them were they want to go.

One half trundles up to Grindelwald and the other to Lauterbrunnen.

Going between Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen by train you switch at Zweilutchenen.

Regarding the two stations in Grindelwald - the BOB (Berner Oberland Bahn) train coming up from Interlaken arrives at the main station - which I think rail buffs would probably refer to as a terminal because it's the end of the line. If continuing on to Kleine Scheidegg you need to switch trains - there are only two tracks and no elevated platform(s), so it's simple - and the train to Kleine Scheidegg then starts off down the steep hill to the other station, Grindelwald Grund (which has no connections), then reverses direction for the climb up to KS. If you're continuing from there to Wengen and Lauterbrunnen you need to switch again.

A minor clarification - you can get from Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen either by going up over the ridge via Kleine Scheidegg or down the valley through Zweilutschinen, then back up the other side of the "Y". I was referring to the former route in my post, PalenQ was describing the latter, which is quicker but less scenic.

I agree with staying in Lauterbrunnen or Wengen.

At the train station up to the Jungfrau, be sure to look at the monitor. If it is socked in (as it was when we were there) you will waste your money because you won't see anything and it is very expensive, even with a Swiss Pass.

We really enjoyed the Schilthorn. From there, you get a bird's eye view of the whole mountain range and it's much cheaper. The James Bond breakfast buffet was enjoyable in their rotating restaurant.

A minor clarification - you can get from Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen either by going up over the ridge via Kleine Scheidegg or down the valley through Zweilutschinen, then back up the other side of the "Y". I was referring to the former route in my post, PalenQ was describing the latter, which is quicker but less scenic.>

and there is a third way - taking the cable way from Grindelwald to Mannlichen - take in the rave rave views that many consider the finest in the whole region - over both the Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen valleys and also over Interlaken bookended between its two lakes far below -

and then from Mannlichen take another cable way down to Wengen - not going at all by train on this route.

This picture is making me think about going back to Switzerland, even though the CHF is so much more expensive than when I visited:

http://500px.com/photo/3768457

Are there parts of the year where the Jungfrau is more likely to be clear than other?

When are the high seasons in Switzerland, the middle of summer and winter?


I've been getting emails from the hotels I stayed in. Heard that tourism is hurting over there because the CHF has appreciated against all other currencies.

In my experience, high season in the Berner Oberland is generally mid-June-Sept (summer) and mid-Dec through Easter (winter/ski season).

've been getting emails from the hotels I stayed in. Heard that tourism is hurting over there because the CHF has appreciated against all other currencies.>

Well Switzerland has always been the most expensive country in Europe save Norway and Sweden perhaps and yes when the Swiss franc was viewed as a better hard currency than the under attack Euro the Swiss franc appreciated dramatically - going up to about $1.35 per franc - but Swiss readjusted the exchange rate - devalued it to now it is about $1.12 to the dollar - about what it has been the past few years and yes Switzerland is very very expensive but that is nothing new.

Are there parts of the year where the Jungfrau is more likely to be clear than other?>

interesting question - I have been there at many different times of year and it is fickle - even on a clear day down below the summit could be clouded in - there are weather forecasts everywhere - on hotel TVs - at hotel desks, tourist offices, etc with web cams at the Jungfraujoch - if it is clear hop on it!

CHF is not as high against the dollar as it was back in August but it is way more expensive than it was back in February 2007 when I last visited.

Supposedly the resorts aren't lowering prices but throwing in extras like spa use and such.