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Swiss pass or 1/2 fare travel card based on specific itinerary...Need help!

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I will be meeting my husband and 16yr old son in Murren on July 11th. I'm not clear if I should buy Swiss travel passes (2 adults and 1 youth) or the 1/2 fare card. If Swiss Travel Pass is best, do I get a 3-day pass for my husband since he's leaving one day early and buy his train from Luzern to Zurich separately? Do I get 4 day passes for myself and my son?

With the Swiss travel pass, do we just board the trains or do we need seat reservations? The sbb.ch site is confusing. Lastly, as I will be coming from Milano, do I buy a Trenitalia ticket for Milano to Spiez and then with Swiss travel pass I'd be covered Spiez to Murren?
I've listed my tentative itinerary below and would appreciate any and all input.

Day 1, July 11 1 Adult and 1 Youth - Zurich to Murren
1 Adult - Milano to Murren

Day2, July 12 Murren to Schilthorn (2 adults and 1 youth). thrill walk at Birg, Schilthorn, Trummelbach falls

Day 3, July 13 Murren area. Hiking and activities TBD

Day 4, July 14 Murren AM (hiking and lunch) - Luzern PM
2 Adults and 1 Youth - Murren to Luzern

1 Adult and 1 Youth - Mt. Pilatus golden roundtrip incl. ropes course, toboggan ride, boat ride

Thank you!

Posted by
16190 posts

Are the Pilatus trip, ropes course, and boat ride all on the afternoon of Day 4, after travel to Luzern? I do not think there is time for all of that.

Posted by
20032 posts

With a Swiss Travel Pass there is no need for reservations, just show the pass to the conductor when asked, and have your passport available too.

I'll ruminate over my morning coffee to think about the optimal ticket strategy.

Edit- I have ruminated and you should all buy Half Fare Cards. You should purchase a "Mini" fare ticket from Milano Centrale to Muerren for 49 CHF on the the 7:23 EC train to Spiez now, and have the Half Fare Card purchased and in your possession by your travel date.

Posted by
18 posts

Correction!
Day 5 - 1 adult Luzern to Zurich (my husband has to leave early)
1 adult and 1 youth -Pilatus

Posted by
18 posts

Dear Sam,
Thank so much for your help. So even with going to Schilthorn (which I understand is very expensive), you still recommend a the 1/2 fare card?

Do I buy the mini fare ticket on the Trentitalia website? And if using the 1/2 fare card, do I buy the Spiez to Murren ticket in Spiez when I arrive? Do I just get on the train and buy it then? You mentioned to take the 7:23am train but I'm actually coming all the way from Viareggio so my trip looks like this:

6:57 Viareggio – 10:55 Milano
11:23 Milan (EC 52, towards Frankfurt) – 13:53 Spiez
14:05 Spiez (R 6724) – 14:28 Interlaken Ost
14:35 Interlaken Ost (R 169) – 14:55 Lauterbrunnen
15:08 Lauterbrunnen (Seilbahn) (LB 31) – 15:12 Grutschalp
15:14 Grustschalp (R 769) – 15:28 Murren

Posted by
20032 posts

Buy the ticket now from Viareggio to Spiez. The 11:23 EC train is 10 EUR more expensive because there are no "Mini" fares left, only "Smart" fares. So that ticket is for sale at 58.90 EUR. You can buy your Half Fare Card at Spiez station and the continuing ticket to Muerren. Probably will not make the the 14:05 train to Interlaken, but there is one at 14:33, so you will arrive in Muerren 1/2 hour later.

Posted by
20032 posts

Yes. Actually for the 3 of you, the Swiss Travel Pass is the most expensive way to go. The exception is your son. Because he qualifies for the Youth Flex Pass, he would save 2 CHF over just buying undiscounted tickets outright. With the Half Fare Card, you all save money.

People are often surprised that the Swiss Travel Pass does not really save money and often costs more than just buying tickets. There is the convenience factor of not having to buy tickets, but the Half Fare Card almost always saves money if you have more than 240 CHF worth of undiscounted tickets.

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