June Swiss Trip

Hi, I need some help in understanding our options. I am so confused about what pass/card/half fare/regional we should buy. We are a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 teenagers (15, 17)) driving from Paris on June 18. We will be staying in Lauterbrennen for 6 nights and then driving on to Venice. We want to see/do as much as possible. Our plans include:

Lauterbrunnen to Jungfraujoch (returning back to Lauterbrunnen)
Lauterbrunnen to Schilthorn (returning back to Lauterbrunnen)
Boat trip Lake Thun or Brienz
Ballenbery Open Air Museum
Aare Gorge and Reichenbach Falls
Trumelbach Falls
Chateau of Chillon

Which option should we buy based on those plans. Also, we will have a rental car that we will pick up in Italy. Will we need to buy vignette?

Thank you for your help and time with our questions.

Mary

Hello Mary. Welcome to this forum! I understand your confusion about all rail pass options. In your case, my advice is to purchase three Swiss Half Fare Cards for the two adults and the 17 year old teenager. The 15 year old teenager can travel along for free if you order a free STS Family Card along with the Swiss Half Fare Cards.

The Swiss Half Fare Card allows a 50% discount on nearly all trips in Switzerland, and often proves to be the most economical solution for a rather short stay with a mixture of local trips and a few longer ones. As one longer trip (to Chateau de Chillon) is planned in your schedule, it wouldn't be a good idea to opt for a regional pass, as this wouldn't cover the journey all the way to Montreux. A Swiss Half Fare Card allows you to purchase half fare tickets for all the trips you mention.

As soon as you'll be making use of national roads in Switzerland, a vignette is obligatory. You'll find more information (including purchase options and a link to a map showing which roads are involved) at our motorway vignette page. Cars rented in Switzerland already have such a vignette, but since you will be renting in Italy, you can best ask the rental company whether the vignette is included.

Just another tip: when heading for Montreux, you may want to consider taking the beautiful Golden Pass train route via Zweisimmen and Gstaad. Seat reservations have to be made for Golden Pass trains, but in my view the beautiful scenic route is well worth the reservation fee (the trip itself is discounted by 50% with a Swiss Half Fare Card).

I hope this helps you decide! Best regards,

Thanks Annika!
I had thought the half fare card would be best but then I started thinking more about the swiss saver pass! If we did not have a car what would you recommend?
I hadn't even thought of going on the Golden Pass route but it seems wonderful. Thanks for the recomendation!
Is there anything else we should add to our trip?
We are so excited about this trip and thanks for your help!

Hi Mary. Even without a car, the Swiss Half Fare Card is most probably your best solution. Most trips in your schedule are rather short and inexpensive, so an 8 day Swiss Pass would be too expensive. Moreover, the Swiss Pass grants a 25% discount on the Jungfraujoch section from Wengen or Grindelwald, whereas the Swiss Half Fare Card provides a 50% discount there as well.

As for your travel plans: I think you've selected great trips. However, you may want to include a ride up to a viewing point, for example by cog railway. The ride up to the Jungfraujoch is one example, but you could also consider the cog train to Schynige Platte starting at Wilderswil (with great views of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau) or the cog train to the Brienzer Rothorn, leaving from Brienz. You may be able to combine this with a boat trip on lake Brienz. The trip to the Jungfraujoch can further be extended by getting there the one way (via Wengen, which is the most obvious route from Lauterbrunnen), and getting back the other way (via Kleine Scheidegg, Grindelwald and Zweilütschinen). Also this is a bit of a detour, the section Kleine Scheidegg-Grindelwald is beautiful and very impressive, as it's at the foot of the Eiger.

Our day trip overview of the Bernese Oberland may provide some more ideas.

Have fun preparing for your trip!

Thanks for all of your advice and suggestions! I've got a little more research to do but then I wish the trip was starting!!!

Mary