Rail Pass options for 4 nights in Switzerland - is it worth it?

Posted by taliedutoit (South Africa) on 10/30/18 02:51 PM

We (4 friends: age 30 - 35) will be travelling through Switzerland as part of our Euro trip in April / May 2019. Total of 4 nights in Switzerland (Dates: 26 - 30 April 2019).

Our Switzerland part of the trip will start in Geneva (coming from Chamonix) on our way to Lauterbrunnen (1st day travel in Switzerland), based in Lauterbrunnen for 3 nights. Exploring the valley and want to include a trip to the TOP OF EUROPE (from previous posts I see Jungfraujoch are more recommended than Schilthorn - is this correct?)

From Lauterbrunnen we will travel by train to Lucerne for 1 night and from there to the Black Forest (Germany).

NOT SURE IF A TRAVEL PASS IS WORTH IT, IF SO WHICH PASS DO WE CONSIDER? We are on tight budgets :)

Thanks & regards

Posted by stan

The Heartland USA

10/30/18 03:02 PM

8423 posts

Just addressing one point. The Jungfraujoch is more famous than Schilthorn, but not necessarily a better experience. Take a close look at the time it takes to get to either one and see one difference. The train to Junfraujoch spends a long time in a dark tunnel going through the mountain, whereas the Schilthorn is by gondola with great views. Weather makes a difference too. Check the weather closely each day and for both places.

Posted by Michael

Schaumburg, IL

10/30/18 03:28 PM

262 posts

The Swiss Pass is the best....buy 2nd class and you just walk on the trains
-no bother and includes all the great boat rides in Interlaken & Luzern...free
trip to the Schilthorn...free cable car & train to Murren & Wengen...half price
on others & half price on Mt Pilatus in Luzern which is a fun trip.

Posted by Sam

Green Bay

10/30/18 03:57 PM

20032 posts

A 4-day Swiss Travel Pass Costs 270 CHF. Until Dec 8, 2018, it gave free use of the Schilthornbahn for its entire way to the top, but I believe that deal will not extend into 2019. Looks like it will be a 60% discount off the round trip cost of 105 CHF from Stechelberg. To go to the Jungfraujoch, the Swiss Travel Pass gets you to Wengen for free, but then only a 25% discount from there to the Jungfraujoch. The full fare cost of a round trip from Lauterbrunnen to Jungfraujoch is 190 CHF. It also covers the French portion of the trip from Chamonix to Lauterbrunnen,

A better deal would be the 30-day Half Fare Card costing 120 CHF. You have 9.60 EUR for the French portion, then 88 CHF for the rest of the way to Lauterbrunnen, then 40.60 CHF for Lauterbrunnen to Luzern. So with another 120 CHF of train/lift rides in Lauterbrunnen, you will be ahead of the game.
https://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holidays/travel-in-switzerland/international-guests/swiss-halffare-card.html

Like I said on your other thread, the best deal for Luzern to Gengenbach/Triberg is to buy a Sparpreis nonrefundable, train specific ticket at www.bahn.com several months in advance.

Posted by Laura

Rick Steves' Europe

10/30/18 05:35 PM

16893 posts

Unless you can find a time when the Swiss Travel Pass offers an extra-travel-day promotion, the version for 4 consecutive days will not cover you to the German border on day 5. However, they certainly could offer such a promo before you leave.