Jungfraujoch to Mönchsjochhütte – Hike to the Highest Swiss Hut

Hiking on a glacier to the highest serviced hut in Switzerland may sound like it’s only for the experienced mountaineer, but it’s actually a pretty manageable hike, even for inexperienced hikers. Starting from the highest train station in Europe, Jungfraujoch Top of Europe, it’s only about 1.3 miles one-way to the Mönchsjochhütte (or “Mönchsjoch Hut”). On a clear day, stunning glacier views can be seen for miles. I hiked from Jungfraujoch to Mönchsjochhütte in late May 2023 with virtually no hiking experience, so I can attest that it’s very doable. It’s also a great way to get away from the crowds at Jungfraujoch!

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A Bit of Background on Jungfraujoch

If you’re not familiar with Jungfraujoch, it is the highest train station in Europe, sitting at 3,454 meters (11,362 feet). It is a major tourist attraction and features everything from a Lindt chocolate store to a zip line to ice sculptures to restaurants and more. The train station also sits on the edge of a glacier and on a clear day, the viewing platform provides incredible views for miles in every direction. It is cold and windy, so even on a summer day, you’ll need to bring winter clothes.

What is Mönchsjochhütte?

The Mönchsjochhütte is a hut (“hütte” means “hut” in German). It happens to be the highest serviced hut in Switzerland, sitting at an elevation of 3,657 meters (11,998 feet) and only about 1.3 miles from Jungfraujoch. Originally built in 1978, it sits on the edge of the Great Aletsch Glacier, though it is built onto the mountain, not ice. Due to its remote location, supplies have to be flown in by helicopter.

It is open and staffed from mid-March to mid-October and allows both day guests and overnight visitors. Day guests are welcome from 10AM-3PM, so if you’re planning a hike to the hut as part of your trip your daytrip to Jungfraujoch, you’ll need to be mindful of the clock.

How to Get to Jungfraujoch

Getting to Jungfraujoch is the most confusing part of the journey because there’s lots of options and lots of modes of transportation involved. Here’s exactly what I did (and what I recommend you do):

Swiss Half Fare Card

Prior to my trip, I purchased the Swiss Half Fare card for transport around Switzerland for half price. Swiss trains are expensive and if you’re planning a trip to Jungfraujoch, it’s almost certainly worth your money to get the Half Fare card. It costs 120CHF (~$140USD) and is valid for 1 month.

You can buy the Swiss Half Fare card here.

Train/Gondola to Jungfraujoch

Wherever you’re starting from, take the train to Grindelwald. In my case, that meant taking the ~30 min train ride from Interlaken Ost to Grindelwald Terminal.

After getting off the train at Grindelwald Terminal, we made our way to the gondola. There is an option to take a train instead of a gondola, but it takes about 30 minutes more. The gondola took us to Eigergletscher where we boarded our seats on the Eiger Express. We had pre-purchased timed tickets with seat reservations, though seat reservations aren’t necessary. The Eiger Express is the final train up to Jungfraujoch – for the best views, try to get seats on the right-hand side. The journey from Grindelwald Terminal to Jungfraujoch is about 1 hour.

The ride back is the same thing in reverse. I do not recommend timed seat reservations for the way back so you don’t have to rush. Just be sure to research when the last train leaves for the day so and give yourself plenty of time so you don’t miss it!  

You can book tickets for transportation to Jungfraujoch here.

There are group tours that will take you to Jungfraujoch if you want to avoid the logistics, but you won’t be able to spend your time how you like and probably won’t have enough time for the hike.

The Hike Itself

While Jungfraujoch Top of Europe is an iconic (and busy) tourist destination, very few venture out for a hike to the Mönchsjoch Hut. This makes it a great option to escape the crowds for a while! Once we set out, we only encountered a couple of dozen people until we got back to the train station.

The hike from Jungfraujoch to Mönchsjochhütte Hut is a 2.6 mile out-and-back hike with ~236 meters (774 feet) of elevation gain. The entire hike is spent hiking in the snow on the Great Aletsch Glacier. If you’ve never hiked in snow, it’s surprisingly similar to hiking in sand. That means it does take a lot of work, but thankfully the conditions didn’t require microspikes or crampons. We were shocked how quickly we were sweating and shedding layers.

On this hike, it’s critical to stay on the designated path so you don’t run the risk of falling into a crevasse. After all, you are hiking on a glacier! The trail area is perfectly safe and very clearly marked.  The trail can be closed if the risk of avalanche danger is present.

The hike up to the hut took us about an hour and the only really slippery section was right at the base of the hut. Going down was significantly faster.

What to Expect at Mönchsjochhütte

You Must Wear Crocs Inside

The most surprising thing we encountered when we got to Mönchsjochhütte was that you are required to take off your shoes before entering. They provide crocs for you to wear inside. This helps keep the interior of the building clean.

No Running Water

There are pit toilets available at the hut, but there is no running water to wash your hands. In fact, the staff uses boiled snow melt for cooking.

Expensive Bottled Water

Because there’s no running water, you can’t order a glass of tap water at the bar. Instead, if you need water, you’re forced to buy a 12CHF (~$14USD) 1 liter bottle. That’s expensive even by Swiss standards! They accept credit cards, Swiss Francs, and Euros.

No Reservations

Mönchsjochhütte does not take reservations, so you may have to wait if it’s busy. We didn’t have any issue grabbing a seat and there were plenty of open tables. Keep in mind that while few tourists hike from Jungfraujoch to the hut, some people ski tour from hut to hut in the area and spend the night, so there are more people around than you’d think.  

They Serve Food

Some items can be ordered anytime, but hot and cold lunch items are served from 11:30AM-2:30PM. Their signature item is the raclette, but they also serve cake, coffee, alcohol, and more.

You Can Spend the Night

Mönchsjochhütte does offer basic accommodations for those looking to spend the night. The hostel-style has 120 beds that start at 40CHF (~$47USD)/night for adults.  There are also options to eat dinner and breakfast at the hut. This certainly isn’t glamorous – the lack of running water definitely limits hygiene options and the beds are all side-by-side. Staying here really only makes sense for those on hut-to-hut treks or other kinds of multi-day tours. If you want to spend the night, you can book directly on the Mönchsjochhütte website.

What to Bring on the Hike

This hike is pretty short and there’s food/water at the halfway point (the hut), so you don’t need a ton of supplies with you. Here’s what I suggest you take:

• Waterproof shoes w/ good traction – I wore these hiking boots, but trail runners would be a good option as well. What’s most important is that it has good treads to help keep you from slipping on the ice and snow. Waterproof is also helpful because no one wants to hike in wet shoes!
• Layers – We brought our ski jackets and beanies with us and used them while exploring Jungfraujoch Top of Europe. However, very quickly into the hike we took them off and just hiked in the long sleeve shirts we had on underneath. We also wore leggings/joggers on the bottom. We were sweating through these and definitely wished we’d had t-shirts/shorts on!
• Daypack – You’ll definitely want a bag to carry your water, extra layers, etc. We used this packable Osprey day pack that comes with us everywhere!
• Sunglasses/sunscreen – On a sunny day, the reflection of the sun on the snow is practically blinding, so you’ll want to wear sunglasses. The snow (and elevation) also makes you more likely to burn, so make sure to put sunscreen on any exposed skin.
• Water – This hike is definitely a workout and you’ll want to make sure you have water with you before setting out. I’d bring at least 1L per person (maybe more if you want to avoid buying any at the hut).
• Hiking Poles – These are optional, but helpful. We hiked without them, but poles would have made it easier and safer. If you don’t own poles or don’t want to pack them, you can rent them in Interlaken or the nearby Jungfrau region. The going rate is about 10CHF (~$12USD) per day for a set of poles. Here are some rental shop options (some rent other gear as well including boots, gloves, jackets, etc.):
  • Outdoor Switzerland AG (Interlaken)
  • Swiss Alpine Guides (Interlaken)
  • Alpia Sport (Wengen & Lauterbrunnen)

Final Thoughts

We had a lot of fun at Jungfraujoch and understand why it’s so popular, but hiking to Mönchsjochhütte was the highlight of our day. If you’re up for a little adventure and a bit of a workout, the hike to the hut is the best way to get great views of Jungfraujoch Top of Europe and escape the crowds.

Don’t forget to pin this post for future planning!

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• Grindelwald Canyon Swing: How to Make the Leap
• How to Find Memorable Adventure in Interlaken, Switzerland
• Tongariro Alpine Crossing – One of the World’s Best Day Hikes