highest point to visit in Swiss Alps?

For climbing, Monte Rosa in Valais canton is the highest point in Switzerland. Supposedly, access to the summit is a long, but not technically difficult hike. The highest mountain with rail access to near the summit is the Jungfrau in Bern canton. There's 8 other mountains higher than the Jungfrau in Switzerland (all located in Valais), and I'm not sure whether or not they have cable car access to their summits.

The Jungfraujoch, the saddle between the Jungfrau and the Mönch in the Berner Oberland, is 11,388 ft, and, as Tom says, there is a cog train up to it from Kleine Scheidegg. I don't think you can spend the night there. The Jungfraujoch is sometimes called the "Top of Europe". Jungfraujoch can't be the highest point you can get to, at least without climbing, in Switzerland. How wimpy. I've ridden my bike over Trail Ridge Road in Colorado at 12,183 ft.

And I have walked to the summit of Mt. Whitney at around 14,500 feet but I believe Dawn is asking about places one can visit by public transport. I haven't compared elevations between the Jungfraujoch, which is a saddle or pass, and the various summits one can reach by cable car such as the Schilthorn, Eggishorn, etc. Jungfraujoch bills itself as the highest train station, but there may well be lifts that go higher. Maybe someone with good google skills can enlighten us.

Googling that question... the answer is the cable car lift to Klein Matterhorn in Zermatt at 3,820 meters. The Jungfraujoch is at 3,454 meters.

Dawn I can recommend a visit to Zermatt, the town is adorable, and the hikes around it great,you can take a cog railways ( I think it was the Gornegrat or something like that ) up to a view point where you can look into Italy and see Mont Blanc in France, an amazing view.

As someone who loves mountains but is not a rock climber, here is my take on high peaks in the Alps: - Aiguille du Midi - Mont Blanc: highest (3842m) point you can reach in a single cable car that is not only a ski-lift. And then there is the gourgeous small gondola taking you over to the Italian side with views of the glacier. - Zugspitze: despite being not that high (2780m), it has, by far and large, the best view of dozens of other peaks because of its position, on a clear day. - Jungfrau: best option to take small hikes in the area

The Zermatt hiking map shows the top of the Klein Matterhorn lift as 3883 m. There is a Glacier Palace up there, and an elevator to a viewing platform. The lift is closed for maintenance from 29 May for two weeks. The Gornergrat, reached by train, is not as high but is also spectacular, with views down onto a large glacier. There is a large hotel up there.

Not that it matters, because it's nowhere near the highest point in Europe, but the top of the Zugspitze is 2962 m (not 2760).

Well the reason one can bike fairly easily at high elevations in the rockies is because the rockies are already sitting on a part of the continent that is very high above sea level to begin with. what makes mountains look dramatic is not the actual summit height but the contrast between peaks and valleys. and what makes mountains interesting to visit are gorgeous views, hiking options, interesting transit options up them, and so forth. would getting to the very highest altitude really matter if it's exceedingly difficult to get there, often fogged in at the top? not unless you're an actual mountain climber. or would it make more sense to visit a tall mountain peak that provides the best views and drama? i would think that would be the question that most tourists would be interested in.

Maybe 2780 meters is where the lift up the Zugspitze stops, and 2962 meters is the actual summit, where the cross is? It is a steep climb up steps and a cable-secured path from the restaurant area where the lift ends. It didn't seem like an extra 182 meters going up, but that was 10 years ago so I don't remember all that well.

So the Schilthorn (Piz Gloria 2970m) is 8 metres higher than Zugspitze! Ha!

Oh my goodness! You all are the best! Thank you so much! I have so much to explore online now and think about thanks to your recommendations and suggestions. How will I ever choose? Guess I will just pick one after I explore and I imagine have to keep coming back to Europe for more than this one trip. Thank you again and again! Yes and yes to what I am looking for! Now....am going out to buy hiking boots/shoes this weekend for easy hiking/walking..... and do not want to spend an "arm and a leg" what do you recommend?