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Swiss travel pass for 5 days in Switzerland?

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My wife and I are traveling to Switzerland this July. We are arriving in Zurich, taking a train to Lucerne( 2 night stay) then taking a train to Berner Oberland(Gimmewald-3 night stay). We are then going to head to Salzburg for a 2 night stay, then head to Munich for a 3 night stay. We are flying out of Munich.

While in Switzerland we want to visit some museums, take a few boat rides and of course go up to the summit of Schilthorn and also to the top of Jungfraujoch. Which pass would you recommend for our trip? Is the Swiss travel pass worth it with all the discounts on lifts and so forth? What about the rest of our trip, since it is not in Switzerland.

Posted by
21160 posts

From you other post, I suggested buying Sparschiene tickets from OEBB to get to Salzburg and Bayern Ticket to get from there to Munich.

Now, I will differ from the other advice you received. I think you should go to Gimmelwald first from Zurich airport when you arrive. My philosophy, get to your far point first. You're already tired, just keep going. It is not that big a deal. It is less than 3 1/2 hours to Gimmelwald from the airport.

That will make the trip from Luzern to Salzburg much easier and quicker, with a single train change in Zurich. Oebb will sell you the ticket to Salzburg from Luzern for 34 EUR pp if you act now.

There is no 5-day Swiss Pass, either a 4 day for 270 CHF, or an 8-day for 398 CHF. You could get 4-day Flexi Pass for 310 CHF. Swiss Passes are quite expensive, and they only cover a 25% discount for the trip from Wengen (free to that point) to the Jungfraujoch. It does cover the Schilthornbahn 100%. Another alternative is the 30-day Half Fare Card for 120 CHF. No museum admissions included, and you buy every ticket, but it often saves you more money than buying a pass.

Posted by
17440 posts

Sam has a good point about going to Gimmelwald first, from the Zurich airport. That would make the best use of a Swiss Pass, and your trip to Salzburg will be much easier from Luzern than from GWald.

A four-day Flex Pass could work for this. At 310 CHF, think of each day of use as costing 75.50 CHF, so your travel plan that day should be more than that to make good use of the Pass.

Regular price for the trip from Zurich airport to Gimmelwald is 93 CHF, so use Day 1 on the Pass to cover that. Use Days 2 and 3 on the Pass for the Schilthorn (fully covered) and the Jungfrau ( free to Wengen, 25% coverage after that). On the Schilthorn day you can also use the Pass for another excursion and a museum if you want.

Travel between Gimmelwald and Luzern is 51 CHF so not worth a pass day. Use Day 4 to do the Rigi boat- Cogwheel train-cablecar- boat excursion ( fully covered). And the Transport Museum, or other museum.

Travel from Luzern to Salzburg would be on the discount ticket purchased from OeBB.

If you choose to stay with your plan to go to Luzern first, the 4-day Flex Pass still works. Pay for the ticket from Zurich to Luzern ( around 30 CHF). Use the Pass days for the Rigi excursion, Schilthorn plus museums, etc., Jungfrau, and travel from Gimmelwald back to Zurich on your way to Salzburg.

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