Advantageous to buy swiss train tickets in advance?

Unless there would be a sale on the STP, which might make it reasonable for you. There has been in the last few years, but no guarantee for this year. Lots of folks are crossing their fingers....🤞🤞🤞

The only advantage to buying early is for SuperSaver tickets, but as they are train specific, you lose all your flexibility.

Look at an 8-day BORP. I will get you as far as Brig on the way to Zermatt if you take the scenic route via Kandersteg.

About the BO pass, it’s better to purchase online, but not necessarily far in advance. We bought BO passes in Lauterbrunnen and they were paper tickets. The scanners at the various turnstiles (gondolas, funiculars) wouldn’t read the codes, so we always had to wave at an employee to come help us. A bit of a pain.

That sounds so very unSwiss, a ticket system that doesn't work!

The price difference between a 6-day and 8-day BORP is only 34 CHF with the Half Fare Card. The train trip from Wengen tp Zermatt is 50.50 CHF with the HFC for a point-to-point ticket or 39 CHF with a Saver Day Pass bought now. If you use the BORP for free transport to Brig via Kandersteg (takes an extra hour but the scenery is worth it IMO), the the ticket from Brig to Zermatt is 20 CHF with the HFC.

Thus my reasoning why the extra 2 days for the BORP is worth it.

That's a real good point Sam...
I was thinking the same, but never got to do price to price comparison..

It's too late now (hotels already booked), but If I knew I can use 8 day B-O pass instead of 6 day pass - I should've scheduled for extra day stay..
Oh... well -- maybe I'll get 8 day pass and leave very late to Zermatt on the travel day... that way, I'll have "extra day" to enjoy Jungflau region

BTW, how do i purchase B-O pass online, so that QR code can be used on my iphone??

Not sure about that, but others have done it. One way is to take a picture of the QR code and add it to your Google or Apple wallet. Others just save the document on their phone as a pdf and pull it up when asked.
https://www.bls.ch/en/fahren/fahrausweise/abonnemente/berner-oberland-pass

We also have seven nights in Wengen, but have decided to just buy the six day BO Pass. There are various rules about which routes you can travel using the Pass so for the arrival and departure day I just won't bother.

For us, as we aren't going until late September, I plan to purchase Saver Day Passes as soon as they are available six months before. With the half fare card, they work out really good value as we will be arriving from Zermatt and leaving to Montreux. We already have seat reservations on the Goldenpass Express to Montreux so only need the ticket.

I also planned on buying the BO Pass early, but might wait to check the weather first. Lots of people have said that they receive an email with a link to add it to your Apple wallet.

Thank you Sam.. for that link... I think there is a mobile version app for that link - where any purchase tickets can be saved on the app as a QR code..

Hello theharbergers - saver day pass is a pretty good idea... - I have to price that out for June.. but it does advertise it as 29CHF w/HFC...

BTW, I don't plan on purchasing HFC until I arrive in Swiss...Does this mean I have to purchase HFC first before purchasing any advance Swiss train tickets (for 1/2 fare)??

P.S. - I just looked at sbb.ch website - and it advertises "Saver day pass" vs. "Day pass" - what is the difference?? Day pass is more expensive - but are there any benefit difference??

Before you buy the BO pass - make sure it is going to be cheaper than just paying the half fare. We were in Wengen for 7 days late last September and bought the half fare card. We spent less than 140 CHF on train/bus/cable car tickets that the BO pass would cover and did a lot of travel in the area. I too was going to do a 1/2 fare card and BO pass until I looked more closely at the travel costs. We were in Switzerland for 2 weeks - for us buying the Swiss travel pass would have been slightly more $$$ but definitely more convenient. We did visit several castles/museums that the STP would have covered. Last year there was a sale on the STP that ended in Mid May. I do not recall when it started - it was sometime in April. Have a great trip!.

Gene, I believe one of the Saver passes is train and time specific, and one is good for the entire day. Someone who knows more than I do will chime in, I'm sure.
Have a great trip!

When buying a pass do not see it as a way of saving money. See it as a way of short circuiting the whole "shal we go up or not? Is it really worth it?" type of discussions.

Its an "all you can eat" pass, so make use of it. Went up the Männlichen on Monday and it was all foggy, but it is now Wednesday and you have finished Grindelwald and need to get back to Wengen? Well go up the Männlichen again.

A pass is great as it just allows you to go where you want, as often as you want. Don't see it primarily as a way of saving money, see it as a way of doing more mountain trips than you otherwise would.