JUNGFRAU RAILWAYS: SWITZERLAND’S SCENIC MOUNTAIN TRAINS

A lot of places boast breathtaking scenery, but this was the first time a view really had taken my breath away. As I looked around I could feel my head spin and my knees going weak. It might have been the bright blue skies and dazzling white snow, or the crisp, freezing mountain air, but then again it might have been the altitude. At 3454 metres above sea level, a trip to the top of the Jungfraujoch is enough to leave you breathless in more ways than one. Europe’s highest railway station has views across Switzerland and beyond into France, Germany and Italy. Up here you’re surrounded by the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau – peaks the world’s best mountaineers have tried – and sometimes lost their lives – trying to conquer.

But you don’t have to invest in an ice axe, climb for days and risk avalanches or frostbite to reach these heights today. The Jungfrau Railway makes the mountains accessible, and opens up this stunning high-altitude world to us less adventurous (or should that be crazy?) types. And it’s not the only mountain railway in the area either – there are a whole series that take you into the mountains of Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland. This small area packs a major scenic punch with glaciers, alpine meadows, lakes and waterfalls. And I was in the pretty mountain village of Grindelwald to try out four of Jungfrau Railways’ different mountain experiences. Trains, scenic views, Swiss cheese – pretty much my perfect combination.