Trains...Lauterbrunnen, Murren & Nearby

brushtim, Swiss trains use a good old-fashioned pricing strategy. A ticket is valid on any train, there is no discount for booking in advance, and reservations are not necessary (and in most cases are not possible). Just turn up at the station, buy a ticket from a ticket machine or manned ticket counter, and get on the next train.
But, why are you driving from Zürich airport? It is much simpler just to get a train all the way from Zürich airport station.

Yes, the simplest plan is just to buy tickets in stations as you go, whether from a machine or a staffed window. They offer some local passes such as the Berner Oberland pass, but it costs almost as much as pass for the whole country. A one-month Half-Fare Card costs about $126, and starts to save money if regular tickets would cost you $250 or more. You can see local transport costs in Rick's Switzerland book or at http://jungfrau.ch/en/tourism/travel-information/tickets-rates/interlaken-ost/fares-for-individual-travellers/.

Or you can purchase tickets at the airport train station if you want. Purchase tickets at any train station for travel anywhere in Switzerland. I personally just prefer to hop on the train directly in the airport and be on my way to Murren. You'll have to park your rental car in Lauterbrunnen as there are no roads and no cars in Murren, Gimmelwald and Wengen.

My plan was after my 4 nights in Lauterbrunnen I would spend an entire day in Lucerne, park the car at a Parking Garage with mine and the girlfriends luggage. Then head to the Holiday Inn Express at Zurich that evening for our flight back to SFO the next day @ 06:45.
From what I have found, which could be wrong, not familiar with using trains as mode of transportation outside of the Metro in Paris. Is it is 3 hours by train from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen over a 1 1/2 drive. But if it is an easy process of catching a train from Zurich Airport to Lauterbrunnen then I am all for it. Just will have to ask the right questions from you all and do more research in the process. As is it possible to store luggage at the Lucerne train station for the day before heading to Zurich.
I chose Lauterbrunnen as my home base, but Murren sounds like a good place as well. I imagine once I arrive in Lauterbrunnen I would have to change to another train to Murren, timing the departures.
Tim, thanks for the reply from my other question.
Thanks for all the help and info you guys. Love this site.

As a fellow Californian I see why you defaulted to car rental. But in Europe, trains rule esp. in Switzerland. Easy peasy to get from anywhere to anywhere, and it makes the trip simpler and more enjoyable.

If your concern is that you have a lot of luggage to deal with, then that is your real problem.

Thank you all and especially Tim for the PM emails. I am now educated in what I need to do when I spend my 5 days in Switzerland between Zurich and Lauterbrunnen Valley.

@brushtim: we're looking for a similar itinerary. 4/5 days in Lauterbrunnen and fly back to ZUR->SFO @ 7:40am

Did you figure out a way to get to the airport early enough ? We're divided between spending the previous night in Lucerne or Zurich.

Help please ...

A 7:40 am departure is truly unfortunate (in my opinion). The train departs Zurich Main Station at 5:02 and delivers you into the airport 12 minutes later.

Mriyaz, my plan will be after spending our 4 nights in Lauterbrunnen will be to take a morning train to Lucerne, store our luggage at the train station (they offer this) and spend the day in Lucerene. Then take the train to the Holiday Inn at Zurich Airport for the night and depart the next day.

I will no longer go with the rental car plan. Purchasing the Half Fare Card for each of us & tickets to our direct locations seem to be the better option & more cost effective. Between the Swiss Travel System, www.swisstravelsystem.com, and the SBB sites, www.sbb.ch, it was easy to add up the costs, see the timetables and figure out my plan (Thanks to the other Tim's help).

I stayed at the Zurich airport Hilton upon arrival and it's a very short van ride to and fro. There are many hotels to choose from around the airport, you really do need to do that to make such an early flight.