I'm having a little difficulty estimating how much a trip to the Junfraujoch will cost my family when we visit in mid-June. There are 3 of us - 1 adult and 2 children, ages 12 and 15. I will have a Swiss Pass with a family card. I understand that the Swiss Pass will give me a discount, but I think the family card is not valid. Is there anyone who can give me an estimate regarding how much this excursion would cost? I need to see if it's even feasible.
Thank you!!
It looks like you'll pay CHF 150 (about $150). Swiss Pass should pay all up to Wengen, then from Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg to Jungfraujoch and return is 25% off the price. Kids free with junior card.
Here's more info:
Bearers of a Generalabonnement SBB or a Swiss Travel Pass may travel for free as high as Wengen, Mürren and Grindelwald but pay half price for further trains. Swiss Travel Pass holders receive only 25% discounts on the railway sections Wengen-Kleine Scheidegg-Jungfraujoch-Kleine Scheidegg-Grindelwald.
https://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/
"Children under age 6 travel free. Children from age 6 to 15 with a Junior Card also travel free to the Jungfraujoch, if accompanied by at least one parent . The Junior Card is available at all railway stations for CHF 30.- and is valid for one year. Without a Junior Card, children age 6 to 15 pay half fare."
This last website has loads of information that you may find useful. Having said all that, I would NOT advise getting your tickets now. The day you pick may be clouded up, or even a cloud covering the mountain top but everything else is clear. I would buy tickets the morning of, or evening before, if you know the weather forecast. Also, earlier is better as mountains tend to cloud up later in the day.
Also, think about alternatives. The trip to the top of the Schilthorn is about half that price and some people like it better because you aren't that far away from everything and you can actually make out details below. Or, since I've taken teens there many times in the past, most are perfectly happy exploring the trails and petting cows and goats along the way. If you want a good overview of those trails, click on my name and you'll find a link to our dozen favorite trails in the area, with maps and pictures.
Thanks a million! Yes, I'll wait to buy any tickets until I get there...just pricing it out..
So, if I understand correctly, it will cost us 210 CF? (150+30+30?) And, again if I understand correctly, the Schilthorn will be free? (Free with my Swiss Travel Pass and my kids would go free with the family card - I'm not sure about this part)?
210CF vs. Free is quite a difference... would you recommend one over the other? Do you think it would be 'overkill' to do both? We will be staying in Wengen for 4 nights. (I have been to Schilthorn before, but it was 20 years ago and in November.)
We are on a 32-night vacation, and this bit is the relaxing part. I envision lots of easy walks and beautiful scenery. I realize that both places will be weather dependent.
Thanks again!
If you have a Family Card (free with your Swiss Pass) you do not need Junior Cards for the children. That would be redundant. Family Cards are a product for visitors, included with the visitor's Swiss Travel Pass. The Junior Card is for people who do not buy a Swiss Pass; it works with tickets as well as with the type of Pass (1-year GA) used by Swiss residents.
Thank you. But what about the Jungfraujoch? It's not covered by the Swiss Pass so I assume it's not covered by the family card. Is this correct? With the Swiss Pass, I only get a 25% discount, making the fare 150 CF. If the kids get a 25% discount, too, it would be much more than the cost of the Junior card at 30 CF.
The Jungfrau is covered by the Family Card. All transport is free with the Family Card, even if your Swiss Pass only provides a discount.
You can confirm this by working through the "buy tickets" for the Jungfraujoch on SBB.ch. Put in one adult, check the price, then add one child with Junior Card. The price does not change. Note that there is no option to enter your Swiss Pass on the form, so it will only show the full fare, 88 CHF one-way from Wengen, where your free travel ends. Above that, with 25% off, it should be 66 CHF, or 132 CHF total for the round trip.
Maybe this will help:
https://www.myswissalps.com/swissfamilycard
The Family Card provides free travel for children, "even to the mountaintops". Click on "where it is valid" and it explains that the Family Card works wherever the adult Swiss Pass provides "free OR discounted travel." That means it applies to the Jungfraujoch.
Yes, trains and cable cars up to the Schilthorn should be free for all with Swiss Pass and family card. You can verify that here: https://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass/validity (It can vary a bit year to year.)
Even if the Schilthorn is clouded up, don't fret; there are other views I'd consider superior. Personally, I prefer the view from Mannlichen (one cable car ride up from Wengen) over the view from the Schilthorn. Same with Bachalpsee. With Google images available, you can decide in advance what you want to see. The 3 of you can compare the mountain views with some of the trail pictures in the link I mentioned earlier, and decide what you want to see.
Yes, of course the free Swiss Family Card gets your kids all the way to the top of the Jungfraujoch and back 100% free.
The Swiss Family Card and the Junior Card are exactly the same except the Swiss Family Card is free and the Junior card will cost you a nominal 20-30 francs (?). The benefits of both cards are the same. If you have one you don't need the other.
I thought I’d read that the kids were covered, but other places I couldn’t quite find confirmation. You all have been such a help I. My trip planning - thanks a million!
Just be prepared for throngs of tourists on the Jungfrau train and at the top. This is where lots of the Bollywood videos were made so people from India have this location clearly in their sights. The Jungfrau is also heavily marketed to Asians. So you will have plenty of companion tourists with you. The food in their restaurant is mediocre at best and even more expensive than the usual super-expensive Swiss restaurant. You might actually want to make seat reservations for your specific trains because of the crowds of people.
