[MickeyG]

17 June 2026 at 19:50:33 #2797382

I have read all your wonderful information on the above as well as previous suggestions on the forum. Our trip plans were a bit disrupted and shortened due to a medical emergency so just want to confirm my understanding of passes.

We arriving into Zurich on June 20 and train immediately to Lucerne for one night. On the 21st we head to Murren where we will be staying 5 nights/6 days for hiking and then heading to Zurich late afternoon/early evening for flight out on June 27.

Do I understand correctly that we should invest in a Swiss Half Fare Card and a 6 Day BOP? Since June is peak season, does it make sense to invest in 1st class BOP to save time and possibly eliminate crowded cars?

Thank you very much! You are a wealth of knowledge!

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[Roger Sexton]

Reply 1 of 4 • 17 June 2026 at 20:57:30 #2797383

Hello again MickeyG

I will have to be brief.  I myself am off to Switzerland tomorrow.

Half fare card and a BOP for 21-26th does seem to be the right solution.

• https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-half-fare-card/
• https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/berner-oberland-pass/

On 20th use the HFC for discounted tickets for your Zurich Airport to Lucerne journey.

On 21st use the BOP to take you from Lucerne to Interlaken Ost.  Trains leave every hour at 06 minutes past the hour.

On 26th use the BOP from Interlaken Ost to Lucerne.  Trains leave Interlaken every hour at four minutes past the hour. Use the HFC for discounted tickets Lucerne to Zurich.

First Class?

If I have understood your plans correctly, the only significant benefit would be when going from Lucerne to Interlaken, and then Interlaken to Lucerne.
I would suggest you do not buy first class.  Just be on the platform at ten minutes to the hour, and be ready to board when the train comes in.

Note that Zurich to Lucerne trains are long double-deck trains. There is usually free second class seats towards the front of the train.  Again, be on the platform well before the scheduled departure.

https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-guide/zurich-lucerne/

Best wishes
Roger

Ps Bring plenty of sunscreen – there is a heatwave in Switzerland!

[MickeyG]

Reply 2 of 4 • 18 June 2026 at 16:20:09 #2797384

Thank you, Roger! We are all set thanks to you and Annika!

[MickeyG]

Reply 3 of 4 • 19 July 2026 at 17:50:54 #2797987

I just wanted to thank Roger and Annika for their invaluable information and service to all of us. We just returned from our trip and found your advice incredibly helpful. Your suggestion to get the Half Fare Card and BOP pass saved us. Many thanks for all you do for all of us!  Best, Mickey

[Annika]

Reply 4 of 4 • 24 July 2026 at 15:38:37 #2798043

Thank you for your kind words, Mickey. I’m glad to hear that the advice worked out well for you, and I hope you had a wonderful trip. If you’d like to share your experiences, we’d love to read about them in our trip reports section!

https://www.myswissalps.com/community/forum/trip-reports/