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Is Swiss pass best for 8 days - Zermatt, Gimmelwald, Vevey, Geneva

HI; I'm traveling from Chamonix (1 night) to Zermatt (3 nights); then Gimmelwald (3 nights), then to Geneva (1 night). We are going hiking in Chamonix, Zermatt and Gimmelwald/Schilthorn. Taking many forms of transportation. Can't decide on a Swiss Pass or Eurail. Or Swiss Pass flex or Swiss Pass half. Regular for 3 is about $1,700 8 days. Seems like a lot. 1 traveler is youth. Do they have senior fares? I didn't see any. Also, does Swiss Pass cover the Golden Pass?

Posted by
7731 posts

Go with the Swiss Travel Pass. It covers the Golden Pass Route(which I took about a month ago and was not all that great) and the Schilthorn and so much more. I will get you 50% off the lifts in Zermatt. There are no senior fares.

Posted by
19 posts

Thanks very much! Is the Swiss Pass flex or half pass the better option? I may have to price out each leg of the trip, but I'm not sure how many times I will take a gondola. I'll be at Esther's in Gimmelwald for 3 nights and likely taking the gondola there. I assume I have to pay for each trip up and down to go on hikes in the area. Also gondoloas in Zermatt; probably go to Jungfrau too.

Posted by
7731 posts

Swiss Travel Pass gets you 50% off the trains that go all the way to top of Jungfrau.
Most here recommend the Half Fare Card.
I do not know a thing about the flex pass.

Posted by
265 posts

Yes, it’s best to price it out yourself. You do have to pay each time you use a lift. The Swiss Pass for 15 days is 513 CHF. For 8 days including a youth, it should be less than $1,700.

Posted by
11247 posts

I always do a spreadsheet listing each segment I plan to take: each train, lift, gondola, bus etc. I list the full fare in one column then have columns for Half-Fare Card, Swiss Travel Pass, Berner Oberland Regional Pass, and Flex Pass. That is the only way to ensure you are getting the best deal.

That said, the Swiss Travel Pass or Flex Pass are so easy! No need to get other tickets except for the Jungfraujoch. Just show the pass. Convenience has a price and once you do the analysis, you may find any savings with another pass is minimal.

Posted by
19647 posts

Regular for 3 is about $1,700 8 days.

Not sure I am following this. An 8-day Swiss Travel Pass 2nd class is 418 CHF per adult and 357 CHF for youth. so that comes to 1193 CHF for the 3 of you. Since the CHF and USD are at near parity, that is $1210, not $1700. I hope you are not thinking of 1st class, as it is more than $1700.

The Half Fare Card usually saves more money than Travel Passes if you have more than 240 CHF of full fare tickets. In your case, if you have less than 550 CHF of full fare tickets per person (which I think you do), the Half Fare Card is the cheapest way to go.

Posted by
19 posts

Thank you very much. I will do the spreadsheet and one of the Swiss passes. Is it worth it to go to Jungfraujoch? A previous poster noted the frustration of the crowds there right now.

Posted by
19 posts

I'll doublecheck the cost. When I entered 8 days, 2 adults and 2 youth, it came out to close to $1,700. (Maybe that was first class??). Second class is fine.

Posted by
19647 posts

Regular for 3 is about $1,700 8 days. Seems like a lot. 1 traveler is youth.

So I read that as 3 people, Is it actually 4, 2 adult and 2 youth, or 3 adult and 1 youth?

Posted by
16893 posts

Be careful to choose the version you want. 8 days consecutive is cheaper than 8 days within a month.