Jungfrau Marathon

The Jungfrau Marathon begins in Interlaken and concludes at Eigergletscher, high above the valley. The course covers the full 42.195 km marathon distance with 1,953 m of elevation gain. This event takes place annually in September within the Bernese Oberland region of the Swiss Alps, set against the backdrop of the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau mountains. Approximately 3,500 participants from about 35 countries compete, with entry limits partly in place to lessen environmental impact on the alpine course. The marathon has been held since 1993, establishing itself as an early Alpine marathon featuring a true marathon distance and a high mountain finish. The initial 10 km are flat, starting with a circuit through Interlaken before heading east to Bönigen and briefly tracing the shore of Lake Brienz, then turning south to Wilderswil. From there, the race ascends through Zweilütschinen to Lauterbrunnen. After a loop south of the village, the route turns sharply uphill toward Wengen, where participants gain roughly 450 m over 5 km via switchbacks. The final section crosses Wengernalp and passes beneath the Eiger, finishing at approximately 2,320 m. Along the route, participants encounter a distinctly Swiss race-day atmosphere, with alphorns, bell ringers, flag throwers, and a bagpipe player preceding the final climb. The event has also served as a venue for world championship mountain running events, and Jonathan Wyatt’s course record of 2:49:01.6 demonstrates the speed of elite mountain runners even with significant climbing.