Switzerland in 5 Days.

Hi,

My wife and I will be visiting Zurich and the Alps this June. I need some information with regard to this 5 Day trip as well as which pass to get and what it covers, (eg, Glacier Express).

Day 1 - Arrive in Zurich in afternoon. Day spent in Zurich

Day 2 - Zurich to Interlaken. Day Spent in Interlaken and Jungfrau

Day 3 - Interlaken to Zermatt. Day spent in Zermatt

Day 4 - Day spent in Zermatt and Glacier Express

Day 5 - Zermatt to Basel. Basel to Freiburg in Germany

Thanks!!!

Welcome to the forum Kannan! A 4 day Swiss Saver Pass, to be used for day 2-5, would be the best option. It covers all transfers, including the Glacier Express. You'll only need an extra discounted ticket for the Jungfraujoch trip (to be bought at the Interlaken railway station upon showing your Swiss Saver Pass) and a seat reservation for the Glacier Express. Please find Swiss Saver Pass details, including a downloadable validity map and purchase options, here.

For your first day in Zurich, you could take a look at the Zurich Card.

Hi Annika!

Thanks for your quick and informative reply! I do need your help further as i'm rethinking my itenary and seek your opinion on it. Thanks!

Day 1 - Arrive in Zurich in afternoon. Day spent in Zurich

Day 2 - Zurich to Jungfrau. Day spent in Grindelwald. (Would a day be too long? sufficient? What could i do besides train to Jungfraujoch?)

Day 3 - Grindelwald to Wengen. Day spent in Wengen. (Would a day be too long? Sufficient? What could I do?)

Day 4 - Wengen to Zermatt. Day spent in Zermatt

Day 5 - Zermatt to Basel. Basel to Freiburg in Germany (Do the passes cover the ride from Basel to Freiburg?)

Would you still recommend a Swiss Saver Pass for this trip?

Thanks!!!
Cheers,
Kannan

Hi Kannan. A 4 day Swiss Saver Pass would still be a very easy solution. But looking at your new itinerary, that involves less traveling than the previous one, you can consider a Swiss Card too. It would provide a free trip from Zurich to Grindelwald on day 2 (so don't activate it on day 1) and from Zermatt to Basel on day 5. All remaining trips are discounted by 50%. Mind that you will have to buy discounted tickets for most trips in this case. None of the passes covers the leg Basel-Freiburg, so you'll need an additional ticket for it.

One day in Grindelwald and one in Wengen is definitely not too long. Here's a list of all the things you can see and do: you definitely won't get bored! Consider the Trümmelbach falls, a visit to Mürren, numerous viewing points such as Schilthorn, Kleine Scheidegg, Männlichen and First, boat trips over lake Thun or Brienz, and so on.

Hi Annika,

Thanks for the reply! I was wondering if the Swiss Half Fare Card would be better than the Swiss Card? I could use it on Day 1 too right?

Is the free trip from Zurich to Grindelwald and from Zermatt to Basel on the Swiss Card like on a better class or cheaper than what i'm paying for on the Half card?

Sorry, cant figure this one out. Please help to clarify. Thanks!!!

Also, can i purchase these passes at the Zurich Airport Station/ Zurich station on Day 1 itself or should I get it earlier?

Thanks!!!
Cheers,
Kannan

Hi Kannan. Please review the Swiss Half Fare Card details here, and the Swiss Card details here. The difference is that the Swiss Card offers a free inbound and outbound trip and the Swiss Half Fare Card doesn't. In your case, the trips Zurich-Grindelwald and Zermatt-Basel are for free with a Swiss Card. You're right that you could use the Swiss Half Fare Card on day 1 too, but a Zurich Card will do the trick as well, provided that you stay within or near Zurich.

According to my calculations, the Swiss Half Fare Card solution turns out to be about equally expensive as buying a Swiss Card plus a Zurich Card in your case. An advantage of the Swiss Card is that you don't have to buy any tickets for Zurich-Grindelwald and Zermatt-Basel. An advantage of the Swiss Half Fare Card is that you're not restricted to taking the most direct/cheapest routes for Zurich-Grindelwald and Zermatt-Basel. But even the nicest and most scenic routes (that is, Zurich-Lucerne-Meiringen-Brienz-Grindelwald and Zermatt-Brig-Goppenstein-Kandersteg, via Lötschberg Express-Spiez-Basel) are allowed with a Swiss Card, so no problem there.

Please find all purchase options at the right hand of the Swiss Card page; just fill out your country for a complete overview.

Hi Annika,

Thanks for the reply! Could you elaborate further on the "Zurich-Lucerne-Meiringen-Brienz-Grindelwald and Zermatt-Brig-Goppenstein-Kandersteg, via Lötschberg Express-Spiez-Basel" and the Lotschberg Express?
I understand that this is not the quickest route. Where do I get more information on these trains and their timetables as the usual search on SBB shows the quickest options?

Thanks!
Cheers,
Kannan

Sorry, Delcie is my wife, by the way. Thanks!

Cheers,
Kannan

Hi Kannan. The timetable shows the most quickest route by default indeed, but you can find alternatives by adding via-stations in the search boxes. If you enter 'Goppenstein' for example, the route by the regional Lötschberg train will be displayed. It takes longer than the quick tunnel connection, but is much more scenic and allowed with the Swiss Card.

Hi Annika,

I've got a couple of questions still. Hope you could help me with them.

1) For the "Zurich-Lucerne-Meiringen-Brienz-Grindelwald train. I checked and is the duration 3hr35mins? (To know im getting the right route n trains) Are seat reservations compulsory?

2) For the Zermatt-Brig-Goppenstein-Kandersteg, via Lötschberg Express-Spiez-Basel. I checked and is the duration 4hr50mins? Are seat reservations compulsory?

3) Where can I get more information on the cable cars/ski lifts/gondolas (Are these the same things?) in the Jungfrau and Zermatt region? Particularly about the timetables, where it takes you from and to and if they are open.

Thanks!!!

Cheers,
Kannan

Hi Kannan. You don't need reservations for these trips, unless you plan to do the leg Lucerne-Interlaken by a scenic Golden Pass train. Here's how to find out whether you need a reservation.
Information on gondolas and mountain trains can be obtained through the Jungfrau Railways and Zermatt websites.