Tourists returned en masse to the Jungfrau in 2022
The Aletsch glacier, photographed from the Jungfraujoch.
Keystone / Laurent Gillieron
The rail company taking visitors to the 3,454-metre Jungfraujoch in Switzerland reported an uptick in 2022, but numbers still lag behind pre-pandemic levels.
Around 625,000 tourists travelled to the Jungfraujoch in 2022, marking an increase of 71% on 2021, the Bern-based Jungfraubahn Holding company said on Wednesday.
The company said the return of travellers from “various Asian markets and the US” helped to boost numbers, but Chinese visitors continue to make their absence felt.
With some 90% of visitors to the 3,454 metre-high “Top of Europe” destination coming from abroad, the pandemic severely dented the fortunes of the Jungfraubahn in the past two years. Even with the 2022 recovery, numbers were still 40% down on the bumper 2015-2019 period.
Other lifts and lines operated by Jungfraubahn Holdings bounced back last year, including the Mürrenbahn and notably the Eiger Express, a cable car service between Grindelwald and the Eiger Glacier which opened in 2020. Numbers taking this doubled, the company said.
More
More
‘Swiss tourism could benefit from the crisis’
This content was published on
“Travel is not a human right, it is a privilege,” says Swiss tourism expert David Ruetz.
For the current winter season, the company reported that ski passes sold for the Jungfrau Ski Region have so far dropped by 15% compared to last year.
On Tuesday, Swiss Tourism said that across the country, overnight stays in hotels rose by 3% during the end-of-year holiday season compared to 2021. However, daytrippers, notably from Switzerland, have shrunk, largely due to the poor snow conditions and warm weather.
More
More
Swiss ski resorts struggle with snow shortage and record temperatures
This content was published on
Huge swathes of green mountainside, persistent warm weather and slushy runs have been causing headaches for Swiss ski resorts.
In Switzerland more people are being referred to electrical therapies or psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Are there similar approaches where you live?
Living longer: What do you think about the longevity trend?
The longevity market is booming thanks in part to advances in the science of ageing. What do you think of the idea of significantly extending human lifespan?
Swiss foreign minister rejects mandatory referendum for EU deals
This content was published on
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis defended the government’s decision to make EU deals subject to an optional rather than a mandatory referendum.
Pro-choice and anti-abortion activists face off in Geneva
This content was published on
Anti-abortion Christian groups held a silent prayer in front of the Geneva train station on Saturday, to the whistles and shouts of pro-choice demonstrators.
Swiss army soldier seriously injured in accident on Simplon Pass
This content was published on
A member of the Swiss army was seriously injured on Friday while manoeuvring a self-propelled howitzer on the Simplon Pass.
Basel attempts world‘s largest over-60s disco before Eurovision Song Contest
This content was published on
It was billed as a world record attempt for the biggest over-60s disco of all time. But most visitors came to Basel to have fun.
Basel prepares 700 volunteers for the Eurovision Song Contest
This content was published on
Around 320 people took part in one of the two official information events for the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in Basel on Friday.
More Swiss soldiers involved in accidents during training in Austria
This content was published on
The Swiss army has reported various accidents involving Swiss soldiers during the exercise “TRIAS 25” in Austria. Some have led to hospitalisations.
Swiss court rules vegan meat substitutes can’t use animal names
This content was published on
Vegan meat substitutes may not bear animal names such as “planted.chicken” according to a ruling by the Swiss Federal Supreme Court.
Swiss cantons spared duty to create new traveller transit sites
This content was published on
Swiss cantons will no longer be formally obliged by the government to create new transit sites for the travelling community.
Innovative Swiss tourism projects to benefit from extra funds
This content was published on
The government has earmarked CHF20 million ($20.7 million) to promote sustainable tourism and innovative projects in Switzerland.
Murten and Andermatt among world’s ‘best tourism villages’
This content was published on
Andermatt and Murten belong to the “best tourism villages” in the world, according to the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.