[Anonymous]

9 July 2018 at 14:06:44 #817174

Hi

I am a bit confused between the Swiss travel pass or Swiss Half Fare card. My trip in Switzerland is for 9 days & I would be travelling in Trains for eight consecutive days. This trip covers Lucerne, Interlaken and Zurich and the total cost difference between the Swiss Travel pass and Swiss Half Fare Card Is CHF180 for two adults. Attached is the excel file showing the workings

I have considered the local travel by train, trams, buses within the cities / towns and also I haven’t considered any Boat rides on lakes. We would doing a minimum of two -three boat rides

So is it worth to spend CHF 90 extra per person and cover all the boat rides and travel within cities / towns with the convenience of Swiss Travel pass

OR

Should I buy the Swiss Half Fare card? I know I can book tickets at the ticket dispensing machines or buy the tickets online with the Swiss Half Fare Card. If I buy the tickets online do I need to print them before travel or a soft copy of the ticket will be accepted by the ticket controllers?

It would also help me decide if I can get the price of Boat rides on Lake Lucerne, Brienz, Thun and Zurich

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[User]

Reply 1 of 11 • 9 July 2018 at 18:48:58 #890904

I have been in Switzerland for 17 days with five more to go. We had the half fare pass and felt we got our moneys worth. However, I am travelling with us with a Swiss speaking family member (Who no longer lives in Switzerland) and we still found it difficult to purchase the correct tickets easily and understand the entire transit system. For instance, in Zurich we were staying in a different ‘zone’ than the centre of the city which required a different ticket, For 90CHF pp, I would strongly suggest you simplify things and get the full pass.

That’s just me-it would have reduced my stress!

Helene

[User]

Reply 2 of 11 • 10 July 2018 at 5:34:58 #890905

Hi Dvk1971,

Yes, often the Swiss Travel Pass is worth the extra cost due to the increased flexibility and often ticket-lesstravel as Helen notes. https://www.myswissalp s.com/swisstravelpass/ price

The Swiss railways timetable gives you pricing for all trips, including boats. You just need to know the boat stops to enter in the timetable (Lucerne see to Flüelen see) for example. https://www.myswissalp s.com/timetable

You can also find tickets prices links to each lake cruises website on our web pages here: https://www.myswissalp s.com/activities/sceni ctrips/boat – click the boat trip you want and click on the ticket tab.

If you do buy the Swiss Half Fare Card in the end (https://www.myswissalp s.com/swisshalffarecar d/price) it is easiest to get the SBB app and buy your tickets there. If you buy them online on your computer you’ll need to print the tickets.

[User]

Reply 3 of 11 • 10 July 2018 at 6:26:57 #890906

Thanks Lucas & Helene for the valuable feedback. Really appreciate all the support that I have got from all the lovely people on MySwissAlps.com

Regards

Deepak

[User]

Reply 4 of 11 • 10 July 2018 at 8:22:08 #890907

Thanks Lucas.

I had a couple of queries

We are citizens of India with Indian passports, currently residing in Oman. So I have filled country of residence as Oman in the Swiss Travel Pass (STP) while filling the details for STP for all three of us . The format asked for country of residence and since we are currently residing in Oman, I filled the same as Oman. Now The Swiss Travel pass reflect country as Oman along with the right name and passport number for all three of us. Hope that is not a problem as we have residence visas of Oman stamped on ll our passports which can be shown to the ticket controller

Also wanted to know whether we need to carry our original passports along with the Swiss Travel pass or the copy of the passport is ok?

Thanks

Regards

Deepak

[Arno]

Reply 5 of 11 • 10 July 2018 at 8:44:36 #890908

Hi Deepak,

Normally you want the country on your Swiss Travel Pass to be the same as the one on your passport. But I recently learned in a similar case that it is more important that the passport number and traveler names on the rail pass and passport are identical, so it should be fine. Be sure to carry your original passports. Copies are not a valid ID, but they’re a good backup of course.

[User]

Reply 6 of 11 • 10 July 2018 at 8:47:05 #890909

Thanks Arno. Appreciate your quick response

Regards

Deepak

[User]

Reply 7 of 11 • 10 July 2018 at 13:59:52 #890910

Hi, I have the same confusion here – Swiss Travel Pass vs Half Fare Pass vs Eurail (select 2 countries) Pass or none at all. I have also done up the cost calculation however I have problem understanding the valid coverage for each pass mentioned and thus the calculation will not be accurate. Desperately hoping someone can help clarify.

Non-consecutive days; main bulk of travels are as follows;

• Day 1 – Frankfurt Airport – Koln (single) (regional train)
• Day 2 – Koln – Berlin (single)
• Day 3 – Berlin – Zurich (via nightjet) (single)
• Day 4 – Zurich Main – Lucerne (single)
• Day 5 – Lucerne – Interlaken Ost (single)
• Day 5 – Interlaken Ost – Zweisimmen (return)
• Day 6 – Interlaken Ost – Grindelwald (return)
• Day 6 – Interlaken Ost – Lucern (Single)
• Day 7 – Lucerne – Zurich Airport (single)

Thank you!

Aileen

[User]

Reply 8 of 11 • 10 July 2018 at 16:02:59 #890911

Hi Aileen,

What is your confusion on the coverage areas for the different rail passes? Let us know and we can explain better and get you the correct link to see everything clearly.

If you aren’t going into the mountains at all and just the trips mentioned above, A Eurail Pass Select, 2 country pass is probably the best…

You can find links to buy that pass here: https://www.myswissalp s.com/eurailselectpass /price

and see the PDF map for coverage areas on this pass here: https://www.myswissalp s.com/eurailselectpass /validity

[User]

Reply 9 of 11 • 11 July 2018 at 6:35:17 #890912

Hi Lucas, thanks for your prompt reply. Sorry, let me be more specific…

If I were to purchase the Eurail Pass Select 2 Country Pass, how many of these 9 trips mentioned are included just by using this one Pass alone?

I was thinking, for example, Day 3 (Berlin to Zurich via nightjet) and Day 5/6/7 Golden Line Route, do I still need to buy separate pass or pay extra fare again to travel for these 2 routes?

If the Eurail Pass does not cover the above 2 routes, I thought I will be better off just buying the Swiss Pass or Swiss half fare (since i know for sure, they cover my Day 5/6/7 Golden Line Route) and buy separately another Nightjet sleeper train since there’s no discounted fare with any pass?

Of course if the Eurail Pass covers my nightjet on day 3 and Golden Line route on day 5/6/7, that would be superb!!! =) However, when i try to purchase the Nightjet ticket online, I could not find any of these discount passes (Swiss/Eurail) mentioned which I could use.

[User]

Reply 10 of 11 • 11 July 2018 at 10:12:50 #890913

>> when i try to purchase the Nightjet ticket online, I could not find any of these discount passes (Swiss/Eurail) mentioned which I could use.

Please see the following page:

http://www.nightjet.com/en/bu chung/tarifinformation en.html

It says:

Holders of Interrail or Eurail tickets require a seat reservation in their desired category to travel on ÖBB Nightjet trains. These “Pass” tickets are available at the ticket counter or through the ÖBB Customer Service at +43 5 1717.

Alpenrose

[User]

Reply 11 of 11 • 11 July 2018 at 14:23:41 #890914

You can use the map on my link for the Eurail Select Pass on my last post to see all routes that are covered. All your noted routes are covered except, as Alpenrose notes, the Nightjet.