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It appears that the Bernese Oberland pass makes Swiss train travel within the BO zone free. If taking the train from within that zone (Wengen) to outside that zone (Chamonix) … Do I need to book two separate stages for the trip? Wengen to Kandesteg (or Visp?) is covered by the Oberland pass and free? Kandersteg (or Visp) is not an I need to pay? Plan to get the Swiss half fare pass and the Bernese Oberland pass which has a price reduction if you have the half fare pass. Does that make sense?
It appears to be very complicated to get from Wengen to Chamonix; six train changes. I read that it is all very well signed and laid out. But I am intimidated.
Elsewhere I saw that one could take a bus from Lauterbrunnen to the Geneva airport, no changes and then get from the airport to Chamonix. Any thoughts on that?
Thank you
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Have you had a look at the map at http://www.lakelucerne.ch/en/ timetable-fares/timetable/? BO Pass will get you to Brig via Kandersteg (the scenic route) for free. Not to Visp.
From Brig you need a ticket.
You don’t need “bookings”.
With the Swiss Half Fare Card there’s a note on the Validity Map saying no discount to Chamonix from Martigny or French border at Vallorcine (not sure which).
You said “Plan to get the Swiss half fare pass and the Bernese Oberland pass which has a price reduction if you have the half fare pass. Does that make sense?”.
Hard to say without knowing your full itinerary.
What’s so appealing about a short visit to Chamonix that the Swiss Alps can’t offer.
not appealing to me but to my husband who has always wanted to go there and we have not been. We will be in Switzerland hiking for close to three weeks so chamonix for three or four nights…then fly back out of geneva.
thank you for your insights… you have been very helpful.
Hello Mattiedog,
Just realised the link I posted to the BO Pass Vaildity Map was completely wrong. Must have been leftover from a previous thread. I meant http://www.myswissalps.com/re gionalpassberneseoberl and/validity but I guess you will have already been there.
I hadn’t realise you planned a few nights at Chamonix.
Enjoy.
Hi Mattiedog,
Yes, you get 25% off the purchase price of the Regional Pass – Bernese Oberland if you have already bought the Swiss Half Fare Card (I think that is what you meant). 🙂
That is what I meant regarding the discount on the Bernese Oberland card.
Perhaps I can ask, when paying for the train from Wengen to Chamonix; it will be free to Brig with the Bernese Oberland card. Then We pay, half price, from Brig to Chamonix assuming we have the half fare card.
But Rockoyster says, “with the Swiss Half Fare Card there’s a note on the Validity Map saying no discount to Chamonix from Martigny or French border at Vallorcine (not sure which)”. Assuming that is true, we pay Brig to Martigny. Then we pay again Martigny to Chamonix?
I guess I am trying to figure out how we would be purchasing these tickets; once or three times.
I am not planning on reservations being needed based on what I have read elsewhere on this website…. very helpful website by the way.
Thank you.
Hi Mattiedog,
Yes, so if you have both rail passes (Reg. Pass BO & SHFC) then you are fully covered from Wengen to Brig on the Regional Pass – Bernese Oberland (you’ll actually change just before Brig in Visp).
& then you need a ticket from Visp to Chamonix only which you can buy with the Swiss half Fare Card.With a Swiss Half Fare Card you’ll get 50% off the ticket from Visp to Martigny and then from there on to Chamonix you won’t get a discount – but the ticket office will sell you one ticket for the appropriate price (you can buy it in Wengen before you leave).
You can see PDF maps of the coverage areas of both passes on our website:
- Regional Pass – Bernese Oberland
- Swiss Half Fare Card (note the #2 on the map to Chamonix and the legend on the side of the map for the Swiss Half Fare Card)
Use the Swiss railways timetable here to plan out all your trips (Wengen to Chamonix is about 6 hours with 6 train changes unfortunately)
And yes, no reservations are needed on those trains.
Hope that helps!
perfect. thank you and have a great day
Hi Lucas,
My reading of the BO Pass is that only the route via Kandersteg to Brig is covered so you can’t get off at Visp as you don’t go through Visp on the way to Brig.
Oh I see what you mean.
The train that is covered by the BO Pass (via Kandersteg) doesn’t stop in Visp but just Brig. Yes, they’d have to go to Martigny from Brig and won’t be stopping in Visp. 🙂
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