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.
Thank you so much for your detailed response, Roger. I will look into the possibility of changing things around and get back to you once I have a more specific day to day itinernary.
Regards,
Meena
Dear Roger,
Thank you so very much for such detailed blog and for being present and supportive to everyone here. I really do applaud your patience and thorough responses to each queries.
So, we have a family trip of 3 (with our 10 yr old) coming up in Sept 3rd week. Incomplete itinerary based on your advise is as follows:
19 -arrival in Paris ~ Check in Lucern (Train or Flight ?)
20- Lucern-Mt Rigi
21- Lucrn-Samz half Marathon-Uster// Lake Ride-4-6hrs
22-Lucern- Golden Pass Line (Montreaux) OR titlis
23- Train to Interlaken & Check in Murren- Hike from Murren to Gimmerwald
24- Murren – Jungfraugauch
25- Check in Gimmerwald : What to do here?
26-Gimmerwald : Schilthorn ( Lunch in Pic Gloria)
27- Check in Berlin (Train or Flight)
I have quite a few questions lined up here, would love to hear your insights..
a/ First and foremost should we go for 1/2 Fare pass or Swiss Travel pass,
b/ Coming from San Francisco to Paris should we opt for short flight or Train Journey?
c/ Would really appreciate your insight on what can be added /changed in Lucerne or Interlaken. Should we do Jungfrau from Gimmelwald or Murren?
d/ On 23rd when we’re changing hotels, can we add something else besides train ride to Interlaken?
e/ Not sure what to do on 25th, what do you suggest?
f/ Should we book Train Rides now or we can do it after reaching there?
Lastly on 27th we are traveling to Berlin …is it scenic journey by train? Would it be free with either of the passes or we would have to take separate ticket?
Thanks once again for helping me with this..
Nidhi,
I’ll try to help and answer questions in order. Personally I’d take the train from Paris to Lucerne. It takes about 4.5 hours and much of it is very scenic. If you flew from Paris to Zurich and then took a train it would take around 6 hours and be much less enjoyable.
If you mean Gimmelwald (rather than Grindelwald, which is nearby), it’s a tiny village and you can explore the whole place on foot in a couple hours so there isn’t much to “do” per se. But it is an amazingly charming place to stay that is unlike anything you’ll find elsewhere. The Lauterbrunnen Valley is loaded with great sights and places to hike and you can rent bikes and on and on, and Gimmelwald is close to all of those things.
It’s tough to say between the Swiss Travel Pass and the Half Fare Card for a trip like yours. My hunch is that the Half Fare Card is probably the better option and then you can buy a Saver Day Pass for your days up Mt. Rigi and Schilthorn. If you buy those passes at least two weeks in advance they are only CHF39 per day with the Half Fare Card, and then you have a Swiss Travel Pass for that day.
Again, the train is actually faster and FAR more enjoyable. It might also be cheaper if you book well in advance. You can sometimes find cheaper flights, but once you factor in airport transportation in Paris and then the train ride from the Zurich Airport to Lucerne, it’s less of a bargain.
I think your itineraries in Lucerne and Interlaken look quite good. You might decide to change plans a bit when you are there, especially if the weather doesn’t cooperate, but I think your plan is good. To reach Jungfraujoch you have to get to Lauterbrunnen. Gimmelwald is a 5-minute cable car ride down into the valley and then a short bus ride to the Lauterbrunnen train station. Murren is another 5-minute cable car ride above Gimmelwald, so if you are near the cable car station there is very little difference.
On the 23rd you might also explore Lauterbrunnen on your way up. There is a lovely waterfall on the bus route from the train station to the cable car station, and quite a few good hikes and other things to do. Really it’s mainly the scenery that you will be there to enjoy and most people don’t require too many extra activities.
If I were you I’d consider staying 2 nights in Gimmelwald OR Murren and 2 nights in Wengen OR Grindelwald, which are both stops on the way up Jungfraujoch. All of these are gorgeous little villages, but I think splitting your time on each side of the valley would give you a better experience and allow you an easier path up Jungfraujoch. There is a cable car that goes up a hill right from Wengen and many people take that up and then hike down to a train station down the path a bit. It’s a fairly easy hike if the weather is nice. In other words, if you split your time that way you’ll find more things that are easy to do, while if you stay your whole time in Murren or Gimmelwald you’ll have fewer options.
For train rides within Switzerland they go on sale 30 days out and they are the same price no matter when you buy them, so you can buy them in advance or on travel day. For all other train rides the tickets start out cheap and then the fares go up as more seats are sold, so buying early gets you the lowest fares and most choices of departures.
From Interlaken to Berlin it’s best to take a train to Zurich and then fly. The journey to Zurich is quite scenic and it takes two hours, but it takes 8 more hours from Zurich to Berlin and most of it isn’t very scenic. You can take a train directly to Zurich Train Station. That flight will also be cheaper if you buy well in advance. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hello – 8 of us are arriving into Zurich on the 14th of August and then taking a train to Lausanne. Have booked an AirB&B there. We will be there until the 21st when we take the train back to Zurich. SOme fly back to Bombay and some head to Paris.
I am looking for advice/suggestions on what is it that we can see and enjoy in the 6 days we have in Switzerland?
Also if we should buy a 8 day travel pass to do what you recommend or shall we do the 50% pass?
One more question – Does the EURAIL pass give us all the same access as the Swiss travel pass within Switzerland?
The reason I ask this is that it will then include our train journey to Paris and help us cut some of the cost.
Appreciate your response.
Meena
Meena,
I put my best advice on what to do in Switzerland in this article. If you can change from a place in Lausanne to staying in Interlaken for a few days and Lucerne for 2 or 3 days I think it would be worth it. Lausanne is a nice city with a lovely location on Lake Geneva, but there really isn’t much to see or do there so you’d end up on trains every day, which gets tiring and expensive.
The 8-day Swiss Travel Pass can still be a great value for a 6-day visit if you’ll do enough trains trips and other included attractions. The Half Fare Card is probably a better option if you will be riding fewer trains or you won’t be going up Schilthorn or Mt. Rigi. It’s really hard to say until you make your list of things you’ll do and then compare the two options.
Unfortunately, the Eurail Pass isn’t great value in Switzerland OR France. A Eurail Pass will fully cover the normal trains between the main cities, but it only gets you a discount (usually 25%) for the mountain trains and boat rides and cable cars and such. Those things are mostly quite expensive and the Swiss Travel Pass covers many of them fully. In France the Eurail Pass covers the trains including the one to Paris, but you also have to pay a fairly high seat reservation fee that can be €20 to €40 on some routes. Buying a normal ticket as far in advance as possible will usually save you the most money. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Thank you for your prompt reply , it is indeed appreciated.
I hear you out in terms of the additional car costs, and its upsetting that we might not be able to experience the scenic train if we go down that path, but I believe that renting a car is our best option financially at this point.
However, if its okay with you can I ask you a few other additional questions –
Question 1 – if we stay in Lugano, I did do much research however I want to know your professional opinion?
Question 2- If we were to possibly drive up to Interstate for 1 day and return. ( 3 hours there and back) is there any route we can travel through to see the alps or some nice scenery on the way.
Or do you advise for us 4 to take a train from Lugano through Switzerland with a possible return back to Lugano (Same day) , if yes, do you know how much it will cost and which route?
Question 3 – I heard about all the scenic trains ( expensive ones) , but what about the general public transport trains, Surely some pass through some nice scenery and would be relatively cheap right?
Thanks again for the advise in advance , if you ever come to Australia , please do contact me!
Nathaniel,
If you stayed in Lugano the entire time you’d be spending half of every day on the road. The good news is that all of the roads in that area are quite scenic and you’d be driving back and forth through the Alps every day. Still, I wouldn’t recommend it and I’d stay in the Interlaken area and Lucerne area while you are exploring those places.
The fastest trains from Lugano to Interlaken take about 4 hours 20 minutes compared to about 2 hours 45 minutes for driving. The Swiss trains are mostly quite fast, but in this case it’s a longer route so driving would be better.
Some good news is that almost ALL Swiss trains are really scenic. In fact, for most people I recommend just taking trains between the places you want to visit and you’ll find that those trains are extremely scenic without having to pay for a special route or panoramic carriage. On the other hand, nothing in Switzerland is cheap (except maybe alcohol in supermarkets) so normal trains are fairly expensive as it is. For most people it’s best to get a Half Fare Card to save money, but if you are driving most of the time it might not actually pay off. Sorry the news isn’t better. Lugano itself is really nice and you might just focus more of your trip to stay in that area if you are somehow locked into a hotel reservation. If you can change hotels I’d do that. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Dear Roger,
You are such an awesome person, Thank you for helping everyone, I read a couple of your articles, very well written, thank you on behalf of the community.
So, We have a family trip of 4 coming up next month (August ) , Incomplete Itenary based on your main advise as follows:
13th – Rent a car from Milan and drive up to Logano (we are renting a Airbnb there)
14th – Interlaken
15th- Interlaken
16th – Lacerne
17th-Drive back to Milan Airport , drop car off and fly to our next destination.
My main question is, how do we split Interlaken over 2 days ( Lauterbraunnem, Murren, Gimmelwald etc. other main attractions)
And then Lacerne, Is that possible to do in one day ( Mount titlis, Pllatus etc)
Also , Which main cable rides / Scenic train rides do you advise to take,
Final and most important question – Can we get around in our rental car? Parking wise ,fuel ,route wise, since we are 4 people, it is much cheaper to go around than pay for train tickets/public transport etc. Also This will help us get from and to Milan. And I guess we will have to pay for the cable rides /Scenic train ride separately for 4 people.
Your advise is much much appreciated.
Nathaniel,
I’m happy this has been helpful. I’ll try to answer your questions in order. I’m hoping you are only staying in Lugano for one night because it’s a 3-hour drive from there to Interlaken.
If you’ve got 2 days in Interlaken I would focus on the Lauterbrunnen Valley and stay in one of the villages there rather than in Interlaken itself. That means, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Grindelwald, Gimmelwald, or Murren. There are no cars in Gimmelwald or Murren so those probably aren’t great choices, but you should visit them. If the weather cooperates I’d try to do either the Schilthorn cable car or the Jungfraujoch mountain train to the top. They are both expensive, though Schilthorn is about half the price of Jungfraujoch. The rest of the time you should just explore the area and do some hiking and visit the waterfalls. I have more information on my article about where to go in Switzerland on a short visit.
Lucerne is compact enough to enjoy in one day. The town center itself is really gorgeous (which isn’t as true of Interlaken) so you’ll want to walk around and see the Chapel Bridge and the lion statue. You should also do a lake cruise of 2 hours or so. On that cruise you can get off at one of the villages and take a cable car up Mt Rigi and a mountain train down. That would be the most fun-packed way to stay a day in Lucerne. If you do those things you’ll probably want to get a Half Fare Card for CHF120 each. Between Schilthorn and the cruise and the mountain trains, it’ll save you money.
You can definitely get around by car in those parts of Switzerland, and it’ll probably save you money. On the other hand, it’s far more stressful than taking trains and you’ll also have to worry about paying for parking and road rules and such. Fuel is quite expensive in Italy and Switzerland, but the distances are short and the cars are efficient so it shouldn’t add up to too much. You’ll definitely have to sort out parking though. There are some hotels in Interlaken itself that have free parking, but most of the hotels in those smaller villages probably don’t so you might have to pay, say, €20 or €30 per day to park in a small city lot. You’ll also have to pay to park at the cable car station in Stechelburg for the Schilthorn ride, and those things add up. On the other hand, those train tickets would be pretty expensive as well, so a rental car is probably cheaper. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Roger,
Thank you for your reply on 19th July. Once again, sensible and practical advice!
I have been very impressed with your commentaries – they reduce those travel uncertainties which, while part of any travel experience, can be quite a hassle.
Only a couple of weeks to go!
Cheers
Barrie
Thanks so much for your reply Roger! I will look into seeing if I can incorporate some of your suggestions, especially the Schilthorn. And I am now thinking we will take the train as far as Spiez and then the Thun lake ferry the rest of the way to Interlaken. We are unfortunately tied to the Geneva area for the first 5 days because of my husband’s work at CERN, so the only thing we could do to have more time out of cities would be to potentially skip Bern and go directly to the Interlaken area which I am considering but many people have told me that Bern is worth a visit. Decisions decisions! I have tried to price out this itinerary and it seems that the half fare card comes to about $100 cheaper than the STP, but the difference will narrow if I add some of your recommendations and the convenience of use is certainly worth something. I appreciate your input!
Cheers 🙂
Laura,
I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time. Bern is indeed a lovely city and it’s the one I recommend most for people who want to experience one of Switzerland’s actual cities. And the whole country is beautiful so I’m sure it’ll all work out. -Roger
Roger,
Thank you so much for your advice and quick response! We will plan on purchasing the Half Fare Card and look in to the Saver Day Pass for Schilthorn day. We found information on shipping our luggage on the SBB website under service offered. It looks like it will cost us 44 CHF for 1 – 4 pieces of luggage
Carol,
I’m glad you told me about the luggage service. I’d never heard of it before, but it sounds like a great idea for many people. The Swiss Rail system is extremely efficient and it’s great that they are offering something like this. I’ll be sure to suggest it to other visitors in the future. -Roger
Thank you for all of the information you post in your blog. My husband and I will be traveling to Switzerland in early September and would appreciate your advice on what type of train tickets we should purchase, possibly a 4 day Flexible Swiss Travel Pass or a Half Fare pass. We realize that it would have made more sense to travel to Zermatt at the end of our trip before heading to Milan but, due circumstances we had to create our itinerary in this order.
Train Sept 6th Zurich to Zermatt (2 nights Hotel in Zermatt)
Train Sept 9 Zermatt to Meiringen (Hotel in Meiringen)
September 10th send our luggage (with exception of small 2 day backpack we will be taking with us) on a train from Meiringen to Lauterbrunnen
Sept 10 Hike from Meiringen to Grindelwald – Hotel in Grindelwald
Sept. 11 Hike from Grindelwald to Wengen (Hotel in Wengen)
Sept 12 Hike from Wengen to Lauterbrunnen pick up luggage at train station in Lauterbrunnen.
Sept 12 Cable Car/Train from Lauterbrunnen to Murren (Hotel in Murren 2 nights)
Sept 12 Gondola to Schilthorn and back to Murren
Sept 14th Cable car/train from Murren to Interlaken
Sept 14th Train from Interlaken to Milano Centrale
Can we purchase all of our train tickets online before we leave? In terms of sending our luggage from Meiringen to Lauterbrunnen do we need to make advance reservations. Thank you in advance for your comments!
Carol,
I’m not familiar with the service that sends your luggage on ahead, although it does sound like something that could be offered. I can’t help with the details on that. Overall it doesn’t look like you’ll be doing many expensive train rides or mountain attractions so I think the Half Fare Card is probably the best choice. You can then also get a Saver Day Pass for your Schilthorn day. If you buy that at least two weeks in advance and will also have the Half Fare Card, it will be MUCH cheaper than paying 50% of everything that day.
You can purchase all of your tickets online before you leave, but Switzerland only puts tickets on sale 30 days in advance and the prices are the same whether you buy early or just before the train departs. Either way will end up the same and you can print your tickets at home for no fee. As long as you will also buy a Half Fare Card you can buy half price tickets online and then show them AND the printed Half Fare Card to the ticket person on the train. In most cases it’s pretty easy to buy these tickets in person though, and in some cases you might want to know the weather before you lock in a time, especially for Schilthorn. Since almost all of these things are rub by the same SBB Swiss Rail system, you can buy tickets that cover everything in one place. Let me know if you have any other questions. -Roger
Hello! I am amazed about your continuing level of very thorough responses to this thread so I thought I’d see what you think about my proposed itinerary and whether an 8 day travel pass would be the best price for me! My partner is going to CERN for work in September and I am tagging along. We will stay a few days after his work stuff to sight-see. Neither of us has ever been to Europe before and we are trying to be as frugal as possible while seeing the most interesting places. Proposed itinerary as follows:
Day 1 (Saturday): landing in Zurich, train to Geneva, train to Saint Genis Pouilly (France)
Day 2 (Sunday) transit to and from CERN from Saint Genis
Day 3 (Monday) explore around Saint Genis France
Day 4 (Tuesday) Transit to Geneva area & back from Saint Genis, check out old town, Mont Seleve, any other nearby sights we shouldn’t miss?
Day 5 (Wednesday) Transit to Geneva: see Carouge, Maison Tavel, eat fondu! Take a train to Bern
Day 6 (Thursday) Explore Bern: old town, clock tower, Historical museum, anything missing?
Day 7 (Friday) train to Interlaken: explore Schloss Interlaken, Geissback falls, boat on Lake Thun or Briez, Harder Kulm
Day 8 (Saturday) train to Lucern: see chapel bridge, ChocoWeld, anything else we shouldn’t miss? Then take a train to Zurich
Day 9: fly home from Zurich in the morning!
Any insights you could offer will be greatly appreciated! Especially as to if the 8 day travel pass will be our best value. We plan to take public transit everywhere we go but don’t think we have time for the special expensive mountain train rides. We may be staying in AirBnBs for several of the nights where available and cheaper so I don’t think that would qualify us for the free local transit passes.
Cheers!
Laura,
I appreciate your kind words. For some reason I just enjoy trying to help people sort these things out. In your case it’s harder to say because you’ll be going quite a few places that I can’t even place on a map. On one hand, the 8-day Swiss Travel Passes are usually a great deal for those staying that long. But it doesn’t look like you’ll be doing enough of the more expensive included train rides and attractions. Since the 8-day Pass costs CHF418 and that’s CHF52 (also about US$52) per day, it’s very easy to save at least that much by just doing normal sightseeing and riding around on trains and boats a bit.
On the other hand, if you buy the Half Fare Card for CHF120/US$120, that ends up only costing US$15 per day and then everything is half price. So if you take, say, CHF75 worth of things each day it would be cheaper with the Half Fare Card, but if you take CHF80 or more each day then it’s cheaper with the Swiss Travel Pass. You’d have to add up some of the days you are planning to see where you stand.
I’d probably lean towards the Swiss Travel Pass unless your average looks like it’s going to be CHF60 per day or under. The STP covers nearly everything and includes many things you won’t even know about until you get there. It’s really wonderful to just see a cable car or boat ride and be able to show the card and climb aboard. Also, if you DO get the STP you might as well at least go up Schilthorn, which is amazing and fully covered, as well as the Lucerne Lake cruise and the Mt. Rigi excursion as well. The Airbnb idea sounds like a good one and I imagine it’ll save money in the long run.
Lastly, you might at least take a quick scan of my article on where to go in Switzerland. Once you get there you’ll realize that Switzerland has some of the world’s most incredible scenery, and while its cities and towns are nice, they aren’t nearly as interesting as the scenery itself. In other words, I’d think about spending more time in Interlaken and Lucerne and perhaps focus a bit less on the cities. I hope this helps. -Roger