72625 posts
Hi Li and welcome to MySwissAlps!
You only receive the benefits of the Swiss Travel Pass Flex on the days you use it for travel. Read all about the Swiss Travel Pass Flex here.
On a day you use the Swiss Travel Pass Flex you write in the date and the train conductor who checks your ticket will validate it. Those are the days you get all the benefits and discounts.
Be careful on your wording when asking about different rail passes. The Swiss Travel Pass is a different product than what you are speaking of (Swiss Travel Pass Flex).
If you are doing a few train trips on your days that you won’t/can’t use the Swiss Travel Pass Flex, you may be interested in buying the Swiss Half fare Card. It doesn’t give free museum entry etc. but you get 50% off all train tickets you buy.
72625 posts
Thanks a lot Lucas! I think we should get a swiss travel pass instead. on days when we stay local, we will not pay for bus or funiculars using the pass. we will pay out of pocket for the bus and funicular fare. we will try visiting museums only during our planned travel days. It will be budget efficient as long as we make the total cost higher than the average cost per traveling day using a swiss travel pass. Do I sound like someone who understands the rules correctly? Thanks again!
15471 posts
Hi Li,
If you opt for the Swiss Travel Pass you will get consecutive days, so you’ll have the same benefits on all days. In all that’s more convenient, and each pass day costs less this way (Swiss Travel Pass for 15 days costs CHF 458, the Swiss Travel Pass Flex for 15 days is CHF 502). Unlike the Swiss Travel Pass Flex, the Swiss Travel Pass can be printed at home so there are no delivery costs and you’ll be ready to start traveling as soon as you reach Switzerland: myswissalps.com/swisst ravelpass/price.
How long do you stay in Switzerland?
72625 posts
A question I still don’t see answered on the ‘myswissalps’ site is:
Does a day you only use the museum privilege (no transport at all) trigger a transport day on that day.
15471 posts
72625 posts
Thanks all!
After looking at the half fare card I begin to believe that the half fare card is a better option for us. We are going to stay in Lugano, Switzerland for a month in July and I am trying to save for students. We have several major trips: round trip between Zurich and Lugano, Interlaken, Lucerne and Lugano, Montreux and Lugano, possible boat cruise on Lake Thur, Lake Lugano and Lake Geneva. Many local in-city transit and day trips taking trains. The half fare of those easily exceeds 120. Our themes will be mountains and castles, not so much with museums. Castles ask for admission in general but they tend to range around $10.
This forum is super helpful. I have a new question though. I become really interested in adding the Bernina Express since we have the bus connecting Lugano to the express in summer. The round trip fare is $379. Does the half fare card apply to the Bernina Express as well?
Thanks again!
Li
72625 posts
Hi Li,
Glad we can help – I think the Swiss Half Fare Card is a good idea for you as well!
Yes, the Swiss Half Fare Card will give you 50% off this train trip (click here to see all that is covered), but you must still make seat reservations for everyone!
Lucas