Oy! So many choices! I am not sure which pass to get. Any help would be much appreciated. We will arrive in Zurich, then take trains to Lauterbrunnen (81CHF without any card). Four days there, hoping to go up to Jungfrau and Schilthorn and see various Alp towns (Murren, Wengen). Then traveling by train to Thun for one night, to then catch the Glacier Express to Brig and onto St Moritz. One night there, and then hoping to take Bernina Express to Tirano. Eight days total, so I was considering the 8 day Swiss Travel Pass, but I understand it only discounts 25% up to mountains. Though Bernese Oberland pass gives a better discount up to Jungfrau and Shilthorn, would it get me over to Tirano? No museums this trip, just a boat ride on Lake Thun to use the STP. Any suggestions?
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
The hands-down simplest choice is the Half Fare Card. It's good all over Switzerland on every transport and gives you 50% discount to Jungfrau.
You'll have to buy tickets for every journey you make but all of those tickets will be at 50% discount.
STP is more convenient as you just hop on and hop off wherever you want whenever you want...excluding private railways like the Jungfraubahn for example, without buying tickets before each journey.
You just have to decide which of those passes suits your style.
Posted by
Green Bay
21094 posts
The 25% is only for the trains above Wengen and Grindelwald up to the Jungfraujoch. Schilthornbahn above Muerren is 50%.
For what you want, the Half Fare Card is a "can't lose" proposition. It gives you a 50% discount on all transportation. I've done the calcs for others so many times, i'm done doing it anymore. Every time, the Half Fare Card saved more than any of the Swiss Pass products. They have priced the Swiss Pass under the assumption that the purchaser intends to travel from one end of Switzerland to other every single day of validity. But people keep buying them. I guess not having to take 2 minutes to purchase a ticket before each trip is a real selling point.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
See the Berner Oberland Pass coverage map. It doesn't cover trains Zurich-Luzern (or Zurich-Bern), nor Goschenen-St. Moritz-Tirano. I haven't done the math either, but would probably choose the Swiss Travel Pass over the B O Pass for about the same price.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
I agree, it's confusing. As said above, you can't lose with a Half Fare Card.
"I understand it only discounts 25% up to mountains"
As said, it depends on which mountains. To Mt. Rigi and (new this year) Mt. Pilatus, both near Luzern, the Swiss Pass gives 100% coverage. To the Schilthorn (and anything above Mürren), it gives 50% coverage. And to the Jungfraujoch (and anything above Wengen) it gives 25% coverage. The Half Fare Card, on the other hand, gives 50% off anything that moves in the entire country - including the very expensive Jungfraujoch.
"No museums this trip"
That argues against the Swiss Pass. Part of what can make it a good deal (and a reason I bought it) is that it also includes many museum entries; if you're not using that feature, it's less attractive.