We are going on RS GAS tour. We will be in Switzerland for only 3 days. Can I use my credit card to buy those cable car or lift tickets that you use when in the Lauterbrunnen Valley? Obviously we don't have a chip and pin card, and I have no idea how many Swiss Francs I will need.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Sandy, you can indeed buy all of the Swiss tickets you need with your credit card. I'm not sure if the ticket machines there are chip and pin but you can buy from any staffed train station. They just don't like the Euros much in that area. Been there done that. From Lauterbrunnen to the Jungfraujoch, expect a round trip fare of about 180CHF. It's not cheap but its really beautiful up there. It take s 2hrs to get up there with a train change at Kleine Scheidegg and 2hrs to come back down. The round trip fare up to the Schilthorn is about 80CHF.
Posted by
white plains, ny, usa
4160 posts
"....It's not cheap but its really beautiful up there. ..." Larry isn't kidding , It's worth every penny . Not only are the views of the Aletsch Glacier stunning , but the panorama of the Lauterbrunnen Valley and the villages beneath you as you rise up toward Kleine Scheidegg are enough to make your jaw drop . This trip is one of life's unique experiences . Hope for a clear day to do it and go as early as possible to beat potential changeable weather , For a little tease of what this looks like , go to YOUTUBE and punch up Michael Portillo's series " Great Continental Railway Journeys " Part 4 " Switzerland " One hour long , this travelogue takes you on an armchair rail trip through part of Switzerland . The last fifteen minutes is The Jungfrau trip . Enjoy !!
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32329 posts
Sandy, You can easily purchase whatever tickets you'll need at the small station in Lauterbrunnen. AFAIK, they accept the older magnetic stripe cards as well as the newer Chip & PIN (and cash of course). When passing through Spiez last year, I observed travellers from the U.S. buying tickets at the staffed desk using credit cards. The agent was able to process the transactions, but it took longer than in my case with Chip & PIN cards. Depending on which trips you plan on taking in that area, you may be able to save some money by purchasing one of the Swiss Passes, although it's a complicated task to analyze the various Passes. I'd suggest waiting until you get there to decide which day you'll be visiting the Jungfraujoch, as the weather can be "variable". That's not as much of a concern when visiting the Schilthorn and Piz Gloria, as even on a cloudy day it's possible to have a fine hot meal in the revolving restaurant and enjoy at least some views. Happy travels!