Jungfraujoch - is an overnight trip from Geneva possible?
 

Thanks for the tip intrepid1!
I will be staying with friends in Geneva (early July) and seeking best way to spend an overnight away from there which will cover Jungfraujoch? I have read it is about 3-4 hours by train (love train travel and will have 1st class pass)- how long would we need for the journey up, or, should we stay somewhere close (where please?, family of 4, not too expensive, like smaller towns/villages if appropriate)and journey up next day and then back to Geneva?

topping

Hi ozgirl,

According to the Swiss rail site (www.rail.ch), the trip takes 5h30 from Geneva to the Jungfraujoch -- I think too long even for an overnight. I'm just not sure that 20 or 30 minutes staring down at mountains will be worth it!

I like Cicerone's idea of spending time in the French alps or going to Chateau d'Oex or Gstaad.

s

If you have one night to spend enroute, then I think you can do it. But, the trip is expensive. Your pass, if a Swiss Pass or a Eurail Pass, yields a discount of 25% off the ticket from Lauterbrunnen to the top.

The fare from Lauterbrunnen, round trip is class, is 154 chf, which converts right now to about $124 US. At 25% off,the price is about $92.00


If you start from Lauterbrunnen, where there are some fairly economical hotels like the Crystal, you can leave at 7:55 and get to the top at 9:37.

Returning, you can leave the top at 13:45 arrive in Geneve at 19:15.

So I would say that the trip is quite within range if you have a night to spend.

Otherwise, you will have to leave early and return late to make the trip to the top worthwhile. You would need to leave Geneve at 5 am to arrive at the top by 10:37.

If you left at 15:00, some 4.5 hours later, you would be back in Geneve by 21:15.

You could leave as late as 18:05 and return to Geneve at

Ooops. Return to Geneve at 23:19.

I would not have too many concerns if a daughter of mine was arriving in Geneve at that hour. It is a very safe city.

I cite the late hour to show that you can do it in one day if you must. It would be a long day, and you would need to leave early, but it can be done in one day.

The route involves several changes:
Bern, Interlaken Ost, Lauterbrunnen, and Kleine Scheidegg.

The question becomes: Is it worth the time, effort, and cost?

I have been there twice, the last time at age 70, and my answer is YES indeed, particularly if the day is clear.

NOW, if you really want to get some bang for your buck, get there early enough on day 1 to hike out to the climbers' shelter known as the Mönchsjochhütte and stay overnight. There is a web site for the hut and I would not turn up there without reservations because it is the base camp for a large number of climbers and hikers in the summer.

Don't let the term "hütte" mislead you.
The stucture is 3 stories high and sleeps 125 people plus the daily staff of workers. Meals are available.

I would like to hear from someone who has made this trip in one day from Geneva.
Anybody out there really done this?

I would be concerned that after all that traveling to get to the Jungfrau that the weather could be cloudy! What a waste that would be!

I, personally, would only do the Jungfraujoch when staying in the Berner Oberland area. Just doesn't make sense to me any other way.