Jungfraujoch railway station

Jungfraujoch
General information
LocationNear the Jungfraujoch
Fieschertal, Valais
Switzerland
Coordinates46°32′51″N 07°58′56″E / 46.54750°N 7.98222°E / 46.54750; 7.98222
Elevation3,454 m (11,332 ft)[1]
Line(s)Jungfrau Railway
History
Opened1 August 1912; 112 years ago (1912-08-01)
Services
Preceding station Jungfraubahn AG Following station
Eismeer Jungfrau Railway Terminus
Location
Jungfraujoch is located in Switzerland
Jungfraujoch
Jungfraujoch
Location within Switzerland
The Sphinx observatory above the Aletsch Glacier

Jungfraujoch is an underground railway station situated near the Jungfraujoch, in the canton of Valais, a few metres from the border with the canton of Bern. At 3,454 metres (11,332 ft) above sea level, it is the terminus of the Jungfrau Railway and the highest railway station in Switzerland and Europe. The Jungfrau Railway runs from Kleine Scheidegg in the Bernese Oberland, through the Jungfrau Tunnel (inside the Eiger and Mönch) and crosses the border between the two cantons shortly before the terminus.

The station is located east of the Jungfraujoch, less than 300 metres away, below the Sphinx ridge. The Jungfraujoch itself is a snow saddle constituting the lowest point of the ridge between the Jungfrau and the Mönch.[1][2] A complex of tunnels connects the railway station to the Top of Europe building, overlooking the Aletsch Glacier on the south side, and an elevator to the summit of the Sphinx, the peak overlooking the saddle from the east. At the Sphinx are enclosed and open viewing platforms, with views over both sides of the Jungfraujoch and the surrounding peaks. A scientific observatory, the Sphinx Observatory, is also located here.[2]

Also accessed via the tunnels is the Ice Palace, a series of ice caverns beneath the glacier, and the Alpine Sensation, which presents a display on the tourist development of the Alps and the history of the Jungfrau Railway.[3]

Administratively, the station is situated in the municipality of Fieschertal in the canton of Valais, albeit very close to the border with the municipality of Lauterbrunnen in the canton of Bern. The cantonal border follows the watershed across the Jungfraujoch above the station.[4]

The station is served by trains of the Jungfrau railway, which run from Kleine Scheidegg, where they connect with services from Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen and Grindelwald via the Bernese Oberland railway and the Wengernalp railway. The following passenger trains operate:[5][6]

Operator Route Typical Frequency
Jungfrau Railway Kleine Scheidegg - Eigergletscher - Eigerwand - Eismeer - Jungfraujoch 2 per hour

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Eisenbahnatlas Schweiz. Verlag Schweers + Wall GmbH. 2012. p. 82. ISBN 978-3-89494-130-7.
  2. ^ a b Allen, Cecil J. (1958). Switzerland's Amazing Railways. London: Thomas Nelson and Sons. p. 141.
  3. ^ "Jungfrau - Top of Europe". Jungfraubahn. Archived from the original on 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2013-02-05.
  4. ^ map.geo.admin.ch (Map). Swiss Confederation. Retrieved 2013-02-04.
  5. ^ "Interlaken–Lauterbrunnen–Wengen–Kleine Scheidegg–Jungfraujoch" (PDF). Bundesamt für Verkehr. Retrieved 2013-01-28.
  6. ^ "Interlaken–Grindelwald–Kleine Scheidegg–Jungfraujoch" (PDF). Bundesamt für Verkehr. Retrieved 2013-01-28.