(I'm sure you all get sick of this) Rail Pass Confusion

Are your dates flexible? I’m doubtful you’ll be able to do hikes like Birg to Murren that early in the year. Typically a lot of the high alpine trails don’t open until mid-late June and some even still have some snow into early July depending on the snow this year. It seems you’re planning some big, amazing hikes and I think you might be disappointed when you get there to find that some of these trails are under snow.

For example, the trail from Birg to Murren via Grauseeli/Bryndlii is an amazing hike in July-September but there is zero chance I’d do it in early June because the loose scree in the first portion would be really treacherous with any remaining snow/slush/ice patches. It was already treacherous enough in the middle of the summer :)

Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention @wanderweg. Much appreciated.

"Are your dates flexible? I’m doubtful you’ll be able to do hikes like Birg to Murren that early in the year. Typically a lot of the high alpine trails don’t open until mid-late June, and some even still have some snow into early July depending on the snow this year."

Unfortunately, my dates aren't flexible. However, my hikes can be. I'll plan alternative hikes for lower altitudes (sub-2000 M work?) and implement those if trails are closed. Do you think Kleine Scheidegg down to say, Lauterbrunnen would be accessible?

"It seems you’re planning some big, amazing hikes and I think you might be disappointed when you get there to find that some of these trails are under snow."

Blast! I was last there in mid-May, and some trails were also not open. At the time, all the locals said to come back in June. I wish when in June had been more specific. That's okay, though; I'm adaptable and can adjust my expectations. We're mostly after breathtaking views and vibrant visual sites. There's no guarantee that fog, clouds, rain won't ruin any perfect plans, so I need to remember that. Last time I was there, it rained four out of the five days.

Do you have any recommendations for hikes that fit these criteria (5-8 miles, moderate, good for breathing deep and enjoying the views) and are low enough to be accessible quickly from Mürren?

Lastly, do you have any insights about the fare card questions you're able to share? Regardless of the high alpine hikes, the general pattern will be the same - going up as high as we can access and walking down.

Mürren Day 1 - June 3 - Train travel to Interlaken, ferry across Brienz to Geissbache, hike back to Interlaken, train back to Mürren
-**You should be able to do this, although I’ve never done it so can’t speak to whether it’s a good hike or not. I know you can hike to Giessbach Falls.

Mürren Day 2 - June 4 - Train/Cable to Kleine Scheidegg, hike back Trümmelbach Falls and Lauterbrunnen, Cable car back to Mürren
**I think you should be able to do this. There is also a possibility that you can watch for weather/snow levels and possibly add Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg to this, which is very beautiful. Männlichen Opens May 25, but the trail is TBD until closer to your dates. Mannlichen to KS to Wegneralp is beautiful. I’m not sure which route you were planning down to Lauterbrunnen/Trummelbach

Mürren Day 3 - June 5 - Cable to Schilthorn, Cable back to Birg, Hike Back to Mürren
**Im pretty positive this won’t be an option but you might be able to roundtrip Birg-Grauseeli possibly. So you could still do Schilthorn and Birg and then possibly a small hike. Right now the Allmendhubel is set to open June 8, so there is a chance the North Face hike will be accessible or partially accessible. Usually I recommend hiking it counterclockwise from Allmendhubel, but you can still do it counterclockwise from Murren and just add the hike up to Allmendhubel if the trails are open. To add distance to it, you might be able to add a Sprutz waterfall detour + hiking down to Gimmelwald.

Mürren Day 4 - June 6 - Cable / Walk / Bus / Cable to Wengen, hike to Eiger Glacier, (or reverse), then back to Mürren
**Unsure about this being open then. The info I gave you above on Mannlichen would be a good sub if it’s open.

Mürren Day 5 - June 7 - Mountain Biking in Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Mürren area, with likely cable trips needed.
**There are some good trails above Murren from Allmendhubel, so TBD closer to the date on their opening.

Mürren Day 6 - June 8 - Mürren to Zurich for return flights to US.

In regards to the pass, I think for your plans the Half Fare Card would probably be the best option. It would give you 50% off everything and give you flexibility. The BO pass is TBD if it would really work out in your benefit, especially since your priority is hiking, not general sightseeing. Get the SBB app on your phone and possibly saver day passes for your airport travel days, if you purchase those far enough in advance that the $ savings works out.

Thank you very much @wanderweg!

I did some rudimentary math and it appears the BOP will be cost savings when factoring in the lift/trains/busses to leave and return to Mürren each day. The half fare card should make those and the fare from/to Mürren the most affordable.