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Jungfrau & Around

Jungfrau railway
The Jungfrau region has green mountain valleys, alpine lakes, rushing waterfalls, sparkling streams, brilliant wildflowers, villages with no cars, and a range of majestic snow-covered peaks. Trains and cog railways whisk you up the mountainsides, aerial cable cars carry you over dramatic panoramas, and there are miles of hiking trails to explore with kids.
  Top of Europe train ride – A "must do" with kids, ride the Jungfrau Railway (Jungfraubahn) up to the Jungfraujoch, a snowy ridge 11,320 ft (3453 meters) high, and the highest train station in Europe. An amazing ride, it starts from Kleine Scheidegg, winds up the mountainside, then goes underground inside the mountains, arriving at the station on the Jungfraujoch.
     

On the Jungfraujoch – Even in summer, when you step out of the train station, there's snow on the ground, and it can be 35 degrees.  Bring jackets and sweaters, and wear closed toed shoes.  Also, wear sunglasses (lots of glare from the snow and ice).

     

"Sphinx" observatory – Ride the elevator up to the indoor observation deck and outdoor walkways for boggling views of the huge Aletsch glacier, slowly making it's way south toward Italy.

Child at the ice palace
   

Ice Palace – Kids will make a beeline for the Ice Palace, underground passages carved into the glacier and a "museum of ice" decorated with fantastic ice sculptures – huskies, eagles, penguins, seals, and more.

     

Snow fun park –  It's a treat in July to rent "snow disks" or toboggans, and take a run down the snowy slopes.

     

Tip: To ride the Jungfrau Railway, from the Interlaken East train station, you can go via Grindelwald, or a different route through Lauterbrunnen and Wengen. Both routes arrive at Kleine Scheidegg, where you switch to the train that goes to the Jungfraujoch station. Here's the schedule.

   

Wengen – What fun for kids visit a town where there's no cars, and getting to the village is an adventure.  From Interlaken, take the train to Lauterbrunnen (where the road ends), then ride the cog railway up to Wengen. 

      If you stay in Wengen, there's an outdoor swimming pool, mini, golf, horse-carriage rides, playground, aerial cable car to Mannlichen, and hiking trails.
   

Grindelwald – Grindelwald is centrally located for hikes in the mountains, with many different trails going off in all directions.(Be sure to bring hiking shoes for everyone in the family.)

     

Ride the aerial cable cars

Gindelwald cable car
    Grindelwald to Mannlichen – Take the aerial cable car from Grindelwald (30 min. ride), then walk back down the green slope of the mountain on well-marked trails. This is a great day hike, bring a picnic. Takes about 4 hours to walk back, depending on how fast the kids hike, but it's all downhill.
   

Grindelwald to First – With little kids, ride the cable car round trip, but make a stop in the middle at Bort. Next to the Bort station is an idyllic playground with swings, climbing structures, sand and water play area.

   

Lake Bachalp (Bachalpsee) – Kids of all ages can do the hike to lovely Lake Bachalp. A wide flat trail runs through the alpine meadows to the lake, with views of the Eiger and snow covered peaks from the lake. Look for wildflowers along the way. Ride the cable car from Grindelwald to First, then it's about an hour walk to the lake.

     

Miniature golf – Late in the afternoon, when the kids are ready for a change of pace, take in a round of mini-golf, located in the center of town. June to October.

     

Horse carriage rides – Go back in time with a one hour horse drawn carriage ride through the countryside.

     

Summer toboggan (Pfingstegg) – Take the aerial cable car from Grindelwald up to Pfingstegg. Everyone in the family, even little kids, will enjoy the speedy summer toboggan run (Luftseilbahn Pfingstegg).

TfK Blog
TfK Blog