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Another traveler overwhelmed by train options

Posted by on

I'm a bit overwhelmed by train options for our end of November trip to Switzerland and Milan. Living in an area where public transport has always sucked and been unreliable, I'm a bit unsure of the many available options.

For context, here's the itinerary:
Day 1: US to Basel, Switzerland
Day 2: Basel (Christmas markets)
Day 3: Basel to Lauterbrunnen
Day 4: Lauterbrunnen (Kleine Scheidegg (ski))
Day 5: Lauterbrunnen
Day 6 - Lauterbrunnen via Spiez to Milan (Centrale train station)
Day 7 - Milan
Day 8 - Bologna (day trip)
Day 9 - Milan back to US

Getting a 4-day Swiss pass (we actually would need a 5-day but that's not an option) is a bit north of $1,300 for four of us (3 adults + 1 kid).

Pricing ONLY train tickets from Basel to Lauterbrunnen ($336 1st class) and Lauterbrunnen to Spiez ($116 1st class) is just under $500...a fraction of the cost of the Swiss Pass. Would we really be spending $800+ on individual tickets for gondolas, busses, or whatever to get around Interlaken and the gondolas in 3 days?

The plan would be to take a train from Interlaken to Spiez to Milan ($541 1st class). My understanding is that once in Milan, we can walk pretty much everywhere we want to go and then take the train from Milano Centrale to the airport. No fuss no muss.

Someone had also suggested we buy a Eurorail Pass and Swiss Oberland Regional pass and that would cover the entire trip. Combined, those are over $2,500 and seem to be overkill.

But, what do I know?

Thanks in advance for helping me get my brain wrapped around this.

Posted by
14 posts

Hi, I do not want to make things even more complicated. But if you are buying your tickets in advance you can sometimes buy tickets called supersavers with a very high discount. The supersaver tickets are just valid for the train with the departure time you have choosen but they are much cheaper.

Posted by
11680 posts

Eurail is not a great choice, IMO.

The no-brainer is a Half Fare Card (120 CHF) and a Berner Oberland Regional Pass for 3 or 4 days. If you want to do the analysis to be sure of the most cost-effective options, make a spreadsheet listing the full fares for all of your planned journeys including any cable ways, trains, buses, etc. Then cut those in half to see the impact of buying a Half Fare Card. Note the journeys that are covered by the BO Pass deducting those fares but adding in the cost of the BO Pass. Note there is a discount on the pass if you have a Half Fare Card.

To add another element, Saver Day Passes bought well in advance (a month or more) are a very good option and cover all travel for an entire day. For example, a Saver Day Pass might be a good option on your Days 3, 4, 5 and maybe Day 6 instead of having a BO pass. The only way to know for certain is to look up the fares and do the math.

You will want to establish an account at SBB.ch/en and also have the app on your phone for efficiency.

Posted by
20987 posts

If you are skiing on Day 4, you don't need a rail pass for that day as a ski pass will get you up the mountain and back.

Posted by
11680 posts

I forgot about the ski pass you’ll need. Good catch, Sam.

Posted by
2430 posts

Berner Oberland pass is summer product, so not an option.

What I would get is just the Half Fare Card, and then just buy tickets. That is doing it like the locals do. When is this trip? End of November it is not a given that there will already be skiing at Kleine Scheidegg.

Note that if you are going from Lauterbrunnen to Milan you buy a Lauterbrunnen to Milan ticket. No need to split the bookings (the SBB Site will do this for you if needed...)
Further discounts are applied if you buy tickets early. You could do that for Basel - Lauterbrunnen, and should do that for Lauterbrunnen - Milan.

Posted by
11680 posts

WengenK, the BO Pass is now year round. This is from the FAQs on the pass website

  • Is the Berner Oberland Pass also available in winter? Yes, the new season starts on April 1, 2024, from which date the Berner Oberland Pass will be valid all year round.
Posted by
33577 posts

I wonder then if the new worse terms come into effect at New Year?

Posted by
7458 posts

On the Basel to Lauterbrunnen trip for instance, sample priced on 25 November on the 0928 from Basel (other trains available for the same price) a supersaver ticket is 68CHF each, or a Saver Day Pass 88CHF each (80USD or 103USD)- those are fares without a swiss half price card.
With the 1/2 price card 34CHF and 74CHF respectively (34CHF= 40USD)

Interlaken to Spiez is 8.90CHF with a Half Fare Card (USD 10.5 each) and Spiez to Milan 117 Euro (131USD).

So of the 120 CHF cost of a Swiss Half price card those 2 journeys have saved you 43 CHF.

So a lot of work on your other journeys to see if a half fare card works.

As a through ticket with a 1/2 price card Interlaken to Milan is 94.70 CHF each (111 USD)- so that is a further 40USD (34CHF saving).

Posted by
20987 posts

Nonetheless, the BO Pass is not indicated for the OP. How old is the kid? If 15 or under, with the Half Fare Card, get the free Family Card, and the kid travels free with you in Switzerland. Your hotel in Basel will give you all guest cards for free local transport in Basel, including the bus from the airport. Just show your hotel conformation if a fare inspector checks you.

Super Saver ticket Basel to Lauterbrunnen, and Lauterbrunnen to Milan can be bought now. You do not need to have the Half Fare Card to buy them now, just be sure to buy the HFC's at Basel airport when you arrive.

Posted by
1 posts

We just returned from a trip that included a week in Switzerland. I went through this same thought process and ended up buying Swiss Travel passes for the full week. I have not added everything up, but I was very happy to have the travel passes. We used them more than I expected on things other than trains, and the savings for gondolas were generous. But, more than anything, the flexibility afforded by having the passes and not having the hassle of buying tickets for every little bus and subway made them worthwhile. You get more time to enjoy the trip.

Posted by
8 posts

TOTALLY is understatement! I dreamt about what to do every night!

I now finally purchased Swiss pass half fare as people suggested I shouldn't get Swiss Pass as I am not in Switzerland longer.. and people said I shouldn't get Euro Rail Pass..

I already spent $$$ it seems, for each of the areas I am visiting; Geneva to Interlaken on Golden Pass Express, Interlaken to Milan, Milan to Florence.. now I need to get Jungfrau Pass or something for the mountain.

And Swiss Hotels are also expensive and they don't have those brand names that I can use points :-(

Good luck!!

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