Trains, cable cars, and boats are a big part of travel in Switzerland. If you’re in the Jungfrau area or staying at one of the popular resort towns of Grindelwald or Interlaken, chances are you’ll be making quite a bit of use of the local transportation. This is what makes the Jungfrau Travel Pass worth it for most multi-day stays in the Jungfrau region.
What is the Jungfrau Travel Pass?
Available from May to November starting in 2023, the Jungfrau Travel Pass gives you unlimited access to some of the most popular transport routes in the Jungfrau region. It requires a minimum validity of 3 days but you can buy it for up to 8 days of unlimited travel in the area. It ranges in price from 190 CHF to 310 CHF, depending on the number of days of validity.
What is included in the Jungfrau Travel Pass?
The pass includes trains that connect Interlaken to Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Murren, Kleine Scheidegg, and Eigergletscher. It does NOT include the Jungfrau Railway, but you can get the supplement ticket for a special price of either 63 CHF or 75 CHF depending on the time of year with peak months being most expensive. Considering that the round-trip to Jungfraujoch alone can be upwards of 220 CHF, the pass almost pays for itself even if you’re only using it to go to Jungfraujoch.
In addition to these popular train routes, the pass also includes cable cars, gondolas, and funicular rides that will probably be on your Jungfrau to-do list. These include the 25-minute cable car ride to Grindelwald-First, the Eiger Express gondola to Eigergletscher, the Grindelwald-Mannlichen Gondola, and the Harder Kulm funicular.
The pass also gives you access to Grindelwald buses, rail connections between Interlaken Ost and Interlaken West, as well as the train connection to Brienz. In addition to ground transportation, you can move around on the lakes using your Jungfrau Travel Pass. It’s valid for ferries on both Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, which can make for a scenic and relaxing way to get to other towns along the lakes.
What is not included in the Jungfrau Travel Pass?
As mentioned above, the Jungfrau Travel Pass does not include tickets for the Jungfrau Railway, which require an additional supplement. The pass also doesn’t include reservations. These are an additional 10 CHF round trip and allow you priority boarding on the crowded Jungfrau Railway and the Eiger Express.
The Jungfrau Travel Pass also doesn’t include PostBus routes in cities like Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen. If you’re staying in Interlaken, you’ll likely get access to the Interlaken pass through your accommodation, which grants you free access to local buses.
How do you use the Jungfrau Travel Pass?
The Jungfrau Travel Pass can be bought online and used as a QR code on your phone. It is automatically valid without requiring additional validation and without having to exchange it at a ticket office. Since train and ferry travel are barrier-free, you also don’t have to scan it to board. A ticket inspector will come around at some point during the journey and scan your pass. If you’re traveling on the Jungfrau Railway, you’ll have to show both your Jungfrau Travel Pass and the supplement ticket, which is also a QR code.
When you’re boarding transportation like cable cars or funiculars, you’ll have to scan in before you get on the platform, but the same QR code will work.
Why the Jungfrau Travel Pass is worth it
If you’re in the area for at least two or three days, the Jungfrau Travel Pass will probably cost less than you would pay for individual tickets. Here is a sample breakdown:
| Point-to-point tickets | Jungfrau Travel Pass | |
| 190 CHF (3-day pass) | ||
| Harder Kulm RT | 34 CHF | Included |
| Interlaken to Jungfraujoch RT | 216 CHF | 63/75 CHF supplement |
| Interlaken to Grindelwald RT | 22 CHF | Included |
| Grindelwald to First RT | 63 CHF | Included |
| Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen RT | 15.2 CHF | Included |
| Lake Thun/Brienz cruise pass | 35 CHF | Included |
| Total | 385.2 CHF | 253/265 CHF |
Depending on how much you travel, you may be able to pay off the cost of the pass after just two days, especially if you anticipate taking a lot of excursions in the area.
In addition to being cost-effective, having the pass also saves you time. If you’re running late to catch the next train, you don’t have to waste time buying a ticket. Your ticket is already in your pocket. The Jungfrau Travel Pass is just the thing for stress-free exploration of the Jungfrau region.
Want to know more about traveling in Interlaken and the Jungfrau region? Check out my tips.
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