Berner Oberland Pass + Swiss Half Fare Card for 2 weeks Wengen/Zermatt
A couple is planning a Swiss adventure in two weeks, starting in Zurich for three days, moving to Wengen for seven days, and then to Zermatt for three days. They are seeking advice on whether a Swiss Half Fare Card and Berner Oberland Pass are the best option for their itinerary and how to make the most economical and efficient rail connections.
- Getting the Berner Oberland Pass is a smart choice since it pairs well with the Swiss Half Fare Card for discounts.
- Use the Swiss Half Fare Card to save on train tickets not covered by the Berner Oberland Pass.
- The quickest route from Zurich to Wengen is via Bern, taking about 2 hours and 40 minutes.
- Consider getting a Saver Day Pass for the journey from Zermatt to Zurich, which can provide additional savings.
AI-generated summary-
Hello everyone,
My partner and I will be having our Swiss adventure in about two weeks! I was hoping to get some help assessing my Swiss rail pass choices. For the itinerary below, I have decided that a Swiss Half Fare Card and a Berner Oberland Pass are the best options. Buy the Half Fare Card first in order to get a discount for the Berner Oberland Pass. All other train tickets we will buy separately with the Half Fare Card. Questions below the Itinerary.
Our itinerary:
1) Land in Zurich. Zurich for 3 days, with a day trip to Liechtenstein.
2) Train from Zurich to Wengen. Stay in Wengen for 7 days. Travel throughout Jungfrau region.
3) Train from Wengen to Zermatt. Zermatt for 3 days.
4) Train from Zermatt to Zurich to return home.
Questions:
1) Does it make sense that I am choosing the Half Fare Card and Berner Oberland Pass for my travels?
2) What is the cheapest and/or fastest way to get from Zurich to Wengen with the HFC and BO pass? Buy the train ticket using my HFC from Zurich to Bern, and everything from Bern to Wengen is free with the Berner Oberland Pass?
3) What is the cheapest and/or fastest way to get from Wengen to Zermatt with the HFC and BO pass? My research suggests using the Berner Oberland Pass to get from Wengen to Spiez, then Spiez to Brig. And from Brig I will use the Half Fare Card to get to Zermatt. Does that sound right?
4) What is the FASTEST way to get from Zermatt to Zurich airport using my Half Fare Card and Berner Oberland Pass? My flight leaves from Zurich at 13:35 (1:35pm), so I need to get to Zurich airport from Zermatt as fastest possible. Of course, I would still like it to be as cheap as possible by utilizing my Berner Oberland Pass whenever I can.
5) When should I be considering other passes like the Saver Day Pass? Does it make sense to buy one for Zurich to Bern (to get to Wengen)? Or from my departure trip from Zermatt to Zurich?
Thank you very much in advance for your help and guidance!
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Hi sequoiamv,
Welcome to MySwissAlps and thanks for sharing your travel plans.
As you will be based in Wengen for 7 days, getting the Berner Oberland Pass is a sensible option. Combining this with the Swiss Half Fare Card is practical as this gives you a discount on the Berner Oberland Pass. The Swiss Half Fare Card is valid throughout Switzerland, so it’s really useful if you are travelling to places or destinations not covered by the Berner Oberland Pass.
You can find further info about each rail pass including purchase options and coverage below:
Berner Oberland Pass: https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/berner-oberland-pass/
Swiss Half Fare Card: https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-half-fare-card/
The fastest route to travel from Zurich to Wengen is via Bern (about 2 h 40 mins). You can also travel via Lucerne and the the scenic Lucerne-Interlaken Express to Interlaken Ost before continuing to Wengen (3.5 hours). With the Berner Oberland Pass, travel is free from Bern to Wengen and Lucerne to Wengen.
From Wengen to Zermatt, travel is free up to Spiez with the Berner Oberland Pass. The rest of the journey discounted with the Swiss Half Fare Card. However if you travel via the Lotschberg mountain railway (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/lotschberg-mountain-railway/), the travel is free up to Brig.
From Zermatt to Zurich, I recommend purchasing a Saver Day Pass (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/saver-day-pass/), which you can get cheaper with the Swiss Half Fare Card.
Please use the Swiss timetable to check train connections: https://www.myswissalps.com/travel/public-transport/timetable/
Regards,
Anna
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