Which passes make sense for our itinerary?

Posted by randyvan on 01/21/24 04:02 AM

Having some challenges understanding the best pass or passes to help our rail and lift plans for this summer in Switzerland. There will be 4 adults traveling and our itinerary thus far is included below. All our accommodations are booked and would like to leverage the terrific Swiss rail system. It seems like looking at coverage maps that the Berner Oberland pass indicates routes to many of these but a little challenging understanding what is really included.

(after spending several days in Amsterdam visiting with family- flying SwissAir to Zurich for max time in Switzerland)

July 11- arrive in Zurich and spend time there, perhaps see the Rhine Falls

July 12 - visit Lucerne day trip (staying in Zurich)

July 13 - Zurich to Wengen - 5 nights in Wengen
Would like to take the lift to First and hike to the lake Bachalspee and perhaps catch the First Glider on the way back?
Top of Europe
Interested in hikes and bikes around Wengen and area

July 18th - Wengen to Zermatt - Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and enjoy area

July 20th- Zermatt to Geneva - Open to suggestions for Geneva activities / agendas for one full day after travel day from Zermatt. Would like to leverage a pass for boat transport to perhaps visit Chillon castle, Corniche Lavaux vinyards.

July 22nd - Fly home from Geneva

Thank you,

Randy

Posted by Lola

Seattle, WA

01/21/24 06:25 PM

17418 posts

A 6-day Berner Oberland Pass with Half Fare Card would be my choice. The cost of the HFC is almost wholly offset by the reduction in price you get on the BO Pass.

Start your BO Pass on July 13 and it will fully cover your travel from Bern to Wengen, First and other lifts and boats you use in the validity area (except Schilthorn and Top of Europe). And on July 18, it will fully cover your travel toward Zermatt as far as Brig, IF you use the slower regional train that stops in Kandersteg. This is shown in red on the BO validity map—-you will see the switchbacks between Frutigen and Kandersteg. At Brig you board the little train outside the station that heads straight to Zermatt. Use your Half-Fare Card to get 50% off that, as well as the rest of your travel to Geneva, as well as July 13 travel from Zurich to Bern.

https://www.berneseoberlandpass.ch/assets/Uploads/BLS-BO-Pass-M-24-WEB-komprimiert_compressed.pdf

For the Jungfraubahn Top of Europe, your BO will take you as far as Eigergletscher (one stop above Kleine Scheidegg) for free. Then buy tickets for the rest of the journey to the top with your Half Fare Card to get 50% off (the BO Pass only covers 25% of that journey).

If you choose to take the morning trip up to Top of Europe, you could head to Grindelwald and First in the afternoon. To do this, get off the Jungfrau train at Eigergletscher, and ride the Express gondola down to Grindelwald—-it is free with the BO Pass.

If you can wait for lunch until you board the First lift, there are nice restaurants at the mid-station (Bort) and the top. We ate at the Alpinhotel Bort terrace restaurant and it was a step up from the usual mountain hut fare.

https://www.huettenzauber.ch/en/hotels-accommodation/alpinhotel-bort

Whatever you do, I suggest you avoid the restaurants at Top of Europe—-they are overpriced and overcrowded.

Posted by randyvan OP

01/21/24 11:30 PM

2 posts

Hi Lola, thank you for your perspectives and advice!

I am curious though about the Zurich to Wengen segment for the 13th? You mentioned Bern but we are not going to be in Bern on this trip. It looks to me like the BO pass coverage may start in Lucerne?

Posted by Lola

Seattle, WA

01/22/24 03:23 AM

17418 posts

From Zurich to Wengen there are two routes, one through Luzern and the other (faster but less scenic) route through Bern. Either way, you have to first get to Interlaken Ost.

Since you are starting in Zurich, you have a choice, and there are a few direct trains from Zurich to Interlaken Ost, such as the 11:02 IC 81, which would make it very easy. This train goes via Bern.

Posted by wanderweg

Nashville, TN

01/22/24 04:30 AM

612 posts

Going from Zurich to Wengen, you’d buy your ticket just from Zurich to Bern and then once you hit Bern your pass would cover from there. So if someone comes through to check tickets, on the segments from Zurich to Bern you show your ticket and from Bern to Wengen you show your pass.