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swiss travel pass math-will it add up?

Posted by (SEA) on

Our family of 4 will be in Switzerland next week on our way to Italy. Our boys are 12 & 13. We are budget travelers and will be staying in hostels.

We will be purchasing half fare cards and getting the family travel pass. The math on the savings there was easy to calculate.

We are trying to figure out if we should also purchase the Bernese Oberland pass. I believe we would just need these for my husband and I, as youth under 15 are free when parents have the pass.

Our Swiss itinerary is
1 night Zurich
3 nights Lauterbrunnen
1 night Lucerne
(Obviously longer stays in these locations would be great and we know we won't see it all).

The price difference is about $330/350 between half fare only and half fare with the BO pass (3 or 4 day).

If we don't do a mountian peak gondola, will we spend anywhere near $330? I like it for convenience but that is a significant difference in cost. With the SBB app buying tickets won't be that much of a hassel.

I'm sure we will go up to
Murren and Grimmelwald to hike. The train to Luzern with half fare was between $16-20 per adult.

Your thoughts on this are appreciated!

Posted by
7481 posts

I broke even on the Swiss Travel Pass. You could do the boat ride across the lake in Luzurn/Lucerne, and use the cog wheel trains to the top of Mt. Rigi, all included on the Swiss Travel Pass. Amazing excursion. I would recommend skipping Zurich and going directly to Luzern upon arrival. Schilthorn is half price with the Swiss Travel Pass.

Posted by
8 posts

We prefer to stay closer to the airport on our first night. We've had issues un the past and traveling with kids (although they are getting older) makes the jet leg an easier transition for everyone. We have a red eye flight and get in early evening.

While in Luzern we will just focus on the city due to time limits. Our guest card will travel all local transportation.

I will have to revisit the Swiss pass and look at the math. I can't rememberif you can get a family pass with that or not. Thank you for remind me of it.

Posted by
321 posts

youth under 15 are free when parents have the pass

Not with the Berner Oberland Pass, from their website:

For children 6 - 16 years (15.99) a Berner Oberland Pass is offered for CHF 30

So the BO Pass is 168.00 per person for the adults (3 days) and 30.00 each for the kids.

If you do not go up any mountain peak, and only to Mürren and Gimmelwald from Lauterbrunnen, you will not spend even close to this much!

Lauterbrunnen - Mürren via Stechelberg (so that you can also go to Gimmelwald) is 16.40 with HFC. The ticket is valid for the entire day.

Lauterbrunnen - Mürren via Grütschalp return is 11.80.

Posted by
8 posts

Thank you.

The kids are covered on the BO pass if you have half fare and the family travel pass.

I guess it only makes sense to get the BO pass if we do a mountian top. I do like how simple it makes everything without having to get tickets. But probably not worth the extra cost

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