Swiss Saverpass for the Berner Oberland region?

If you're referring to the saver version of the Swiss Pass or Swiss Flexi Pass, then you should definitely buy it. Not only does if cover inter-city rail, it also covers municipal transit systems, free entry to most all museums, and 50% discounts on the high mountain trains/cable cars like Schilthorn and Jungfrau. If you factor in those additional modes of transport/atrractions, you will be saving a considerable amount of money. Check out Rick's rail pass guide for a detailed explanation: www.ricksteves.com/rail/ausswitz.cfm

Michael
Thank you for your reply. I am considering both the Swiss saverpass and the the Saver flexi pass. Do you know for definate if it includes cogwheel trains and cablecars? (I seem to recollet the trip to Murren from Lauterbraunnen last year included a (new) cablecar and a cogwheel train)
The Rick Steves railpass link made a lot of sense. Does anybody know how long it takes to get the saverpass if I buy it through this website? My trip is imminant!
Thank you.

I believe that it includes the cog trains up to Wengen on one side of the valley and Murren on the other side (gondola and cog train from Lauterbrunnen BLM). However, it covers only 50% of the cost to go higher up to the Jungfraujoch (from Wengen) or the Shilthorn (from Murren).

As Larry says, the pass does cover the cable car/train to Murren and Wengen; anything higher gets you a 50% discount. Rick uses UPS 2nd day air to ship the passes.

Susan,

I'm a little confused here. Are you staying in Grindlewald vs. Gimmlewald? Also, I believe the swiss pass only gets you as far as interlaken. To get farther into the Lauterbrunnen valley you have to pay point ot point (you get 50% discount with swiss pass) or you can buy a regional pass - either the berner oberland pass or the jungfraubahnen pass. Here's a link http://www.jungfraubahn.ch/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-20/172_read-696/

you can buy these regional passes in Switzerland. We bought ours when we arrived in Interlaken. I think if you're going to be in the Berner Oberland area for 5 days it's probably worth it.

Think of the Swiss coverage this way: if people live there (in a village), the transport up there, whether by train or cablecar, will be covered on the pass. If it is strictly a tourist route (Schilthorn, Jungfraujoch) the part above the village will be oonly covered 50%.

As for how quickly you can get the pass, I'd suggest you call and ask. I believe they do 2-day FedEx for an extra charge. I think the webiste order form asks for your travel date and advises on shipping options based on that date.

Also, you might be fine with a 3-day FlexPass instead of a 5-day. The 3-day gives you 50% off on "non-covered" days between the first and last day of use. It will still cover 50% of the Schilthorn and Jungfraujoch trip regardless whether is it a "covered" day or not. So use your first and last day to go to and from Grindelwald; the 3d day for the excursion over to the Schilthorn (it will cover as far as Mürren). Two more days are covered 50%.

When I ordered my Swiss Pass in October from the RS site, the only option I was given was 2nd day air.

That's not correct Jill, the Swiss Pass WILL cover transportation to both Grindlewald and Gimmelwald; eurail passes don't cover trips beyond Interlaken. The only things it won't cover are high mountain rides above Murren, Grindelwald, or Wengen; like Jungfrau and the last segment of the Schiltorn cable car (25-50% discount with the pass). The beauty of the Swiss Pass is that it literally covers all modes of transport in Switzerland-either free or with a big discount.

Michael is correct. The Swiss pass will get you to Lauterbrunnen and the mid-level mountain villages (Wengen, Grindelwald, Gimmelwald and Murren). It will only cover you for 50% to go higher up - Jungraujoch on one side of the valley (above Wengen and Klein Scheidegg) and the Shilthorn on the other side (above Murren). There is a map in color on www.sbb.ch website that shows where the pass stops. HERE'S THE LINK. The covered routes are in solid red. Oddly, Gimmelwald is not on the map but I think it's covered. 50% areas are in red dotted lines. You can even see that on a part of the Glacier Express.

After buying and reading the RS guidebook for Switzerland 2007 and with the help of the website links as well as reading all of the information youve passed along. Im going with the Swiss Saverpass.
You all helped put the decision into prospective.
Thank you.

I've been to the Muerren, Wengen, Gimmelwald for the last 5 years. Yes, the Swiss Pass covers all of those portions. Not only does it cover trains, gondolas, cogwheels...it also covers boats, busses and all of the intercity transports...ie trams. For the higher mountain railways like the Jungfrau and the Schilthorn there is a whopping 50% discount which is a great plus!

Another great thing about the Swiss Pass is that you don't have to waste time stopping to buy tickets at every station. You just hop on and hop off wherever you want, whenever you want at any time and as many times as you like.

Now for Grindelwald...there is more than one way to get to Grindelwald. If you go from Interlaken straight to Grindelwald on the train then the SP covers 100%. If you go from Interlaken to Wengen to First to Grindelwald, then the portion from Wengen to First to Grindelwald is only covered 50%.

Tim---I think you mean from Wengen up to Kleine Scheidegg on the train, and down the other side to Grindelwald? Or Wengen up to Mannlichen on the cablecar and down on the gondola? First is on the other side of Grindelwald, not between Wengen and Grindelwald.

Yes, thanks. I did actually mean Wengen up to Mannlichen and down the other side...50%.

Up and over Mannlichen is actually a great way to go if you are moving from Grindelwald to Wengen, or on to Mürren. Both the gondola ride up to Mannlichen , and the cablecar from there down to Wengen, are very scenic---more so than the train. And the cost is pretty reasonable, so even if it is only covered 50%, it's worth it, I think.

I totally agree.

Our Swiss Saverpass were mailed 2 day air, so we are now all set
Thank you!