Swiss Travel Pass vs. Regional Bernese Oberland?
A traveler named Crspringer96 is planning a trip to Switzerland in early September, focusing on Interlaken and Lucerne, with a day in Zurich. They want advice on whether to buy both the Swiss Travel Pass and the Regional Pass Bernese Oberland, and if there are cancellation options for advance purchases.
- Get the Regional Pass Bernese Oberland for unlimited access to the region's public transport and discounts on excursions, including free boat trips on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz.
- If you plan to travel extensively across Switzerland, consider the Swiss Travel Pass as a better option.
- For a single trip from Lucerne to Zurich, buying a point-to-point ticket is often cheaper than a rail pass.
AI-generated summary-
Hello! We will be going to Switzerland in early September. We will mainly be in Interlaken and Lucerne with one day in Zurich before flying home. We want to take many cog rail trips up the mountains to do many excursions while we are in Interlaken and we want to take lake trips when we are in Lucerne. We also want to travel between the cities via train (we won’t have a car). So, my question is, do we need BOTH the Swiss Travel Pass AND the Regional Pass Bernese Oberland, or would the Swiss Travel Pass cover everything well enough? Also, with COVID still unsure in the future, is there a cancellation/refund possible if we purchase either in advance? Thank you for all your advice and guidance!
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Hi Crspringer96,
Welcome to MySwissAlps.
It seems like you’ll be based mainly in the Bernese Oberland region. In that case, the Regional Pass Berner Oberland would be perfect for your trip as it gives you unlimited access to public transport throughout the region and discounted travelling for many excursions. This includes free boat trips on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. The same pass is valid on the train from Interlaken (or anywhere within the validity area) to Lucerne, however it won’t work for boat trips on Lake Lucerne. The free and discounted traveling is shown clearly in the validity map which you can download here: http://www.myswissalps.com/regionalpassberneseoberland/validity. Purchase options are available here: http://www.myswissalps.com/regionalpassberneseoberland/price. Some resellers provide free cancellation up to 4 business days before travel.
From Zurich to Lucerne, you can get a point-to-point ticket for CHF30 or cheaper if you get a Supersaver ticket. Another option is to get a Saver Day Pass for unlimited travelling throughout the day. Please find further details about point-to-point tickets here: http://www.myswissalps.com/traintickets/switzerland
If you plan to travel a lot across Switzerland and not just within the Bernese Oberland, then getting the Swiss Travel Pass may be the best option.
Hope this gets you going.
Regards,
Anna
We are also looking at the same type itinerary, needing only the segment Lucerne to Zurich in addition to the Oberland Travel Pass. Would it be beneficial to purchase the Swiss Half Price card to cover this as it appears the Half Price card also gives you a discount on the purchase of the Oberland Travel Pass? It does get confusing sometimes when trying to make choices. Thanks!
Hi teensy,
The Swiss Half Fare Card costs CHF120 and is valid for a month. This card is certainly practical if you plan a lot of travelling and excursions. But it’s probably not the best option if it’s just to pay for a single trip such as Lucerne to Zurich. In this case, getting a point-to-point ticket may be cheaper than a railpass. More details about point-to-point tickets here: http://www.myswissalps.com/traintickets/switzerland
If you have more questions regarding railpasses, you can post it in a new thread here: http://www.myswissalps.com/forum/rail
Regards,
Anna
When reading over the information on you site concerning the price of the Bernese Oberland Pass , it states that you get a 35% discounts when you are traveling with a Half Price Card. Would this not save a lot of money on the purchase price of a multiday Oberland Pass (perhaps 10 days)? Am I reading this incorrectly? Thanks for your clarification.
Hi Teensy,
Yes, that’s correct. However whether it’s worth it to buy the Swiss Half Fare Card for that depends on how expensive the Regional-Pass Bernese Oberland is that you have in mind. On the 6-day pass you would save CHF 115, for example. So, that’s almost break-even. With the Lucerne-Zurich ticket added, you would break even or save a bit.
You can check prices with and without a Swiss Half Fare Card here: https://shop.switzerlandtravelcentre.com/#/en/overview/regionalPasses
Thank you. So it seems from what I see, that on a 10 day ticket, it would be advantageous to purchase the Half Fare Card first.
Thank you! That is great information and I appreciate it!
Yes, in your case that’s best. You can buy both passes from the linked website.
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