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I had been dreaming about visiting the dreamy Swiss mountainside for years. Over the years, I’ve watched countless videos on hiking in this region, watching the cow parades (yes that’s a real thing), and paragliding to see the area from above all while at home, wishing for a chance to explore on my own.
I finally got to visit this storybook area after going to Oktoberfest in Munich, and now I want to share everything I’ve learned with you to plan your own visit. Specifically, where to stay in the Jungfrau Region. I think where you stay can make or break your trip because it is tricky to get around with the mountains, valleys, and several modes of transportation.
What to know before you visit the Jungfrau Region
When to visit:
- Summer (June to August): Perfect for hiking, paragliding, and lake activities. Expect more tourists.
- Winter (December to February): Great for skiing in nearby resorts like Grindelwald or Wengen.
- Spring/Fall: Fewer crowds and beautiful seasonal colors. The photos you’ll see throughout this post are from our own visit the first week of October.
The Weather:
- The weather changes quickly in the mountains, regardless of season. Dress in layers and bring waterproof gear. I’ve linked everything I packed on my four day trip here.
Local Language:
- Swiss German is the official language, but English is widely spoken. My knowledge of regular German helped a little, but honestly if learn a few words, this will get you far. The locals will likely switch to speaking in English, but will appreciate the politeness of you trying to speak their language.
How to get to the Jungfrau Region
As you start planning the logistics of actually getting to the destination, it can feel daunting. The Jungfrau region is the ultimate public transportation test: from flying, to taking the train, to maybe even a bus or gondola.
I can assure you that everything is clearly marked and I was impressed with how efficient and clean every mode of transportation is. Embrace the chaos of the logistics – it’s worth it to get to the breathtaking region.
Flying & training to the Jungfrau Region
Unfortunately, flying directly into the region isn’t possible. Luckily, Europe is well connected with many forms of transportation like airports, train stations, and bus stations. If you’re flying from the USA or other continents, there are plenty of options to get to the cities close the Jungrau Region.
Instead of flying into the region, the closest airports will be:
- Zurich (ZRH): ~ 2.5 hours
- Geneva (GVA): ~3.5 hours
- Bern (BRN): ~1.5 hours
From the airport, travelers can reach the Jungfrau Region by train (recommended) or car. I recommend downloading the SBB app for train information around the area. The SBB app can help you find tickets and time tables.
Travel within the region
Public Transportation: Trains, Buses, Gondola
As I mentioned earlier, the SBB can help with trains. It can also help with all modes of transportation. The app can help purchase tickets for trains, buses, and gondolas, which sounds wild but you will use all forms of transportation within the region.
When researching for our trip here, I learned that the transportation here is expensive, so the prices weren’t a shock. I’d be prepared to budget quite a bit of your money to getting around.
If you’re planning a long trip, there are passes you can buy before you arrive that covers most transportation. One of these passes is the Swiss Travel Pass: it offers unlimited train, bus, and boat travel throughout Switzerland. Note that it may not cover every mode of transportation you need – gondolas aren’t always included. Another option is the Bern Oberland pass.
I did the math with our itinerary for Switzerland and ultimately concluded that it would be cheaper to buy each ticket as we needed. I encourage you to do your own research and make the decision that’s best for you financially.
Rental car
We scheduled this trip around other plans, so we did have a rental car. A car is not necessary once you’re in the area – some towns on our itinerary can’t even be reached by cars. We ended up leaving the car at our accommodations and using the public transportation for everything except our hike to Oeschenisee.
If you decide to rent a car, make sure there’s a motorway vignette sticker. This sticker is so your car can drive on the swiss motorways – think of it like an EZ pass in the USA. The sticker is around 40 CHF. If you rent your car in Switzerland, it’s likely to already have one. We rented our car from Germany, so we had to seek out our own.
As we crossed into the Switzerland border, there was a building next to the border that we pulled into and could purchase from there. We were told by the rental car company that you can buy these vignette stickers anywhere in Switzerland so we weren’t too worried about it.
Where to Stay
Like most trips, the location of where you stay can really make an impact on your experience. We toggled back and forth on where to stay. If you want to be centrally located, Interlaken might be the winner.
If you’re looking for off the beaten path stays, you may consider the town of Murren or Wengen. For budget-friendly options with charming views, consider Lauterbrunnen. For a location to some of the more tourist trains and excursions, Grindelwald is a perfect location.
Learn more about the towns below!
Short on time? Book my number one staying recommendation at Camp Jungfrau. It’s located in a great location, staying in my favorite town of the Jungfrau Region, and it’s budget friendly!
Staying in Interlaken
Interlaken, known as the adventure capital of the country and serves as a gateway to the Jungfrau region. Interlaken is a great destination that’s not only centrally located, but offerings a blend of outdoor thrills, natural beauty, and Swiss charm.
Whether you’re seeking heart-pounding activities like paragliding and canyoning or simply wish to relax by the turquoise waters and admire the Jungfrau, Interlaken promises an unforgettable experience.
A perk of staying in Interlaken is the Interlaken Guest Card. For guests staying at hotels in Interlaken, they have to pay a visitor’s tax. In return, the hotel gives you a guest card. This guest card allows you to take advantage of free public transport or the discounts on the mountain railway trips.
The guest card also offers discounts on a wide range of unforgettable activities, which includes:
20 % off trips on the Schynige Platte railway
15 % off trips on the Harder Kulm funicular railway
20 % off day passes on BLS Schifffahrt services
Hotel recommendations for Interlaken:
- Budget: Historic Hotel Steinbock – Stayed here for a night and it’s in the oldest part of Interlaken. It’s beautiful!
- Solo: Backpackers Villa – Family friendly hostel, and perfect for solo travelers too.
- Mid-range: Salzano Hotel Spa – This is where we had originally booked before changing our accommodations to Lauterbrunnen.
- Splurge: Victoria Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa – One of the most stunning hotels I’ve ever seen.
Staying in Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen is known as the land of 72 waterfalls and is my top recommendation on where to stay. I’m unsure if I have the words to describe how charming Lauterbrunnen is – it feels like stepping into a setting of a story. Not just any story setting, but one of a fairtytale. The sound of the bells chiming around the Swiss cows in the valley, the sound of the rushing water of the many waterfalls – it’s beyond picturesque,
A plus of staying in Lauterbrunnen is avoiding the crowds. Lauterbrunnen can be crowded during the day with day time visitors arriving by train and tour groups! When staying here, we would avoid the crowds with our own day excursions and come back to a nearly deserted town. We also enjoyed staying here and witnessing the calm mornings before the crowds arrived.
Hotel recommendations for Lauterbrunnen:
- Budget: Hotel Hornerpub – Not only is this budget friendly but the hotel’s restaurant is highly rated.
- Hostel: Valley Hostel – I love saving money with a hostel and Lauterbrunnen is no exception.
- Splurge: Lauterbrunnen Central – Staying in an apartment in a typical Swiss Chalet building is epic. Splurging on a stay with a kitchen may also save you money as well.
- Ski season stay: Hotel Steinbock – We passed this hotel on one of our walks and it feels a little out of the way in the fall, but would be the PERFECT stay in winter.
- Camping: Camping Jungfrau – We stayed in a cabin here and it not only was so comfortable, but we saved money on accommodation AND food with having a kitchen.
If you do plan to stay in Lauterbrunnen, I have an iconic four day Lauterbrunnen Itinerary for you that’s coming soon.
Staying in Grindelwald
At the base of the Eiger Mountain, you’ll find Grindelwald. Grindelwald is another Swiss town in the Jungfrau Region that’s a picturesque alpine village. It’s famous for its close-up views of the Eiger’s north face and its charming alpine atmosphere.
Hotel recommendations for Grindelwald:
- Budget: Eiger View Alpine Lodge – The breakfast buffet is insane.
- Solo: Grindelwald Youth Hostel – Staying in a stunning town on a budget,
- Splurge: Hotel Spinne Grindelwald – The outdoor swimming pool and view of the Eiger is worth the splurge in summer!
Staying in Mürren
When we deciding on where to stay in the Jungfrau region, Mürren was at the top of our list. It’s perched on a cliff and is surrounded by the mountains. Mürren is a car-free village – you must leave your vehicle in the valley below and take public transportation to the town. Mürren is a town full of charm and tranquility and I hope I can return to it one day.
Hotel recommendations for Mürren:
- Budget: Hotel Jungfrau Mürren – A great location in winter if you want to hit the slopes and breathtaking views for the summer and fall visitors.
- Solo: Sonneberg Dormitories – A great hostel option.
- Mid-range: Hotel Blumental – You can ski to the hotel door in the winter and in the summer, it’s in the heart of the town with gardens to enjoy.
- Splurge: Hotel Mürren Palace – The name of this hotel is no exaggeration, it looks like a palace and the amenities are fantastic.
Staying in Wengen
Wengen is an extraordinary town that’s nearly carless. The only way to access this town is train or hiking. In the winter, it’s the ultimate destination to ski and snowboard. In the summer, there’s endless hiking trails. Although it’s a little longer to travel to, staying a night or two in Wengen is worth it for the incredible views and location.
Hotel recommendations for Wengen:
- Budget: Braunbär Hotel & Spa – The hotel and spa are insane and this is where I’d love to stay if we return to Wengen.
- Mid-range: Beausite Park Hotel & Spa – The beauty of staying in a ski town is the options for spa. The views from the rooms are incredible too!
- Splurge: Grand Hotel Belvedere – Luxury in the alps with a dreamy spa.
The Jungfrau region is vast and has never ending beauty in every direction. Now that you know where to stay in the Jungfrau Region, the planning of your visit can begin. Whether you visit a day, a week, or a whole season, you’ll never run out of activities and breathtaking scenery.
