Is there a difference between Jungfrau Railways and the Berner-Oberland system? It looks like you get more "free" rides with your Jungfrau pass, but not sure why there would be two competing lines in one region. Is one better than the other? Thanks
Each railway company operates different stretches of track; they don't compete with one another. The Berner Oberland Railway operates the trains between Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. The Jungfrau Railway travels from Kleine Scheidegg to the top of the Jungfrau.
It is not competing train systems, but different passes with different types of coverage. Some include lifts such as gondolas and cable cars, and some do not, or give 50% off; some but not all include lake boats.
Which pass are you comparing to the Jungfrau Pass? That one provides very "dense" (complete) coverage for a limited area, from Interlaken Ost to Mürren (but not up the Schilthorn) and over to Grosse Scheidegg. Between those it covers trains (but not the last section up the Jungfraujoch itself), gondolas, cablecars, and Post Buses.
At 200 CHF for 6 consecutive days of coverage, it is designed for hikers who want to move around and access various trailheads in that specific area. But it won't get you on the lake boats, nor get you on th etrain to Interlaken from outside the Berner Oberland.
Thanks, Lola. You answered my question, since my family will be spending 6 days hiking in the area. The
Berner-Oberland train it is.