The Swiss Alps by train: Interlaken, the Jungfrau region and Zermatt

Switzerland is one of the few places where you can see the high Alps without ever getting behind the wheel. Mainline trains, cogwheel railways and cable cars reach deep into the mountains, often to villages where cars aren't allowed at all, and connections are timed to fit together. This route links two of the most famous mountain areas, the Jungfrau region above Interlaken and Zermatt below the Matterhorn, and works well in five days to a week.

The route at a glance

• Interlaken: the base and transport hub. Allow one or two nights.
• Lauterbrunnen: roughly 20 minutes by train from Interlaken. Half a day, or a base in itself.
• Wengen and Mürren: car-free villages above the valley. Half a day each, or a night in one.
• Jungfraujoch: a full day trip from anywhere in the region.
• Zermatt and the Gornergrat: roughly two and a half hours from Interlaken by train, with changes. Allow two nights.

Interlaken: the gateway

Interlaken sits on a strip of flat land between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, which is where its name comes from. It's the hub of the Jungfrau region: regional trains to Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald leave from Interlaken Ost station throughout the day, and boats cross both lakes in the warmer months.

On your first afternoon, the short funicular up Harder Kulm gives a wide view over the two lakes and towards the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. For a quieter base, sleep up in the valley instead.

Lauterbrunnen: the valley of waterfalls

The train from Interlaken climbs into a deep, glacier-carved valley walled by sheer limestone cliffs, with dozens of waterfalls pouring down them. Staubbach Falls drops almost 300 metres right beside the village, and you can walk to its base.

Further up the valley, Trümmelbach Falls tumbles through a series of glacial chutes inside the mountain, reached by a tunnel lift. It's usually open only in the warmer months, so check before you go. Lauterbrunnen is also the starting point for both car-free villages above it.

Wengen and Mürren: villages without cars

Wengen sits on a sunny shelf on the eastern side of the valley and is reached by the cogwheel railway that continues up to Kleine Scheidegg. Mürren, on the western side, is reached by cable car to Grütschalp and then a short, scenic train along the cliff edge, or by cable car from Stechelberg via the tiny village of Gimmelwald.

Both face the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau across the valley, and both have easy, well-marked walking paths. Mürren is also the stepping stone for the cable car up to the Schilthorn summit. Choose Wengen for a slightly larger village with more services, and Mürren for a smaller, quieter one.

Jungfraujoch: the top of the railway

From Kleine Scheidegg, the Jungfrau Railway runs mostly inside the mountain, tunnelling through the Eiger and the Mönch to Jungfraujoch, a saddle between the Mönch and the Jungfrau. At about 3,450 metres it's the highest railway station in Europe. At the top you can walk out onto glacier snow even in midsummer, look down the Aletsch Glacier, the longest in the Alps, and visit the Sphinx observatory terrace.

You can go up one way and down the other: via Wengen and Kleine Scheidegg, or via Grindelwald, where a modern gondola links the valley with the Jungfrau Railway. Allow most of a day. It's the most expensive excursion on this route, so pick a clear day and check the summit webcams before committing. At this altitude, walk slowly and drink water; some people feel breathless or light-headed.

Zermatt and the Matterhorn

From Interlaken, the usual route is a train to Spiez, then through the Lötschberg Base Tunnel to Visp, where you change onto the narrow-gauge line up the valley to Zermatt. Zermatt is car-free too; drivers park at Täsch and take a shuttle train for the last stretch.

The village sits at the foot of the Matterhorn, and the classic excursion is the Gornergrat Railway, a cogwheel line that climbs above 3,000 metres to a ridge facing the peak and a ring of glaciers. For the famous reflection of the Matterhorn in still water, get off at Rotenboden on the way down and walk to the Riffelsee, ideally early in the morning when the air is calm.

If you have more time

• Grindelwald and First: a livelier alternative base in the Jungfrau region, with a gondola up to easy high-level walks.
• The Schilthorn: a revolving summit restaurant and a panorama of more than 200 peaks, above Mürren.
• Scenic express trains: panoramic trains link Zermatt with eastern Switzerland and Interlaken with Lake Geneva. Seat reservations are usually required.

Practical tips before you book

• Passes: a Swiss Travel Pass covers most trains, buses and boats and gives discounts on many mountain railways, including the highest ones, which are usually not fully included. A Half Fare Card or a regional pass can be better value depending on your plans, so compare them against your actual route and check the current terms.
• Weather: conditions change fast at altitude. Check the forecast and live webcams before paying for a summit trip, and keep a flexible day in your plan.
• Layers: it's cold at 3,000 metres even in July. Bring a warm jacket, sunglasses and sun cream, since glare off the snow is strong.
• Luggage: Swiss railways offer a luggage-forwarding service between many stations, which makes car-free villages much easier. Check current options when you book.
• When to go: summer (roughly June to September) has open trails and the longest hours on the mountain lines. Winter is for skiing, and some lifts close for maintenance between seasons in spring and late autumn.
• Book ahead: accommodation in Wengen, Mürren and Zermatt fills early in peak summer and winter weeks.

Plan the high-altitude days around the weather, and the trains will handle the rest.

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Cover photo: Alarris2, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons