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The ubiquitous travel pass question

Posted by (Virginia) on

Hi,
I know this gets asked a lot and I am not really asking but hoping for confirmation instead from folks who have actually traveled in Switzerland that I am thinking of this correctly and making the correct purchase. Below is our itinerary for a trip in June (all flights and accomodations are booked):
Fly in and out of Zurich
2 nights in Zurich then train to Lucerne
2 nights in Lucerne then train to Lauterbrunnen
5 nights in Lauterbrunnen then train to Bern
1 night in Bern then train back to Zurich for night before flight back home.
There are 12 of us, 2 who are 80 and 1 who is 5 and everything else in between.

I was thinking our best bet would be to get the half fare card and the BO pass. Any opinions are welcome.

Thanks so much.

Posted by
4893 posts

Your trip sounds wonderful in this beautiful country. Check the SBB site for info on the travel pass sale starting April 15- various passes will offer free days. Not sure if that changes your bottom line, but good to be aware of the sale.
Also, you don't mention if you're planning other modes of exploring, such as going up to Mt Rigi ( boat and cogwheel train) or Mt Stanserhorn, both in the Lucerne area.
Safe travels!

Posted by
45 posts

Hi Pat,
I wasn't sure if we wanted to do Mt Rigi versus Pilatus. Definitely one of the two while in Lucerne.
Obviously we want to do a lot in BO including visiting Schiltorn and Jungfrau Joch as well as Murren, Wengen, Gimmelwald etc.

Thanks again.

Jeanine

Posted by
11375 posts

Based on many trips and much analysis for past trips, I would get a Half Fare Card and a Berner Oberland Regional Pass. There are youth discounts for the HFC as described here https://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holidays/inspiration/international-guests/swiss-halffare-card.html and they also get a discount on the BORP described here https://www.berneroberlandpass.ch/de/all-in-1-ticket/. With your HFC, adults get a discount on the BORP as well.

The Berner Oberland Regional Pass covers you for almost everything from Lucerne to Lauterbrunnen and back to Bern. This includes trains, buses, boats, and gondolas with an up charge only for the Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn. You will use your HFC for discounts on the lifts to Pilatus or Rigi and to Lucerne as well as the Bern to Zurich segment when you return.

Posted by
4893 posts

Jeanine, I've done both Rigi and Pilatus , and both are fantastic, but I think I favor Rigi. I just enjoy the very scenic one hour boat ride to the cogwheel train, the timing of which the Swiss coordinate. IF you had the Swiss Travel Pass, the journey to Rigi is completely covered, but Pilatus is only discounted.
Those Swiss really do make us sharpen our pencils and calculate the benefits of the various passes.
I'm so jealous, I ready to go back!

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