When it comes to city passes and travel cards, it’s usually fairly easy to figure out whether they would be worth it for you or not. For things like the Paris Pass or London Pass, they have a list of the most popular attractions and how much they cost, right there for you to see. The Swiss Travel Pass, however, is shrouded in mystery, or at least it was until I spent several days tracking down all of the prices and benefits.
A great many of the visitors and commenters on my popular page about where to go in Switzerland on a short visit are wondering whether the Swiss Travel Pass is a good deal. Embarrassingly, I’ve always had to answer that I found the pass too confusing to confidently advise people on. Now that has all changed, after literally days of research.
Note: This article was last updated in February, 2024.
Disclosure: This is a reader-supported website and some of the links are affiliate links where a small commission is paid to help keep this site going, but the cost to visitors is the same. The Swiss Travel Pass seems quite expensive at first, so it felt like it might be hard to get your money’s worth out of it. As it turns out, it’s pretty easy to get good value, and it’ll be a good deal for many visitors.
New in 2024
Prices increased an average of 5.9% from 2023 on the Swiss Travel Passes, but the Half Fare Card remains at CHF120, which is where it’s been for many years. Train fares in the country increased by similar percentages so the value is basically unchanged. There were no other notable changes to service or the included attractions and train routes.
>>>Buy the Swiss Travel Pass online
Where to stay in Interlaken and the Lauterbrunnen Valley
Since most people reading this will be visiting the Interlaken area and I get so many questions about it, I decided to write a detailed guide on which area to stay in while visiting this area.
>>>Where to stay in Interlaken or the Lauterbrunnen Valley in Switzerland
I included many huge photos in that post so readers will be able to get a better idea of what each place looks like and they are worth a look by itself.
>>>Lucerne or Interlaken: Which to visit and how long to stay?
The article just above will help you decide on how long to spend in each of Switzerland’s two best tourist areas.
Are you 100% sure where you want to go in Switzerland? This should help
I’ve been to almost every corner of Europe and have spent a lot of time in Switzerland, so I can reveal that Switzerland is very unlike visiting almost any other country in the region. In any other country you will want to start out in the capital or largest city and then add in another place or two if you have time. But in Switzerland the big cities are strangely boring and the scenery everywhere else is magical.
Zurich and Geneva are pleasant but dull. The good news is that Switzerland is packed with amazing sights and none of them are the big cities. If you aren’t 100% locked in yet, please read the article below and I think you’ll enjoy it.
Is the Swiss Travel Pass a good deal? Here's the short version
If you plan on taking at least 2 of Switzerland’s famous scenic train rides within a 3 or 4-day period, a Swiss Travel Pass can easily pay for itself. If you take 3 or 4 scenic train rides, as well as use the pass on one or more of the famous cable cars such as Schilthorn (50% covered by the pass) or 25% off the mountain train up to Jungfraujoch, the pass is definitely worth it.
The bottom line is that the scenery, train journeys, and cable car rides in Switzerland are stunning and not found anywhere else in the world. They are also quite expensive if you pay for them one at a time. So no matter how you visit Switzerland, you are going to be paying quite a bit, or skipping the absolute best things that you’ve come there to see.
With good planning it’s quite easy to get great value out of a Swiss Travel Pass, but it might be a poor choice for those who don’t like to plan ahead. You can easily do a scenic train ride and a cable car in the same day, and still have time to do a scenic hike in the process.
First class or second class? Good news for most people
In most of Europe the Second Class trains are reasonably comfortable but they can get crowded, especially if you travel during the morning or evening commute time between large cities such as Munich and Berlin. Second Class always has plenty of legroom and reasonably wide seats, so it’s mainly just the experience of guaranteeing that you’ll NOT be sat next to a full carriage of partying backpackers or screaming kids that makes First Class potentially worthwhile.
That said, Swiss Trains are literally the nicest in Europe and even the Second Class seats and carriages are nicer and roomier than trains in neighboring countries. The First Class seats are larger and nicer with only 3 across the cabin instead of 4, but honestly Second Class is perfectly comfortable for almost everyone.
Again, First Class on European trains like this is generally popular with business travelers where the company is paying and they need to get work done during the ride, and also senior citizens who don’t want to worry about a carriage full of backpackers. For most of the rest of us, Second Class is more than comfortable enough and the seat width and legroom compare to business-class airline seats. I’m a big and tall guy and I almost always travel in Second because it’s plenty comfortable enough and all the seats arrive at the same time anyway.
The longer you'll be in Switzerland, the better deal a Swiss Travel Pass will be
Most people visiting Switzerland only stay for 3 or 4 days and in visits of that length you really have to compare the costs of the Pass to the costs of the things you’ll do. And for many of those people who aren’t doing longer train rides, the Half Fare Card (discussed below) is the best choice. It’s easy to see that the per-day cost of the Swiss Travel Pass is pretty high until you get to the 6-day, 8-day, and 15-day versions. However, the per-day prices on those longer passes are actually very low considering the price of typical train rides and mountain attractions.
In other words, if you are staying 5 days or fewer, you have to do the math to determine your best option. But if you are spending even 6 or 7 days in Switzerland then the 6-day or 8-day Pass is almost guaranteed to be a great deal and your best choice. Once you have a Swiss Travel Pass you’ll absolutely love the ability to just hop on any train (excellent trains, always on time) and most boats and cable cars without having to worry about the cost. The per-day cost of an 8-day Pass even if you only use 6 of those days is about CHF65, and Switzerland is filled with amazing train rides and boats and cable cars that can get you that much value before noon each day.
Schilthorn (50% discount) and Jungfraujoch (25% discount) are cheaper with a Swiss Travel Pass
The two most dramatic viewpoints and most beloved activities in Switzerland are Schilthorn and the Jungfraujoch tourist train that goes up the mountain across the valley from Schilthorn. Jungfraujoch is a 25% discount off the CHF224 price for Swiss Travel Pass holders. If it’s not confusing enough, the entire rail journey to the start of the Jungfrau train is covered by the pass, so prices appear to be a bit more than 25% cheaper.
Both of those peak experiences are extraordinary and different from each other. Even so, compared to Jungfraujoch, Schilthorn is also faster and more comfortable on the way up and down. You can enjoy an excellent visit to Schilthorn in 4 hours or so (or a bit longer if you eat at the spinning Piz Gloria restaurant at the top), while a visit to Jungfraujoch requires closer to 6 hours.
NOTE: Schilthorn closes for maintenance for a week or two in late November most years.
Consider the Swiss Half-Fare Card instead
If you AREN’T going to be doing two or more of the long (and expensive) scenic train trips, you will get much better value out of the Swiss Half-Fare Card, which is explained a bit below.
Mt Rigi, near Lucerne, is 100% covered by the Swiss Travel Pass
While most of the famous mountain excursions are only discounted 50% by the Swiss Travel Pass, the famous excursions to Mt Rigi, near Lucerne, are still 100% covered by the pass. This is one of the best mountaintop experiences in Switzerland and reaching the top involves a combination of cog railways and cable cars. There are multiple ways of reaching the mountain and all of them are fairly close to Lucerne. Most people prefer getting there by taking one of the frequent boats leaving from across from the railway station in Lucerne and then jumping off at one of the cog rail departure points. Needless to say, if you buy a Swiss Travel Pass, the Mt Rigi excursion should be a priority when you visit Lucerne.
Is a Swiss Travel Pass right for you?
Determining whether a Swiss Travel Pass is a good deal for you is simply a matter of figuring out which of the scenic rail and cable car journeys you plan on doing while in Switzerland, and seeing whether the price of the pass will cover the benefits. Below in this article you’ll see a long list of every one of the most expensive and most popular scenic journeys and cable cars, along with how much they cost without the pass, and how much you can save.
Most people only visit Switzerland for 5 or 6 days at most, so the 3-day and 4-day passes are the ones to focus on. But if you are staying for 8 days or more, those longer passes are almost certainly a great deal for you.
Long story short, if you plan on doing 2 of the more expensive scenic trains and the Jungfraujoch railway or the Schilthorn cable car, then the pass will save you money. Switzerland is expensive, but it’s worth it, and the travel pass can help make it a bit more affordable.
What the Swiss Travel Pass includes
- Free rail travel on normal trains and most scenic trains
- Discounted travel (about 50%) on popular tourist mountain trains
- Discounted travel (about 50%) on popular tourist cable cars
- Free travel on public transport in 75 towns and cities
- Free entry to around 500 museums in Switzerland
The Swiss Travel Pass covers the fare on the most popular scenic and panoramic trains. You can choose a normal seat in a regular carriage for no additional cost, but there is a supplement of CHF8 to CHF49 for a reserved seat in one of the special panorama carriages on these routes.
Prices of the 2024 Swiss Travel Pass
1st Class
- Adult 3-day Pass: CHF389
- Youth (4 to 25) 3-day Pass: 274
- Adult 4-day Pass: 469
- Youth (4 to 25) 4-day Pass: 330
- Adult 6-day Pass: 602
- Youth (4 to 25) 6-day Pass: 424
- Adult 8-day Pass: 655
- Youth (4 to 25) 8-day Pass: 469
- Adult 15-day Pass: 723
- Youth (4 to 25) 15-day Pass: 512
2nd Class
- Adult 3-day Pass: CHF244
- Youth (4 to 25) 3-day Pass: 172
- Adult 4-day Pass: 295
- Youth (16 to 25) 4-day Pass: 209
- Adult 6-day Pass: 379
- Youth (16 to 25) 6-day Pass: 268
- Adult 8-day Pass: 419
- Youth (16 to 25) 8-day Pass: 297
- Adult 15-day Pass: 459
- Youth (16 to 25) 15-day Pass: 328
Swiss Travel Pass Flex
This version costs a bit more, but you don’t have to use the travel days consecutively. It’s a great option for anyone who won’t be taking longer train rides each day.
- Adult 3 Flex days in 1 month (1st Class): CHF445
- Adult 3 Flex days in 1 month (2nd Class): 279
- Adult 4 Flex days in 1 month (1st Class): 539
- Adult 4 Flex days in 1 month (2nd Class): 339
- Adult 6 Flex days in 1 month (1st Class): 644
- Adult 6 Flex days in 1 month (2nd Class): 405
- Adult 8 Flex days in 1 month (1st Class): 697
- Adult 8 Flex days in 1 month (2nd Class): 439
- Adult 15 Flex days in 1 month (1st Class): 755
- Adult 15 Flex days in 1 month (2nd Class): 472
Where to buy the Swiss Travel Pass
The Swiss Half-Fare Card – A better option for many visitors
Far less confusing than the Swiss Travel Pass, you can instead get a Swiss Half-Fare Card, and it will be a better deal for many travelers. The price is lower and it’s much easier to do the math, and the discounts are greater on some things as well.
- Swiss Half-Fare Card for 30 days: Adults – CHF120 or US$129
What you get:
Those who buy the Swiss Half-Fare Card will get 50% discount on all trains, buses, and boats in Switzerland for up to 30 days, as well as 50% off all public transportation in 75 cities and towns.
>>>Buy the Swiss Half-Fare Card
Why the Half-Fare Card is a better deal for many
While the Swiss Travel Pass is a great deal for those doing many of the expensive scenic journeys and mountain sights within a few days, it’s not good value for those who are doing fewer of the expensive trips and/or those who are staying longer. Also, the Swiss Travel Pass only provides a 25% discount on the amazing Jungfraujoch Railway, which costs between CHF120 and CHF224 return depending on your starting point, while the Half-Fare Card provides a 50% discount.
The math is simple as well. You can just add up the cost of the trains, boats, and buses you’ll be taking while in Switzerland, and if the total is more than CHF240 or so, the Half-Fare Card will save you money.
Example itinerary:
- Zurich to Interlaken train (2nd Class): CHF50
- Schilthorn Cable Car: CHF112
- Jungfraujoch railway from Interlaken: CHF205
- Interlaken to Lucerne train (2nd Class): CHF33
- Mt Rigi roundtrip from Lucerne: CHF84
- Engelberg (near Lucerne) to Mt. Titlis Cable Car: CHF92
- Lucerne to Zurich train (2nd Class): CHF25
Total per person: CHF601
Total with Half-Fare Card (including price of card): CHF420.50
It would be tough to do all of those things in 4 days, although it is possible. If you bought a 4-day Swiss Travel Pass here is how it adds up:
4-Day Swiss Travel Pass: CHF259
Supplements for Schilthorn, Jungfraujoch, and Mt. Titlis: CHF203.25
Total cost: CHF462.25
Bottom line on the Swiss Half-Fare Card
Since the Half-Fare Card lasts 30 days and provides a larger discount on Jungfraujoch, it is better value for visitors who want to include that scenic top-of-Europe rail journey on their trip. The discounts also add up more quickly on Schilthorn and Mt. Titlis trips, just to name two examples, and you don’t have to take many longer rail journeys to get value out of the Half-Fare Card.
Swiss Saver Day Pass (A one-day unlimited travel pass)
As if the Swiss travel situation wasn’t already complicated enough, they also offer a 1-day version of a Swiss Travel Pass and it can be very cheap, but it’s also a bit complicated. They only sell these Saver Day Passes starting 60 days out (so you can buy a pass for May 1 starting on March 2 etc), and the prices goes up quickly the more of them they sell. If you buy them right away you can get them as cheaply as CHF29 (in 2nd Class) if you have a Half Fare Card, which is an amazing deal. But after they sell the first batch the price jumps up to CHF39 and then CHF49. In other words, if you want the cheapest price you should book exactly 60 days in advance, or generally as soon as possible.
If you buy the Saver Day Pass at least 21 days in advance (and up to 60 days in advance) the 2023 cost is:
- 2nd Class (with Half Fare Card): CHF29
- 1st Class (with Half Fare Card): CHF82
- 2nd Class (with no Half Fare Card): CHF52
- 1st Class (with no Half Fare Card): CHF97
Once you research the normal cost of Swiss train fares you’ll see that the above prices are a very good deal for anyone riding more than 150 kilometers or so in a day. If you are just going, for example, from Zurich to Lucerne or Interlaken on a day, it’ll be cheaper to just buy that ticket individually. But if you are going from Geneva or Montreux to Interlaken or Lucerne then the Saver Day Pass will be much cheaper. Better still, you can use a Saver Day Pass to go from Interlaken to Geneva and back on the same day on the Goldenpass line and returning on the faster train through Bern, and it will still all be included for free.
If you don’t buy a Saver Day Pass at least 14 days in advance it’s more expensive, and if you only buy 1 to 3 days in advance it’s VERY expensive, so the key is to buy early. This is all confusing, but the Saver Day Pass should be a great option for many people only in Switzerland for one to three days.
Popular Swiss panorama scenic trains
The 5 train routes listed below are the best and most popular of Switzerland’s scenic train routes. With a Swiss Travel Pass, you can ride for free in normal carriages or pay a small supplement for a reserved seat in one of the special Panorama carriages. If you are going to do one of these as a journey unto itself, the Panorama carriages are highly recommended, and worth the supplement.
- Glacier Express
- Route: Zermatt to St. Moritz
- Train type: Panorama
- Journey time: 8 hours 3 minutes
- Distance: 291km
- 1st Class fare: CHF272
- 2nd Class fare: CHF159
- Compulsory seat reservation fee: CHF44 or 49
- Supplement for Swiss Pass holders: 13 to 33 for panorama carriage
- Bernina Express
- Route: Chur to Tirano and Lugano
- Train type: Panorama and bus
- Journey time: 4 hours 13 minutes and 3 hours 10 minutes
- Distance: 148km and 90km
- 1st Class fare: CHF113
- 2nd Class fare: CHF66
- Compulsory seat reservation fee: CHF32
- Supplement for Swiss Pass holders: 10 to 14 for panorama carriage
- GoldenPass Line
- Route: Lucerne to Montreaux
- Train type: Panorama
- Journey time: 5 hours 8 minutes
- Distance: 191 km
- Prestige Class fare: CHF131
- 1st Class fare: CHF96
- 2nd Class fare: CHF56
- Supplement for Swiss Pass holders: 8 to 15 for panorama carriage
- Gotthard Panorama Express (formerly Wilhelm Tell Express)
- Route: Lugano or Locarno to Lucerne
- Train type: Panorama and boat
- Journey time: 5 hours 21 minutes
- Distance: 182 km
- 1st Class fare: CHF164
- 2nd Class fare: CHF135
- Supplement for Swiss Pass holders: 39 to 49 for panorama carriage
- Swiss Chocolate Train
- Route: Montreux to Broc round trip
- Train type: Panorama or First Class
- Journey time: X hours X minutes
- Distance: 82 km
- 1st Class fare: CHF99
- 2nd Class fare: 89
- Supplement for Swiss Pass holders: 39
Popular Swiss scenic and theme trains
The scenic trains below are also extremely popular as sightseeing journeys rather than just as transportation, but can be used as both.
- Jungfraujoch round trip
- Route: Interlaken to Jungfraujoch
- Train type: special mountain train
- Journey time: 4 hours 41 minutes, round trip, plus time on top
- Distance: 73 km
- 1st Class fare: N/A
- 2nd Class fare: CHF224
- Supplement for Swiss Pass holders: 147 (so, a saving of CHF77)
- Gornergrat Railway
- Route: Gornergrat Railway
- Train type: Cog railway
- Journey time: 44 minutes return
- Distance: 10 km
- 1st Class fare: N/A
- 2nd Class fare: CHF90
- Supplement for Swiss Pass holders: 45
- Rigi round trip
- Route: Lucerne to Rigi
- Train type: Cog railway
- Journey time: 3 hours 25 minutes, plus time at the top
- Distance: 58 km
- 2nd Class fare: CHF78
- Supplement for Swiss Pass holders: None (this one is free with the pass)
- Mt Rigi Excursion (one-way and walk down)
- Route: Lucerne to Mt Rigi
- Train type: cogwheel train and/or cable car
- Journey time: 45 minutes up
- 1st Class fare: N/A
- 2nd Class fare: 49
- Supplement for Swiss Pass holders: 0
- Lotschberg Mountain Route and Centrovalli
- Route: Bern to Locarno
- Train type: Narrow gauge
- Journey time: 4 hours 40 minutes
- Distance: 212 km
- 1st Class fare: CHF158
- 2nd Class fare: CHF90
- Supplement for Swiss Pass holders: 5
- Jura round trip (Watchmaking Tour)
- Route: Neuchatel through Jura
- Train type: Regular
- Journey time: 3 hours 0 minutes
- Distance: 143 km
- 1st Class fare: CHF168
- 2nd Class fare: CHF108
- Supplement for Swiss Pass holders: 0
- Pre-Alpine Express
- Route: St. Gallen to Lucerne
- Train type: Regular
- Journey time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Distance: 146 km
- 1st Class fare: CHF83
- 2nd Class fare: CHF47
- Supplement for Swiss Pass holders: 0
- Jura Foot Line
- Route: Basel to Geneva
- Train type: Regular
- Journey time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Distance: 248 km
- 1st Class fare: CHF132
- 2nd Class fare: CHF75
- Supplement for Swiss Pass holders: 0
Popular Switzerland cable car rides
These are the two most popular cable car rides to obvservation peaks in central Switzerland. The Swiss Travel Pass offers a 50% or more discount, but not the whole fare.
- Schilthorn
- Route: Stechelberg (Lauterbrunnen) to Schilthorn
- Train type: cable car
- Journey time: 1 hour
- 2nd Class fare: CHF108
- Supplement for Swiss Pass holders: 54
- Engelberg to Mt. Titlis cable car
- Route: Engelberg to Mt. Titlis
- Train type: cable car
- 2nd Class fare: CHF96
- Supplement for Swiss Pass holders: 46
The Swiss Travel Pass also includes free museum admission, but…
While it’s true that the Swiss Travel Pass includes free admission to around 500 museums all over Switzerland, it’s probably best to just ignore that when you are determining whether to buy a pass or not. Most of the included museums cost between CHF5 and CHF10 without the pass, although a few are closer to CHF20.
The problem is that the museums are only free on valid travel days, and almost no one would visit more than one or two museums with a Swiss Travel Pass. The trains and cable cars are so expensive that the pass gives very good value to cover those, so you don’t want to waste precious sightseeing time walking through a museum that only costs CHF10 anyway.
In other words, calculate the value of a Swiss Travel Pass on the travel savings only, and if you visit a museum here or there, then great. Most people are better off trying to squeeze in an additional train ride each day, and ignoring the museums. Switzerland is all about the outdoor scenery. As nice as the museums may be, they are not why you are there.
The pass includes free public transport in most Swiss cities
Similar to the free museum part of the offer, it’s best to ignore or minimize the value of free public transportation. It could be helpful in Zurich, but in most other Swiss tourist towns you won’t need much public transport. In fact, in Interlaken, each hotel or hostel guest automatically gets a card for free public transportation within the town (including between the two train stations).
So you might use a ride or two each day on public transport, but that won’t add up to much in terms of value of your Swiss Travel Pass.
Hello Roger, since i have two kids below the age of 16, would it mean that if we as parents buy either the Swiss Pass or the Swiss Half Fare Card, our kids also get to enjoy 50% off without having to pay. Meaning to say they get entitled to same benefits with two adults buying either of those cards ?
Nawal,
From the looks of it, the children would be able to travel for free with an adult with a valid ticket, and that is with either the Swiss Travel Pass or the Half Fare Card. You pick up a Swiss Family Card and that allows the kids to go free with you. -Roger
Hi Roger thanks so much for writing all of these! I truly feel this is very helpful. I have put down a list of itinerary but really wanna consult it first with someone who knows Swiss better than me:
1. 24 June 2017 evening – Arriving Zermatt from Brig, strolling around, staying over at Zermatt
2. 25 June 2017 – I have only one day to explore so I’m thinking to go to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. I am really confused about this place, is it the same with The Matterhorn? Or are they in the same area but different in altitude? Can I do both place (the peak and glacier on the same day?)
I learned that there are two ways of going to the Matterhorn: by cable car (we can stop by lake Schwarzsee a long the way) and train to Gornergrat, is this correct? I have read a lot of comments on the Tripadvisor but still fail to understand this 🙁 Are the train and cable car leading to the same place?
3. 26 June 2017 – Leaving Zermatt to Interlaken. I saw your suggestion to go to Gimmelwald, it’s pretty but I am afraid it will be too tiring for me to go there in a very short time. I look up the train ticket online and they don’t have the price as well. Do you have any recommendation of things to do in Interlaken city?
4. 27 June 2017 – Still planning to stay in Interlaken, but I looked up Tripadvisor and there’s nothing much to do there. Is 2 days too long in Interlaken?
5. 28 June 2017 – Leaving to Zurich, explore the city
6. 29 June 2017 – Explore Zurich, fly back home
—
I have bought the train ticket from Milan to Brig, so I can’t cancel on Zermatt (plus my partner really want to see snow. Swiss is my 4th and last Europe country to visit before heading back home). Also I tried to do the math about travel expenses, and if I am right, normal train and cable car tickets for above itinerary (not including buses / train in Zurich / Interlaken city) is 214.5, with 4 days flex travel pass is 284, and with half fare pass is 201.25. I will still ride bus / train in Zurich, so should I take the 4 days flex pass instead of the half fare?
Thanks so much in advance! I hope this isn’t confusing and if you have any suggestion that is different than my itinerary, I would very much love to hear it. Thanks so much! Appreciate your help.
Cicilia,
I’ll be happy to try to help. I’ll answer your questions in order…
2. I haven’t done the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, but I can see that it’s a cable car ride up to another peak near the Italian border that offers a different view of Matterhorn. The Rothorn peak is the famous view of the Matterhorn. Both trips take about half a day, and because they aren’t close together, it could be tough to do both of them in the same day.
Gornergrat is a train ride and it’s not the same place as the two cable car views, but it is the most popular.
3. Zermatt to Interlaken takes only 2 hours and 20 minutes by train, leaving once an hour. You’d have plenty of time to not only get to Gimmelwald but to look around and go somewhere else to sleep if you wanted. It’s an unbelievably charming little village with amazing views and I recommend staying there or in Murren (just above Gimmelwald) if you can.
Interlaken is a nice town and the views around it are lovely, but it’s really more of a transit hub for all of the best views and experiences in the mountains just above. There is a LOT more to do in Interlaken (the area) than there is in Zermatt. Have a look at my main article on what to do in Switzerland, including in the comments, for some ideas. The Schilthorn cable car and Jungfraujoch railway are perhaps Switzerlands (and all of Europe’s) most dramatic sights.
If you are concerned about your budget you might not want to get to Zurich until the day of your flight. Hotels there are crazy expensive (even more so than the rest of Switzerland), and it’s not a very interesting city compared with the amazing sights of nature in the Alps and such.
I’m not sure which travel pass you are referring to. If you mean the 4 Days in One Month version of the Swiss Travel Pass, it sounds like it could be a great deal for you. But if you are referring to a normal Eurail Pass it could be tricky because they don’t cover all of the trains in Switzerland, including the Zermatt trains. It sounds like you’ve got the math right and that the pass would be best, but just be aware of what it does and does not cover. Even if you go to Zurich, most of the interesting part of town is walkable, so you won’t spend much on transit there. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Thanks so much for your suggestion! I will definitely check on Gimmelwald / Murren again and reconsider about Zurich. I have decided to get the half fare pass instead as well. Thank you once again 🙂
Hi Roger, I found both this article and your main one about Switzerland extremely helpful as this is very difficult to plan compared to most trips I’ve taken. I posted above but did not receive a response so I am posting again.
My husband and I will be arriving on train Munich to Interlaken west on may 19. We will spend 4 nights in Interlaken and then 2 nights in Lucerne. Then we will leave to the Zurich airport on May 25. Do you suggest we buy the Swiss pass?
Also, my parents will be arriving at Zurich airport on may 21 and spending 2 days in Interlaken and two days in Lucerne then going back to Zurich airport on may 25. Would the Swiss pass be worth it for them?
Does the Swiss travel pass include train from Zurich airport to Interlaken, from Interlaken to Lucerne or from lucerne to Zurich airport? And do you suggest we make these reservations in advance? I used the Trainline EU app to buy our train ticket from Munich to Interlaken west, but some routes such as Interlaken to Lucerne or Lucerne to Zurich were not available on the app.
While we are there we will likely want to do many of the popular tours you mentioned, some hiking and anything you suggest to see the beautiful views. I am not sure which tours exactly we plan to take. With the Swiss pass do we have to reserve transportation or tours ahead of time?
Jennifer,
I apologize if I missed your other question. I try to answer all of them within 24 hours or so, and usually less. I’ll answer your questions in order…
The Swiss Travel Pass will be a good idea if you plan on doing enough of the scenic rail journeys (which would be fully covered) and the mountaintop activities such as Schilthorn and Jungfraujoch, which you get a 50% discount on. If you are just going from Munich to Interlaken to Lucerne to Zurich, then it would be cheaper to buy the tickets individually. In other words, if you want to do the Golden Pass or another of the longer train rides, the Swiss Travel Pass can quickly pay for itself. The same math would apply to your parents. The pass is only a good deal for people who are taking some longer train rides and also doing the expensive attractions that are included (Mt Rigi) or discounted like those two I mentioned.
The Swiss Travel Pass DOES cover all trains, including those to the airport. The tricky thing is the pass only comes in 3-day, 4-day, and 8-day versions, and the pass obviously has to be valid for the days you travel. So if you bought an 8-day pass you could even use it for the portion of your Munich trip inside the Swiss borders AND for the airport trip on the way out. But if you only got a 4-day pass, it wouldn’t cover your whole trip.
The normal Swiss trains between cities are only available 30 days in advance and the fare is the same no matter when you buy them. So you can buy them in advance or wait until you get there.
Based on your final comment, it sounds like you DO want to do at least a few of the big attractions like Rigi, Titlis, Schilthorn, and Jungfraujoch. The Pass covers some of them and offers a discount on the others. You can usually book those on travel day. The scenic train journeys with the Panoramic carriages should be booked in advance, however, because there are limited seats in the Panoramic carriages. One reason to book your mountaintop visits at the last minute is that those peaks can be foggy or cloudy at almost any time, including in summer. It’s advised to book Jungfraujoch or Schilthorn when you know it’s sunny up top, so many people book as they go.
Another option that I didn’t include in the article but I will add soon is the Swiss Half Fare Card. You can buy a 30-day version of that online or when you get there for CHF120 per person. If you are going to do at least CHF240 worth of train rides, cable cars, and such, it pays off. That might work for your parents, although a 3-day or 4-day Swiss Rail Pass might also work, depending on how many things you want to do. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have other questions. -Roger
Hi Roger,
First of all, wonderful article & very informative & prompt replies.
We need some help as well, We are a family of four(41, 40, 10 & 4)
We would like to stay at Lauterbernnen for 3 days. Will like to go to jungfraujoch, Schilthorn(Cable Car) and short visits around to Murren, Stechelberg, wengen & Grindelwald…..
– Do you think we should get a pass OR pay as we go?
– Will Swiss Family card be beneficial (I Guess we get it only if we buy one pass)
– Any Other suggestions??
Navin,
I’m glad to hear that this research helped.
If you do the itinerary you mentioned, a Swiss Travel Pass would probably be good value, but it will be close. It provides free train trips but only 50% discount on Schilthorn and Jungfraujoch. If you both of those, the 50% off will be worth about CHF120 per adult. Your other train trips will probably total around CHF100 or a bit more per adult, so that pays for a 3-Day Swiss Travel Pass. It also means that you can ride the trains all over without worrying about the cost, while if you didn’t have a pass you might see fewer things because each journey is so expensive. So I think I would buy a pass.
Alternatively, you could buy a 30-day Swiss Rail half-fare card, which would give you those same discounts for CHF120, and then obviously give you 50% off all of your normal train trips.
The Swiss Family Card, as far as I know, is a complimentary card that allows family members 16 and under to ride for free with adults using passes. So yes, I think it will be necessary if you buy a pass.
Those mountain-top attractions are quite expensive, but they are amazing and you will be happy that you did them. I don’t have any other advice. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hello Roger,
First of all i would like to thank you for such an elaborate and detailed report. Appreciate your work and wish you the best forward.
I would like to take your expert advice to help me create a day wise itinerary for my 4 days stay in Zurich and Luzern.
My itinerary is reaching Zurich on 15th April late night and staying in Zurich for a night and then from 16th to 19th April stay in Luzern.
We are a couple and love traveling and site seeing, would love to take some scenic train route along with one or two mountain trips based on time.
Request you to please help in this regards.
Thanks
Akash,
I really don’t like to create full itineraries for people because there are so many variables, including budgets. I give many options and my best advice in my main article on where to go in Switzerland. As mentioned, the top sights such as Schilthorn and Jungfraujoch each cost around US$150, and many people are understandably unwilling to do both on a short visit.
If you come up with your own plan I will be happy to answer specific questions about it. You might also try wikitravel.org to look at their Interlaken and Lucerne pages, as they do a very good job of summarizing all the main options. Have a great trip. -Roger
Hello Roger, Thank you for all of the information you have shared regarding the Swiss Pass and other options. My wife and I will be traveling to Switzerland as I work with USA teams and will be working at the World Cup Championships in Geneva in May. After the team leaves back to the USA My wife and I are staying to see the wonderful sites. We will be leaving Geneva on the 28th of May. No plans or reservations for the 28 Looking into maybe 1 night in Lausanne. We have the 29th through June 1st in Murren. Staying at the Hotel Alpina and am very excited to travel to Schilthorn, Gimmelwald, maybe Jungfraujoch. Hiking, bicycle rides etc…On the first we are headed back to Geneva, spend the night then fly out on the 2nd. Questions: 1 .Is Lausanne a good place to spend the night (sites, Olympic headquarters etc…) then heading to Murren…. is the Swiss pass the best bet for us? We will leave on the 1st back toward Geneva as we fly out from there. Do you have any suggestions regarding what we should include in this trip? And is the Swiss the best for us?Thanks for your help.
Bobby,
That sounds like a great situation to be able to add on extra Switzerland days after an event.
1. Lausanne is perhaps a bit more interesting than Geneva, but I still think you get WAY more out of focusing on the scenery than the cities in Switzerland. I’d head to the Interlaken area for that night, which will give you more options for things you can do before you head up to Murren. Or if you really DID want to see another city I’d recommend Bern, which is closer to Interlaken and also more interesting in general.
It doesn’t look like a Swiss Travel Pass would be good value for you, mostly because a 4-day Pass wouldn’t cover it all, and an 8-day Pass would be too expensive. It would give you a 50% discount on Schilthorn and Jungfraujoch, and of course it would cover your train rides, but those shouldn’t add up to enough to justify the cost of the 8-day Pass. If you were also going to squeeze in 1 or 2 of the longer scenic railroad journeys such as the GoldenPass, the Swiss Travel Pass might make sense. It sounds like you’ve got a really nice itinerary planned and that you are going to try to include the main blockbuster sights. I don’t have anything else specific to recommend, although there are plenty of good hiking and sightseeing options in the Interlaken area, and of course in Lucerne as well.
Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Thanks so much for the information. I really appreciate your help. Looking at Interlaken vs. Lauterbrunnen instead of the 2 days 1 night in Lausanne. which would be the most rewarding for the different sites possible in either town? As we will be spending 4 days in the Murren area and we want to get as much of the Swiss flavor in this trip, which would you recommend for greater sites? Interlaken or Lauterbrunnen? Ou yeah, If we would not benefit financially from the Swiss Pass, is there another card that might be to our advantage while traveling to Schilthorn, Jungfrau, and other sites up in the mountainous area to save some money? You are so helpful, thanks again for your help!
Bobby,
Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen are connected by a special train that takes 15 minutes and leaves every 30 minutes. Lauterbrunnen is deeper into the mountains and it’s a hub for trips to several mountain towns in the area, but still I think I’d recommend staying in Interlaken because it’s a much larger town with many more options for activities and restaurants and such. There are also many things to see and do that are in Interlaken or in other directions than Lauterbrunnen.
If you stay close to the Interlaken Ost train station, you can get to Lauterbrunnen very quickly anyway, and the train fare isn’t too much.
I’m not aware of any other discount cards aside from the Swiss Travel Pass. Those attractions such as Schilthorn and Jungfraujoch are really expensive, but definitely worth it. There just aren’t things like that anywhere else at any price, so at least the splurge will feel worthwhile when you are there. Have a great trip. -Roger
Hi Roger,
It mustve taken you forever to come up with this comprehensive information for us! So very grateful.
My husband will be arriving to interlaken by train from paris in the evening in late march and will stay 2 nights near interlaken west station before we go on to lucerne for 1 night. So technically we only have 1 full day in interlaken, which we were thinking of visiting lauterbrunnen/gimmelwald and then going up to the schilthorn observation deck if the weather allows.
Decided not to consider jungfraujoch as I read in your other article that it will take a much longer time to get there compared to schilthorn.
For Lucerne, we were wondering if we should try to squeeze in the lake cruise-rigi trip for that 3 quarters of a day we have there, or just spend it exploring the city. The next day we have an 11am train to catch to venice.
What is the difference between the rigi round trip and the mt rigi excursion? Is it that one is round trip and the latter one-way?
Based on what we were thinking of doing, is it advisable to buy the swiss travel pass? Or just get the individual tickets as we go?
Xinyi,
I think buying individual tickets as you go will be cheapest, since you won’t be doing any of the longer scenic trips. Your plan looks very well thought out and I’m sure you’ll love it.
Jungfraujoch really is a whole day from start to finish, while Schilthorn is a 1-hour (and wonderful) cable car ride each way, and then as much time as you want to spend up there. It seems that 60 to 90 minutes is typical, or longer if you want to have lunch. The views from the revolving restaurant are excellent, and the food prices are typical for Switzerland (expensive for anywhere else), so enjoying a meal up there is nice if you have the time.
The Mt Rigi round trip and excursion are the same thing, as far as I’m aware. It’s a boat ride from Lucerne to a cogwheel train and then a cable car back down. If you see something that doesn’t sound like that, it could be something else. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Your blog is very informative. Can you please suggest us whether following itinerary is good for me and my wife.
Day-1: Frankfurt to Interlaken reach at 6:00PM
Day-2: Schilthorn, Birg, Stechtelberg
Day-3: Check out hotel, Meiringen, Reach Lucerne in evening, Local Lucerne sight seeing
Day-4: Mt Titlis
Day-5: Mt Rigi, Lake Lucerne and leave for Frankfurt from Lucerne in night.
Regards
Thank you
Sorry I forgot to ask you one more thing,
Is tell pass better or Swiss Travel Pass for above Itinerary.
Regards
Thanks
Nataraj,
Yes, I think your itinerary looks quite good. The only potential problem I see is that the peaks can be foggy or cloudy at times, even during summer, so if you are visiting at a very specific time then you might get unlucky and have poor visibility. But hopefully it will be clear most or all of the time you’ll be there.
But as far as the timing is concerned, I think as long as you start early each day, you’ll be able to do all of the things on your list and have a very enjoyable visit.
A Swiss Travel Pass probably won’t save you money unless you are going to do at least one additional scenic train ride. I think if you just buy all of your tickets individually, they’ll be a bit less than it would cost with a Swiss Travel Pass. But you should probably add it up because it might be close. -Roger
Hi Roger
Thank you for your very informative blog. We are a group of 4 adults and 4 kids (below 14 years) visiting Switzerland end of March. Could you please let us know whether a Swiss Travel Pass is worth buying for the itinerary below?
Zurich – 2 nights (visiting Rheinfall and Old Town)
Lucerne – 3 nights (Jungfraujoch, Pilatus and Bern)
Lausanne – 3 nights (Lausanne Wednesday market but not sure what else we can do while in Lausanne – suggestions please?)
We fly out from Geneva.
Thanks
Charissa
Charissa,
The Swiss Travel Pass is really meant for visitors who want to do at least 2 of the longer scenic rail journeys and also some of the expensive cable cars or special trains (that are either covered or at a 50% discount). So it would cover your train journeys plus Pilatus and give you 50% off Jungfraujoch. But those wouldn’t add up to the cost of the pass.
You might look into one or two of the train journeys such as the GoldenPass, or just pay as you go for the trains.
As for your itinerary, you might want to have a look at my article on where to go in Switzerland. Most people want to see the amazing Alps views and sights, and I explain where to do that. Also, Switzerland’s cities are really not very interesting, at least when compared to the natural sights. So I really don’t recommend staying in Zurich or Lausanne for any longer than you really need to. Lucerne is lovely and Bern is the best of the actual cities if you want to see one. Really, Interlaken is where most of the action is, so you might want to consider that.
You can take a train from Interlaken or wherever you are straight to the Geneva Airport on the main rail line. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hi roger,
I plan to visit Switzerland for 3 days this april for my honeymoon. Will arrive Zurich on 28april afternoon until 30april.1st may i will travel to milan or venice Italy from zurich. Please suggest itenary start from zurich where to stay and is it worth buying swiss pass 3 days validity?
Shafiq,
I get this question so often that I wrote a post to answer it in detail. Have a look at my where to go in Switzerland post for the specifics.
The short version is that if you have 3 days you are best off spending them in the Interlaken area, which has the most dramatic Alpine sights and scenery in one small space. There are recommendations for small towns and even hotels in that article.
It’s hard to get good value out of a Swiss Travel Pass if you only have 3 days in the country. You’d need to take 2 or 3 of the long scenic rides in order to save anything, and that would literally take your whole visit. You’ll get more impact from doing the Schilthorn or Jungfraujoch plus some general sightseeing in the Interlaken area. Let me know if you have any other specific questions. -Roger