Hey all, I just got back from a week in Switzerland, give or take, and wanted to share some tips that will help fellow travelers.
1) I find it VERY hard to believe that a Swiss Pass will EVER be worthwhile for you, unless you're doing a ton of cross-country train trips. I heartily recommend the half fare card. It is SO easy to buy train tickets -- either on your phone (get an international sim card when you land!) or at any ticket booth.
2) Buy an international sim card when you land. For most folks, I think Sunrise is your best bet. You can buy it at the airport, downstairs near where the train station links to the airport.
3) Get the half fare card when you land. We had to wait in line for a bit--make sure you get a number! Don't just get to the end of the line -- you have to go in, take a number (like you're at the deli counter) to get the number at most SBB official offices.
4) The Zurich self-guided RS walking tour is rewarding, but far less rewarding when you do it on a Sunday. Everything is closed. We had no choice when we went, based on our itinerary, but if you have a choice, do Zurich on a weekday!
5) As with all of his walking tours, I find you need to double, or even triple the time RS says to allot for his walking tour. The way we do it, we read the tour as we walk -- that takes up time. Photos take time. Water breaks take time. Even on a Sunday, our Zurich walking tour was almost three hours, including one church.
6) For Berner Oberland/mountain villages, you MUST download the Swiss Meteo weather app. It is SUPER accurate for mountain villages and peaks such as Schilthorn and Jungfraujoch. We used it to plan our itinerary of when to do both.
7) We did James Bond brunch at Schilthorn, and you book the brunch timeslot online (free to book), but they don't make you keep that timeslot! Then we bought tickets in person at the ticket window, and it was something like 62 CHF per person roundtrip, INCLUDING brunch. We didn't arrive super early, so I think the ticket person was just nice and gave us the VERY discounted rate, even though we said we only had half-fare cards.
8) In Lauterbrunnen, the folk museum is likely worth it, if you're there for their opening hours. Make sure to ask if you can get a quick tour from the person at the front desk -- we were helped by a young woman who was so friendly and made the museum much more enjoyable. Not sure it would have been worthwhile without her.
9) Do not bother doing the walk behind Staubbach Falls in Lauterbrunnen. You probably won't heed my advice if you're there, but don't say I didn't warn you. Medium work, absolutely no reward.
10) RS says the North Face hike to the Sprutz Fall is "dangerous." We are active, and in our thirties, but we aren't professional hikers by any means, and we didn't find it to be dangerous in the least. Adding Sprutz made this a three triangle hike for sure. The best way to do North Face walk is to go up on a sunny day on one of the first funiculars to Allmendhubel. (Pre-10am). At Pension Suppenalp, and get a breakfast bite at around 10:30/11am. Ask for fresh cream! Continue the North Face trail through Sprutz. You'll finally arrive at Gimmelwald for lunch, where you have two fantastic options of Mountain Hostel or Pension Gimmelwald (or both).
11) Do paragliding. But don't eat lunch beforehand. It isn't scary at all, and I am NOT a fan of heights. Totally worth it, even with a bit of...sickness.
12) The walk to the mountain hut at Jungfraujoch is HARD. Just because of the footing. It's not scary or anything, but wWhen it's sunny (which is hopefully when you choose to go,) the terrain is slush. You need good snow walking shoes. ALSO, leave your gear in the provided (3 CHF??) lockers! It's a HOT walk. You don't want thick coats or bags. The food takes a while to arrive when you get there. But you get to walk on a glacier.
If you have any questions, I'm more than happy to help!
-Dave