Travel pass for 3-4 days for the Jungfrau region

  • Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    7 July 2020 at 21:36:50 #825608

    Hi,

    I’ve booked my flight to Zurich for the end of this month (July 2020), I wasn’t planning on staying or doing anything in Zurich. My plan is to explore the Jungfrau area, but my option was only to arrive at Zurich/Geneva airport.

    I’m struggling finding the best/cheapest way for public transport in Switzerland, plus I’m very confused with how the travel passes works (the differences and validity). I’m only going to stay for 4 days/3 nights at Wilderswil. I did my research and the one way ticket Zurich-Wilderswil is over CHF70, which I think is very expensive. Should I just take the Saver Day Pass and maybe I can use it to travel somewhere else before arriving at Wilderswil?

    Also, is it worth it for me to purchase the Swiss Half Fare Pass if I’m only travelling for 4 days? Is this pass also valid for the Top of Europe ticket – the connection train to the top of Jungfraujoch? Is this pass valid for the Saver Day Pass? If yes, how do I apply this half fare? Can I do this all online? I tried to see how it works, and it automatically assigned me to the full fare.

    I’m sorry, I’m just super confused and a bit shocked about the prices of public transport.

    One last question, do you think it’s possible for me to visit Zermatt when only travelling for 4 days (my aim is still to enjoy Jungfrau)?

    I appreciate any answers and help! Thank you :).

    Kind regards,

    Rosa

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    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    8 July 2020 at 8:01:12 #933850

    Hi Rosa and welcome to MySwissAlps!

    Finding the right Swiss train pass and/or ticket can be a bit confusing at first sight. I recommend this page for you: http://www.myswissalps.com/train/ticketspasses/practical/chooserailpass. It helps you to find the best Swiss rail pass. You’ll find a helpful chatbot there and a useful guide with a calculation spreadsheet, which helps you to choose your rail pass in 5 steps at http://www.myswissalps.com/train/ticketspasses/practical/chooserailpass. The downloadable spreadsheet also includes links to the “Where it’s valid” page for all available passes, be sure to study it carefully.

    In brief: First you need to have your itinerary, then you can compare the different passes to find the best deal.

    You can use the Swiss Half Fare Card (http://www.myswissalps.com/swisshalffarecard) to get a discounted Saver Day Pass (http://www.myswissalps.com/saverdaypass and http://www.myswissalps.com/saverdaypass/details). Swiss Half Fare Card is valid at least for 1 month, but it still might worth it, as it gives 50% discount also on traveling to Jungfraujoch (http://www.myswissalps.com/jungfraujoch/tickets). See the validity map and list of the Swiss Half Fare Card at http://www.myswissalps.com/swisshalffarecard/validity.

    You can also check the Jungfrau Travel Pass: http://www.myswissalps.com/jungfrautravelpass, you can buy it for 3 or 4 days.

    The Regional Pass Bernese Oberland has a bigger validity area than the Jungfrau Travel Pass: http://www.myswissalps.com/regionalpassberneseoberland/validity. Also available for 3 or 4 days.

    I do not know when your flights are, but it also takes time to arrive on time to the airport. If you want you can also visit Zermatt as a day trip, it is possible. (If it would be me, as I am a slow traveller, I would not do it, as only the Jungfrau area has so many things to see and do (http://www.myswissalps.com/jungfrauregion/activities.) Make sure to check the timetable to calculate the traveling times: http://www.myswissalps.com/timetable.

    I hope this helps, use the calculation spreadsheet to do the math.

    Ildiko

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    8 July 2020 at 19:02:52 #933851

    Hi Rosa –

    No question that Switzerland can be expensive.

    <<“I’m sorry, I’m just super confused and a bit shocked about the prices of public transport.”>>

    Don’t be sorry. Your perspective on pricing may depend on where you come from, and how much public transport is subsidized in your home country.

    Ildiko has given some good specifics, and some links for more detailed information.

    However, for perspective, essentially all Swiss have a half-fare discount card. So, the fare for such a Swiss passenger – who uses public transport routinely – is CHF38.80 from the airport, or CHF 36.80 from Zürich main station to Wilderswil. The n0n-discounted fares are basically a way to make more money from the occasional traveler who does not support the network by buying a Swiss Travel Pass or a Half-Fare card.

    So, you have the possibility to reduce costs if you work at it. If you don’t want to work a it, if you are hther for a short time and don’t travel very much distance or many times, or the cost does not matter, then just pay full fare. Very few people do that, because some form of short term discount card or pass is almost always applicable. “Flex” cards let you travel some days (but not all) on your time in Switzerland, for example.

    This link may be helpful:

    http://www.myswissalps.com/plantrip/doityourself/savemoney

    Slowpoke

    Dependingt on what country you come from , you will likely find Swiss food to be expensive at restaurants.

    However, there are ways to deal with that, too.

    As noted, if you can plan for definite days and times, you can get supersaver fares (for a specific train) that are cheaper…and are even cheaper the further in advance you buy one.

    Also

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    9 July 2020 at 8:04:15 #933852

    Hi there!

    @Slowpoke, thanks for the great addition!

    @Rosari, you can also try to save money on the accommodation: http://www.myswissalps.com/hotels/budget. Please let us know how ae you doing with your calculations.

    Wish you both a nice day,

    Ildiko

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    9 July 2020 at 21:58:30 #933853

    In the Jungfrau area, you can save money by not travelling any higher than Wengen or Grindelwald. However my favoured view of the Jungfrau is that from Mürren village. The Jungfrau railway to Jungfraujoch itself is very expensive, and mostly in tunnel. I always recommend Zermatt and the Gornergrat railway as a better spectacle, with the Matterhorn in view most of the way (from an almost-all open-air railway). Also at Gornergrat you are very close to the highest mountain in Switzerland (the Dufourspitz)

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    10 July 2020 at 0:17:22 #933854

    Hi Rosa –

    As 1960man wrote

    <<“you can save money by not travelling any higher than Wengen or

    Grindelwald. However my favoured view of the Jungfrau is that from

    Mürren village”>>

    I’ll add that also, Mürren is is available at low fare, in addition to Wengen and Grindelwald, because it too is a population center. For clarity, public transport between population centers is subsidized to have low fares. Once you get above the places mentioned here, the trains and cableways are private excursion lines, with much higher fares.

    I enjoy a drink or a meal on the terrace at Winteregg, also low fare, on the small train between Grütschalp and Mürren.

    A nice round trip, all on public transport, is to start at Lauterbrunnen, ride the bus or walk to the cableway at Stechelberg, then ride the two stages up to Mürren, explore the village, then ride the train or walk to Grütschalp (with an optional pause at Winteregg), and from Grütschalp, ride the cableway down to Lauterbrunnen.

    Slowpoke

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    13 July 2020 at 13:22:55 #933855

    Hi guys,

    Greetings from the Netherlands!

    First of all, thank you so much for the quick replies, it helped me a lot!

    Big shout out to the spreedsheet that is shared here – http://www.myswissalps.com/train/ticketspasses/practical/chooserailpass. It’s super useful, helped me create my itinetary and also finding the best passes to purchase.

    I would like to share my calculation with you guys. I had 4 different options: Regular full fare, Swiss Half Fare Card, Swiss Half Fare Card + Saver Day Pass, or Swiss Half Fare Card + Saver Day Pass + Top of Europe Pass. The cheapest for me is the last option (Swiss Half Fare Card + Saver Day Pass + Top of Europe Pass), I’m going to be able to save over 40% in comparison with the regular full fare option. My itinetary includes almost everywhere in Jungfrau area + Aare Gorge. I decided not to go to Zermatt due to the lack of time.

    One thing that surprised me is the Top of Europe Pass. This pass valids for 3 days and it includes one return ticket to Jungfraujoch! It’s basically almost the same as the 3-days Jungfrau Travel Pass in terms of railways route validity for only CHF149. You can check it out here – http://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/top-of-europe-pass/.

    I do have one last question: can I book the Jungfrau Travel Pass (in my case the Top of Europe Pass) with the Half Fare option soon if I have the Swiss Half Fare Card activated later when I’m there (July, 28th)? Do I have to have the Swiss Half Fare Card active before purchasing any other passes?

    Many thanks,

    Rosa

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    13 July 2020 at 14:31:06 #933856

    Hi Rosa!

    Happy to hear the Excel sheet has been helpful and that you were able to find the cheapest rail pass combination for your plans! Yes, the Top of Europe Pass is a summer offer and it looks quite attractive. It’s mentioned here: http://www.myswissalps.com/forum/topic/summer-2020-offers-traveling-in-the-jungfrau-area. It doesn’t include discounts to the Schilthorn (https://www.myswissalps.com/schilthorn/tickets) as the Jungfrau Travel Pass does, and there are some more minor differences (http://www.myswissalps.com/jungfrautravelpass/validity).

    The order in which you purchase your passes doesn’t matter. You can select the Swiss Half Fare Card discount now without actually having it. As long as you can show both your Swiss Half Fare Card as well as the discounted Top of Europe Pass when you’re there, it’s all fine! Note that you don’t actually have to activate your Swiss Half Fare Card. You just buy it and enter a start date, and from that date on it’s valid. Please find retailers at http://www.myswissalps.com/swisshalffarecard, and further details at http://www.myswissalps.com/swisshalffarecard/howtouse.

    Have fun planning and preparing for your trip :-).

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