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Hi all travellers, I am planning my trip with my parents to Switzerland in December. Here is my trip, mostly a trip with train.
Day 1: Tirano to Chur – Bernina Express (STP)
Day2: Chur to Zermatt – Glacier express (STP)
Day3: Zermatt
Day4: Zermatt to Montreux (STP)
Day5: Montreux to Interlaken – GoldenPass Belle Epoque (STP)
Day6: Interlaken to Grinderwald (TEP)
Day7: Grinderwald (TEP)
Day8: Grinderwald to Luzern (TEP+STP)
Day9: Luzern to Zurich (STP)
Day10: Zurich (STP)
Day11: Zurich to Vaduz, then back to Zurich (STP)
Day12: Zurich to ParisI have some questions related to Swiss travel pass flex and Top of Europe pass collaboration.
1. Does it make sense to purchase a 8 days Swiss travel pass flex (STP) + 3 days Top of Europe pass (TEP), according to my travel plan?
2. From my understanding, the Swiss travel pass flex can be activated with discrete days. However, I’m not sure if it count a day if I just use to buy discount ticket in Zermatt (Day 3)? Or do you suggest I should buy tickets in Zermatt on Day2?
3. Does the Swiss travel pass flex count as 24hrs after activation? For example, I use the card to take the train from Chur to Zermatt at 2pm on day2. I can use it until 1:59pm on day3. Then I use it again to take the train from Zermatt to Montreux at 3pm on day 4. I can use it until the next day 2:59pm.
4. I’m not sure if it count as 2 days of Swill travel pass when I use the Top of Europe pass on day 6 and 7. It’s because the Top of Europe pass should be bought as a discount price by using the Swiss travel pass.
Thank you all you help!
Marvin
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Does the Swiss travel pass flex count as 24hrs after activation? For example, I use the card to take the train from Chur to Zermatt at 2pm on day2. I can use it until 1:59pm on day3. Then I use it again to take the train from Zermatt to Montreux at 3pm on day 4. I can use it until the next day 2:59pm.
No, it doesn’t work that way – sorry.
Travel passes work on the basis of the one day of travel as dictated by transport operators’ timetables.
Example, If you choose Wednesday 11 December as a travel day , the travel pass will be valid from the start of the transport service on that day, usually around 04.00 until the end of service, an hour or so after midnight
One day of a transport timetable covers 24 hours, but in fact this usually means around 21 hours, because most services start up at around 04.30 and end at around 00.30 . In more rural areas the transport day is shorter, for example on the Brig – Zermatt railway the service runs from 05.17 – 22.27 a period of 17 hours.
ight.
You do not state what you plan to do around Grindelwald. The TEP is not really needed unless you are going higher up
In answer to (2), yes if you use the card to buy a discount ticket you have used up a travel day on the STP
Hi Marvin,
Welcome to MySwissAlps.
Thank you for sharing your itinerary.
I agree with you. Based on your travel plans, the 8-day Swiss Travel Pass Flex + 3-day Top of Europe Pass combo makes sense.
The Swiss Travel Pass Flex is only valid on free travel days (days you selected for free travelling). So on Day 3, unless it is a free travel day yo will not be able to get discounted travel on any mountain excursion such as to Gornergrat or Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. However looking at your plans, you might to swap Day 3 for Day 10. So instead of utilising a free travel day on Day 10 in Zurich, use the free travel day on Day 3 in Zermatt.
As explained by 1960man, for the Swiss Travel Pass Flex, the start time of a travel day is not relevant. For instance if you select Sept 15 as a free travel day, the pass is basically valid the whole day of Sept 15 until 5am the next day. Not 24 hours from the time you start your journey. You can find further explanation here: http://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpassflex/howtouse
By the way, the reduced price for the Top of Europe Pass is not valid with the Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Travel Pass Flex.
Let us know if you need more info.
Regards,
Anna
Thank you your quick response!
@Anna @1960man
Here is my plan in Grindelwald
Day6: Mainly a train travel around grindelwald
Grindelwald – Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen – Grütschalp – Mürren
Mürren – Grütschalp – Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen – Kleine Scheidegg
Kleine Scheidegg – Grindelwald
Day 7: Trip to Jungfrau
Day8: Trip to First
As I know there is discount to buy those railway ticket if I’m swiss travel pass holder. Is there any discount to buy top of europe travel pass?
Anna says the TEP is not available at discount price, so you need to calculate if it would be cheaper to just have a continuous STP for your whole trip and pay the reduced STP price (50% or 25% on sections of the Jungfrau area trains and lifts that are not free with STP.
According to your itinerary, the only 25% off tickets you would have to buy would be for Wengen – Kleine Scheidegg – Grindelwald (Day 6) Grindelwald – Jungfraujoch (Day 7) . Given that on Day 7 you would visit Kleine Scheidegg, you could travel Murren back to Grindelwald the same way as in the morning (the valley route via Zweilutschinen)
Really appreciate your advises. I am thinking if I should change from buying 8 days swiss travel pass flex to 15 days travel pass. Price difference is CHF26 but it can cover my whole trip including the last day in Zurich. Then I purchase jungfrau travel pass with a reduced price of CHF145. Then I don’t need the top of europe pass.
For day6, I will need 5 train tickets. All are covered. I mainly visit Lauterbrunnen, Murren, Kleine Scheidegg. Also enjoy the view in the train with different routes. I didn’t plan to Wengen.
1. Grindelwald – Lauterbrunnen
2. Lauterbrunnen – Grütschalp – Mürren
3. Mürren – Grütschalp – Lauterbrunnen
4. Lauterbrunnen – Kleine Scheidegg
5. Kleine Scheidegg – Grindelwald
For day7, I just purchase the round trip Top of Europe at a special price: Eiger Glacier – Jungfraujoch return for just CHF 63 (until 31/05/22 & 01/09/22 – 23/10/22)/CHF 75 (01/06/22 – 31/08/22). I just not sure the price in Dec.
For day8, free round trip to First.
Total price would be CHF 246 (swiss travel pass price increment + jungfrau travel pass + top of europe ticket if the fee is CHF75). Seems that it’s still cheaper than top of europe pass (CHF249).
I also think of another situation. I can skip the jungfrau travel pass and purchase all tickets by using 15 days travel pass discount. However, seems quite complicated to calculate and trouble to purchase so many tickets, especially on day6.
Let me know if I’m wrong. Thank you.
Hi Marvin,
I agree, the 15-day Swiss Travel Pass + Jungfrau Travel Pass combo may be a better choice. This way you avoid buying tickets for each excursion. Also, the Swiss Travel Pass gives you more flexibility. If you have time, you can do the math to determine which railpass combo works best: How to choose a railpass.
Regards,
Anna
Hi Anna
Thank you for your advice! I check the Jungfraujoch ticket purchase website. I can’t find the option for jungfrau travel pass to purchase the top of europe ticket.
Attachments:
Hi Marvin,
If you have the Jungfrau Travel Pass, you can purchase the connecting ticket to Jungfraujoch online here: http://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/jungfrau-travel-pass/connecting-ticket-to-jungfrau-travel-pass/
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Anna
Your day 6 does not involve ‘buying tickets’. Once you have the STP, you can just jump on any train on ‘free’ routes, and only the route Wengen – Kleine Scheidegg – Grindelwald is not free. Note that Lauterbrunnen – Murren is also free with STP
Also you have confused the status of Wengen. Even if you don’t get off, you will pass though Wengen if you travel Lauterbrunnen – Kleine Scheidegg – Grindelwald
Hi 1960man
WOW….nice. I finally understand how it works. That means I only need to purchase 2 train tickets on day6 (Wengen – Kleine Scheidegg and Kleine Scheidegg – Grindelwald), 1 round trip ticket on day 7, and 1 round trip ticket on day8. Seems I really don’t need the Jungfrau travel pass.
I just curious if I should purchase the day6 train tickets on SBB website? I only see full fare ticket or half fare option. Seem there is no 25% discount choice. Thank you.
My last question is Swiss travel pass can cover all bus route in Grindelwald? Thank you
Hi Marvin,
I agree, based on your revised plans, you can probably do without a Jungfrau Travel Pass. With a Swiss Travel Pass (STP) , you only need to get tickets for the following excursions in the Jungfrau region:
Day 6: Discounted ticket from Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg, then Kleine Scheidegg to Grindelwald. You can buy the ticket directly from any train station just before your trip or earlier.
Day 7: For the trip to Jungfraujoch, all you need is to pay the return connecting ticket (discounted 25% with the STP) from either Wengen or Grindelwald to Jungfraujoch (only this section is not covered by the STP).
Day 8: Excursion to Grindelwald First – gondola tickets are half-price with the STP.
The Swiss Travel Pass is valid on the local buses serving the Grindelwald village but not on the mountain routes: please see the note at https://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass/validity. The routes are published and displayed at the the bus terminal.
Let us know if you need more info.
Regards,
Anna
Hi Anna
Completely clear now, thank you so much!
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