MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial Rail pass: 1 week Zermatt & Glacier Express in Dec
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My family and I will be in CH from Dec 20-27. We fly into Zurich and plan to spend the night there. We head to Andermatt on the 21st just to take the Glacier Express to Zermatt which is where we are actually spending most of our time.
We plan to visit Rothorn, Gornergrat and Kleinmatterhorn (Glacier palace) from Zermatt. Finally, we’ll take the train to Geneva on the 26th, spend the night and fly out on the 27th.
I’ve been struggling to decide between the half fare card and the Swiss pass since most of our travel seems to be via cable cars and gondolas if I’m correct. Could you please provide me with any insight to help me make that decision?
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Hi travelma!
Thanks for joining MySwissAlps. Wonderful that you get to visit Zermatt in December! Let’s hope snow sets in early and that you’ll have a beautiful winter experience.
You’re right, both the Swiss Half Fare Card (https://www.myswissalps.com/swisshalffarecard) and the Swiss Travel Pass (https://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass) make sense for your plans. If you want to make sure which option is most economical, you’ll have to calculate all details of your trip. A free calculation sheet and step-by-step instructions are available here: https://www.myswissalps.com/train/ticketspasses/practical/chooserailpass.
In addition, the general considerations below may help you choose.
Swiss Half Fare Card
- A Swiss Half Fare Card requires purchasing additional tickets. For the trips Zurich-Andermatt-Zermatt and Zermatt-Geneva you’ll have to check which ticket options are available and which are cheapest for your travel dates: normal discounted tickets (https://www.myswissalps.com/traintickets/switzerlandhalffare), Supersaver tickets (https://www.myswissalps.com/traintickets/switzerland) or Saver Day Passes (https://www.myswissalps.com/saverdaypass).
- Mountain transportation near Zermatt (https://www.myswissalps.com/zermatt/activities) is discounted by 50%.
- Validity details are at https://www.myswissalps.com/swisshalffarecard/validity.
- How to use the Swiss Half Fare Card with additional tickets is explained at https://www.myswissalps.com/swisshalffarecard/howtouse.
Swiss Travel Pass
- A 6-day Swiss Travel Pass will cover all of your train rides from December 21 to December 26. This includes the ride to Andermatt, the Glacier Express ride to Zermatt (except for seat reservations: https://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress/tickets) and your ride back to Geneva.
- Mountain transportation near Zermatt (https://www.myswissalps.com/zermatt/activities) is discounted by 50%.
- In case of bad weather near Zermatt you’ll be able to travel to other areas, in the Rhone valley for example, without getting extra tickets. The Matterhorn Museum in Zermatt is free too.
- Validity details are here: https://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass/validity.
I hope this helps you choose. Rest assured that you can’t go wrong with either option!
Thanks so much, Arno! This is beyond helpful.
I downloaded your sheet earlier and used it for my calculations but I was struggling with getting the prices for the mountain transportation. I really appreciate all the links. Makes my life so much easier:)
Just to point out that it isn’t really necessary to go to the trouble of booking the Glacier Express as regional trains run every hour Andermatt – Visp – you will see the same views
Hi Travelma!
Happy to help. As for mountain transportation prices: you’ll find links to price overviews on the “Tickets” sections of each of our mountain pages, e.g. https://www.myswissalps.com/gornergrat/tickets. All of our mountain pages are here: https://www.myswissalps.com/activities/naturalsites/mountains.
Another way is to use the Swiss timetable. How to find prices there is explained at https://www.myswissalps.com/timetable.
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