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Swiss Train Pass help

Posted by (Chicago) on

Like a lot of people I'm trying to figure out which pass or combination of passes I should get for my first trip to Switzerland in September. My itinerary is already set with airbnbs and hotels booked so I can't make any changes there. :)

Land in Zurich - Train to Lucerne

2 days in Lucerne - Pilatus and exploring Lucerne

4 days in Wengen - Junfraujoch, Trummelbach Falls, Grindelwald First, Mannlichen and hiking around all the villages. Maybe Schiltorn?

2 days in Zermatt - Gornergrat and hiking around.

Should I just grab a Swiss Travel Pass?

Or perhaps the Half Fare Card + Berner Oberland Pass/Top of Europe Pass? This would cover me in Wengen, then I can use Half Fare to get around everywhere else.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and suggestions!

Posted by
7841 posts

If you plan to have an active phone with data during your trip then go with the Half Fare Card. This allows you to buy tickets using the SBB ap on the go. Weather conditions are a big factor in where you should go on a given day.

Otherwise I would go with a Swiss Travel Pass 8 day.
I would wait until you get there to buy it with a live person at the SBB office that can give you advice on what would be most economical.

Posted by
1653 posts

You actually do not need a phone to use the half fare card. You can buy the half fare card at the airport or any railway station, and with it you can then buy tickets at half price at any station ticket office, or from the ticket vending machines.

The Half Fare Card is usually the best option. It is what the locals use.

Posted by
28 posts

Factor in what convenience is worth to you. We’re 4 days into our 16 day vacation and we are so in love with our Swiss Travel Pass! The convenience of being able to hop on any sort of transportation at any time and just go is fabulous! ( We’ve already used it for cable car,s buses, trams, trains, and boats) And we have not had to pay for entrance to a museum yet.

Posted by
2672 posts

I’m a huge fan of the Swiss Travel Pass for the convenience. I even splurged this past June and got the 1st class Pass so I could enjoy the less crowded train cars. And I would do it again. I would estimate all your travel expenses and if they come close to the cost of the Pass, I would get it.

Posted by
9 posts

Thank you all for the responses! What I am thinking of doing is combining the Half Fare Card with the Top of Europe Pass. Since I want to do Jungfraujoch, which is included in the TOE pass, I can get a 4 day pass for $179. Otherwise with all the other passes I have to pay for Jungfraujoch on top of the travel pass. When looking at all the things there are to do in Lauterbrunnen, that's where I need the most flexibility.

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