Swiss Saver Pass vs. Swiss Saver Flexi Pass

We are 4 adults traveling in Europe for 9 weeks and in Switzerland for 1 week. We will each have a Eurail Saver Pass. We will be staying in Lauterbrunnen and will be traveling for in the Bernese Oberland, including the Jungfraujoch, and probably Luzerne also. I note that the price for the Swiss Saver Pass is less than the cost of a Saver Flexi Pass. Which one would be best for us? If we purchased the Swiss Saver Pass (the cheaper pass) for 4 days of unlimited travel, are we able to travel regular routes at the 50% discounted travel on other days during the valid period of the pass? And do I understand only 1 pass is issued and is good for all of us traveling together and we simply board the train - no tickets needed? Thanks!

Hello Paula,

Is your Eurail Saver Pass valid on all days? Or do you have a Flexi variant of the pass with a limited number of traveling days? If it's valid on all days, most train trips are already included, and some mountains trains and lifts are discounted. You wouldn't need a Swiss Saver Pass or Swiss Saver Flexi Pass in that case.

Assuming that your Eurail Pass will only be used for the inbound and outbound trip to Switzerland, a Swiss Saver Pass is the most convenient option. It is indeed a single pass which is valid for the four of you. You can just board any regular train, bus or boat without the need for any further tickets. Mountain transportation (funiculars, lifts, cog trains, etc.) is discounted, so you do need to purchase tickets in those cases. The Swiss Saver Pass that would fit your trip is valid for 4 or 8 consecutive days. A 4-day pass would leave you with 3 days without free or discounted traveling.

A Swiss Saver Flexi Pass includes free traveling for 3, 4, 5 or 6 non consecutive days within a maximum of one month. On those days, it works exactly as a Swiss Saver Pass. You get discounted traveling on the remaining days. It is important to know that its validity starts on the first day of free traveling and ends on the last day of free traveling. You could use that to your advantage and save two free Eurail days for the inbound and outbound trip, but it depends on where you would be traveling from/to if that's actually economical. An example: a 4 day Swiss Saver Flexi Pass could be used for a free travel day on Monday (e.g. inbound), Wednesday, Friday and Sunday (e.g. outbound). Discounted traveling would apply on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Some current prices per person and for 2nd class traveling:
- 4 day Swiss Saver Pass: CHF 221
- 8 day Swiss Saver Pass: CHF 320
- 4 day Swiss Saver Flexi Pass: CHF 257

Prices in your currency can be found through the ordering links on the respective pass web pages.

I hope this helps a bit. Feel free to post additional questions!

We will have an 8 day Eurail Saver pass and will use it for transportation OUTSIDE of Switzerland. Is the Swiss Saver flexi Pass NOT good for consecutive days of travel? That is...if we buy the 4 day pass, are we able to travel say Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, discounted traveL Thursday and Friday, but then use it again on Saturday or Sunday?

Sorry, my example may have looked like consecutive days are not allowed with the Swiss Saver Flexi Pass, but that's not the case. You can use it on consecutive or non consecutive days. You gave a perfect example of it's possible usage.

Thank you...you have been very helpful.

Ah yes...I do have another question. We will probably go for the Swiss FlexiSaver Pass. My question is concerning the discounted travel on other days. We will definitely want to take the trip to the top of the Jungfraujoch. Do I understand the pass gives us 50% discount on this travel? And if we use it for that discounted trip, does this count against one of our days of free travel??

Hello Paula,

You can choose yourself which days you'll be using for free travelling. You can decide this on the spot, by filling out the date on your Swiss Saver Flexi Pass before boarding the first train, bus or boat that day. On all days between your first and last day of free travelling, the 50% discount applies. It makes no difference whether you use this discount for a small and cheap trip, or for a long and expensive trip.

The Jungfraujoch is an exception though: there's a 25% reduction for the section between Wengen or Grindelwald and the Jungfraujoch. An overview of the travel network, indicating the discounts, can be reviewed by clicking the link 'Overview on which the Swiss Flexi Pass is valid' at the Swiss Flexi Pass page:

- all the ongoing black, red and yellow lines indicate that these routes are for free on a free travel day, and discounted by 50% on the days in between;
- all dotted black, red and yellow lines indicate that a 50% discount applies on both free travel days and the days in between. These dotted lines indicate mountain transportation;
- the section between Wengen/Grindelwald and the Jungfraujoch is discounted by 25%, as indicated on the map.

In all: you can use your Swiss Flexi Pass for a discounted trip to the Jungfraujoch, but this doesn't have to count as a free travel day.

I hope it's clear now!

Paula
Have you considered the Bernese Oberland Regional Pass or the Jungfrau Pass? Both passes offer more benefits than the Swiss pass for the area which they cover. Your Eurail pass would take you to the Bernese Oberland then you could use one of the passes metioned above
Dick

Thanks for the suggestion. I have looked at this but don't think it would be good for us. I am still confused about what is best. I long for the old Eurail days when the pass was good for unlimited travel most everywhere by rail, bus and boat, and as much as you wanted to use it!

Paula, we just posted a message about discounted Swiss Passes and Swiss Flexi Passes. That might be interesting for you to consider.

Update April 26: this offer is only valid for people traveling with their children! We've update the posting about the offer.

Greetings from Singapore

can i just do a quick check: if I get a Eurail saver's pass, would travelling up to Jungfraujoch (25% discount with eurail?) is considered 1 travel day?? Whether going to Zermatt requires extra $$ or eurail can be covered?

Do you know what is the best and respectable website to make reservations from Singapore for train reservations in Europe (Paris, Swiss, Innsbruck and Italy) ? and how do we indicate if we have a eurail so that we only pay for reservation fees and not the ticket? Any advise on how to make good seat request like window seat or seats with table facing or cabins which are easy to access when boarding.... tx!!

Hello koh-family! I think I just answered these questions in your other topic. Please take a look there for your answers.