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Swiss Travel Pass or…?

My husband and I are traveling with another couple to Switzerland for a quick trip, flying into Zurich on June 20 and flying home from Zurich on June 28. We are arriving one day before the other couple and we are wondering if it’s better to get a Swiss Travel Pass for 8 days or do the Zurich Card + Berner Oberland Pass, or Half Fare Pass, or just buy tickets as we go. Here’s our itinerary:

Day 1 - arrive in Zurich in the morning and travel by train to Lucerne. Stay at Hotel Alpina next to train station.
Day 2 - travel back to Zurich by train in the late afternoon to meet up with our friends. Stay in Old Town at Hotel Felix
Day 3 - explore Zurich and go to concert in Langstrasse that night
Day 4 - more Zurich and concert at Hallenstadion that night
Day 5 - morning train to Murren. Stay at apartment in Hotel Jungfrau
Day 6 - explore BO (will take various lifts while we’re there but not set on a specific plan for this area. Will do what the weather dictates and definitely plan to hike around Murren, possibly in the valley around Lauterbrunnen, and maybe head over to Wengen and to Jungfraujoch if weather cooperates.)
Day 7 - more exploring in BO
Day 8 - train to Zurich late afternoon, stay near airport or at Radisson Blu in airport
Day 9 - early flight home

Any thoughts on what travel passes would be good for my husband and I and for our friends? They might not get as much use out of a Swiss Travel Pass since they’re skipping the Lucerne leg. So many options, any advice is appreciated.
Thanks in advance, we’re excited for our trip!

Posted by
21142 posts

A quick review indicates that buying 1-month Half Fare Cards is the best deal for you two, and maybe for your 2 friends as well. You start saving money as soon as the per person tickets exceed 240 CHF, which it looks like it will for you.
Zurich airport to Luzern and return, 60 CHF
Zurich Hb to Muerren 69.80 CHF
Muerren to Zurich airport, 74.80 CHF
So that is 174.60 CHF long distance train tickets.
A round trip from Muerren to top of Schilthorn is 103.60 CHF, so that makes it past the break even point. Jungfraujoch from Muerren is more than twice that.

Instead of getting the overpriced Zurich Card, just buy center city day passes (Zone 110) costing 12.40 CHF per day, but with your Half Fare Card it will be half that. 2 days in Zurich will then cost 12.40 CHF per person.

The Half Fare Card saves the most money 98% of the time, and this appears to be no exception.

Posted by
4 posts

Hi Sam, thank you so much for taking the time to look at our itinerary and offer advice. We'll plan on purchasing the Half Fare Card for our trip. I really appreciate this forum and how generous people are with travel info. I've used it for trip planning to several destinations over the years and have never been steered in the wrong direction.
Cheers, Amy