[Anonymous]

21 August 2019 at 4:55:25 #823510

• Day1 Aug30: Zurich airport to Lucerne
• Day 2 Aug31: Taking a boat to Alpnachstad. Going up to Pilatus and stay there 1 night. The up & down to/from Pilatus is cover by the hotel stay.
• Day 3 Sep01: Lucerne to Grindelwald
• Day 4 Sep02: First Mountain
• Day 5 Sep03: Jungfrau, Murren
• Day 6 Sep04: Lake Thun/Brienz Cruise
• Day 7 Sep05: Grindelwald to Colmar (France)

Should I get a Swiss Half Fare Card (CHF 120) + Jungfrau Travel Pass 5 days (CHF 175)? Or a Swiss Travel Pass 8 days (CHF 399)?

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[rockoyster]

Reply 1 of 12 • 21 August 2019 at 8:07:20 #920578

Hi tonylim and Welcome to MySwissAlps,

Standard response is that based on your personal itinerary you should read “How to choose the best travel pass” (http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass), download the handy spreadsheet calculator and do the math. The spreadsheet also includes links to the “Where it’s valid” page for all available passes. Be sure to check those pages for each pass you are considering. Study the map AND read all the text on those pages to fully understand what is covered by the respective pass.

Top of the head I’d say just get a Swiss Half-fare Card and put up with buying tickets as you go. Get the SBB mobile app and you will find it a cinch. It’s very handy for planning your travel anyway. Far easier to use than the SBB website.

[Annika]

Reply 2 of 12 • 21 August 2019 at 8:27:14 #920579

Hi tonylim and welcome to MySwissAlps!

I’m not sure if an additional 5 day Jungfrau Travel Pass (http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrautravelpass) is worth the expense, as it will be of limited use for your inbound trip from Lucerne and your outbound trip to Colmar. A 3 day version for day 4-6 might make more sense, but then again, the 3 day version wouldn’t include boat rides on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. Please see http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrautravelpass/valid ity for all validity details.

You may be better off just getting a Swiss Half Fare Card (http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isshalffarecard), plus a discounted Saver Day Pass (http://www.myswissalps.com/sa verdaypass) for Grindelwald-Basel on day 7. If you get it well in advance, it will be slightly cheaper than a regular discounted ticket: http://www.myswissalps.com/sa verdaypass/price.

On the other hand, an 8 day Swiss Travel Pass would be more flexible and convenient. In case of bad weather in the Jungfrau area it would easily allow you to travel to other regions without having to buy additional tickets, and it fully covers boat rides: http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass.

If costs are your main concern, your best bet is to compare the outcome of each pass for your specific plans as explained at http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass.

Whichever pass you choose, you will need an additional ticket from the Swiss border to Colmar: http://www.myswissalps.com/tr aintickets/france.

I hope this helps you decide!

[User]

Reply 3 of 12 • 21 August 2019 at 13:06:08 #920580

Thanks rockoyster and Annika for your quick reply.

I was initially thinking of 3 day Junfrau Travel Pass (JTP). But the difference between 3 day and 5 day JTP is only CHF 40. I will need to pay for CHF 35 to get a 1 day 2nd class-half-fare pass for Lake Thun and Lake Brienz cruise. Just CHF 5 additional having 5 day JTP, which should help to pay for all the trains ride within Jungfrau region, I hope. Does that make sense?

I also like the convenience of 8 day Swiss Travel Pass (STP). There is no need to buy tickets. But the mountains trip, such as Jungfraujoch and Grindelwald-First, only get 25% discount. Worst than the Swiss Half Fare Card (SHFC) with 50% discount. And STP might not cover all the trains in Jungfrau region. Am I right?

I was wondering combing SHFC with SBB Mobile app, will I get the convenience of buying tickets on the go using the app? Using the app as the eTicket?

After Switzerland, I will be heading to Colmar (France), Luxembourg, Brussels (Belgium), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Frankfurt (Germany). Very likely will get a Eurorail Pass. Just found out that Eurorail Pass might get me free ride for Lake Thun and Lake Brienz cruise.

[rockoyster]

Reply 4 of 12 • 21 August 2019 at 20:53:46 #920581

I was wondering combing SHFC with SBB Mobile app, will I get the convenience of buying tickets on the go using the app? Using the app as the eTicket?

Sure, provided you have internet access (for buying, but not displaying, tickets). Have you considered http://www.myswissalps.com/re gionalpassberneseoberl and? Will get you from Luzern to Grindelwald and from Grindelwald to Bern on your way out.

Tricky isn’t it? Hence the spreadsheet. 😉

If you want convenience than get the STP and go to Schilthorn instead of Jungfraujoch.

[User]

Reply 5 of 12 • 22 August 2019 at 4:58:13 #920582

Thanks rockoyster for pointing out the Regional-Pass Bernese Oberland (BO). How did I miss it??

The convenience with STP does not really fit my itinery as I stay/travel mostly in the Jungfrau/BO region. With STP, I still need to buy tickets, despite with some discount. It is as good as the SHFC. In fact, the SHFC will get better discount. A pass, like BO or JTP, will give me the convenience not show pass and board the train/cable/boat, except a few exclusions that apply to every pass/card.

It seems that the 6 days BO CHF 310 (CHF 235 discounted fare with STP/SHFC) seems to cover all my trips except day 1 : Zurich airport to Lucerne CHF 30 (CHF 15 with SHFC). The BO will cover my boat ride from Lucerne to Alpnachstad, Lucerne to Grindelwald and Grindelwald to Bern on my way out.

So, it will be a choice between

• option 1: BO + single ticket on day 1: 310+30=340
• option 2: BO + SHFC 235+115+15 = 365.

It seems like option 2 is an better choice, right? CHF 25 more to get SHFC?

[User]

Reply 6 of 12 • 22 August 2019 at 7:03:21 #920583

Hi tonylim,

Make sure you check the validity of the rail pass you’ll choose. You mentioned: “But the mountains trip, such as Jungfraujoch and Grindelwald-First, only get 25% discount.” — this is not totally true in this form, as it is only the Jungfraujoch, where you get 25%, for the other mountain tops you’ll receive 50%: Swiss Travel Pass even grants free traveling to the Schilthorn whereas the Swiss Half Fare Card doesn’t.

You can check the validity of the Swiss Travel Pass (http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass/validity) and the Swiss Half Fare Card (http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isshalffarecard/validi ty). Be aware that Swiss Travel Pass also includes more things for free, like to museum entrances (what can be handy in case of big rain).

The Swiss Travel Pass gives you more flexibility if you change your plan while already traveling; you just hop off and hop on to an other train, you will not lose the already purchased ticket as with Swiss Travel Pass you do not need to buy it at all. 🙂

I do not understand, you will have an Eurail Global Pass (http://www.myswissalps.com/eu railglobalpass) after Switzerland, or already in Switzerland? As if you will have it already in Switzerland it might not worth to buy any other passes here: http://www.myswissalps.com/eu railglobalpass/validit y. If you are looking for a separate pass for Switzerland, the Regional-Pass Bernese Oberland (http://www.myswissalps.com/re gionalpassberneseoberl and/validity) seems to be a good option, as rockoyster suggested to you.

You can check these too:

• Our suggested resellers of the Regional-Pass Bernese Oberland: http://www.myswissalps.com/re gionalpassberneseoberl and/price and the Swiss Half Fare Card:http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isshalffarecard/price and the Eurail Global Pass: http://www.myswissalps.com/eu railglobalpass/price
• Jungfrau region: http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion
• Lake Lucerne region: http://www.myswissalps.com/la kelucerne
• Zurich: http://www.myswissalps.com/zu rich

[rockoyster]

Reply 7 of 12 • 22 August 2019 at 7:24:46 #920584

Hello Tony,

The BO will cover my boat ride from Lucerne to Alpnachstad

No it won’t. Did you check the legend on the validity map? Grey lines are NOT covered. So no discounts at all for Pilatus with the RPBO.

The SHFC will sure come in handy for Pilatus and Bern to Grindelwald on your way to Colmar.

Sometimes comparison of the pricing options defies logic.

[User]

Reply 8 of 12 • 22 August 2019 at 10:38:36 #920585

Yes rockoyster, you are right, thank you for pointing that out! 🙂

Regional-Pass Bernese Oberland, does not cover any boat ride on Lake Lucerne. It only covers on Lake Brienz and Lake Thun: https://www.myswissalps.com/regionalpassberneseoberland/validity. Please download the map to see it.

[User]

Reply 9 of 12 • 22 August 2019 at 13:40:14 #920586

Hello Ildiko,

I will get a Eurorail Global Pass (EGP) for my remaining trips outside Switzerland, Day 7-17 (Sep05-Sep15), 11 days. I thought the EGP will not cover well in Switzerland, especially in the BO/Jungfrau areas. That’s why I exclude EGP for my Switzerland consideration. Or should I consider EGP?

1. 10 days within 2 months : EUR 399
2. 15 days within 2 months : EUR 491
3. 15 days : EUR 441
4. 22 days: EUR 515 (cover Switzerland)

[User]

Reply 10 of 12 • 22 August 2019 at 15:38:58 #920587

According to the validity map (you can download it from here: http://www.myswissalps.com/eu railglobalpass/validit y), Eurail Global Pass gives you 25% discount from Interlaken to Jungfraujoch, and the train to Interlaken is for free. Check the map, the solid red line means it is for free, the dotted with a circle around the name 25%. It is true, Eurail Global Pass doesn’t provide great coverage in this area, so maybe getting a separate rail pass for Switzerland seems to be a good decision.

I guess you should make a calculation, it is easier if you use the spreadsheet from here: http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass

[User]

Reply 11 of 12 • 24 August 2019 at 2:31:27 #920588

Thanks Ildiko for your reply.

I initially didn’t want to use the spreadsheet at first. Didn’t want to work to the so much details. For convenience of ticket-less (using a Pass), don’t mind spend a little more, CHF 10-20. But, taking all of your advises, I go back to spreadsheet.

Adding Eurail Global Pass (EGP) into the picture complicates the whole calculation. So, I will going to just get the EGP for post Switzerland trips.

STP ticket-less does not work very well in the itinerary (jungraujoch/Bernese Oberland areas) I have. In fact, it is most expensive option if you visit Jungfraujoch (CH137.40, Grindelwald-Wengen). SHFC+JTP gives the cheapest option (CHF61). SHFC+RPBO comes in the middle (CHF99). And Grindelwald First, CHF30 fro STP, free for JTP/RPBO.

Given that I have 5D4N in Grindelwald, it is quite likely I might explore beyond Jungfrau region into Bernese Oberland region, such Schilthorn or Niesen. With these two added, SHFC+RPBO is only CHF0.60 more. It seems like this might be a better (convenience and flexibility) option. What do you think?

Attached is the image of my spreadsheet. The color indicate the card/pass I will use. SFHC (Red) is a must with JTP(Yellow)/RPBO(Orange). For example:

• Zurich Aiport – Lucerne, Red code under JTP & RPBO means I will use SHFC to pay for it.
• Lake Thun & Lake Brienz cruise, Orange/Yellow means I will use JTP/RPBO.
• Stechelberg – Murren – Schilthorn (return),

1. if I have JTP, I will use SHFC to get 50%;
2. if I have RPBO, I will use RPBO get free Murren-Schilthorn (return) and use SHFC/RPBO to get 50% for Stechelberg.

Attachments:

1. 

   ed9c1912-1ae3-4c2f-b7e3-22512c71d7ba.jpg
   

[Annika]

Reply 12 of 12 • 24 August 2019 at 6:13:54 #920589

Hi Tonylim! A Swiss Half Fare Card (http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isshalffarecard) plus a regional pass might work out well for your plans indeed. If you favor this combination, I would personally advise the Regional-Pass Bernese Oberland (http://www.myswissalps.com/re gionalpassberneseoberl and) over the Jungfrau Travel Pass (http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrautravelpass), as it covers a much larger area and thus provides more flexibility to add or change day trips while you’re on the move.

I had a look at your spreadsheet, but I don’t understand all numbers there. Your prices for the Jungfraujoch with both regional passes don’t seem to be correct. You’d pay an additional CHF 61 for a Jungfraujoch return trip with a Jungfrau Travel Pass and CHF 99 with a Regional-Pass Bernese Oberland, as listed at http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfraujoch/tickets. Also, there are no prices mentioned for the discounted Mürren-Schilthorn trip with the Jungfrau Travel Pass: it still lists CHF 0 there. I also see negative numbers added, which confuses me a bit. I’m afraid your calculation outcome isn’t reliable (yet), but of course I may be misunderstanding your sheet.

What exactly to you man with “if I have JTP, I will use SHFC to get 50%”? To which trip are you referring? And you wrote “if I have RPBO, I will use RPBO get free Murren-Schilthorn (return) and use SHFC/RPBO to get 50% for Stechelberg”. The Regional-Pass will cover free traveling from and to Stechelberg, so there’s no need for a 50% discount there. The trip Mürren-Schilthorn, on the other hand, would NOT be free with this combination.