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Hello,
We are in the middle of finalizing our plan for Swiss trip this coming September. We will be there for 8 days. Half of the trip we will stay at Adelboden area and the other half we will stay at Vitznau. We are renting a car as we would like to have a freedom of schedule and no worried about dragging a luggage. However we realize that certain places that we would like to visit may not reachable by car. And we also think to have one relaxing day taking scenic route train. We are contemplating if its worth the money to get the Swiss half fare card or even the Swiss rail pass. We have been trying to research for the full ticket price, but since we don’t really know the area (the departure or arrival train station) we didn’t really find a clue to compare the price. We would like to get your wise input in this matter if its possible. Here are some of the places would like to see:
Jungfraujoch
Grindelwald
Lauterbrunnen
Schynige Platte
Berne
Gstadd
Mt Rigi
Mt Tittlis
Thank you Thank you so much for your kind help to this clueless traveler who is so excited to go see the beautiful Switzerland! 🙂
Regards, Angie
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Hi Angie,
If you use the timetable and input Jungfraujoch or Mt. Titlis for example it will tell you the name of the train stop (often just the name of the mountain or village) so you can find prices.
You can find details about each mountain trip, and explanations on how to get there on our what to do page here. Just scroll down until you find the mountain/attraction you are interested in.
So the villages/towns that you mention are all accessible by car but the mountains are not. If you are confident you will visit all or most of those mountains I would definitely look at buying the Swiss Half Fare Card (also valid on boats trips on Lake Luzern for example).
The Swiss Travel Pass could work but must be bought for a minimum of 3 consecutive (or non-consecutive days with the Swiss Travel Pass Flex) but if you are going to drive as much as you can each day until you have to take a cable car or train up a mountain it probably isn’t worth it.
Once you decide on your planned trips you can find prices and compare the costs of point to point tickets vs. the Swiss Half Fare Card. Doing the math (see our helpful page here on choosing the best rail pass) is the only way to know for sure. 🙂
Lucas
Hi Angiedjoe-
I looked at your list and note that you are at the back door to the Rigi when you stay at Vitznau. The cograil up to Rigi Kulm is quite scenic.
The Bernese Oberland destinations, plus Bern, are much better served if you base at Interlaken or possibly Lauterbrunnen, and use the trains. Adelboden is a bit out of the way for the Jungfrau region. There is frequent service, and you would not have to haul luggage.
Have you looked a the timetable?
http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
You will have a 35 minute drive each way as you go from Adelboden just to Spiez. And, then, another 35 minute drive from Spiez to Lauterbrunnen, or 45 minutes to Grindelwald ( which are the two places where you could park your car.
Bern is 35-45 minutes from Spiez. Driving in Bern is an issue if you want to see the old town. And, you’ll could still need more time in traffic to get to the old city, because parking in the Altstadt is pretty much non-existent. Your best bet might be the car park by the Casino, on the edge of the old town, although it fills up fast.
Easiest access is by train to the main station, so if you wish to drive you might park at a train station along the route between Spiez and Bern. The train line from Thun to Bern via Belp has a lot of local stops with parking, has two trains per hour, is a short distance to the west of route 6, and that train ride through the Gürbetal to Bern is a pleasant one, through farmlands. It passes Bern-Belp airport on the way. Two trains per hour means that you don’t have long waits.
To see that route in the timetable, include “Belp” in the via box, otherwise, the timetable picks the fastest route via Münsingen on a different line with few or no stops.
To see it on a map, use Mapsearch.ch, and zoom in to see the train lines:
map.search.ch/Belp?pos=606280,193692&z=64
Zoom out to see the relationship between Spiez and Bern, (and Adelboden.)
Of course, you could park in Spiez ( we use the underground garage under
the COOP store just across the main street from the station) and take
the fast train to Bern. 3 or 4 fast trains per hour, on the default route through Münsingen offered by the timetable if you do not enter anything in the via box, Takes 29 to 30 minutes.
Slowpoke
Lucas,
Thank you very much for the input. We might end up either 3 day half fare card or 3 day Swiss flex card since we would like to have non driving days also. But again, I need to figure out the normal point to point ticket price, meaning need a serious plan 🙂
Slowpoke,
Wow, thank you very much for the detail input. I have some question for you :
1. do you happen to know how much it cost to take cograil up to rig from Vitznau?
2. does parking space by the Casino cost something? If so, How much?
3. How much it cost to park by Spiez parking garage?
Thank you again
Hi Angie –
1- The timetable should give the price, but for some reason it won’t do it for me at this moment. The new version of the on-line timetable is still a “work in progress.”
http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
When are you going in September? I checked the paper copy of the timetable that I keep on my desk, and note a very minor schedule adjustment on September 11, but still could not get the fare. Roughly, once per hour most of the day. On some days during the Summer, there is a special steam train – one trip per day at 1116, taking about one and 1/2 hours instead of the usual 32 minutes to the top. In September, only on the 3rd.
I’m guessing about 40 CHF RT at half-fare ( 80 at full fare) based on my costs to go partway up to Rigi-Kaltbad, where I stay frequently. I carry a half-fare card.
Having guessed, I looked it up:
72 CHF RT with no discount
There is a 20 % discount fare for people staying in Vitznau – ask your hotel; not all hotels pay for those discount cards for their guests.
The SBB half fare card only comes in a one month version, for approximately 125 CHF. You would break even after several train trips, which will happen around the Jungfrau region.
http://www.myswissalps.com/sw issrailpasses
2.- I am sure it costs something.
Scroll down to the list and click on each location. Go further and you’ll see a map. You will also see the occupancy – at 10 AM Swiss time on Tuesday, 94 % occupied. 32 free spaces out of 481.
At 1055- full. No spaces left.
Day times on week days – 3.60 CHF per hour
3.- I can’t find that information quickly, but I’m recalling maybe a couple of CHF per hour. There is parking by the train station, but it is always full when we are there. We park in Spiez when we do the Südrampe walk, if we are staying in Brienz or even further away, for example.
http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/bls-sudrampe-trail
Slowpoke
Hi slowpoke! Thank you thank you again for your kind help and detail information. We are going there next week for 8 days. After lots of consideration, we may choose the swiss flex pass for 3 days. So we can choose non consecutive 3 days of our trips to travel with train. I believe it would be better option since the pass covers the area wewill be traveling too. I truly appreciate your time. And cant wait to bring the good report from our trip to you guys!
angie
Hi Angie-
Have a great trip!
The great flexibility and variety of the Swiss Travel System is a blessing and a curse. A blessing when you find out how to use it… it is fantastic.
A curse because it is complex, and offers so many options.
Slowpoke
Slowpoke,
you are so right! To be honest i am so overwhelmed. This is my first time to visit Switzerland. One more question if i may, Do you think its possible to do Jungfraujoch and Schynige Platte trip on the same day? If so, is the train line connected from anywhere in Jungfrau area to Schynige Platte?
Thanks again. I thought i have asked all i need to ask in my previous post 🙂
Angie
>> Do you think its possible to do Jungfraujoch and Schynige Platte trip on the same day?
Yes, with careful planning, and if you get to the Jungfraujoch early enough. Travel time from the Jungfraujoch to Schynige Platte will be between 3 and 3.5 hours. Last train down from Schynige Platte to Wilderswil is at 17:53.
Use the “Advanced search” in the Swiss Timetable: “From Jungfraujoch” “To Wilderswil” via “Schynige Platte”, and put in the amount of time you want to spend at Schynige Platte. (I recommend no less than one hour). You would need to leave the Jungfraujoch shortly after 13:00.
http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
I have attached a screenshot of possible connections.
Alpenrose
Attachments:Thank you so much alpenrose. Its really helpful information! I truly appreciate it!!
angie
Hi Angie-
Alpenrose gave you the schedules;
This map will help you understand the geography in a general way:
http://www.swissholidayco.com /Public/Assets/User/fi les/Map-of-Jungfrauregion1.jpg
Note Wilderswil at the lower right, with the train line to Schynige Platte shown.
This map, zoomed in to show the train line to Schynige Platte can give you more detail of the transport in the area:
map.search.ch/?pos=636400,167912&z=32
Toward the end of this thread are some details of the hikes at Schynige Platte:
http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/berner-oberland-suggestions
Slowpoke
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