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Which travel pass to get for Switzerland?

Posted by on

Hello everyone,

I am traveling to Switzerland next month and still have to purchase my train travel pass. I’m debating between the Berner Oberland Pass and the Swiss Travel Pass. I will be traveling to Lucerne from Mannheim, Germany, (Day 1) with my cousin, we’re paying for trains/passes separately. If we leave Germany early I think we may have time to go to Mt. Pilatus this first day. On Day 2 we will do a day trip from Lucerne to Interlaken and back. On Day 3 my cousin will return to Germany and I will travel solo from Lucerne to Wengen. Day 3 and Day 4 I haven’t figured out my plans yet but I would like to see both sides of the Lauterbrunnen Valley on these days. Then I’ll be traveling from Wengen to Geneva on Day 5 for a flight to my next country. I’m hoping to spend a few hours exploring Geneva that day before my evening flight so any tips on luggage storage would also be appreciated. I also like to hike so if anyone has any recommendations for a must do hike with my limited time in the Lauterbrunnen Valley I would appreciate any insight into an itinerary for those two days. Thank you!!

Posted by
8882 posts

Hi amc298, and welcome. My comment is that do you realize that to get to Wengen, you have to go through Interlaken anyway? So maybe you can figure out how to avoid the back and forth of a day trip there from Luzern, and either stay on the way to Wengen, or visit from Wengen. Rail travel in the mountains can eat up a lot of precious time.

Noting that in Lauterbrunnen you can walk (a nice level hike) to the Trummelbach Falls.

Posted by
8136 posts

For convenience and to give you more options if the weather is not cooperating, splurge, go with the Swiss Travel Pass (STP) 4 day. You only need to pay for a ticket from Mannheim to Basel. The STP will cover you from Basel to Luzern, Luzern to Interlaken roundtrip, Luzern to Wengen, Wengen to Geneva, and give you a discount 25% up Mt Pilatus and other mountain top excursions.
The Swiss Travel Pass covers excursions up to Mt Rigi and the Stanserhorn 100% (two I recommend doing). But you should check the weather and visibility first before buying any ticket up Mt Pilatus and all mountain top excursions. There is always a possibility that it could be fogged in where you can't see anything. The STP also covers all boat rides on all lakes in Switzerland.
Both the airport and central train stations in Geneva have lockers for luggage.

Posted by
2 posts

Thank you @Jazz+Travels!

I’ve been doing some more research..would it be more economical to get the half fare pass and the BO pass? It would be nice to have the cable cars in the mountains (like in Wengen or up to Grindelwald) covered which to my understanding BO would cover but Swiss Pass would not?Neither of them cover Jungraujoch or Schilthorn, but from what I’ve seen people say, splurging for at least one of these is worth it.

Posted by
8136 posts

The STP covers Gimmelwald (one stop down from Murren) often mistaken with Grindelwald which is in the valley opposite Lauterbrunnen.

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