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.
if I am travelling from Murren to Varenna, Italy via Milan does the swiss travel pass apply for a portion of that trip?
At what point and how would I go about purchasing the Italian portion of that trip.
Rose Anne,
Wow, that is going to be an amazing trip. I love both of those places! And that is a great question. The Swiss Travel Pass will fully cover your journey through the last stop within Switzerland, which I believe is Frutigen on that route. Unlike the domestic train tickets within Switzerland, Italy has dynamic pricing on train tickets so they are cheaper if you buy them earlier. The thing to do is to buy a ticket from Frutigen to Milan on that same train you’ll be taking, which you should be able to do online. The ticket checker will come by and check your Swiss Rail Pass for the portion up until Frutigen and then you’ll show them your ticket for the remainder of the journey to Milan. It sounds a bit complicated, but loads of people travel with Eurail passes and such, so it’s actually pretty normal for them.
I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions. I’m jealous! -Roger
Hello,
Would you please advise on the best pass for the below itinerary (we are a couple)? We will need to travel roundtrip between Zurich and Grindelwald and possibly roundtrip between Zurich and Vaduz. We plan to do lots of activities in Grindelwald. Thank you.
21/8 – Lichtenstein for the night or Open
22/8 – 27/8 – Hotel booked in Grindelwald
27/8 – Zurich for the night
28/8 – flight out of Zurich
Kathryn,
Most visitors to Switzerland seem to prefer to explore at least two or three different areas, but if you are set on focusing on just one (by far the best one), then it’s a bit different. I think you’ll be best off with the specific regional pass that covers just the Bernese Oberland area, as it’s known.
It’s cheaper than the full Swiss Travel Pass because it does not cover trains and such across the country, but it DOES cover nearly everything (minus a few marquee attractions) in the area you’ll be visiting.
A train from Zurich to Interlaken won’t cost too much, although a train from Vaduz to Interlaken won’t be too cheap. It seems possible that a Half Fare Card (valid for 30 days) might save you money on those, and it might also help on some other things that aren’t covered in the other pass. Of course, it depends on how many trips you’ll make while you are there. Grindelwald is a tiny village in the Lauterbrunnen Valley and if you just plan on hiking and taking a few of the short train rides in that area, then a pass may not save money. However, if you plan on doing quite a few of the covered rides (including boat rides and cable cars), then the pass should more than pay for itself.
I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Comment*Hello, first of all thanks a lot for such a detailed information, its really helpful. I m planning to visit Switzerland from Paris for 8 days via train
26/7- Grindelwald & Lauterbrunnen
27/7- Jungfrau
28/7- Head to Lucern ( 2 nights)
29//7- Mt. Titlis22/7-Arrival to Geneva and heading to Montreux for 3 days
23/7- Gstaad and side by sightseeing
24/7- zermatt & Matterhon
25/7-Interlaken (4 nights)
30/7- Zurich and flight to Germany
I m planning to vist cheese factory, chocolate train and etc. so can please suggest is this plan okay and more importantly should i tae swiss pass and which pass full or half fare pass?
Sheetal,
I’m happy that this has helped. Your itinerary looks fantastic for the most part. One thing though is that the most magical and scenic part of Switzerland is the Lauterbrunnen Valley, which includes Grindlewald and Jungfrau. It looks like you’ve scheduled two days there at the beginning and then 4 nights in Interlaken itself later on. These are really the same place and the lovely village of Lauterbrunnen is a 15-minute train ride from the Interlaken Ost train station. My recommendation would be to plan at least 3 or 4 days in the Lauterbrunnen Valley area, including Gimmelwald, Murren, and hopefully Schilthorn, and 2 or 3 days exploring the rest of the Interlaken area.
You could even do a day trip to Bern, which is a lovely city and a great place to go if the mountains are foggy or rainy, which can happen any day of the year. There are plenty of other things to do in Interlaken including boat trips and hiking and adventure sports, so you will never get bored there. I just thought it was important to mention that it’s all one area.
In fact, I might even spend an extra night in Lucern, which is the second most interesting place and also with plenty to see and do.
With an 8-day visit like this I’d definitely recommend the Swiss Travel Pass since it comes in an 8-day version. If you get the pass you’ll find dozens of possible great things to use it on. For example, there are a bunch of scenic cable cars in the Lauterbrunnen Valley and you can ride them free with the Travel Pass, along with all of the scenic trains to reach them and the boat rides as well.
I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hello,
how far in advance can I purchase the Swiss half fare travel card? I’m from Australia and will be travelling from 3rd August 2022 and just want to start organising some routes. I tried to purchase on Sbb website but it said unavailable. So not sure if I’m too early.
Elicia,
That is strange. I just tried to buy one and it looked like it was going through. The Half Fare Card is a bit confusing and I’ll try to help. You can actually buy Half Fare train tickets at any time and the only stipulation is that you ALSO have to be able to present a valid Half Fare Card to the conductor when you are using that Half Fare ticket. In other words, you can buy half fare train tickets now, and theoretically buy the Half Fare Card just before you board the first train. It might have just been a website outage or something. I hope this helps and let me know if you have more questions. -Roger
Comment*great article.
I would like to know your opinion for my schedule. Coming from Paris by car and staying in Switzerland for 4 days.
Thinking to do Mt Rigi hike 1st day.
2nd day – jungfrough
3rd day – Oeschinen Lake, Kandersteg hike
4th day – matterhorn
What do you suggest about pass and should i avoid toll roads by car? I am from USA and first time visiting europe.
Thank you in advance!
Veer,
This trip doesn’t sound like a good one for a Swiss Rail Pass. I believe if you drive into Switzerland you have to pay a one-time fee to use the roads of CHF40 (about US$40) and then it’s all included.
If you didn’t already have a car arranged I would definitely think about taking a train from Paris and doing Switzerland by train, but it depends on your circumstances and how many in your group. Still, unlike much of Europe, Switzerland is fairly easy to get around by car and you can park near most of the top sights. As you probably know, Zermatt is a car-free village and you have to park your car in nearby Tasch and then take a train into Zermatt to explore the Matterhorn, but the rest of your stops should be pretty simple by car.
I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
I will be in Zurich on 29th and 30th to 3rd in wengen-
And then a day in Geneva from there to Milan-
What pass would you suggest Swiss or eurail as I will be visiting all the 5-6 major places in Italy for the next 5 days
Homie,
It’s kind of tough to say without knowing what you want to do in Wengen. It’s a tiny village near Lauterbrunnen so I assume you’ll want to explore that area. You can take the little trains that connect each village and they are fairly cheap, but if you want to go up Jungfraujoch or Shilthorn (both highly recommended) then the Swiss Travel Pass might pay for itself or at least a Half Fare Card. There are several other cable cars in that area that are covered by the Swiss Travel Pass, so it depends on how many of those you’d want to take.
As for Italy, the best and cheapest way to do it is to buy your train tickets ASAP (now). The fares for the intercity trains are generally quite low if you book at least a few weeks in advance. A Eurail Pass isn’t really good value in Italy unless you insist on making plans as you go, so it’s much better to book in advance. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Thank you for sharing helpful information.
We are going to visit Switzerland in August 1-7 arriving at Geneva airport.
We have no specific itinerary as yet however, we are staying at Geneva 1-4 and at Lauterbrunnen 4-7. We are meeting up with friends there but my husband and myself can’t fit in with the car rental they have already booked. At present I am considering the pros and cons whether to rent a car for us or I buy the swiss travel pass instead?
Also will there be a cost difference with buying the pass in advance?
Thank you.
Arlene,
I’m glad this has helped. The Swiss Travel Pass is a fixed price no matter when you buy it, and the same goes for domestic train fares in the country. With 3 or 4 days in Lauterbrunnen, you’ll be spending plenty of time there to see the best sights, which is great. Geneva itself is a bit dull compared to the Alpine villages and Lucerne etc, so I do think it will be good to get out and do some sightseeing from there. Taking the trains is so easy that it would definitely be my first choice compared to renting a car, although if you already have a car sorted out you can definitely see some nice things in those days.
It really depends on where you’d want to go to determine if the Swiss Travel Pass would be good for you. I’d go to Lucerne for sure, and that is easy to do by train. You might also visit Bern, which is the most interesting of the Swiss cities, and that is also easy to do by train. You might be best off just getting a Half Fare Card for each of you, which would easily pay for itself, and then taking trains for sightseeing. I’m not sure how helpful this is for you and I’m happy to answer other questions if you have them. -Roger
Hello, We are two families with two kids (one is 3 years old and one is 1 year old). We are planning to come to Zurich on the 2nd of July and stay there till the 5th of July. We want to see Interlaken and Jungfrau from Zurich. Could you please suggest what is the best way to travel from Zurich to Interlaken? Also is there any day pass for travel from Zurich to Interlaken and which one we should buy?
Thank you so much…
Pragya,
If at all possible it would be much better to spend at least one or two nights in the Interlaken area, but if you can’t then the train is by far the fastest way between them. It takes about two hours each way to Interlaken Ost station and then another 15 minutes to Lauterbrunnen and then a bit longer to start up Jungfrau.
If you are going back and forth every day the Swiss Travel Pass might pay for itself, especially since it will also save you money with all of the things you do once you get to Interlaken. You just have to check the train fare, which fortunately is the same every day. If the full Pass doesn’t save money then the Half Fare Card will. Again, it depends on how many train trips you’d take.
Actually, if it’s four adults and two kids, it might be cheaper to rent something like a minivan in Zurich. The kids can ride the trains for free, but it still might be cheaper than four adults on the train both ways. Rental cars there are fairly expensive and so is petrol, but so are train fares. Parking in Zurich could be challenging, but fortunately Interlaken is more spread out so finding parking isn’t as difficult. I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Thanks for such a great help on the Swiss Travel pass.
We are a family of 4 and will be landing in Zurich on July 12th. Itinerary:
12/7 Zurich Flughafen to Basel (where our uncle lives)
13/7 Basel area with our family (in car)
14/7 Train from Basel to Luzern
15/7 All day in Luzern
16/7 Train to Wengen
17/7 All day in Wengen/Grindelwald area
18/7 Train to Geneva
19/7 Flight back home (11 AM)
Our kids are 8 and 11 and we love hiking and exploring wonderful landscapes.
Thanks for giving us your opinion on what would be the best deal for us – we want to make the most of cable cars in both Luzern and Grindelwald.
Kind regards,
Yanina
Yanina,
It’s hard to say which pass or option might be best for you without more details. The Swiss Rail Pass can be great for those doing many longer trips and also going up and down some of the mountains where that transportation is included. But for just a few train rides and a couple of cable cars, it might be best to pay as you go or perhaps get a Half Fare Card for each person. I think the HFC would probably pay for itself in a couple of days, and it will save you money on each additional ride you plan to take. Let me know if you have any more questions and I’m sure you’ll have an amazing trip. -Roger
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Hai Roger
Me and my Family (5 person) will go to , need your help for my Trip this year.
9/7 Arrive in airport Zurich ( walking tour around)
10/7 Zurich -Lucern( lion monumen, lake cruise, cheese factory)
11/7 Lucern-Inerlaken ost (hardekum, lake breinz,lueterbrunen)
12/7 Interlaken -Jungfrau, klein schidegg
13/7 Interlaken ost/west -Basel SBB
Which card shoud should i buy?
Thanks ;))
Patricia,
That sounds like an action-packed trip. It’s kind of a tough call between the 3-day pass and the 4-day pass. For 9-July you wouldn’t want a rail pass because the train from the airport into Zurich is only CHF10 or so. Starting on 10-July, you’ll be using the pass a lot for the next 3 days, and in fact you can probably fit another thing or two in there to make it an even better value.
On your final day it’s just a matter of how much the train from Interlaken to Basel costs versus the difference in price from the 3 day to the 4 day pass. My guess is that it’s a pretty close call, but it’s worth checking yourself. As long as your train doesn’t leave so early in the morning on that final day, you might still have time to visit something else such as Gimmelwald or Murren on the cable car before you leave for Basel. But if you have to take an early train, it will just be whether that fare to Basel is more than the extra cost or not. I hope that helps and let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
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Dear Roger
Thanks you for your input , I will buy 3 days ticket.
Regards
Patricia