Zurich, Jungfrau region, Milan in March – car or railpass for family?
Justin and his wife are planning a trip to Zurich and then exploring Switzerland before heading to Italy with their two daughters. They plan to stay for a few days in March, visiting Lucerne, Interlaken, and nearby areas, and are deciding between using the Swiss Travel Pass or the Berner Oberland Pass for their travels.
- Invest in the Swiss Travel Pass for convenient access across Switzerland, especially for the route from Zurich to Lucerne and to Italy.
- The Swiss Travel Pass offers free travel on Lake Lucerne boats and discounts on mountain excursions like Schilthorn and First.
- For mid-March, check accessibility as some attractions may be closed; consider visiting Thun as a scenic option.
- Opt for public transport over renting a car; Switzerland has a reliable and efficient transport system.
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I must say that your website is a Godsend. I have been researching this trip for a while and am about to have my head explode as it is so confusing trying to figure out all the various options of things to do and ways to get around. Thank you for all you are doing.
My Wife and I are Planning a trip to Italy (Bergamo) to visit my sister. Decided to bring along our 2 daughters (18 and 22) and it has now become a “stop in Switzerland” because why not trip. My daughter will soon graduate high school and this has been a dream of hers. March 20 – arrive in Zurich and stay one night in downtown, above the Aelpli Bar (interesting?). March 21 head to Lucerne. Maybe a boat ride here on the Lake and up to Pilatus. Then catch the Lucerne-Interlaken express (heard this was amazing, especially on the Right side). Stay the next 3 nights at a basecamp in Gsteigwiler (between Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen). Found a great deal on an AirBnB there. We want to explore that region – Wengen, Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald etc. Probably do the trams up to the Schilthorn. Perhaps Grindelwald First. We also want to make a trip over up to Bern possibly and then on the 24th or 25th head to Italy towards Milan and Bergamo. We considered renting a car but I am thinking one of these passes (Swiss Travel Pass or the Berner Oberland Pass) might just make more sense. I just can’t make up my mind which one. I know the STP will help me get from the Zurich airport to Downtown and then to Lucerne but once I am in Lucerne I feel like the BOP makes the most sense as it does most of the area we will be. I do think the STP may help me get further towards Italy as well when we get to that stage. Any thoughts or suggestions? Also, open to ideas of other things to do in these areas and no clue what mid March allows for some of these activities. I really would appreciate any feedback mainly on Car vs STP or BOP. Thanks in advance for any help. We are so excited to visit. Justin🇨🇭 The official SBB tourist webshop✓ Discounts for passholders ✓ Instant email delivery ✓ Free cancellation option
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Hello JDog
Welcome to MySwissAlps
Thank you for sharing your very interesting plans with us. And thank you for the kind comments about the website, which I only discovered seven moths ago! (I have been visiting Switzerland regularly ever since 1971!)
One Point of Terminology
It is better not to refer to aerial cable cars as ‘trams’. In all European languages, including mine – British English – the word ‘tram’ means what North Americans would call a ‘streetcar’. You will see ‘trams’ running on the streets of many European Cities, including both Zurich and Milan. Buses drawing electricity from overhead wires (you will see them in Zurich, Lucerne and Milan) are called trolleybuses.
Invest in Swiss Travel Passes (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-travel-pass/)
You are going to do a lot of travelling within Switzerland as a whole, especially on the day you leave for Milan/Bergamo. Invest in six-day STPs. (Your daughters can get the cheaper ‘Youth’ version.) Note that the STP gives you free travel on the Lake Lucerne boats, and on the mountain lines up the Rigi, but not to Pilatus. (Only 50% discount).
As you have realised, there is a considerable overlap between the STP and the BOP. Now I will be very interested in what others think, but I would say do not get a BOP (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/berner-oberland-pass/ ) but perhaps buy a Jungfrau Travel Pass (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/jungfrau-travel-pass/) . Details of the JTP are on this website. Note that the STP will give you free travel to Murren and Wengen, and a 50% discount on the cable cars to First and Schilthorn. It gives only 25% discount Wengen to Jungfraujoch. The JTP gives free travel to FIRST. A bigger discount to Jungfraujoch. But no discount to Schilthorn.
Interlaken to Milan
As your sister has probably already told you, there are two possible routes. There is the Simplon route via Domodossola and the Gotthard route via Bellinzona and CHIASSO.
However train services on the Simplon route are currently very badly disrupted by engineering work on the many tunnels on that line. Go as follows.
On March 25th get the 08 04 or 09 04 train back to Lucerne. Get the 11 18 TRENO GOTTARD0 bound for Locarno. This a very scenic ride along the old (1882) railway. You arrive Locarno at 14 27. Get the Locarno station booking office to sell you tickets from CHIASSO to Bergamo via Milano Centrale. Get the 15 22 RE80 ‘TILO’ train to Milano Centrale, arrive 17 17. (Your STPs are valid as far as Chiasso.) Get any local train from Milan to Bergamo.
Do not Rent a Car
Switzerland has the best public transport system in the world, and the STP gives you the freedom of that system. You cannot drive to either Wengen or Murren. Little Gsteigwiler has a bus every 30 minutes, 365-days-a-year.
Best wishes
Roger
Roger, Thank you for your quick feedback. Appreciate the terminology on the Cable Cars. I certainly can not afford to buy the STP in conjunction with the BOP or JTP. I guess I am still confused as to which of the 3 makes the most sense. Leaning towards the STP simply based on the Zurich stretch to Lucerne as well as the need to get to Italy on the 25th. I guess we will just have to make some decisions as to what Mountain excursions we want to pay extra for. Regarding the Pilatus – you mentioned a boat ride on Lake Lucerne as well as a line up the “Rig”? Can you be more specific as I do think we will try to make it to Pilatus. Thanks again.
Hello again JDog
Passes Just tailor your travel plans around the fact that you will ONLY have STPs and nothing else.
Boats on Lake Lucerne (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/boat-lake-lucerne/). These run all year round and are free with the STP.
Mount RIGI (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/rigi/). This is a mountain on the north side of the lake. There is a splendid view from the top. It became fashionable back in the 19th century. Mark Twain once got lost trying to walk up the mountain! There are two cog-wheel railways up this mountain, one from Vitznau and the other from Arth-Goldau. Both lines run all-year-round and are FREE with the STP. From Lucerne you get to Vitznau by boat; to Arth-Goldau you go by train.
Mount Pilatus (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/pilatus/) This mountain is very close to Lucerne city. The cog-wheel railway from Alpnachstad does not run in the winter. To go up Pilatus in March you have to take the cable cars from the Lucerne suburb of Kriens. You get to Kriens on the number one trolleybus. The trolleybus is free with the STP. But for the cable cars you get only a 50% discount.
Best wishes
Roger
Thanks again. Valuable feedback. I like the idea of just picking STP and making plans around that. I am doing that now. One confusion I have is the Lucerne-Interlaken Express. I feel that I saw some sites state that you need the STP flex to take this route and others state simply the STP is sufficient? I thought the flex just allowed you to skip a day of travel for instance and relax.
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Both the STP and the STP flex are valid on the Luzern-Interlaken Express
Roger
Roger did you by chance mean Lugano and not Locarno? Lugano seems to be a more direct path to Chiasso?
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Hello again JDog
In my Reply 1 I wrote
On March 25th get the 08 04 or 09 04 train back to Lucerne. Get the 11 18 TRENO GOTTARD0 bound for Locarno. This a very scenic ride along the old (1882) railway. You arrive Locarno at 14 27. Get the Locarno station booking office to sell you tickets from CHIASSO to Bergamo via Milano Centrale. Get the 15 22 RE80 ‘TILO’ train to Milano Centrale, arrive 17 17. (Your STPs are valid as far as Chiasso.) Get any local train from Milan to Bergamo.There is no error in this paragraph. I wrote the word ‘Locarno’ three times. I gave the correct time of arrival at Locarno, and the correct time of departure, though I could have added that the RE80 trains run every hour.
There are several reasons for my choice of this routing.
It gives you more scenery for your STP money. In particular you get views of Lake Maggiore. Locarno itself is a pleasant quite SMALL town.
This routing gives you a 55 minute break in the middle of what is quite a long day of travelling.
The station at Locarno is compact and you do not have to haul your luggage through a subway.
It has a booking office which will be able to sell you the tickets from Chiasso to Bergamo via Milano.
There is time to get something to eat.
The TILO train is unlikely to be busy when it leaves Locarno. You will have the pick of the seats. I would sit at the front of the train on the right hand side.You could get to Milan earlier by getting off the Treno Gottardo at the very busy station of BELLINZONA. The Treno Gottardo reaches Bellinzona at 14 00. There is a fast Eurocity train leaving Bellinzona at 14 14 and arriving Milano Centrale at 15 50. BUT, and it is a big BUT, this train will be crowded, and seat reservation is compulsory. If you select this routing, get your seat reservation and Chiasso-Bergamo tickets from the booking office at LUCERNE.
Another possibility would be to get off the Treno Gottardo at 14 12 at the small country station of Cadenazzo. Wait there for 27 minutes and take the 14 39 RE80 train to Milan. arriving there at 16 17. If you select this routing, get your Chiasso-Bergamo tickets from the booking office at LUCERNE.
PHEW! I can think of yet another possibility. Do you really want it?
RogerBest wishes
Roger
Roger. Thanks so much for all the valuable feedback. Very much appreciated. I think we will go the Locarno route as suggested.
Hi Justin,
Lots of helpful advice from Roger.
In regard to the best rail pass for your trip. The only way to be sure is to carry out the maths. Many members of the forum use our “How to choose a rail pass” guide. There is a downloadable spreadsheet you can use. Based on daily activities the best rail pass is thereon displayed. It does require some time but it may give you a peace of mind. Here’s the link:
For additional activity ideas, perhaps you can share some of your interests or take a look at our activities section.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
Thank you Yolanda for your input. I tried to download the spreadsheet for choosing a rail pass. It seemed to go to a zip folder and I could not unzip it? Also, since we are coming in March I realize that this is somewhat a slow season and not all attractions are open. I saw that access to Schilthorn is closed but may open March 15. I see a boat trip on Lake Brienz is closed but Thun may be available. Looks like Harder Kulm, Harder Funnicular and Schynige Platte railway are closed. Anything else of major significance in the Bernese Oberland area closed that I should know about? Thanks for all your help.
Hello again Jdog
Non-runners in March Add Pfingstegg (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/pfingstegg/), Brienzer Rothorn (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/brienzer-rothorn/), Niederhorn (after 9th March), Stockhorn (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/stockhorn/) to the list of non-runners.
Lines which run throughout March Jungfraujoch (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/jungfraujoch/) and the various lines which feed into it.; both routes to Murren; both lines to Mannlichen; FIRST, Allmendhubel
Boats on Lake Thun (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/boat-lake-thun/). There is one sailing a day. Leaves Thun at 11 40; returns from Interlaken WEST at 14 10. The voyage (one-way) takes two hours and ten minutes. Suggest you go to Thun on the number 21 bus along the north shore of the lake. Come back on the 11 40 boat. (Or go on the boat to Thun and come back on the bus!)
Best wishes Roger.
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Roger. As always, thanks a ton. This is super helpful about Thun. The Thun Caslte was on my list of options to see. Perhaps we take the 21 bus as suggested, Check out the town of Thun and catch the boat back to Int West. Thanks again.
I tried to look at the timetable for the Thun sailing. Having never seen one before I am a bit confused. I do see the 1140 out of Thun. You mention the option to sail out of Interlaken West to Thun? What time does that boat embark? I think we may prefer to sail to Thun, hang out in Thun and then take a bus back to Interlaken West for less time constraints.
Hello again JDog.
On reflection, I would adopt the plan you set out in the last sentence of your reply 13. The boat from Interlaken West to Thun leaves at 14 10 and reaches Thun at 16 20. The next 21 BUS back to Interlaken (and the last one in daylight) is at 17 02 arrives Interlaken West at 17 50, Ost at 17 58. (If you were to miss this bus, there are trains every 30 minutes running along the south shore of the lake.)Best wishes for your detailed planning.
Best wishes
Roger
Quick question about money. I’m planning on just using mostly credit card while in Switzerland. Does it make sense to have some dollars and francs just in case and is it best to exchange over there or here before I go?
Hi JDog,
Payment by credit card is widely accepted here. However it’s good to have some cash and small change (Swiss Francs) if you are visiting any small villages or remote. areas. You can find further information here: https://www.myswissalps.com/planning/practical/swiss-franc/
Regards,
Anna
Roger. I had a question about the return trip from Lucerne to Chiasso. You mentioned it to take the Treno Gottardo. I wondered about taking the Gottard panorama express ? Or is it the same thing? If not, why would you choose one over the other. It appears they take the same path, but maybe it is the same thing just looking for clarification. Thank you.
Hello again JDog
The Gotthard Panorama Express is a luxury express, first class only, heavy reservation charge, once a day SUMMER ONLY. Treno Gottardo is an ordinary Swiss train which runs 365-days a year to serve the string of towns and villages on the old 1882 Gotthard main line. From Lucerne/Luzern they leave at 07 18, 09 18, 11 18, 13 18 and so on. If you wanted to do the trip leaving at (say) 10 18 or 12 18, you could, but you would have to change at Arth-Goldau. (The train you leave Lucerne on would be going through the definitely unscenic BASE tunnel.)
Kind regards
Roger
Treno Gottardo it is then. Thanks again. Super helpful.
Hi JDog,
You can read about the differences under “Other train options to travel on the same route” in the link below:
Have a great trip.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
(PS. Did you manage to download the spreadsheet in the end for the calculations? I just tried and it opened immediately).
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