Rail Passes Switzerland Jungfrau Region

I recommend buying the half-fare pass no matter what, because it will provide discounts wherever you go. Also, if you purchase it first, it will apply to any additional passes you buy! I've had excellent use from the Berner Oberland pass in the past, but they've recently changed what it covers, making it less full-service.

You may find a combination of the BO pass for a few days in Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, and Murren works, combined with a couple of days of the Jungfrau pass to cover the Jungfraujoch train and Eiger Express. Read the coverage map and details of each closely to see whether they cover where you really want to go. You may end up paying for some tickets outright, but remember that you've got your half-fare pass to help with those.

Good luck and enjoy! This is my favorite part of Switzerland.

Half Fare Pass

Just to note, this is not a ‘pass’ but rather a card that allows you to purchase tickets at half price. In order to know if you should get it or not you need to price things out a bit. You will have to buy over 300.00 worth of tickets before it even begins to give you a savings.

Also, if you purchase it (the half fare card) first, it will apply to any additional passes you buy!

No need to purchase the HFC ‘first’. Just be sure you have it at the time of travel to show to the conductor.

Thank you very much. Will look into the half fare first.
A couple follow up questions, before I do some research next:
Would the half fare discount work on a flex Swiss Rail pass?

We plan to start in Zurich and take the train to Interlaken, then a couple days later to Lauterbrunnen, (side trips possibly to Murren and Grindelwald), then back to Zurich to return to New York.
Thanks again,
Sean

Would the half fare discount work on a flex Swiss Rail pass?

Unfortunately not.

And note that the Half fare card is not half fare off everything. A lot of cable cars are privately run and offer little to no discount.

Thank you Carrie.

Hi @Carrie, I am just wondering what cable cars you encountered that don't accept the half fare card? As a resident of Switzerland I use the HFC for all of my mountain journeys and have always gotten half off of the regular price. Most mountains are around 60.00 return and I pay around 30.00 return. Of course there are way too many mountain in Switzerland for me to have tried even just a fraction of them. I would love to know which ones don't offer half price so I can avoid them. :-)

Hi SwissNomad, I may have misspoken. I may have been thinking of something else. I thought there was something where “half off” didn’t necessarily get you half off.

Hi sturmdrang12, Just ignore that comment. :-) Sorry for any confusion.

It's definitely not easy to figure out, particularly if you are like me and want flexibility. I'm not one to plan each day down to the hour in advance so it's harder to estimate which combination would benefit me most. I've already accepted that I'll make a few mistakes, perhaps spending more than I need to, but it is what it is and I'm fortunate to be in a position that I can absorb it. I'll be in Switzerland a little over 2 weeks, 7 nights of which will be in Wengen, so as of right now I'm planning to purchase the HFC and an 8 day BO pass.

Carrie, you were probably thinking of the Berner Oberland Pass and the Jungfrau Travel Pass, with those the HFC gives a discount, but it is less than 50%.

And note that the Half fare card is not half fare off everything. A
lot of cable cars are privately run and offer little to no discount.

Pretty much all do, as that is often a condition of their concession. In fact, many would prefer not to have to do this, and that is why often they price the normal fare at twice what they need to operate.

Eg. the Jungfrau Railway would prefer not having to accept the HFC. They need about 100,- per passenger to operate, and because they have to accept the HFC they have thus priced a return ticket at over 200... Without the HFC many cable cars and mountain railways would lower their fares.

(I actually consider this practice a sort of hidden tourist tax)