Help! I am on overload comparing Swiss passes/half fares.........

Your 15 year old will travel for free wherever you go in Switzerland...so take him out of the equation.

If you plan to go to the Jungfrau, then you should purchase some sort of Swiss Pass because the savings you will reap from having a pass will pay for itself FROM JUST THE JUNGFRAU trip alone. This area has lots of funiculars, gondolas, trains, etc and visitors benefit from some sort of Swiss Pass.

Hopefully you're not staying in Interlaken because Interlaken is not in the Alps where all of the dramatic scenery is located. Hopefully you will be staying in either the Lauterbrunnen Valley, Stechelberg, Muerren, Gimmelwald or Wengen.

If you see all of the sights from the Schilthorn on the Muerren side of the Lauterbrunnen Valley to the Jungfrau on the Wengen side of the LV, then you will be riding trains, gondolas and funiculars quite a lot. Many people opt for the Swiss Half Fare card which gives you a 50% discount on all of these transports. However, a Swiss Saver Pass (since there are at least 2 adults traveling together) is much more user friendly because you just jump on and jump off wherever you want whenever you want for as many times as you want.

If you purchase these passes before you leave the USA then request the free Swiss Family Card - this is what gives your 15 year old free rides on EVERYTHING. If you choose to purchase the passes when you arrive in Switzerland then you cannot get the free Swiss Family Card - you will have to purchase the Junior Card for your 15 year old...it's only about 16 chf and it functions exactly like the free Swiss Family Card, free rides for your son.

Trip to the Junfrau is quite expensive and the Swiss Saver Pass, while covering ALL of Switzerland, will get all the up to the village of Wengen. From there to the top of the Jungfrau your pass will get you 25%-50% discount for the remainder of the trip. Your 15 year old is absolutely free.

Even if you don't choose a pass, your 15 year old STILL free.

Joanne, I second everything Tim wrote. I'd only add this--since, as Tim noted, the train to Jungfraujoch is expensive, one way to save money on that excursion is to purchase a morning-only ticket. With this ticket you get a discout for departing from the Jungfraujoch before noon. If you go fairly early in the morning--say, by 9AM--you'll have more than enough time on top. A couple hours is probably sufficient unless you want to do the full glacier hike.

I also strongly second Tim's suggestion that you stay in a mountain village or in Lauterbrunnen rather than in Interlaken. This will put you closer to what you want to see and do and will save considerable train travel time.

If you do the Schilthorn and want to combine hiking with the cable-car ride, the hike from Birg down to Murren is quite spectacular with its wide-open views.

Thank you we are staying in Lauterbrunnen. I thought I was getting narrowed down on which swiss pass would give us maximum flexibility then I read -Tip: If you are spending 3,4 or more days in Gimmelwald and particularly if you plan to do excursions, the local BeoAbo pass for the cable car costs 59CHF (Zones 106 and 116) and is valid between Lauterbrunnen, Stechelberg, Gimmelwald, Muerren, Grutschalp and covers 2 cable cars, a train and the postbus. This pass is actually valid for a month but can sometimes save money (and definitely increases flexibility) for even short stays. Buy it in Lauterbrunnen on arrival. Another alternative is the Schilthornbahn 6 Day Holiday pass. It covers the same region, but also includes the cable car to the top of the mountain (normally approx 70CHF return from Muerren). This pass costs 135CHF (2008/9). It waas on the owner of "ricks" Gimmalwald hotel. I don't see this available to buy here in the states. Has anyone done this?