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.
Hello,
I am traveling on May 6 and have 12 hours in Zurich, (8 people, 4 are under 17). land 11 AM, depart 11 PM.
would love to see one of hte big mountains (titlis, Rigi, Pilatus).
which would you recommend based on time and pricing?
Sara,
I think I’d take the train from Zurich Airport directly to Lucerne, which takes about an hour and sometimes requires changing trains in Zurich itself. If the weather is good on the peaks I’d head up Mount Pilatus, as it’s the fastest and easiest to reach from the city center, and the tallest as well. If you get unlucky and it’s foggy on top of the mountains you can always walk around Lucerne, which is lovely, and perhaps even take the lake cruise that leaves from in front of the train station, or you can do those after you return from Pilatus. I discuss the main options on the where to go in Switzerland article.
As far as pricing, I’m not sure. Switzerland has a variety of ways that accompanied children travel free with a paid adult, but I’m not sure any of them apply for such a short visit. Hopefully you can figure that out on the Swiss rail page about travelcards. -Roger
Hi,
Very informative, This may 2019 I am planning to visit Switzerland for 3 days.
Day 1 – Geneva or Zurich I have option to book (But will land in evening only)
Day 2/3 – Need to Plan
Day 4 – In night I want to travel to France by bus.
Can you please suggest, I can cover schilthron and jungfraujoch?
Which pass I should take?
Thank you
Himanshu,
For days two and three I’d definitely focus on the Interlaken area. You could do Schilthorn AND Jungfraujoch on each of those days and they are very different from each other, but they are both pretty expensive. You could get a 3-day Swiss Travel Pass and that will fully cover Schilthorn and many other cable cars and scenic trains in that area, but it only gets you a 25% discount on Jungfraujoch so you might want to save that for a future trip. If you are sure you want to do both of them then the Half Fare Card is probably the best value. With the Half Fare Card you can also get a Saver Day Pass for the Schilthorn day and it’ll save you money, as long as you buy it at least two weeks in advance. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Thanks for your informative post. My itinerary is somewhat similar to some of those in the comments, but I just wanted your advice to be sure.
This is my itinerary:
Day 1: Arr in Zurich
Day 2: Mt titlis (day tour or train myself?) / back to Zurich hotel
Day 3: Zurich train to Grindewald
Day 4: Jungfraujoch
Day 5: Grindewald train to Geneva
Day 6: Geneva to Paris
Will the Half Fare Card be more suitable for what I’ve planned?
Thank you so much!
Jeannie,
First off, if it’s not too late I’d recommend just going straight from Zurich Airport to Lucerne by train and staying there those first two nights. I discuss it more at the top of my article on where to go in Switzerland, but the short version is that Zurich is a nice city, though it’s also fairly dull and very expensive. Lucerne is really a lovely and scenic town where you get more for your money with hotels and it’s one of the country’s highlights for visitors.
Either way, I do think the Half Fare Card is your best value. Since it saves more money on Jungfraujoch and the only other viable option is the 8-day Swiss Travel Pass, I think the Half Fare Card will save you the most. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Do you mind to read my questions above (before daranee lin), i think you missed it. I really need your advise, because my trip to europe will start next week.
Based on my plan above, do you think i should buy HFC if i skip jungfrajouch?
Thanks
Yuan
Dear Roger,
Never found anyone so caring in providing all the answers like you’ve done…thank you…!
My 15 itinerary looks like this with 15 Swiss travel pass:
Day 1 Colmar-Basel to Luzern (5 nights as base)
Day 2 Lake LuZern cruise/Mt Titlis/more Luzern sight seeing
Day 3 Day trip to Zurich/Rhine Falls
Day 4 Mt. Rigi/Mt Pilatus (both if able)
Day 5 Day trip to Bern
Day 6 from Luzern to Interlaken (may take Thun boat to Interlaken/4 nights as base)
Day 7 Lauterbrunnen/Murrn/Grimmelwald
Day 8 Schilthorn/Grindelwald/Wengen
Day 9 Brienz/Thun Lake Cruise/Interlaken sight seeing?????
Day 10 to Zermatt (3 nights)
Day 11 Gornergrat/Matterhorn
Day 12 Zermatt sight seeing (reserve for Gornergrat if any bad weather from day 11
Day 13 to Lausanne/sight seeing Lausanne (3night as base)
Day 14 Day trip to Montreax/Vevey/Chillton Castle)
Day 15 Day trip to Geneva/Yvoire/Nyon
–ending 15 days swiss travel pass
Day 16 Lausanne to Paris
We’re 65 years old couple with good health but our plans go in slow motion pace. Your kindly advice on any improvement of this plan would be greatly appreciated.
Truly yours,
Daranee Lin
Daranee,
I’m happy to try to help. Your plan looks amazing and honestly I don’t have any suggestions that are specific. The one thing I’ll mention again is that the weather on top of the highest peaks can be foggy or rainy on any day of the year, although usually only for a few hours at a time. For that reason it’s best to build in some flexibility into your itinerary. For example, Schilthorn or the Matterhorn are often clear in the mornings and foggy in the afternoons (or the other way around) so it’s best to check conditions right before you want to go up. In the worst cases it’s basically like the clouds are lower than the peaks and you can see nothing but white in all directions. When it’s like that they don’t even send people up because it’s a waste of time. So if you have a backup plan, such as a day trip to Bern, it gives you more flexibility.
Long story short, because of the shifting conditions, most savvy travelers don’t lock in those peak attractions until just before they go up. And that also means that the cable cars and mountain trains rarely sell out too far in advance. I see you’ve got Day 12 as a backup for Day 11, so I see you are already aware of most of this, which is great.
On a 15-day trip I’m sure you’ll have the chance to do everything on your list. With a Swiss Travel Pass you won’t have to make any train reservations and it’ll also be best if you can make hotel reservations that can be changed with no fee if possible. It’s just how things work in Switzerland so you should be able to pull it all off without problems.
Lastly, that is a LOT of daily sightseeing so my hunch is that you’ll want to relax on a couple of those days. As long as you try to fit in all of your highest priority attractions before you do the second-tier ones, you’ll be fine. Your plan looks really well thought out and it should be the trip of a lifetime. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Thank you for writing these very helpful articles,
But I still have a few questions based on my plan below:
day 1: arrive in interlaken ost station at 5pm. Is it possible to go to lauterbrunnen at this hour? if not possible, i should find lodging near interlaken station.
day 2: go to lauterbrunnen. drop luggages at the hostel (already reserved for 2 nights). walk around lauterbrunnen. is it possible to walk to the waterfall there? how long does it takes? Or do you have any suggestion for this day? should i go to wengen?
day 3: go to schilthorn, murren, gimmelwald, back to lauterbrunnen. I still doubt whether will go to jungfraujouch or not.
day 4: go to intelaken ost station. then go to lucern. Can I buy a ticket to Lucerne at the counter or do i have to order online beforehand? if we arrive in lucerne at noon, is it possible to go to MT titlis in half day, because we have to go to Venice at Midnight?
According to those plans, it looks like the Swiss pass card is not necessary,right? Do I need to buy the half fare card instead?
I would love to hear if you have other suggestions/recommendations about those plans.
Sincere thanks for your insights.
Yuan,
Sorry I missed your question.
The trains from Interlaken Ost to Lauterbrunnen leave at 5 minutes and 35 minutes after the hour until 21:05, and there is one more train an hour later and a direct bus an hour after that, so you can easily make it to Lauterbrunnen.
The waterfall is maybe a 10-minute walk from the Lauterbrunnen town center and less than 15 minutes walk from the train station. The whole Lauterbrunnen Valley is amazingly scenic so hiking around will be great if the weather is good. Wengen is also very scenic and it’s worth the short train ride. There is a cable car going up from Wengen and that is also worth doing.
I think based on what you have planned, the Half Fare Card is your best option. All of those cable cars and mountain train rides are pretty expensive individually, so paying CHF120 up front to get them each for 50% off is a very good deal for almost everyone. You can buy domestic train tickets within Switzerland at any train station and the price will be the same no matter when you buy it. You can buy a Half Fare ticket online even before you buy a Half Fare Card, and the only trick is you have to show a valid Half Fare Card AND your half price ticket when you get on the train.
If you get to Lucerne at noon you’ll have time to go up Titlis. It typically takes 5 hours or so, but you can do it a bit quicker if you need to. Your plan looks great and I think saving Jungfraujoch for a future trip is a good way to save money and have something else to look forward to. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Your blog is wonderful and contains a lot of useful information. However need some specific advise, if you can pls. We (myself,wife and our 14 yr old son) are travelling to Switzerland on 14th April with the details as below:
14 April – Reaching Geneva around noon (will travel to Interlaken on same day)
15 and 16 April – Will stay in Interlaken, plan to do Schilthorn & Jungfraujoch (one per day)
17 April – Travel to Lucerne and will stay there until 19th April noon time before travelling to Basel to catch a flight to Amsterdam.
Need your advise on following:
1. Should we go for Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare card? We don’t plan to do any of the scenic train journeys. If your answer is Pass then 4 day or 8 day one?
2. What all we can do comfortably while we are in Lucerne?
Any other advise will also be highly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Mukesh
Mukesh,
I’m glad this has been helpful. It’s a tough call between the 4-day Swiss Travel Pass or the Half Fare Card. My hunch is that the Half Fare Card is probably the best value, and then get a Saver Day Pass for the day you’ll do Schilthorn. If you do that you’ll want to buy it soon because the Saver Day Passes start going up in price when it’s two weeks out. The Half Fare Card will save you more on Jungfraujoch than the Swiss Travel Pass, and the Saver Day Pass for that one day will save you a LOT.
On your full day in Lucerne I’d recommend going on the lake cruise and then going up Mt. Rigi by cable car and down by train (or the other way around) from the stops on that boat cruise. The peak views around Lucerne aren’t as spectacular as the ones around Interlaken, but being able to go up a cable car and down a cogwheel train like that make for a really good experience in a gorgeous area. On your first day you should probably just stroll around town and visit the Chapel Bridge and the lion statue as well as the lovely shopping area just north of the Chapel Bridge. I’m sure you’ll have a great time. -Roger
Hi Roger,
Yout blog is wonderful and helpful, but i still need your kindly advise to choose the passes, Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card. Me and my wife will visit Swiss on early June for 3 days
Day 1: arrive at Zurich 9am, plan to go to Kandersteg and Oeschinensee, then stay in Lauterbrunnen for 2 nights
Day 2 : Jungfraujoch, any suggestions next to do or see after it, or it gonna take whole day there?
Day 3 : Schilthorn, plan hike down through Gimmewald and Murren, and need back to Zurich
Day 4 : leave Zurich at 11am
Yohan,
I’m glad this is helpful. I’m pretty sure the Half Fare Card will be your best value for this, especially if you are sure you are going to do Jungfraujoch. A Swiss Travel Pass can be great value if you are doing long train rides and a few other included attractions (Schilthorn is one), but on a visit this short I don’t think you could get enough use out of it, and Jungfraujoch is actually cheaper with the HFC than the STP. I think also buying a Saver Day Pass at least two weeks in advance for your Schilthorn trip will save you even more money.
All the departures for Jungfraujoch are in the morning and it’s best to go on the earliest one you can make, as long as it’s already clear up top. It’ll take 5 to 6 hours up and down. On your way back you can stop in Wengen or Grindelwald to walk around a bit or take a hike around the area. There’s a cable car up the mountain from Wengen, and you can take it up and then hike down pretty easily. But it’ll be a bit anti-climactic after Jungfraujoch so you might prefer just walking around one of the villages, which are both really lovely.
Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hi Roger thank you for your reply to my previous questions. I have one question regarding buying tickets with the half price swiss pass. I have already purchased this pass and are keen to start booking train tickets. Can I buy say the Bernina express ticket online with half day pass and the saver pass. How does this work as I see no code etc to enter and if I have the saver card as well I am bamboozled as how you do this.
BTW your website is super amazing.
Yvette
Yvette,
Thanks. To book the Bernina Express you do it through the dedicated Bernina Express website. When you get close to the payment process you’ll see a box that says “Reduction” and there you can choose what pass you have to reduce the price to what it should be. A One-day Saver Pass is basically just a Swiss Travel Pass for that day, so that is what you can choose.
Booking regular train tickets works the same way, although through the main SBB site. You pick what you want and then adjust the price with the Reduction field. If you have (or will buy) a Half Fare Card you can choose that option. If you will have a Swiss Travel Pass for one or more days you don’t even need to buy or reserve tickets for normal trains. You can just climb aboard and find a seat. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hi Roger
Thank you so much for creating and passing such a wonderful blog related to swiz trip.I am visiting Swiz with my family of 2 adults and 2 kids(7 & 4)from March 17th for 6 nights. We are planning to stay 2 nights @ Lucerne, 2 @ interlaken and 2 @ Loussane. Still confused whether to stay @ Loussane or not after reading your blog. I can cancel my reservation and extend my stay at interlaken as per your advise. Havent decided whether to visit jungfrau with kids during this climate.But definitely want to visit Schilthorn , Titlis & Regis.
Could you please let me know how to plan to visit these places from the location I stay . whether from Lucerne or Interlaken.
Also considering the fact that i am travelling as family with 2 kids, will Swiss Travel pass of Half saver would be economical & useful.
Also please mention any kids friendly places if any.
Thanks
Anish
Anish,
Switzerland is unlike any other European country in that its cities are nice enough, but the scenery is amazing and much more worth your time. Lausanne is a fine city, although it doesn’t have many major attractions. It’s helpful to ask yourself WHY you are visiting any given place and if you aren’t sure of the answer it might be better to focus elsewhere. That said, as long as you have at least two days in Interlaken you should be good and spending a day or two in Lausanne (or Bern) could also be fun.
Schilthorn is easy to reach from Interlaken and Titlis and Rigi are easy to reach while staying in Lucerne. I can’t give you specific instructions, although some of it is on my main page about where to go in Switzerland. The Half Fare Card with a free Swiss Family Card should be your best option to save money and let the kids join you for free. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger