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.
Your write up is very helpful but I wonder if you can help me.
I am spending 20 days in Switerzland.
My itinery is as follows
6 sept geneva to lauterbrunnen for 5 days hoping to visit,murren,wengen,grindelwald, jungfrau schiltorn if possible interlaken
11 sept lauterbrunned to zermatt for 4 days hoping to do gonergrat,klein
15 sept zermatt to lugano via dommosolo and certivalli line I will get the Ticino pass here
17 sept lugano to Sils maria with bernina express from lugano to st moritz ( ve book seats)
In Sils maria will have the engardin pass for 4 days
21/9 to chur
22/9 zurich hoping to go to rhinefalls, Lucerne,st gallen,basel
26/9 zurich to buch to Salzburg.
I was going to get the 15 days flexible Swiss pass . Is this a good idea? If so I will use which dates will I use it to maximise it pls.
If so can I get the pass in Geneva on arrival or will I get it online before I go.
I hope you can help.
Thank you so much
Yap
Yap,
This looks like an amazing itinerary! Yes, I think the 15 days Flexible Swiss Pass would be perfect for you. You should be able to get it on arrival, but the new version is electronic so you might as well buy it in advance so you don’t need to stand in a line when you arrive. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Comment*Hi Roger, THANK YOU for this post, eye opening ! So we are family of 5 (kids are 21,19 16) and arriving in Zurich 8/14.
– Plan to take train from Zurich to Lucerne
Stay in Lucerne 2 nights and do boat ride, Mt. Pilatus, Alpnachstad etc.
– Then train to Lauterbrunnen. Golden Pass. Trummelbach Falls, Staubbach falls, Schilthorn, Murren and Grutschalp.
– Leave Switzerland on 8/19 (total 5 nights in Switzerland)
Are we better off getting the STP or the half fare card ? Thanks.
Sona J,
I’m glad you found this helpful. This is a tough question and it’s a shame that your kids are all too old for the Swiss Family Card. The only way to know is to add up the various things that you are sure you’ll do and see which is cheaper. It could be close and if that’s the case I always recommend the Swiss Travel Pass. As you’ve seen, things in Switzerland are quite expensive and you’ll inevitably come across other things that look interesting while you are there. If you have the Pass you can just hop on board any train, boat, or cable car that you encounter. But with the Half Fare Card you’ll probably end up skipping a few things because you have to pay each time. I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Comment*Thanks Roger ! I think we’ll go with the STP so we don’t have to stress about what’s covered and what isn’t. Great site and content ! Thank you and glad I found it !!!
Thanks so much for all the helpful Swiss travel info helpful info all in one place. I still have a question….sorry there is so much math to crunch.
I will be traveling to Switzerland for 10 days. We are not doing any of the big scenic train rides or Jungfraouch or Titlis. But instead we will be taking trains for day trips. Sample itinerary:
Zurich- Rhine Falls/Stein Am- Roundtrip
Zurich-Lucerne-Roundtrip
Lucerne-Mt Pilatus RT
Zurich- Bern
Bern-Interlaken (RT)
Bern- Lauterbrunnen (RT)
Bern-Zermatt
Zermatt-Zurich
Since most of the tickets are relatively cheap- my question is if i better of just buying point to point? OR is the Half pass a good idea. Thanks
Bar,
With that many train rides I’m sure the Half Fare Card would pay for itself in just a few days. The normal train fares in Switzerland are fairly high and purposely inflated because literally almost everyone on the trains is using a Half Fare Card. Tourists get the 30-day version for CHF140 (I think) while residents get an annual version for about the same price.
Also, the Half Fare Card is good on the mountain trains and cable cars as well, and I’m sure you’ll at least want to do a few of those. For example, the cable car all the way up to Schilthorn costs CHF108 from the bottom, but you can take the first two legs of the cable car from Stechelberg to Gimmelwald and then to Murren for about CHF23, which is easily worth it and even better when you only pay half of that. You can walk down from Murren to Gimmelwald (an amazing and easy downhill hike) and then the cable car back down.
There will be things like that every day, including the lake cruise in Lucerne that is highly recommended and better at half price. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Got it! Thanks Roger. Will take your advice and get the half fare card. Since I’m not the expensive routes Jungfraouch and others the STP won’t be worth it right?
Thanks so much for helping make sense of this confusion.
Bar,
Yes, especially since the Swiss Travel Pass doesn’t fully cover a few of the big attractions, you really need to be doing quite a few of the things it DOES cover to make it worthwhile. Many visitors to Switzerland are much better off with the pass, but it sounds like you’ll be best off with just the Half Fare Card. Enjoy! -Roger
Thanks for your help with this! We are traveling by train (regional most likely) from Zurich to Fiesch on October 5 and staying at Hotel Alpina that night. Then off to Zermatt for two nights and finally Geneva for one night before flying home to the US. I know we’ll need to use a cable car to get from the train station in Fiesch to the hotel. What would be our best price options for our itinerary. Again, thank you!
Marcy,
I’m not sure I fully understand the question, but that sounds like a really nice trip. If you are asking about rail passes and such, I think getting a Half Fare Card for each person in your party is probably your best bet. Let me know if you have a more specific question and I’ll be happy to try to help. -Roger
Comment* hello… we are 2 adults and we’re planning to visit bern and interlaken (shilthorn/ piz Gloria)on August 12 to 16. What kind of tickets can you advise.
Jovi,
If you are going to spend 4 days in Switzerland and the only things on your list are Schilthorn and visiting Bern, then I think the Half Fare Card is your best value. If you wanted to do quite a few more train rides and boat rides and cable cars and such, a Swiss Travel Pass might be better value. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Comment*
Hi Roger ,
I feel so grateful that somehow I found you as I have been reading about rail travel in Switzerland and it is very confusing!
1.We are a family of 4 ( 2 adults , 2 kids age 8 and 11 ).
2. We arrive in Zurich on July 31 in the evening ( I read the last train from Zurich to Lucerne at 11:35 pm or so ).
3. We plan to travel to Lucern( 2 nights ) Interlake ( 2-3 nights ) to explore around , Zermatt ( 2 nights ). Our main goal is also to take the Glacier express and if possible the Bernina express . We arrive to Zurich on July 31 and will leave Zurich on
August 10.
My question to you :
1. Should I get the Swiss Rail pass , if yes how many days 8 or 15 or Half Fare card ?
2. Should we take Glacier express from Interlake or Zermatt ?
3. If we also wish to take Bernina express , should we take this from Interlaken ?
Thank you for your help Roger !
I have to confess , I am truly confused and very much appreciate your help .
Lien,
I’m glad you found my site and the Swiss travel options are definitely confusing. Since you’ll be there for 11 days, I think the best option would be to get an 8-day Swiss Travel Pass Flex, which allows 8 travel days in a 30-day period. It will probably be better to just pay for the train ride from Zurich Airport to Interlaken, and then you’ll still have 8 valid days. And depending on how your trip goes, you might be better off just paying for your train ride back to Zurich Airport on your last day as well. Then you’d have 8 valid days out of your 9 full days there, and I’m sure you’ll want to relax a bit on at least one of those days.
And hopefully you already know about the Swiss Family Card, which you can get free when you arrive and it is good for free travel for kids under 15 when traveling with parents. So either way, the kids will be traveling free with you if you have a pass. I’d definitely get a pass for a trip like this because you are planning quite a few of the more expensive rides and attractions, and you’ll find at least a handful more included things where you are there and on the trip. You will get off a train and walk a few blocks and see a cable car going up a mountain. If you have the pass you can just get in line and go up, where as if you had the Half Fare Card you’d see that it would cost an extra CHF60 or so and you’d probably skip it. In other words, it’s really fun having the pass so you can take any train or boat or cable car ride without worrying about the price.
Especially if you have the pass, I’d do the whole Glacier Express from Zermatt. It’s all beautiful and you’ll need to go that direction anyway.
The Bernina Express starts and ends in Chur, as you know, and that’s about a 2.5-hour train ride from Interlaken. Even if you only went one way on the Bernina Express and spent the night in Tirano, that is a pretty long day. And if you wanted to go back to Chur that day it’s a REALLY long day. On one hand, literally every train ride in Switzerland is gorgeous (minus the Zurich suburbs), so each ride will be nice. But you’d probably want to either spend the night in Chur and do a round-trip on the Bernina Express in one day, or plan on spending the night in Tirano. Spending 13+ hours in one day on a train is not enjoyable, even if the scenery is lovely.
I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Thank you for the information and effort.
We are two students from Norway and want to travel to Switzerland next weeks.
1- First day we will arrive Interlaken via train from Venice.
2- we will stay three days in Interlaken to explore the local area like Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen and many around in these three days, and of course we need bus, train and cable car etc.
3- At the end we will travel from Interlaken to Zurich airport, can you help us to suggest a pass that can cover everything for these days in a good budget.
Thanks
Khalid,
I think your plan to focus on the Interlaken area is a good one. A full Swiss Rail Pass won’t be worth it just to help pay for the trip from the Italian border to Interlaken and then Interlaken to Zurich Airport on your last day. You have two other options and it will depend on how much big-ticket attractions you’d do while in the Interlaken area.
The Regional-Pass Berner Oberland covers most of what the Swiss Travel Pass covers, but just for the area around Interlaken so it costs quite a bit less. Look for that and see what it costs and what it covers to see if it’s the right choice for you. The other option would be the Half Fare Card, which lasts for 30 days so it would get you 50% off your train rides from the Swiss border to Interlaken and also for the trip to the airport. The Half Fare Card gets you a 50% discount on almost everything in Switzerland. So if you aren’t planning on doing at least two or three of the expensive mountain rides then the Half Fare Card will probably save more. But if you want to do quite a few of the attractions and rides covered on the Regional-Pass Berner Oberland, then it’s the better choice. I hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Thanks for such in depth article. I am traveling from Nice to Geneva via early morning flight on July 29th. We are planning to buy Swiss travel pass. Our flight back to US is from Milan on August 3rd. After spending days and hours and hours , I am still confused how to make an efficient itinerary and get maximum out of Swiss Pass. Me and my husband , we both are very active,mand can take an aggressive itinerary. Please advise.
Also do I need a 4 day pass or 6 day pass? Please also advise if we can use Swiss travel pass to get a train to Milan.
Our initial plan was as follows:
Geneva to Interlaken July 29-30
Interlaken to Lucerne July 31
Lucerne to Chur- St. Aug 1st
But now as we are buying pass, we wd like to do panoramic train rides.
Ashima,
I think your plan looks quite good. As you might have read in the article above or in other comments, I think the Lauterbrunnen Valley next to Interlaken is the best place to experience Switzerland’s beauty. Your plan of two days there sounds good. You don’t mention your plan for your final two days, and since you are going to Chur I am assuming you are planning on doing the Bernina Express? If so you’ll want to book the seats in the panoramic carriages as soon as possible.
Another one to consider is the famous Golden Pass train, which you can take from Geneva to Interlaken. Much of the route is similar to the fast train that you would otherwise take, but if you specifically book the Golden Pass it will go through a beautiful valley on a slower train. And it’s also worth pointing out that literally every train ride in Switzerland will have gorgeous views, with the possible exception of ones in the Zurich suburbs. Honestly, the whole country is stunning so just taking trains between places you want to visit will be amazing.
I’d recommend staying in the Lauterbrunnen Valley instead of Interlaken itself. If you are planning on doing Jungfraujoch then staying in Wengen or Grindelwald might be best, or if you are planning on doing Schilthorn then staying in Gimmelwald or Murren will save you some time.
In Lucern I recommend doing a lake cruise (they leave from across from the train station) and then using the Swiss Travel Pass to go up Mt Rigi or one of the other ones nearby. I haven’t spent time in Chur so I can’t help much there. The 6-day pass might be best. You can use a Swiss Travel Pass to take you all the way to the last station within Switzerland (Chiasso), which is most of the way there. And that train ride to Milan is another amazingly gorgeous journey. Just pre-book a train ticket from Chiasso to Milan on the train you’ll be taking, and you can show your pass for the part until you reach Italy.
I’m not sure I answered everything and I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hi Roger,
I will have car which have 5 adults staying in Zurich for 2 nights and Grindelwald for 3 nights,
Places we plan to go
1. Schilthorn
2. Titlis
3. Jungfraujoch
4. Rigi
5. Chocolate Train
I’m planning to do these in 3 different days, which is 1 in Zurich and other 2 days in Grindelwald
Is buying the half fare cards and 3 saver days pass sound good?
Sorn,
That does sound really good, actually. Obviously this is a situation where you have to do the math to determine which is the cheapest strategy, but my hunch is that your plan is the best one. And the Half Fare Card will definitely come in handy for other things that you haven’t planned or discovered as well, so it’s a good idea for almost anyone not getting a full pass.
And you probably know this, but just in case, it’s important to buy the Saver Day Passes at least a few weeks in advance because their cost goes up as the usage date draws nearer. Enjoy your trip and let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Great in-depth article! Thank you so much for the details.
I tried to do some research on my itinerary, and I’ll come to the conclusion in the end where I’ll need your input. Here’s the summary of the itinerary:
Day-01: Reach Interlaken and explore Wengen and Mannlichen in the second half of the day.
Day-02: Grindelwald and Grindelwald First. Will try to do Bachalpsee Lake if weather permits.
Day 03: Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe
Day 04: A day trip to Lucerne with Mt. Pilatus Golden Tour (Back to Interlaken at night)
Day 05: lauterbrunnen, Grutschalp, Mürren and Schilthorn. Leave for Zermatt at late evening.
Day 06: Zermatt, Gornergrat train trip
Day 07: Zermatt (still have to plan this day)
Day 08: First half at Zermatt, leave for Zurich in the second half.
Day 09: Explore Zurich during the day – flight back at night.
Now, we are 2 adults with 2 kids (One infant and one 8yr old). I tied to calculate the price of all of the above activities and the breakdown is about 2,560CHF without any kind of discount applied; 1,515CHF if HalfFare Discount is applied and 1,695CHF if Swiss Pass discount is applied.
I really don’t see any reason why we should go for the Swiss Pass (Mind that this is for 8 days Pass, where actually we have 9 days – then the 9th day will be added extra on top of the 8-day Swiss Pass) Am I missing something? Do you have a better suggestion?
The travel dates are late July-Early August.
Thanks!
Chirag,
That looks like an amazing and well planned itinerary. I also think your reasoning is sound and it’s a tough call. The one thing in favor of the Swiss Travel Pass is that you’ll have time to do probably one or two more things each day. As you are going from one attraction back to the train or your hotel you might pass another cable car or boat ride or mountain train. If you have the Swiss Travel Pass you can just hop in an do it, but with a Half Fare Card you’d obviously still have to pay something and almost nothing in Switzerland is cheap.
In other words, through some serendipity you’ll definitely be able to do more things with the pass. Whether it’s worth an extra CHF180 is tough to say. If the price was closer I’d definitely recommend the pass, and over 8 days you’ll have plenty of chances to do extra things. Maybe look one more time at the list of included things with the pass and see if there are extras that you might fit in? If not, the Half Fare Card is the better choice. Let me know if you have any other questions and have a great trip! -Roger
Hi Roger,
Thanks for your response and some insights. Yes, it is a very tough call for us. I do agree that the Swiss pass will bring some extra flexibility to our itinerary. And frankly, that’s the only thing I find positive about this pass against the Half Fare pass.
As you know, our first base is Interlaken, where we are spending 5 days. I’ve heard that many hotels in Interlaken give free travel pass to guests which can be used for most public transport in that region (added bonus if we have a Half-Fare pass as those public transport costs will be saved). Yes, I’ll have to check with my hotel first if they provide such passes. But if they do, then definitely Half Fare pass is a win-win situation!
I’ll let you know how this develops further 🙂
Cheers!
Chirag
Chirag,
It’s true that all hotels in Interlaken and its immediate suburbs charge a visitor’s tax, and that funds a program where all guests receive a free Interlaken Guest Card, which provides free public transportation within that district. Unfortunately, it’s a smaller district that you might imagine. In my experience, the best use of that card is that it provides free trips on the frequent trains that run between the Interlaken West and Interlaken Ost (east) train stations. All trains stop at both stations and there are many each hour so it’s handy. You can easily stay at a hotel close to the West station and you can arrive at the Ost station in under 15 minutes, to get the other train to Lauterbrunnen itself.
Most of the hotels and restaurants are clustered around the West train station, while the Ost train station is the transport hub that gets you into the Lauterbrunnen Valley (Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Grindelwald, Gimmelwald, and Murren). Those are reached on a private railway and they are not part of the Interlaken transit area.
I think the Interlaken Guest Card could be handy if you are somehow staying at a hotel that is not walking distance from the town center (which is basically the area between the two train stations), but aside from that it’s not very useful to tourists. Walking between the train stations is pretty easy and entertaining anyway. Best of luck with whatever you decide! -Roger
Hi Roger,
You are right. I found out about the same soon after my last msg while doing some research.
Besides, our hotel is just 300mt from the OST Station and that free pass won’t be of much use. Now the question that remains is the Half Fare v/s Swiss Pass. It is going to be a tough choice, but I’m not going to get any before actually reaching Switzerland. I’ll probably talk with the station guy at the counter where I’ll buy whichever pass the guy suggests and if that looks convincing. For now, I’m inclined towards the Half Fare Card.
It is a very interesting topic, and I’ll definitely get back here on what option we go for and how it ends up at the end of the trip as well.
Cheers!