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. And this article about where to stay while in Lucerne should be helpful.
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.
Hi Roger,
Thanks for your prompt response and insights. I will go for the Swiss travel pass. Does my boys, age 5 and 7 travel for free ?
Philip,
Yes, you can ask for a free Swiss Family Card along with your Swiss Travel Pass or when you get there. That card allows for kids from 6 to 15 to ride free with a paying adult. Kids under 6 ride free even without the Family Card, so you’ll be set. -Roger
Hi Roger
What an awesome site. Thank you for sharing…
Could you look at my itinerary and let me know if it is too packed?
Which travel pass would you recommend?
Day 1 : Arrive Zurich, visit old town, overnight Zurich
Day 2 – Zurich – Lucerne, Mt Pilatus, city tour, boat ride, overnight Lucerne
Day 3 – Mount Riggi (Weggis – cable car up and Vitznau – train down), overnight Lucerne
Day 4 – Mt Titlis (train to Engelberg and cable car up), overnight Lucern
Day 5 – Lucern to Murren, city tour, overnight in Murren
Day 6 – Schilthorn, Murren to Interlaken, city tour of Interlaken, overnight in Interlaken
Day 7 – Jungfraujoch, paragliding?, make your own chocolate, Overnight in Interlaken
Day 8 – alpine diary, castle visit, lakes, Overnight in Interlaken
Day 9 – Interlaken to Montreux, Friday markets, Swiss choc train, casino, overnigt at Montreux
Day 10 – free day – Geneva to fly
Thank you so much!
Philip,
I appreciate the kind words. Your itinerary looks very well planned out and while it’s busy, I think it is realistic and not too packed. One thing worth mentioning is that it can be cloudy or foggy or rainy at the top of any of the peaks on any day of the year, and when it’s foggy such that you feel like you are within a cloud, it’s not worth going up. That isn’t too common and usually only happens for a few hours here and there, but it can happen. So with that in mind it’s usually best to try to keep your schedule a bit flexible and only book those peak trips just before you are going to go, and after you know that it’s clear enough.
It does look like you’ll be doing enough train rides and included attractions such as Mt Rigi that the Swiss Travel Pass should pay for itself. I’d have to go through and add up each thing to be sure, but my hunch is that the full Pass would be your best value. Another benefit of going with the Travel Pass instead of just the Half Fare Card is that you can just hop on any train or boat and many cable cars, and quickly add other things to your trip. With the Half Fare Card the prices are reasonable, but still shelling out 50% of a high fare will discourage you from doing some things that you might want to do if they were included. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Dear Roger,
Thanks you for the feedback.
Dear Roger Wade,
We have found your blog and reply to the various travel questions/suggestions very informative. Your suggestions have been useful for planning our upcoming trip to Switzerland.
Can you provide your suggestions to the below itinerary and whether it is doable ?
Day 1 : Arrive at Zurich Airport , take train to Lucrene and overnight stay in Lucrene
Day 2 : Day trip to Mt. Titalus in the morning, afternoon trip to Mt.Rigis and overnight stay in Lucrene
Day 3 : Travel to Interlaken and overnight in Interlaken
Day 4 : Day trip to Jungfraujoch and overnight in Interlaken
Day 5 : Travel to Zermatt and visit Matterhon and overnight in Zermatt
Day 6 : Travel to Zurich in the morning, if possible visit Rhine falls, sightseeing in Zurich and overnight in Zurich
Day 7 : Take afternoon flight from Zurich
We are a family of four (2 adults + 2 kids – 15 and 12 years) and we are not sure whether to buy 8 day Swiss Travel Pass or Half Transfer ticket + pay for tickets ?
I presume that with both Swiss Travel Pass or Half Transfer ticket, our kids can travel free with the family pass with us.
Can you provide some guidance whether half transfer ticket will be cost effective or is there any option ?
Thanks in advance for your guidance.
Best Regards
Jaguar
Jaguar,
Your itinerary looks good. Visiting Titlis and Rigi in the same day will require you to get a very early start, but it can be done.
With either pass you can indeed also get a Swiss Family Card and the kids will travel free with the adults. My hunch is that the Half Fare Card might be better value for you, but I’d have to go through and add up each ticket to know for sure. You don’t seem to be doing too much train travel for a Swiss Travel Pass, but still the 8-day Pass might be the best option once you add them all up. The train and cable car fares within Switzerland are the same price no matter when you buy them, so you can check those journeys for any date and the price you see should be correct for your dates as well. Best of luck on this. -Roger
Hi Roger:
Thank you for your wonderful blog, I’ve read all the wonderful advice you’ve been giving out, and hope that you can guide us as well, as we are quite overwhelmed.
My husband and I are planning a 10 day trip to Switzerland (July 21-31), I’ve already booked hotels for all the nights.
Day 1 – Fly into Zurich, stay/ sightseeing in Old Town – overnight in Zurich.
Day 2 – Tentative drive to the alpine passes of Gotthard, Furka – overnight in Zurich.
Day 3 – Train from Zurich to Grindelwald, with a full day stopover in Lucerne including possible trip to Mount Titlis; overnight in Grindelwald
Day 4 – Train to First, overnight in Grindelwald
Day 5 – Tentative trip to Jungfraujoch, overnight in Grindelwald
Day 6 – Train to Interlaken – River Thun cruise, visit Trummelback waterfall overnight in Grindelwald
Day 7 – Train from Grindelwald to Montreux, sightseeing in Montreux, overnight in Montreux
Day 8 – Train to Vevey, Gruyeres, Cully, overnight in Montreux
Day 9 – Train from Montreux to Bern, sightseeing/ stay in old town, overnight in Bern
Day 10 – Bern sightseeing, overnight in Bern
Day 11 – Train from Bern to Munich (via Zurich)
Based on the above here are my questions:
1. Are we overloading our trip with too many sights?
2. Should we get the 8-day Swiss travel pass for two adults (to be used from day 3 to day 10)? Or should we get the half-fare card? Or buy per ticket?
3. Is going up & the view from Mount Titlis, similar to going up Jungfraujoch? If yes, then I’d skip the latter.
4. Would it be better to get a ticket on Swiss railway or German railway for day 11 (from Bern to Munich)
5. Is there a train that goes past the alpine passes of Gotthard/ Furka?
6. Do any of the trips I’ve mentioned above, use any of the panaromic/ scenic trains?
Thanks once again for your guidance.
With warm wishes,
Jude
Jude,
This looks like a wonderful trip.
1. It doesn’t look too overloaded to me. I think the biggest problem that some people have is when they plan on changing hotels and cities every day, which leaves little time for actual sightseeing.
2. Without adding up all of the train rides and boat rides and cable car rides and such, it’s hard for me to tell whether the Swiss Travel Pass would save more than the Half Fare Card, but I can already tell that both of those options would be far cheaper than buying individual tickets. My hunch is that the pass would be a better deal, especially if you add a few more train trips over the 8 days, which would be easy to do if they were free.
3. No, Jungfraujoch is different from all of the others and it’s higher, plus it’s always snowy at the top. Schilthorn is almost as high but you get there by cable car and they are across the valley from each other. If you can do Jungfraujoch I would prioritize it.
4. The tickets should cost the same, but if you end up getting a Half Fare Card you would have an easier time using it for a discount on the Swiss Rail site.
5. I’m not aware of a train that goes through there, but the Swiss trains go almost everywhere so there might be.
6. From Lucerne to Grindelwald (which is in the Interlaken area) you can take part of the Goldenpass. And the Goldenpass also goes from Interlaken to Montreux. I think that’s the only one on your route. Let me know if you have other questions. -Roger
Hi Roger,
I will be arriving at Zurich around 3pm on 28th March and will be leaving again on 29th march at around 9pm. I am planning to cover the area of Interlaken and Grindelwald to Jungfraujoch on 28th March. Can you please help me on how to cover these areas and whether I should avail the Swiss Half fare card or normal train tickets would do as I avail my way.
Rumela,
If I’m reading this right it looks like you’ll be in Switzerland for 30 hours total and I’m not sure this would work well. Even if you were leaving the Zurich train station or Zurich Airport train station at 3pm, it takes two hours to reach Interlaken from either of those, and it will be dark by 7pm or so. Also, the trains up Jungfraujoch only leave in the mornings or maybe the very early afternoon. If you stayed in Grindelwald you could probably get an early train from there and go up the mountain on 29 March. If you do that then the Half Fare Card would actually pay for itself because Jungfraujoch on its own almost pays for the thing. But if you weren’t going to the top then it’s probably better to just buy tickets individually and make the best of your short visit. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Thank you for a wonderful interactive and informative blog,
I would like to share my Tour Itinerary starting may 1st week please do let us know if you see any problem.
Day 1 :- Reaching Geneva staying in hotel with local pass and seeing all things nearby
Day 2 :- Buy Swiss travel pass and visit Interlaken / Grindelwald / Lauterbrunnen / Murren / Jungfraujoch (stay mostly in Grindelwald OR Murren )
Day 3 :- Take Train from Grindelwald/Murren to Zurich check-in to hotel and move to Pilatus then Pilatus to lucerne (lake and other attraction) and return back to Zurich
Day 4 :- Take Train from Zurich to MT. TITLIS and back to Zurich and rest
Day 5:- Visit Zurich Zoo and near by places in Zurich and fly back.
Please let us know if any changes can be done to the trip or can we include Mt.Rigi to it.
is it worth to stay in zurich and travel or to stay in lucerne or engelberg.
Thank you,
Roger.
Raviraj,
I would probably skip Zurich except for perhaps the zoo if that’s high on your list. I discuss this at the top of my main article on where to go in Switzerland. The short version is that Zurich is somewhat dull for a large European city and it’s VERY expensive, especially for hotels. More importantly, the areas around Interlaken and Lucerne (among others) are among the most beautiful places in Europe so they are the real reason to visit Switzerland. The Zurich Airport is on the main train lines so you can go right from there to any other city without having to spend time in Zurich if you don’t want to.
I’d visit Titlis from Lucerne. If you can spend another day in Interlaken I think you’d be better off. Jungfraujoch by itself will take you about 6 hours and that doesn’t leave much time to see the other places you mention. Of course it’s also important to keep an eye on the weather because it can be foggy or cloudy at the top of those mountains on any day of the year. Often it’s clear in the morning and foggy in the afternoon, so it’s best to time your trip to the summit at the last minute once you know if it’s clear or not.
If you also want to visit Mt Rigi it’s fast and easy to do that from Lucerne, since it’s just above the lake and close to the town. I’m happy to help with other questions if you have them. -Roger
Hi Roger,
We have really found your website to be invaluable as we plan our trip to Switzerland and Italy this coming summer. We are very impressed with the detailed answers and wonderfully helpful suggestions. You seem to know this area well!
We are hoping to get your advice concerning our travel plans. We are flying into Zurich and then travelling to Wengen by train the same day. We will be staying in Wengen for 9 days, travelling by train to Varenna (staying 3 nights), then onto Siena by train (staying for 3 nights).
In addition to these essential travel legs, we would also like to do day trips in Switzerland and we would like your advice on rail passes. While staying in Wengen, we would like to visit the following places:
Junfraujoch
Mt. Rigi from Wengen
Shilthorn
Mannlichen
Murren
Grindelwald
Interlaken day trip
Lauterbrunnen
possibly a panoramic train
As we are travelling within Switzerland and Italy, is there a specific rail pass that would help with our specific travel requirements? Our travel dates are August 5th to 16th.
We’ve tried looking online and there are so many options with travel to more than 1 country. We just don’t feel confident we are choosing the right pass. Many seem to offer promotions to the end of March. Is it wise to take advantage of these offers or book closer to our travel dates?
We look forward to hearing from you.
Thank-you!
Sue,
Switzerland is an unusual situation for rail passes. Multi-country and Eurail Global passes are valid on the regular intercity trains within Switzerland, but those other passes only provide a discount on the tourist trains and sometimes not even that. The Swiss Travel Pass covers all of the normal trains plus most of the private rail lines that go through the mountains, and they give you a discount on the cable cars and the special tourist trains like Jungfraujoch (although only 25%). In other words, a rail pass will cover the train from Zurich to Interlaken, but once there the trains that go to Lauterbrunnen and Wengen are only covered by a discount, while with a Swiss Travel Pass those trains are fully covered. As I say in the article above, it’s very confusing and really the only way to know what is the best value is to add up the costs of the things you plan on doing and see how much they would cost with no pass, or with the Swiss Travel Pass, or with the Half Fare Card.
I think for most visitors that Half Fare Card is the best deal, and it even gives a 50% discount on Jungfraujoch compared to only 25% discount for the Swiss Travel Pass. But, if you are going to take one of the longer panoramic train routes and especially if you’ll take it somewhere AND back on the same day, the Swiss Travel Pass might end up saving you more. All of those places on your list are actually very close to each other and it takes maybe 15 minutes to get between one and the next. But if you take the Goldenpass, for example, to Montreux and back, that would be very expensive so a Swiss Travel Pass might be best. I’m not sure if the Swiss one has a promotion for March and if it does it might also be your best bet. But if it doesn’t I think the Half Fare Card is probably best.
Speaking of panoramic trains, I think you’ll be riding trains with amazing views every day you are there, and the Interlaken area is the most scenic part of Switzerland, so I wouldn’t bother with an all-day train ride somewhere else. I think those scenic train lines with names are good for people who can’t walk much and might want to see Switzerland in 2 or 3 days. In your case you’ll have more than enough time to enjoy the views without that. The Half Fare Card will provide a discount up to the border with Italy, and from there you’ll have to pay full price. However, train fares in Italy are pretty cheap, and even cheaper if you buy a month or more in advance, so I don’t think an Italy rail pass would be worth it either. Varenna is on a suburban train line and those are always cheap. From Milan to Siena won’t be too expensive, even on an intercity train. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Really nice article about Swiss Passes and really appreciate your time replying to everyone.
I am going to Switzerland for 3 nights, let say from 9th April to 12th April. I’ll be travelling from Venice to Luzern on 9th April. So if i buy ‘Swiss Half fare’ card, how will that work when buying ticket on that day?
I’ll be staying in Luzern and plan to go to Mt Rigi on 10th and Mt Titlis on 11th (will spend both evenings in Luzern) and plan is to come to Zurich on 12th morning and then take a evening flight to London. (any recommendation)
Still confused between buying ‘Swiss Pass’ and ‘Half fare’ card.
Thanks in advance.
Jay
Jay,
Id recommend buying any international train ticket as far in advance as possible for the best price and availability. The train tickets within Switzerland are generally the same price no matter when you buy, but intercity trains between countries start at low prices and go up as more seats are sold. If you buy the ticket from the official Swiss Rail website it should give you the ability to click that you have a Half Fare Card, and that will give you a discount on the portion of the journey that is within Switzerland.
It doesn’t sound like you’ll be taking enough train journeys to make the Swiss Travel Pass worth it, but you’d have to add up the fares to be sure either way. The Half Fare Card will probably be the better value, although it might be close if you do Rigi, which is included in the Swiss Travel Pass. Sorry I couldn’t be more certain about that and let me know if you have other questions. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Thank you for your kind advice, we will keep that in mind while we plan for our trip!