9 day trip, Swiss Travel Pass vs Swiss Half Fare Card: which is best?
GeoTraveler is planning a 9-day trip to Switzerland and is trying to decide between the Swiss Travel Pass and the Swiss Half Fare Card. They want to know which option offers the best value based on their travel itinerary and specific train routes, including longer trips from Montreux to Interlaken and Interlaken to Luzern.
- The Swiss Travel Pass offers unlimited travel and free entry to many museums, making it very convenient for travelers.
- The Swiss Half Fare Card can be a good option if you book tickets in advance, but savings may vary based on ticket types.
- Standard point-to-point ticket prices remain the same regardless of when you buy them, except for Supersaver tickets which are cheaper when purchased ahead.
AI-generated summary-
Hello All,
I’ll be traveling to Switzerland for 9 days and am wondering if the swiss travel pass or the swiss half fare card is worth the investment? I’ve included and attached a spreadsheet for the tentative train itinerary for my trip with costs. I used the spreadsheet that MySwissAlps kindly provided for a reference.
I understand that the Swiss Travel Pass allows you to get on the trains without having to book tickets (which is convenient), but I want to make sure that I’m using the value of the pass. There is still a day in Lucerne I am unsure my travel, but with the rough costs provided, which purchase makes the most sense? P.S. – For the two longer trains from Montreux to Interlaken and Interlaken to Luzern I populated the amount for the trip with 1st class tickets (at no discount).
Any feedback on this is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
GeoTraveler
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Hi GeoTraveler,
Welcome to MySwissAlps.
Thanks for sharing your plans and calculations via our spreadsheet.
Yes, both the Swiss Half Fare Card and the Swiss Travel Pass have appeared as suggestions for your trip. I understand, the savings do not seem that huge in regard to your intended travel plans vs if paying the full standard prices.
Personally I think at this stage, if your plans you list are pretty much fixed I would still opt with either one of the rail passes. Having either one of the passes, will offer you savings anyways. For most a Swiss Travel Pass is deemed super convenient – unlimited travel, no need to purchase tickets in advance (only for mountain transport) and there are free entries to many museums in Switzerland including Maison Cailler in Broc 🙂 If plans change, you can still travel anywhere within Switzerland. More on the Swiss Travel Pass here:
If you are still not sure, the Swiss Half Fare Card is still a good option, you’ll just need to ensure you buy the respective tickets in a timely manner. More information on the Swiss Half Fare Card below:
I hope this helps a little.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
If I decide to go with the Swiss Half Fare Card, for all of the point-to-point tickets, is there a cost savings booking them on the app ahead of the trip? Or will the cost I’ve found now be the same if I purchase the ticket at the ticket counter right before departure? I don’t think ticket modifications are allowed with the point-to-point tickets(unless it’s 24 hrs before?), so I’m just factoring this into my decision between the Swiss Pass vs the Half Fare Card.
I know either way I’ll need to prebook the golden pass routes from Montreux to Interlaken and then Interlaken to Luzern.
Thank you for the previous insight Yolanda.
Hi GeoTraveler,
The price of standard point-to-point are generally fixed. The price is the same whether you purchase them today or weeks ago, online or directly from the counter. More info here: https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/regular-ticket/
However Supersaver tickets are cheaper when you purchase them early. But they are also restrictive. More info here: https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/supersaver-ticket/
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Anna
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