Hello! We will be in Wengen June 18-20 and want to go up the Jungfrau on the train. Everyone, including the books say to check the weather to be sure it isn't cloudy. Is it risky to wait that long before deciding to purchase train tickets? It seems like we have to pre-book so many things these days and I am worried we will not be able to get tickets if we wait to see what the weather is like. Any thoughts or advice, especially if you have been recently? Thank you!
Posted by
San Diego, California
5604 posts
The Jungfraujoch a very expensive train ride - about $150 RT each, if you have a discount from a swiss travel pass/ half-fare card. If the summit is socked in by clouds, you will barely see 50 feet in front of you. We were there Sept 2021 and bought tickets the day before, once we confirmed the clear weather report. IMHO, that is the best course of action.
PS On a clear day, it is spectacular.!
Posted by
Missouri, USA and Essex, UK.
1043 posts
We were there in July of 2017 and ended up buying our tickets the day before at the TI office in Lauterbrunnen. We had great clear weather. June can be a little more unsettled weather in the alps.
Posted by
Florida
1450 posts
Morning-of. If you wake up early and it's clear, check the webcam for the J to confirm it's clear up there as well (clear below does not necessarily mean clear up there). If it is, go!
Posted by
1 posts
so everyone is saying to buy the day off. So just to confirm, Jungfrau DOES NOT sell out? I am in the same boat (and traveling the same dates :)
Posted by
Green Bay
21144 posts
Key thing is to go early, before tour groups arrive and the weather looks clear. Even a clear day can cloud up in the afternoon.
There are seat reservations sold, so it could sell out, forcing you to wait. But the first train of the day, which is at 9:27 from Kleine Scheidegg (8:46 from Wengen) should have open spots. Seat reservations are 10 CHF r/t.
Posted by
Wengen
2494 posts
Jungfrau in theory can sell out, not because the trains are full, but because only 5000 people can visit it each day per their environmental permit.
But it is very rare for it to sell out. You can safely buy the ticket the day before, or even on the morning itself. What does happen si that some morning departures fill up, so you may have to spend some time in Wengen or Kleine Scheidegg to align with the train you reserved for the last part...