We're headed to Switzerland for the first time in late July for 3 days. (Arrive mid-day on a Thursday and leave Sat night or Sun morning) We plan to spend our time in Gimmelwald hiking/exploring the surrounding areas. I was wondering if a pass is worth it since we'll only be there for 3 days and we won't be traveling all around the country? Is there a pass that covers the cable cars, buses, trains, etc that it takes to get to the top of these mountains? The Swiss Pass? Flex Pass? Or should we just plan to pay for tickets individually?
Thanks!!!!
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32222 posts
Casey,
Given the fact that you seem to be focusing on one specific area (Gimmelwald), you might have a look at the Berner Oberland Regional Pass, as that will likely provide coverage for most of the transportation you'll be using. There's a map on the website showing which rail systems and cable cars are covered by the Pass. Unfortunately the shortest version is 4 days, which would make your cost CHF 60 per day. You'll have to do the number crunching to determine if that's cheaper than P-P tickets, or something like the Half-Fare card.
Posted by
Grand Rapids, MI
768 posts
And $60 is about what one spends on an average day for lifts or trains. They tend to come out about the same: pass or pay as you go. However, if it rains most days, the pass is a bad buy, so check weather before getting a pass.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16894 posts
It's hard for me to trust the generalization that "$60 is about what one spends on an average day for lifts or trains." It might turn out to be true, but you can compare specific fares for your intended destinations on the JungfrauBahn. Click the little "Discounts" link on that page to see coverage/discount maps for the Swiss Travel Pass (also covers lake boats, museums, etc). Even the Berner Oberland pass doesn't fully cover the highest lifts, so see their map, too.