Swiss Travel Pass vs Half Fare Card+Jungfrau Pass
Matthew is planning a week-long trip to Switzerland from May 19-25, focusing on scenic train routes and visiting locations like Wengen and Jungfraujoch. He's evaluating rail pass options for savings on his travel and seeks insights on whether his calculations are correct. After researching, his cheapest option seems to be combining the Swiss Half Fare Card with discounted tickets for selective travel.
- Consider using the Swiss Half Fare Card for substantial savings on tickets while being flexible with pricing.
- Be aware that SuperSaver and Saver Day Pass prices vary and may not be available on your travel dates.
- Monitor potential seasonal promotions for the Swiss Travel Pass, especially in April, to check for additional savings.
AI-generated summary-
Hello,
I’m hoping for a sanity check on my best options for a rail pass/tickets during my May 19-25 trip.
My plans are as follows (more or less):
Day 1 – Bernina Express – Tirano – Chur – Zurich HB (1st class)
Day 2 – Zurich
Day 3 – Zurich – Wengen
Day 4 – Wengen – Grindelwald
Day 4 – Grindelwald – Grindelwald First
Day 4 – Grindelwald – Wengen
Day 4 – Wengen – Lauterbrunnen Round Trip
Day 5 – Wengen – Jungfraujoch Round Trip
Day 6 – Wengen – Schilthorn Round Trip
Day 7 – Wengen – Zurich Airport
Using the rail ticket planning spreadsheet, I looked at 3 main options:
(1) Swiss Travel Pass (8 days) – 2nd class (upgrade to 1st for Bernina Express)
(2) Swiss Half Fare Card
(3) Swiss Half Fare Card + (Swiss Day Pass/Super Saver for non-Jungfrau travel) + Jungfrau Travel Card (for Jungfrau Travel)
Prices are not available for my actual days of travel (too far out) so I used alternate dates for a ball park.
My calculations show that the cheapest option is #3, followed by #2 and then #1. #2 and #3 are pretty close actually.
The STP is not as beneficial as the Jungfraujoch discount is only 25% vs 50% with the other 2 and most of my travel is regional so the prices are not that high anyway. And I would have to pay additional for a 1st class upgrade on the Bernina Express as well.
The drawback to #2 and #3 would be having to buy my own tickets along the way.
Without seeing actual numbers, does this seem right? Is there another option I should check out?
Thanks in advance.
Matthew
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Hi Matthew,
It’s good that you have done your research. Based on your travel plans, option 3 certainly looks like the most cost-effective choice if you don’t mind buying tickets for each journey. With the Swiss Half Fare Card you can purchase cheaper Saver Day Pass and Supersaver tickets and make even more substantial savings.
For your information, there will be a spring promotion on the Swiss Travel Pass in mid April. You can find the details here: http://www.myswissalps.com/forum/topic/the-swiss-travel-pass-spring-2023-promotion
Not sure if this will make any differences to your calculations but just thought you’d like to know.
regards,
Anna
Hi Matthew!
Just a quick warning that you shouldn’t count on low Supersaver ticket and Saver Day Pass prices when calculating. For both products, availability is not guaranteed and prices vary. Such discounted prices you see in the timetable only count for that specific travel date/time, and only if you buy it right now. The offer can be changed (or gone) later.
So your calculations should always be based on the regular ticket fares. If those are what you used for your calculations, the outcome should be totally reliable. If not, you may need to re-check. The paragraphs “How to find standard ticket prices” at https://www.myswissalps.com/timetable may help in that case.
Thanks Arno (and Anna),
Understood about the SuperSaver and Saver Day passes, that they may not be available on my dates. My #2 option (using just the Half Fare Card) is essentially that calculation (1/2 of the full fare price).
As I further analyze this, I think the best and cheapest option is to just use the Half Fare Card, and take advantage of any SuperSaver or Saver Day Passes should they come up. I actually don’t think I would get the full value (145 CHF with HF card) from a Jungfrau Travel Pass I am only there 3 days or it would be break-even at best depending on how many trips I take. Fortunately, I have time to decide still.
Thanks so much for the advice.
Matthew
Hello Matthew,
Glad to hear all is coming together in regard to your travel pass/ticket plans. I include some links for your reading :
Just a note, in regard to the Saver Day Passes, these ought to be purchased as early as possible.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
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