Question on cash vs credit card & advance booking

Hello,

can some one advise whether it is recommended to keep cash in the interlaken area? Do people prefer credit cards? are they accepted everywhere in Interlaken and Junghfroh region? Is there any processing fee to use the credit card?

Another question I had was I am travelling to Switzerland next week, should I book the mountain railway Junghfroh ticket in advance or buy it over there since it is weather dependent? same thing with the sky diving, has anyone booked it in advance?

please assist.

Thanks

Hi dsavla,

The information here applies to all of Switzerland: myswissalps.com/ swissfranc. You can best ask your bank about processing fees of credit cards.

Tickets for mountain trips like Jungfraujoch (see here) should be open dated if you buy in advance as that allows you to be flexible. Fixed date tickets are less useful unless you only have one day and go up there regardless. I don't know how popular sky diving is. You may want to check for availability here: www.viator.com/ tours/Interlaken/ Helicopter-Skydive-Interlaken-or-Lauterbrunnen.

Hi Dslava-

Please note the spelling of Jungfrau.

Credit cards tend to be accepted widely in high priced tourist areas such as the Jungfrau Region. Thogh, not always. Especially if you expect a large hotel bill. check ahead of time..

However, though credit cards are gradually becoming more popular than cash, in many parts of Switzerland, credit cards are not accepted at many smaller establishments.

Slowpoke

Hi Arno,

Though you mentioned you are not sure about Skydiving, but I already checked the Viator tours and they seem quite overpriced - partly maybe coz its such a popular tourist place. Are there not any local vendors who organize sky diving, skiing and paragliding atop the Jungfrau or Titlis ? Which might be cheaper and is it possible to book them on-the-spot ?

Secondly, when I checked online for the ticket prices for mountain trains to Junfrau (from Grindelwald or Wengen) the discounted (25%) costs comes to CHF 138 / person, and trains upto Grindelwald or Wengen is free with the Swiss Travel Pass. Will I get the same price at the ticket station over there as well or are the online prices lesser ? The same question for Mt. Titlis cable car also I would ask - CHF 56.50 / person after a 50% discount online (includes 3 cable cars from Engelberg-Trubsee-Stand-Kleintitlis ; chairlift to the glacier top ; Titlis Glacier cave and everything inside and back to Engelberg)

Hi sskundu,

Well, Switzerland is pricey, especially when you book one on one services like taxi rides or skydiving, for that matter. Wages are quite high. Viator does not organize these trips themselves. They work with local operators and offer a low price guarantee: www.viator.com/about/ why-book-with-viator/guaranteed-low-prices. Of course you can check directly with the local companies, although it would be surprise to me if they are much cheaper that way. If so, Viator will refund the difference, so no risk there.

Prices of cable cars etc. are fixed: same price locally and online. I have not seen exceptions yet.