7103 posts
Dear Hammer8, both routes can be completed within one day, but if you use the Swiss Card, this requires you to take the shortest route (the one offered to you by the Swiss time table). This would be the first route via Bern and Spiez (the train doesn’t pass Interlaken), taking about 3 hours.
The second route is actually a detour. Just as with the first route, you will eventually end up in Spiez as well and take the same route from there. The section between Lucerne and Interlaken, via Brienz, indeed includes a beautiful ride over the Brünig Pass along several lakes. This route would take 5h31 and can still be completed within one day (in Swiss Card terms, this is one date and not 24 hours). If you’d prefer this option, you would need either a Swiss Pass or a Swiss Flexi Pass, which doesn’t require you to take the shortest route.
72625 posts
Hi Hammer8, if you don’t really need your Swiss Card but could also use Swiss (Flexi) Pass, go for the Lucerne-Brienz route! It’s a beautiful ride and assuming that you won’t be in Switzerland that often, my advice is to see as much of the country as you can!
Bye, Jules
72625 posts
Thanks for your info, I’m still in doubt as I don’t know if a Swiss (Flexi) Pass would be such a great option. Once we’re in Saas Grund we won’t do that much travelling, a few shorter trips to the Matter valley or the Rhone valley, but that’s all, so would be a Swiss Pass be worth the money?
7103 posts
If your inbound and outbound journey are the only longer train journeys of your stay, you shouldn’t buy a Swiss Pass. You may consider a 3 day Swiss Flexi Pass, which would offer you an extra day of free travelling. The price difference between a 3 day Swiss Flexi Pass and a Swiss Card is CHF 67,-, so if you would make one trip that would cost CHF 67,- less with your Swiss Flexi Pass during your stay this would be worth the extra money you’d spend. Prices of regular journeys can be checked by filling out the trip in the online timetable.
72625 posts
I don’t think we’ll be making another trip worth that much per person! Guess I have to stick with my Swiss Card and go for the shortest route to Saas Grund. Thanks though!