public transportation around Switzerland for family of 10, help please

Uber is only available in 9 cities: Basel, Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Lausanne, Sion, Winterthur, Zug and Zurich.
If just one parent has a Swiss Travel Pass, your children are each eligible for a free “Swiss Family Card” which allows free travel for children through age 15 ( up to 16 years of age) on the trains, boats and buses in Switzerland. There is also a 50% discount on funiculars, cogwheel trains and gondolas, and discounts on special mountain trains and gondolas. Over 500 Museums are free with the Pass. The Swiss Travel Pass can cover train travel during 3 , 4, 6, 8 or 15 consecutive days. The Flexi-Pass is the way to go if you’ll only need it for the period it is valid—3,4, 6, 8 or 15 non-consecutive days. There are several variables that can help you determine whether a Swiss Travel Pass, Flexipass or point-to-point tickets are the way to go. Unlike in the past, SBB now has “supersaver” train ticket fares that
can cut the cost of a single train ticket by 70%. Whether a Swiss Travel Pass is the way to go can hinge on 1. How long is your trip? 2. What locations will you be going to? And 3. What are the ages of your kids?
As for the panoramic trains, the regular passenger trains travel on the same tracks as the panoramic trains. The main difference is the panoramic trains have transparent ceilings overhead that are similar to a skylight in a house. The Swiss Travel Pass covers the Panoramic trains except for the seat reservation ( about €8) which is not necessary for most panoramic trains. The seats on the first three train cars on the Bernina Express require reservations, as does the entire Glacier Express train.

It is a 12 day trip, 2 seniors and kids are both under 15. What is the difference between a flex pass and regular pass? How easy is it to rent a car in smaller cities?

In that case I would get the Swiss Travel Pass ( or Flexi-Pass) for both adults and get the free Swiss Family Card for each of your children at the time you order the adult passes.
Do you have an idea of what your itinerary will look
like yet? The reason I ask is that the Flexi Pass can save you some money because you only validate it on the days you will be using it.
Here are 2023 prices for the Swiss Travel Pass and Flexi Pass in Standard Class (2nd) covering 3,4,6,8 and 15 days of validity.
Swiss Travel Pass (consecutive days) Flexi-Pass
3 days. 232 CHF ( Swiss Francs; 1CHF=$1.09) 267 (Flex)
4 days 281 CHF. 323 (Flex)
6 days. 359 CHF. 384 (Flex
8 days. 389. CHF. 409 Flex
15 days. 429 CHF. 449 Flex

arriving in Zurich, will stay there 2 nights, then traveling to Wilderswil staying there 5 nights, and then traveling to Montreux for 2 nights and back to Zurich. We want to do a day excursion to Zermatt area while in Wilderswil, as well as Murren, and a day trip to Luzern.

On a post about a week ago, a Forum contributor said that a Swiss Travel Pass sale would start April 15.

The SBB app is easy to use. I'd suggest downloading it now, and play with the routes you'll likely be using. The App will give you train #'s, stops, and platform numbers. Platform #'s are important for train transfers. You need to know the platform # you will get off your train, and the platform# of your next connecting train, as often you will have under 10 minutes to make the connection. When your train slows for the station, be at the door with your luggage and be ready to jump off. Obviously, the lighter the luggage the better, and everyone handles their own luggage.

For the scenic routes, note that the regional trains run on the exact same tracks, so you don't have to ride the panoramic trains for the spectacular views . The regional trains require no seat reservation, are much less crowded, are included in the Swiss Travel Pass, and have more schedule options.

The Swiss Travel Pass is so easy to use- no buying tickets, no validation required. The exception is that some of the mountain lifts are not covered, and only discounted. ( Mt Rigi is covered, but Mt Pilatus is a discounted fare.)

Do note that in Switzerland it can get into the 80's in the cities in the summer, but the mountain summits are still quite chilly.
Have a wonderful trip in this beautiful country.

Because you’ll be in one location for 5 nights, you might be fine with the 6-day Flexi-Pass for 384 CHF but a 8-day Flexi Pass is only 25 CHF more and you might find you want to travel to Lake Thun near Wilderswil for its castle and take the lake boat on Lake Thun. You also could cross to Lake Brienz and visit Giessbach Waterfall and the woodcarving village of Brienz. When you go to Lucerne ( one of my favorite train routes in the country is Interlaaken to Lucerne) you can travel up Mt. Rigi with the Swiss Travel Pass or Flexi-Pass for free.
You also might add a couple excursions the closer you get to your trip and the 8-day Pass makes that easy. I would get the Swiss Flexi-Pass for 8 days.
Transferring to another train in Switzerland is ridiculously easy. Even in Zurich, it takes less than 5 minutes as the Swiss have simplified transit in ways the world could learn from.
Have a great trip!

Thank you so much, this has helped me immensely! Pat where do I find the platform numbers?

When you chose a route, click on the route -
an example, as I can't screen shoot the page for you-

05:00 Zurich Flughafen. Pl.2
05:12. Zurich HB. Pl.43

The Pl. is Platform
So board the train at the airport on Platform 2, and exit at the main train station platform 43.

I'm sure there are better folks than I here on the Forum for explaining this. I hope they chime in.

Pat's description of the platform numbers is perfect. I would not worry too much about this until you are actually going to get off the train to make your transfer - platforms can change last minute if any trains are late and they need to shuffle things around.

When getting off to make your transfer, look at your app or listen to the announcements regarding the platform for your next train.

When you are on the platform, look at the overhead signs to see the platform numbers.

Look for ramps, elevators or escalators to move to the other platforms. Taking a moment to do this can save you a lot of effort. I so often see people carrying their luggage up and down stairs when they don't need to.

It sounds complicated before you do it, but the system is very easy. If in doubt ask people around you on the train. Most Swiss can speak English and are very happy to help!

how is your group comprised? I see 2 seniors and 2 kiddoes. That leaves 6. 3 middle aged couples? Your kids and their spouses/etc.?

Can one adult in each family take charge of that group, making sure everybody has their luggage and is ready to get off? And one chief to check with each group leader? Doing it that way and using multiple train doors will be easier than everybody piling out of one door and milling about on the platform while somebody checks everybody, then try to make that short connection....

Or won't that work?

Are any of the 10 mobility challenged? A large group moves at the speed of the slowest member.... Anybody mesmerized by store windows or need the toilet frequently? These are rhetorical questions, don't need answering here, but worth keeping in mind...

With this mixed age group would the discount for 10 or more apply? Here is the link for that:
https://www.sbb.ch/en/help-and-contact/produkte-services/leisure-group-offers/group-travel.html

The English version of SBB uses the word “platform” but at the station they may use the German word “Gleis” which means “track”. Often a platform will serve two tracks, one on either side, so make sure the number matches up.

If you are using a Flex Pass, make sure that everyone in your party enters the date of use in the box provided on the pass BEFORE you board the first train of the day. ( That is with a paper pass. I don’t know how that works with a digital pass on your phone).

I looked at the group rate, thank you for sending the link, what does GP stand for? If we use the swiss travel pass I don't need to purchase tickets- is that correct?
what about taxi service from train stations to hotels or other lodgings? My father has a bad hip and walking any lengthy distances is not advisable.

I truly appreciate all of the advice and insight!

I so often see people carrying their luggage up and down stairs when
they don't need to.

This made me laugh. 😊 Been there, done that. Interlaken!!!! Now we know better.

I looked at the group rate, thank you for sending the link, what does GP stand for?

You don't mean GA do you? as in "Passengers with GA (travel for free)."?

If so that is, in German, Das Generalabonnement.

In English, approximately, General Subscription.

It is an automatically renewing subscription for at least 6 months up to one year, and continues.

You won't be using it.

If not this GA, where did you see the "GP" you mention?

Sorry, I did mean GA, thank you for your reply!

Actually, one does not need to be Swiss with a 1--year travel pass to use the GA reduction (full fare on regular train routes and half-fare on many mountain trains and lifts). It applies to holders of the Swiss Travel Pass as well ( including Flex pass).

what about taxi service from train stations to hotels or other lodgings

It depends on where you are staying. There are usually taxis waiting at the train station (this is the case here in Thun for example). Are you planning on staying in any of the car-free villages like Wengen or Mürren?

This made me laugh. 😊 Been there, done that. Interlaken!!!! Now we know better.

Exactly Carrie - that is where I see it happen the most often...you are not alone! I will often point out to people where the ramps are when I am transferring trains there. They have big signs, but of course when you are not sure if you will make your connection it is easy to feel a bit stressed, keep your head down and just follow everyone else. 😅

I have enjoyed reading these posts because my husband and I will be in Switzerland for 8 days in May.

My question is: we fly into Zurich and then will take a train to Lucern. How far is the airport from the train station? Do we take a taxi to the train station? I was looking up “trains from Zurich to Lucern” and it listed about 12 different locations in Zurich but nothing indicating the airport. What is the best pass to buy for the 8 days we are there using trains, trams etc. We will be staying in Bern, Grindelwald, Lucern and Zurich. I see the SBB train and the rail.ninja. Not sure which line to book. Thanks for any help you can give.

We are staying in Zurich, Wilderswil and Montreux. We are currently thinking of renting a car for my parents to travel in rather than the trains from each location change. But if Taxis are readily available that would help too. Thank you!

Warenow, the Zurich train station is actually at the Zurich airport. It's a very easy walk. Download the SBB app for train info. The Airport stop is Zurich Flughafen. Have a great trip.

I see the SBB train and the rail.ninja

SBB

rail ninja (never heard of it) will be a reseller. They aren't a train line. SBB has everything you need and by drilling down, even more.

The Swiss Travel Pass Flex is not a very good option. It will only give you free travel on those days where you activate it, and on the other days you will pay full price. This will make your excursions from Wilderswil rather expensive. A better option is sometimes to get the Swiss Half Fare Card. This gives you 50% off on all trips, even mountain trips like up to the Jungfraujoch, and this also comes with the Swiss Family Card.

What is the swiss family card? I have seen it listed in a few places but I don't know what it is. Thank you

rail ninja (never heard of it) will be a reseller.

Rail Ninja is actually a scammer. They have managed to trick the search engines to appear high up in the results, mostly by setting up a slew of fake websites that look like real railway websites. They then proceed with charging you a markup of 300% or more on tickets. Avoid at all cost.

In Switzerland just use the SBB app. It is great, and gives you all the info you need.

And to the OP: Since you are staying longer times in the same place you should not get the Swiss Travel Pass. Get the Swiss Half Fare Card, and get a regional Pass. eg. For your days in Grindelwald get the Jungfrau Pass. This will give you free travel on almost all cable cars and mountain railways in the area, so you can do a lot of trips.

And since you are not planning any trains that require reservation you can just get everything you need at the airport. Just go to the railway travelcentre, and explain to the ticket clerk.

The Family Card is free with a Swiss Trevel Pass ( not sure if you can get it with a Half Fare Card). It provides free transport on trains and lifts for children 15 and under when traveling with a parent who has a Swiss Pass. It is a great deal if there are kids in your travel group.

The Family card is also available with the HFC. Which makes that a very good deal for families with children...

So what is the difference between a swiss travel pass and the swiss half fare card? My understanding is that the swiss travel pass covers all my train transportation, except the panoramic trains, all buses, gives me free entry to all museums, and covers the cost of some trams and the others are half price. The half fare card gives me half price on everything. Is there anything else? Reasons to use one over the other? Thank you!

You just need to pencil it out and see what makes the most financial sense for you. The Swiss Travel Pass is so convenient, because on the transportation modes it covers 100%, there's no need to buy tickets. You just walk on the train, boat, cogwheel, and sit down .

Thank you Pat, We are leaning towards the travel pass but the conversations about the half fare card made me reconsider.