Hi. My wife and I are travelling in late May by train from Paris to Switzerland and probably staying in Gimmelwald and Zermatt and doing the trains and lifts at these two villages. After staying three days in these 2 villages we then go on to Venice. I had decided to buy point to point tickets for this trip but I am now thinking I should buy a Swiss half fare pass because travel seems to be more expensive in Switzerland. I read that a half fare pass is around 99 chf but then again I believe that the pass is not accepted on the upper lifts. Just wondering if someone would mind helping me to figure out which is the best deal.
Thanking you in advance
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
I believe that the Swiss 1/2 fare card may now be 110CHF. It was 99CHF when we purchased 2 years ago. It's good for 30 days. It does provide a 50% discount on all train fares plus the bus system and boats. It definitely provides a 50% discount on the fares to the top of the Jungfrau and the Schilthorn - at least it did for us. The normal R/T fare to the Jungfraujoch is about $185 and about 182 Canadian. The cost of the 1/2 fare card is mostly paid for if you go to the top of the Jungfrau with the card. (The station is called the Jungfraujoch).
Posted by
Rochelle, IL
263 posts
Hello Mark, I was in Switzerland in September and the half fare card then was 99 CHF. You can only buy it at the train stations. But it is a card, not a pass...there is a difference. We have used it to go up Jungfrau and it did result in a rate reduction. However, there was no rate reduction on the ride up and down Mt. Pilatus in Lucerne. The car is also good on the lake boats and on many funiculars. I was there three weeks and used the train a lot for long and local trips. I figured I saved about 80 CHF using the half fare card as opposed to buying full price tickets. Swiss rail also sometimes offers a day pass to people who have a half pass card. It was conusing to me at first. But if you had a half fare card you could buy a one day pass for 59? CHF. So if I was going from Montreux to Lucerne for the day, I could use the day pass instead of buying a round trip ticket. Sometimes the day pass is worth it. However I don't believe it works on the Jungfrau or Schlithorn routes. Hope this helps.
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
According to Mt Pilatus Website the Half-Fare Card is indeed accepted...as I figured it was: http://www.pilatus.ch/content-n147-sE.html The Half-Fare card is a good option for what you want to do, Mark. Yes, Swiss Transportation is excellent and a little pricey. Definitely get some sort of discount card/pass just for Swiss Travel.
Posted by
Rochelle, IL
263 posts
Really.....You know, now that I think about it, I had a one day pass and tried to go up Mt. Pilatus. They would not accept that but I don't remember if I tried using the half fare card. I apologize, my memory isn't always accurate. That's why checking web sites is always a good idea.
Posted by
OP
Halifax, Canada
23 posts
I read in a tour book that the half fare card is accepted on the train and cable cars in the Jungfrau region but there was no mention of a discount in the Zermatt region. I am still leaning towards buying a half fare card but I think I will do some more reading before I decide.
Thank you all for your help and suggestions Mark
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
Of course the Half Fare Card is good in Zermatt! It's good all over Switzerland: http://www.zermattmarathon.ch/en/daily-passport.html