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Train Pass or individual tickets

Posted by on

My wife and I will be travelling to Europe (first time to Switzerland) and will be renting a car at the tail end of our vacation, but we are confused on whether we should get a rail pass or individual tickets for the rest of our trip.

Here is our itinerary

9/8 - Fly into Milan and take train / ferry to Bellagio (Stay for three nights)

9/11 - Take train to Zermatt (Stay for two nghts)

9/13 - Take train to Wengen (Stay for three nights)

9/16 - Take train to Lucerne (Stay for three nights)

9/19 - Take train to Salzburg (Stay for three nights) - Pick-up rental car.

My initial thought was that the Swiss Pass would work the best, as we want to take quite a few rides up the mountains when in Zermatt and Wengen.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank-you

Posted by
185 posts

You'll have to do a spread sheet comparing:
1) Point 2 Point tickets
2) Half-Fare Card (50 % off everything)
3) a Swiss Travel Pass (choose between a number of CONSECUTIVE DAY passes)
4) Flexi Swiss Travel Pass- choose a number of days on which you travel (nonconsecutive) OR
5) Regional Pass, like the Berner Oberland Pass.

At first glance, and in 3/4 of MY past trips, the HFC ended up being most economical. However, this means you must still purchase your tickets at a kiosk or manned counter before each trip.

Posted by
8165 posts

If you have a cell phone with data you can buy all your trips in the SBB ap on the go using the Half Fare Card and never have to at a kiosk or manned office. But some come home to big phone bill roaming charges.

The Swiss Travel Pass is just hop on and go and show the pass when the conductor comes through on regular trains and ferries and up to some mountains. But for some mountain top lifts (e.g. up to the Schilthorn or Jungfraujoch) you need to go to a ticket counter to buy a ticket with the STP to get the discount usually 25%.

Posted by
11 posts

In addition to purchasing tickets on the go using the SBB app, you can also use the "Easy Ride" function. Essentially the app keeps track of where you start/end and charges the appropriate ticket automatically. Although you can still save quite a bit of money by stacking the Half Fare Card and purchasing a Saver Day Pass about 2 months in advance.

Swiss Travel Pass is almost never the most economical option.

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