Visiting Jungfraujoch on a Cloudy and Foggy Day
Is it Worth Visiting Jungfraujoch on a Cloudy and Foggy Day?
Jungfraujoch, also known as the Top of Europe, was one of the destinations I was most excited to visit during my trip to Switzerland. Knowing that the transportation options can sometimes sell out, I pre-booked my cable car and train ride from Interlaken Ost to Jungfraujoch. Unfortunately, on the morning of my trip, the weather was not cooperating, and the forecast called for incoming clouds and rain. I had to make a decision. Is it worth visiting Jungfraujoch on a cloudy and foggy day?
I really didn’t have a choice. I already had paid over $150 for my tickets, and I wasn’t sure if I could plead my case and get them transferred to another day. Also, I had my entire trip planned and would have to skip something else if I was going to postpone my visit to Jungfraujoch.
After considering my options, I decided to go ahead and visit Jungfraujoch, knowing that it was likely going to be cloudy and foggy, with little visibility. During my travels to almost 40 countries, I had seldom experienced bad weather, and I figured this was just the percentages catching up with me.
Visiting Jungfraujoch on a Cloudy and Foggy Day - Table of Contents
- Is it Worth Visiting Jungfraujoch on a Cloudy and Foggy Day
- The Easiest Way to Get to Jungfraujoch with the Swiss Rail Pass
- How to Take the Eiger Express from the Grindelwald Terminal to Eigergletscher Station
- How to take the Train from Eigergletscher Station to Jungfraujoch Station
- Jungfraujoch’s Sphinx Viewpoint on a Cloudy and Foggy Day
- The Jungfraujoch Plateau on a Cloudy and Foggy Day
- The Attractions at Jungfraujoch that are not Affected by Clouds and Fog
- The Restaurants at Jungfraujoch
- Jungfraujoch Tours and Packages
- Support Buzzin’ Around the World – Visit Our Affiliates
- Earning Points and Rewards
- Related Content
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The Easiest Way to Get to Jungfraujoch with the Swiss Rail Pass
The Swiss Rail Pass only covers part of the trip to Jungfraujoch. If you hold the Swiss Rail Pass, the easiest way to get to Jungfraujoch is to first take the train to Grindelwald Terminal. From Grindelwald Terminal, take the Eiger Express Cable Car to Eigergltscher Station. Once arriving at Eigergletscher Station, it is about forty-five minutes by train to Jungfraujoch.
Without the Swiss Rail Pass, the cost of a ticket on this route is CHF 214 ($225). With the Swiss Rail Pass, the price drops to CHF 159 ($166.)
You can purchase your discounted ticket using the link to the right. Only use this link if you have the Swiss Rail Pass, as they will check your pass before you board the Eiger Express Cable Car. Please note that I am an affiliate of Viator. If you purchase a ticket using my link, I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no additional cost to you.
 | Jungfraujoch Train Trip for Swiss Travel Pass Holders - $167.93 The Jungfraujoch, at 3454 meters, is Europe’s highest altitude railway station and the most highlight of every Switzerland trip. This 2-hour scenic train journey leads you to the summit where you are welcomed with a spectacular wonder world of ice, snow and rock. One can marvel at the awe inspiring views from the viewing platforms, of the Aletsch Glacier or in the Ice Palace and on clear days, views extend as far as the Vosges Mountains in France and Germany’s Black Forest. This small group tour has a maximum of 9 travelers. |
How to Take the Eiger Express from the Grindelwald Terminal to Eigergletscher Station
To get to Grindelwald Terminal, I used my Swiss Rail Pass and took the train from Interlaken Ost Station. Once I arrived at the Grindelwald Terminal, I followed the signs towards the Eiger Express Cable car, which included taking a moving walkway.
I arrived at the entry point for the Eiger Express about 60 minutes before the time that was printed on my ticket. I was told that I was welcome to get on the cable car early if I wanted to.
The Eiger Express cable cars come into the loading area fast and furious. I let the passengers in front of me have their own car. When the next car arrived, I was the only one to enter it, and I had my own car for the fifteen-minute ride to Eigergletscher Station.
Each cable car on the Eiger Express can hold close to thirty passengers. I was extremely happy to have the entire car to myself.
The Eiger Express Cable Car was the highlight of my trip to Jungfraujoch. As you can see in the photos below, the storms had not yet rolled in, and as we ascended into the Alps, I was able to see the beautiful scenery.
When I arrived at Eigergletscher Station, I was so excited that I quickly went to the queue to get on the train to Jungfraujoch. Looking back, I wish I had spent some time walking around and photographing the spectacular views from Eigergletscher Station. At the time, I had planned on photographing this area when I returned, but as you’ll soon see, by the time I returned, there was little to no visibility.
Below is a video of my return ride on the Eiger Express. While I didn’t have the best view due to the clouds and fog, it was a surreal feeling suddenly coming out of the clouds.
How to take the Train from Eigergletscher Station to Jungfraujoch Station
Once at Eigergletscher Station, I transferred from the Eiger Express Cable Car to the train to Jungfraujoch. I was one train early, and despite having a reserved ticket, ended up using the non-reserved gates. Tourists with a reserved seat use the green gates, and tourists without a seat reservation use the yellow gates. Due to the weather, there were plenty of seats available in both sections.
Had I known the weather was going to not cooperate, I would have spent at least 30 minutes walking around the Eigergletsher area. I had planned to return and take photographs after my trip to Jungfraujoch. But unfortunately, by the time I got back to Eigergletscher, the entire area was engulfed in clouds.
The train to Jungfraujoch comes every thirty minutes or so. I was surprised by the lack of people waiting, but I guess that was partially because of the weather. The train arrived on time, and I was one of the only people in the car I chose.
There are no first-class cars on the train to Jungfraujoch. All of the cars follow the same layout, with two seats on each side of the car. The train does not have air conditioning, but the windows do open. Even though the temperature was in the 40s, I opened a window to get some airflow through the train car.
The train from Eigergletscher Station to Jungfraujoch makes a stop at Eismeer Station. This stop allows visitors to view the Eismeer Glacier through three viewing windows.
I was unsure if the train was going to wait for me or if I would have to catch the next train, so I was cautious about leaving. Everyone got off the train, and the conductor announced in both German and English that the train would be departing in five minutes. This amount of time was just enough to walk the 100 yards to the viewing windows.
I apologize for the glare in the photos below. It had been raining, and the windows had a slightly dirty film on them. Five minutes later, I was back on the train and would arrive at Jungfraujoch, Europe’s highest rail station about twenty minutes later.
Jungfraujoch's Sphinx Viewpoint on a Cloudy and Foggy Day
After arriving at Jungfraujoch Station, I was super excited to walk to the Sphinx Viewpoint, which provides views of the Top of Europe. As I walked through the tunnels, I had no idea how much the weather had changed while I was on the train.
Upon arriving at the Sphinx Viewpoint, I couldn’t see anything. Due to the clouds and the fog, there was no view at all, and I missed out on the most famous view at Jungfraujoch. I am not going to lie. I was disappointed, as the fog and clouds made it impossible to see the mountains.
All around, I should have seen beautiful mountains and snow. But due to the fog and clouds, I could see nothing at the Sphinx Observation Point. To make matters worse, falling ice had closed the front of the observation deck, and I couldn’t even see the Sphinx Observatory, which is one of the world’s highest observatories based on elevation.
Below is what the view should have looked like. Unfortunately, the clouds and fog did not cooperate, and I was unable to see anything from the Sphinx Observatory at Jungfraujoch.
I waited for about an hour for the clouds to clear. I remembered back to when I visited Machu Picchu, and the entire ruins were surrounded by clouds. It took about thirty minutes before the clouds opened up, and the ruins were visible. After about an hour, I realized that the clouds were only becoming thicker. The only photo I was able to take of the mountains was the one below.
As I waited for the view of Jungfraujoch to open up, I did take some photographs of these fuzzy birds. They were sitting on the support cables and seemed oblivious to the people nearby. After an hour of waiting for the clouds to clear, I gave up and figured I would try to make the best of it and enjoy the other parts of Jungfraujoch.
Here is a short video clip showing the lack of visibility.
The Jungfraujoch Plateau on a Cloudy and Foggy Day
Another highlight of Jungfraujoch was supposed to be walking on the Jungfraujoch Plateau. The plateau is a snowy area that should be surrounded by beautiful views of the Alps. Due to the clouds and fog, I was unable to see any of the views from the Jungfraujoch Plateau. While it was fun walking in the snow, I wished I had been able to see the famous panoramic views.
This time I didn’t even try to wait for the clouds to clear. It was obvious that there would be no view of the Alps from Jungfraujoch due to the clouds and fog.
The photo below shows how bad the visibility was. Despite only being about 100 yards from the door to the Jungfraujoch plateau, it was barely visible. This lack of visibility was due to the extremely thick clouds and fog.
The Attractions at Jungfraujoch that are not Affected by Clouds and Fog
Had I known that the clouds and fog would have been blocking all of the views at Jungfraujoch, I probably would have tried to exchange my ticket for a different day. Despite the clouds making it impossible to see anything, some attractions were not affected by the cloudy conditions. While these attractions were fun to see, I am not sure if they were worth the cost and effort to travel to Jungfraujoch.
The Ice Palace
The Ice Palace at Jungfraujoch is one of the attractions that is not affected by clouds or fog. Carved through the Aletsch Glacier, the Ice Palace is a variety of tunnels that take visitors past beautiful ice sculptures.
I thought the Ice Palace was the highlight of my visit to Jungfraujoch due to the lack of visibility. But as mentioned before, I would probably not visit Jungfraujoch if I knew the clouds were going to obstruct the view.
One of the best ice carvings inside Jungfraujoch’s Ice Palace was the piano ice carving.
There were plenty of photo opportunities including the one below. I was surprised that the ice was not overly slippery. There was only one time during my visit to the Ice Palace at Jungfraujoch where I lost my footing and thankfully no one saw me fall.
In all, the Jungfraujoch Ice Palace was pretty cool. I can now cross walking through a tunneled glacier off of my bucket list.
The Snow Globe
Another Jungfraujoch attraction that wasn’t affected by the lack of visibility was the snow globe. To get to the snow globe, I walked through a tunnel that was decorated in with brightly lit up flowers.
The snow globe was an alpine scene that was neatly constructed. I spent less than 30 seconds looking at the Jungfraujoch Snow Globe but thought it was worth stopping to look at.
The Karst Cave
The final attraction at Jungfraujoch that wasn’t affected by the clouds and fog was the Karst Cave. The Karst Cave is the highest in Europe based on elevation.
The Karst Cave was easy to see as I walked by it on the way to the Ice Palace.
The Karst Cave was interesting as it was much larger than it looked. The cave is visible from both sides of the path and I spent a few minutes trying to crane my neck and see how far it went.
The Restarurants at Jungfraujoch
There are two restaurants at Jungfraujoch; a sit-down restaurant and a cafe-style restaurant. I chose to eat at the cafe-style restaurant as it was much cheaper. I ordered the chicken schnitzel, which came with fries and mixed vegetables. For dessert, I chose a piece of black forest cake.
The meal was excellent, and the restaurant would have provided great views if it had not been cloudy.
Jungfraujoch Tours and Packages
I did not find that a tour was necessary, as transportation to Jungfraujoch was discounted with my Swiss Rail Pass. Some people, however, prefer to be led around by a local guide. Below are various packages that include a visit to Jungfraujoch. Please note that as an affiliate of Viator, I will receive a small commission if you book a package using one of my links. This commission is at no additional cost to you.
 Swiss Alps Day Trip from Zurich: Jungfraujoch and Bernese Oberland - $296.64 Sure to be a highlight of your Switzerland vacation, this day trip from Zurich takes you into the Swiss Alps. Discover Jungfraujoch, one of the highest points in Europe, travel by coach with a multilingual guide through the Bernese Oberland region, and enjoy a stop in the famous town of Interlaken along the way. Board the gondola in Grindelwald and change to the cogwheel train at the Eiger Glacier for a ride to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Jungfraujoch mountain pass, where an Alpine wonderland of spectacular mountains and glaciers awaits. |
 Jungfraujoch Top of Europe by Helicopter and hotel pick up one way - $382.68 Jungfraujoch Top of Europe direct one way flight with helicopter incl. hotel pick up, in the ?? of Switzerland. The view and adventure platform at 3454 meters above sea level, a majestic backdrop of ice, snow and rock with breathtaking far-sightedness. The return travel from Jungfraujoch is not included. |
 06 Days Swiss Extravaganza With Jungfraujoch, James Bond Peak & Mount Titlis - $1,459.80 Discover the beauty of Switzerland on our 07 Days Tour Package with accommodation on a good three star city center hotel's with daily breakfast.. Spend tthree nights in the scenic and charming town of Interlaken- located between scenic Lake Brienz and Lake Thun with an excursion to the summit of Jungfraujoch - Top of Europe and atop the Schilthorn which allows you to experience some of the iconic settings for several scenes from the James Bond Movies culminating in Blofeld's Lair at Piz Gloria followed by two nights in the scenic town of Lucerne - located by Lake Lucerne with an excursion to Mount Titlis - Revolving Gondola. Our round the clock live assistance and guidance will make your holidays memorable. |
 Day Trip to Jungfraujoch with Eiger Express Gondola Ride from Zurich with Local - $388.88 Following are the highlights of the tour: |
 Jungfraujoch (Private Tour) - $837.49 This tour leads you to the heart of the Swiss Alps - the absolute highlight and must see during your holidays in Switzerland. We will travel by private vehicle and cogwheel train, and reach the highest railway station in Europe - also known as the Top of Europe (3454 m above sea level). The Jungraujoch area is listed by Unesco as “World Heritage Site of the Swiss Alps”. On the way, we will stop in Interlaken, a beautiful small town located between two lakes and surrounded by magnificent mountains. Enjoy the tour with your private driver-guide, adjust the schedule as per your wishes, and ask all the questions you might have about this area and Switzerland in general. |
 Swiss Extravaganza With Jungfraujoch, Grindelwald First & Mount Titlis - $1,459.80 Discover the beauty of Switzerland on our 07 Days Tour Package with accommodation on a good three star city center hotel's with daily breakfast.. Spend tthree nights in the scenic and charming town of Interlaken- located between scenic Lake Brienz and Lake Thun with an excursion to the summit of Jungfraujoch - Top of Europe and You gently float up to First in the security of the gondola to The Grindelwald First top of adventure. You simply cannot plan adventure. You find one. On Grindelwald First that is a certainty. followed by two nights in the scenic town of Lucerne - located by Lake Lucerne with an excursion to Mount Titlis - Revolving Gondola. Our round the clock live assistance and guidance will make your holidays memorable. |
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