Day trip from Bern to Interlaken and Jungfraujoch
Darren and his family are visiting Switzerland for 5 days, starting in Bern. He wants to know about rail passes for day trips to Interlaken and Jungfraujoch, and if there are convenient one-day tours, especially for elderly family members.
- Consider getting the Swiss Half Fare Card for individual trips; it will save you money on the Jungfraujoch trip.
- If you prefer convenience and will be traveling extensively, the Swiss Travel Pass is better, covering many routes and museums without needing to buy separate tickets.
- To purchase rail passes online, use the UK site for easy access and print at home options.
AI-generated summary-
Hello,
My family and I will be visiting Switzerland for 5 days and we will first stay at Bern. I am considering making a day trip to Interlaken and Jungfraujoch during our stay in Bern. Which rail passes should i get? Can i purchase it online? Is there any one day tour in Bern to Jungfraujoch that we can follow as i acknowledged that travelling from Bern to Jungfrau would take us like 5 hours time (and tour will be more convenient for elderly people).
Many thanks in advance,
Regards,
Darren
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Welcome to MySwissAlps Darren!
The best rail pass depends on all of the trips you will be doing while in Bern, including the transfers to and from Bern. If you want to know exactly you’d best make a list of trips and compare prices as explained here. The Swiss Half Fare Card will in any case save you money if you decide to do the Jungfraujoch trip on your own.
All Swiss Half Fare Card purchase options are listed here. Since you’re from the UK you can best visit http://www.swisstravelsystem. co.uk. After filling out your address, they will show the delivery options. Pick “Online Ticket” from the bottom of the list. They will e-mail the card within a few days (no delivery fees), so you can print it at home. Due to the rate of the pound, I am 99% sure they will increase prices very soon, perhaps even tomorrow. Today, you can still buy a Swiss Half Fare Card for GBP 85.
I wouldn’t necessarily say a tour is most convenient for elderly people. Assuming a tour would include a coach ride to Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald, it would save you one change of trains: if you do it on your own you would need to change in Interlaken Ost. The change is pretty easy by the way. From Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald, everyone takes the same trains to the top, regardless of how you booked.
A tour has the advantage of not having to prepare for anything. Just show up and follow the guide. Doing it on your own has the advantage of sticking to your own pace during the day. Which option is more comfortable depends on your personal preferences. All about Jungfraujoch, including tours, is explained here: myswissalps.com/ jungfraujoch.
Dear Arno,
Thanks for the advice and reply. I have one more question. We will be travelling to Zermatt from Bern on 30th of August by train. Is it better for us to get a Swiss Travel Pass? As i know, STP includes unlimited travel for rails, bus etc. If we are travelling by our own (not following any tours), we will be taking the train to Interlaken, Jungfrau and Zermatt, is the Swiss Travel Pass or the Swiss Half Fare Card better?
You’re welcome Darren!
The Swiss Travel Pass is more convenient as it includes a lot of trips (and museums) for free, so no tickets to buy. You can simply board the train and enjoy the ride. In that regard, it’s better than the Swiss Half Fare Card which requires you to buy (discounted) tickets for each trip. As for the overall price I can’t say which one is cheaper. You would have to list all your trips and do the math as explained in the previous post. The same website I referred to before also offers the Swiss Travel Pass as a print at home pass.
Note that you would have to choose between a 4- or 8-day Swiss Travel Pass. There is no 5 day version. If your first or last day doesn’t include a lot of traveling, a 4-day pass will work.
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