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DISCERNING SWISS CARDS & PASSES for Berner Oberland

Dear Sam & Other Swiss Travelers,

Thanks for responding. I actually have a Rick Steve's guide as I try to plan this out for Switzerland for my wife and I (late 50's).
One kind respondent even said I should think about rail travel instead. I did investigate rail but car seems the mode since
we go to Appenzell and Reith Im Alpenbach (Schloss Matzen) after our time in Lauterbrunnen (1 day)
and Gimmelwald (2 days).

So from your experience are any of these Cards or Swiss Passes going to be worth purchasing:
Here are my aspirations while in Switzerland (we will have a rental car):
Trip 1 leave Lauterbrunnen by train to Wengen and go up to Manlichen to Kleine Scheideigg and return to Wengen to Lauterbrunnen
Trip 2 After staying night in Lauterbrunnen, drive & park our rental at Stechelberg to take cable car up to Gimmelwald. Perhaps smart to try early morning (cheaper) go all the way up to Schilthorn? Then come back down to Murren to hike back to Gimmelwald.
Staying up there for two nights.
Trip 3 Is really departing from Gimmelwald down to Stechelberg to get to our rental car and depart the area. I guess we pay for two days of parking to leave the car there while up in Gimmelwald?

So would it benefit us to purchase a Swiss card or pass for what I described? We leave for Appenzell and then Reith im Alpenbach, Austria by car after this.

Really trying to discern what is wise to do financially since we are already paying summer rates to stay at Hotel Silberhorn and up in Gimmelwald we stay two nights at Esther's Guest House booked.

Final related question in discerning Pass or Card purchase. Can a traveler doing the above use a Debit Card or I may have a European style credit card from GlobeTrek Visa to pay for rail tickets or lift/cable cars?

Thanks for your patience with me trying to harrow out what to do above. This is our 35th anniversary trip but trying to save where I can also.

Tom
Riverview, FL

Posted by
7797 posts

Hi Tom,

The assortment of options of Swiss Passes will not benefit you for the small amount of train & gondola travel you're planning vs. the base cost of the passes. Also, since you're mentioning costs & budget, Switzerland is very expensive for food, etc. - just so you're aware ahead of time.

You're going to a beautiful area; enjoy your trip!

Posted by
33810 posts

You have such a few gondola and rail trips I can't see how a pass or card would help.

Happy anniversary. I just had my 35th. You picked a good year.

Parking at Stechelberg is half the price of the covered parking at Lauterbrunnen but in the open under the flight path of the hang gliders.

Sometimes it rains when I am loading the car and I prefer to park under cover.

You shouldn't have any trouble buying gondola tickets as long as the debit or credit card has Visa or Mastercard logo on it. There are live people behind the window, not just machines.