Exploring Jungfraujoch | The Highest Train Station in Europe

What is Jungfraujoch?

The Jungfraujoch, meaning ‘maiden saddle’ in German, is a glacier saddle connecting the Jungfrau and the Monch mountains of the Bernese Alps. At a height of 3,463 meters above sea level, it is called the ‘Top of Europe’ and is the highest railway station in Europe served by the Jungfrau railway, which runs for 9 kilometers from the station of Kleine Scheidegg (at 2,061 m above sea level).

Over the years, the site has gone on to include more attractions such as the Sphinx Observation Deck, the Ice Palace, the Eiger Express tri-cable gondola, the Snow Fun Park, the Lindt Swiss Chocolate Heaven, and more. Jungfraujoch: Top of Europe in Switzerland was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 2001.

History of Jungfraujoch

The saddle of Jungfraujoch was first traversed by a group of six English mountaineers and six Swiss guides, led by Leslie Stephen, in July 1862.

In 1893, Swiss entrepreneur Adolf Guyer-Zeller came up with the idea of constructing a railway tunnel to the peak of the Sphinx. Its construction began on July 27, 1896, and was finally completed on February 21, 1912. The railway tunnel ran from the Kleine Scheidegg railway station to the summit of the Jungfrau, with stops at Eigergletscher, Eigerwand, and Eismeer.

In 1937, the Sphinx Observatory - one of the highest astronomical observatories in the world - was established. The observatory, located at a height of 3,572 meters, was made accessible from Jungfraujoch by an elevator.

In 1954, the Jungfraujoch radio relay station was built, making it the first radio station to allow radio relay connections across the Alps. At 3,705 meters above sea level, it is Europe’s highest radio relay station and was operational until 2013.

Why is Jungfraujoch Known as the Top of Europe?

Jungfraujoch, the saddle located in the Bernese Alps of Switzerland, earned its name as it is the highest railway station in Europe, situated at an altitude of 3,454 meters above sea level.

Although the summit of the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps is higher, it is not easily reachable by rail and so it requires significant mountaineering experience.