Top of Europe – between Oct 14th – 20th

  • Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    8 October 2010 at 9:30:08 #804027

    Hi

    I have seen / read the posts on the forum. However my confusion still reins about what is more economical – half fare card or swiss pass !

    We ( 2 + 2) reach Geneva on 16th am and plan to spend the day there – sight seeing etc , early evening we take a train to Lucerne where we have booked a hotel for the next 4 nights.

    17th – Looking to go to Mt Pilatus via Alpnachstad ( boat ) and return on the gondola via Kreins

    17th evening – take a train to Interlaken and then to Grindelwald for a night stay

    18th early morning Jungfrau excursion and then return via Wengen / Lauterbrunnen ( see Trummelbach Falls if time & weather permit ) and return to Lucerne by late evening.

    19th Take the train from Lucerne to Engelberg to go up Mt Titlis and in the evening, return to Lucerne

    20th day in Lucerne / local sightseeing etc and by 1600 , take the train back to Geneva for a flight back to UK

    1. With this in mind, what would work out cheaper in terms of travel costs ?
    2. With a Half Fare card + Family card, do the kids still travel free or they do have to buy half fare tickets / Junior Card (one is 6 and the other 12 )
    3. Want to squeeze in session of Tandem Para-gliding – Is Interlaken good or Lucerne ? Any known names please send.
    4. There are quite a few tour options available but are confusing ( or is it me !) in terms of what is discounted and what not etc.

    Many thanks All.

    Regards
    Dharmesh

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    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    9 October 2010 at 13:23:53 #831902

    Hello Dharmesh! As for the Swiss Pass or Swiss Half Fare Card: a Swiss Half Fare Card is cheaper in your case. If you order a free STS Family Card along with your Swiss Half Fare Cards, the children can travel along for free at all times (as long as they’re accompanied by one of their parents). So you don’t have to buy them additional (discounted) tickets on any of your trips.

    Paragliding can best be done from Interlaken, as the slopes here are higher than the ones surrounding Lucerne. The websites of Paragliding Interlaken and Outdoor Interlaken will provide all information you need.

    Which trips are for free and which are discounted, depends on the type of pass you’ll be using. If you have a Swiss Half Fare Card, nearly all train, bus and boat trips and many cable cars/mountain trains are discounted by 50%. On the Swiss Half Fare Card page, you’ll find a link to a map showing the exact area of validity (please refer to the header ‘Swiss Half Fare Card Features’).
    Such a map can be found on the Swiss Pass page as well. With a Swiss Pass, most train, bus and boat trips are for free. Mountain trains and cable cars are often discounted by 50%, and the trip to the Jungfraujoch is discounted by 25%.

    I hope this answers your questions. Good luck preparing for your trip!

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    21 October 2010 at 11:37:18 #831903

    Annika
    Many thanks for all your help. We , after all calculations, went for the Half Fare Card and it worked out quite economical – in general terms based on my travel plans.
    The weather was not with us on the day when we had planned paragliding so had to give it a miss – hopefully next time.
    Thanks again.
    Regards , Dharmesh

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    22 October 2010 at 13:35:25 #831904

    Hi Dharmesh! Thank you for getting back to us. I’m glad to hear that the Swiss Half Fare Card turned out to be a good choice for your plans. Too bad though that paragliding wasn’t an option. I do hope that you enjoyed that the rest of your stay in Switzerland and that your visits to Mt. Tilis, Jungfraujoch and Mt. Pilatus did take place in good weather. How did you like your trip in Switzerland overall?

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