Perched at a staggering altitude of 11,332 feet, one railway station in Switzerland is not only the highest in Europe but also one of the most remote in the world.
Nicknamed the “top of Europe,” Jungfraujoch station in Valais is as beautiful as it is isolated. Since opening in 1912, it’s offered travellers a gateway to some of Switzerland’s most awe-inspiring alpine scenery, including panoramic views of glaciers and towering mountain peaks, including the mighty Aletsch Glacier, the largest in the Alps.
The line starts in Kleine Scheidegg in the Bernese Oberland, where the Jungfrau Railway begins its 50-minute climb to reach the spectacular Jungfrau-Aletsch region of the Swiss Alps, a designated UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, between the Jungfrau and Mönch peaks.
Despite its secluded location, the station attracts around one million visitors each year, according to the Jungfraujoch railway authority.
Owing to the harsh alpine conditions, about 7km of the journey is inside the Jungfrau Tunnel carved through the Eiger and Mönch mountains to protect the railway from avalanches and snowfall.
These tunnels also provide access to key attractions such as the Ice Palace, an enchanting series of ice caverns beneath the glacier.
The journey also includes stops at Eigerwand and Eismeer windows, allowing passengers to glimpse stunning views from within the mountain.
Having been built between 1896 and 1912, harsh weather, dangerous working conditions, and high-altitude engineering made the 16-year construction a monumental achievement of its time.
