[Removed user]

24 July 2017 at 3:30:25 #812719

Hi,

I need help figuring out which pass to buy for my upcoming trip to Bernese Oberland in September.

I will arrive at Zurich Airport and will directly go to Wengen. I will stay there for 12 days and am planning to do lots of hiking and visit places like Murren, Grindelwald and top of Europe (Jungfrau). I’m guessing that I’ll need public transportation to get back to Wengen every day after hiking.

I am also planning to stay 1 night in Luzern on my way back to Zurich.

At first glance it looks like the Bernese Regional pass would be a good idea but it seems to be for 10 days only. I could manage to stay around Wengen for a few days but it means that the pass would not be valid anymore when its time to go to Luzern and then Zurich or that I would have to pay for my first train journey from Zurich to Wengen.

Other option is the half fare. It would be valid for my entire stay but I’m not sure how financially beneficial it is when you are staying in one region so limited long trips.

I briefly heard about the Jungfrau pass but looks like it is for 5 days at a time only.

Any advice is welcome and please let me know if there are other options I haven’t considered yet that would make sense.

thanks

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[Removed user]

24 July 2017 at 6:49:08 #867298

Hi Viki22 and welcome to MySwissAlps!

The only way to know for sure on the best rail pass for you is to plan out most if not all of your planned trips over 12 days and do the math on the pass. We have a web page here with an Excel sheet to help you do the math.

That being said you can buy multiple rail passes as well – an 8 day and a 4 day Regional Pass – Bernese Oberland for example. The Regional Pass – Bernese Oberland covers as far as Luzern so you only need a ticket on to Zurich which is around 25CHF.

The Jungfrau Travel Pass (available for 3, 4, 5 or 6 days) does cover a smaller area but the discounts on those routes are usually better than the Regional Pass – Bernese Oberland. Both web pages above for the passes have PDF maps for you to review and a list of major attractions and their discounts if applicable (click the where it’s valid tab).

Perhaps the Swiss Half Fare Card and a Jungfrau Travel Pass? You get a 25% discount on the Jungfrau Travel Pass with the Swiss Half Fare Card (you also get 25% off the Regional Pass – Bernese Oberland.

Lucas

[kim11]

25 July 2017 at 3:30:08 #867299

>Other option is the half fare. It would be valid for my entire stay but I’m not sure how financially beneficial it is when you are staying in one region so limited long trips.<

The long trips across the plains are not the expensive trips, those are cheap in comparison. The public transports up in the mountains are VERY expensive as they are extremely costly to build and maintain.

As Lucas said, the only way you can know for sure is to chart out all your planned trips and do the math. But that is very time consuming and, since weather is always a factor, who knows exactly which trips you will end up taking?

After 19 visits to the Bernese Oberland (Wengen is our favorite base) I now spare myself the pretzel brain and go with the Half Fare Card every time.

And if you would like some input on the area and don’t mind a lot of reading, please download the three PDFs at

http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/tips-about-wengen-and-the-jungfrau-region-by-kim