Jungfraujoch

Jungfraujoch is about as extreme as paragliding launches get in the Alps: 3,460 m, glacier surroundings, and a site the local community is blunt about — this is strictly for pilots with a genuinely appropriate level of experience, not a bucket-list flight to attempt underprepared. Most pilots reach it on the famous cog railway up from Interlaken; it's expensive, though early-morning departures sometimes come cheaper. The flying itself sits inside one of the most tightly regulated pockets of Swiss airspace anywhere in the country — base jumpers, helicopters and paragliders all share the same high-alpine corridor, with specific separation rules that matter most around the landing near Interlaken. This is not a site to wing on local knowledge picked up on the day; get a full airspace and conditions briefing, from someone who flies it regularly, before committing.

Launch & conditions

High mountain launch at 3,460 m — appropriate experience is a hard requirement here, not a suggestion.

Getting there & local rules

Reached via the cog railway up from Interlaken; tickets are expensive, though early departures are sometimes cheaper.

Local rules & hazards

This is one of the most tightly regulated pockets of Swiss airspace — base jumpers, helicopters and paragliders share the same corridor, with specific separation rules, particularly around the landing near Interlaken. Get a full airspace briefing before flying.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Jungfraujoch, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Jungfraujoch with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.