Jungfraubahn 2012 Centenary 3-day pass

Todd, I would suggest that you could do a bit better with either the Swiss 1/2-fare card or beginning in September, the Swiss 2 for 1 Saver card. First, no countrywide Swiss Pass or Card will cover the full cost of traveling to and from the Jungfrau. 50% coverage is the best you will get. The Jungfraubahn pass is something new but may be limited to the Jungfraubahn which is a private rail system within the Swiss rail system. So let's do some math. The retail fare for the round trip to the Jungfrau on the Jungfraubahn is about 170CHF from Lauterbrunnen according to the Swiss rail website. The Swiss 1/2 fare card costs 110CHF and is good every day on all Swiss transporation for 30 days. Thus, it will cost you 110CHF + 50% of the fare which is 85CHF for a total of 195CHF. That's 35CHF less expensive than the Jungfraubahn pass. If you are going up to the Jungfraujoch more than once over the 3 days, the Jungfraubahn pass will be useful. If you are going only once, then the !/2-fare card will be the most useful. The bonus here is that the 1/2-fare card is good throughout Switzerland. You can buy this card as you enter Switzerland and use it to get to, from and all throughout Switzerland during your stay. That could be quite a savings. The Swiss 2 for 1 card may also provide equally valuable savings although you will only get 50% coverage above Wengen going up to the Jungfraujoch. I need to investigate this new pass but I'm betting it's limited to the Jungfraubahn or possibly other areas of the Berner Oberland. I wonder if it includes the Schilthornbahn which is the private rail system on the other side of the valley.

I looked up information on the Jungfraubahn Centenary card. Interesting. There may be some value here as it appears to be a 2 for 1 pass offer for citizens of the UK only. I was wondering if Oxford under your name was England. Here's what the website says about this pass. " This particular special offer is valid for any nationality residing in the UK only.

The 3-day Centenary Pass does indeed have a limited area of validity; it is the same as the regular 6-Day Jungfraubahnen Pass which is useful to hikers because it covers up to Mannlichen, First, etc. But coverage starts at Interlaken, so it won't help with travel to and from this region or elsewhere in Switzerland. And to answer larry's concern, it does NOT cover the Schilthorn cablecar beyond Mürren. It does give you one free trip up the Jungfraujoch, but beyond that it is of limited use. Larry has given you a very good explanation of how either the Half-Fare Card (or a 2-for1 Swiss Pass or Flex pass if there are two of you) might serve you better. Here is a link to the coverage map and other information: http://www.jungfrau.ch/uploads/media/fahrplan_2011_2012_01.pdf

There is indeed a 2-for-1 offer for the 6-day Jungfraubahn Pass, available to UK residents only: http://www.swisspasses.com/special-offer/ The special 3-day Centenary Pass, which includes a free trip up the Jungfraujoch, can be purchased by anyone and it can be purchased in Switzerland.

Thank you for your responses. As we will be driving from Munich, the local area mountain pass is all we really need. Since a Jungfraujoch RT from Lauterbrunnen is approx. CHF160 and this pass is CHF225, all other travel in the valley (with exception of Mürren/Schilthorn) is included for 3 days for only CHF65. The question is if the Pass can be purchased locally on the spot or only in advance online. There is no nationality restriction.

You can buy it at any train station within the Jungfrau region, according to the website information.