What”s the best pass? Swiss Half Pass or Full Pass

  • watertreader
    Participant
    2 posts
    14 September 2015 at 11:55:07 #807936

    Hi,

    Both my wife and I will be travelling this week to Swiss and this is my itineary,

    18/9) Zurich

    19/9-20/9) Base: Montreux . Visiting Vevey as well as Broc Fabrique, chillon castle

    21/9-23/9) Base: Interlaken. Visitning Lauterbrunnen and JungFrau. GRindewald. Possibly taking a boat trip on lake Thun to Spiez.

    24-25/9) Base: luzern. Visiting the chapel bridge and glass work etc

    26/9) Back to Zurich:

    Some questions I have

    1) Would I be better off with a Swiss pass?

    2) Would there be discount for Jungfrau and region with a Half pass

    3)For Lauterbrunnen to JungFrau. If I buy a ticket from Interlaken West to JungFrau via LauterBrunnen route, could I get off at Lauterbrunen to visit the Trümmelbach Falls and then proceed on to JungFrau summit. Do I have to get another Tix

    4)If I get a half Pass, do you advise also getting Day Pass to complement..there seem to be a promotion at sbb website to have cheaper day pass at 89CHF.

    Thanks

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    Arno
    Moderator
    15484 posts
    14 September 2015 at 12:52:05 #846117

    Hi watertreader,

    Welcome to MySwissAlps! As for your questions:

    1) The Swiss Pass does not exist anymore. There’s the Swiss Travel Pass now (see here). Whether this is the best choice depends on what you’re looking for. If you like the convenience of not buying tickets for each trip, the Swiss Travel Pass is definitely the best choice. If costs are your primary concern, you can calculate whether a Swiss Half Fare Card or Swiss Travel Pass works out cheaper for your plans. Those are the two passes that make most sense in your case.

    2) Absolutely. Please see the Swiss Half Fare Card page and click “Where it’s valid”.

    3) One ticket is enough for the day. You can get off where you like.

    4) You mean the Swiss Half Fare Card right? There’s no product called Half Pass. Getting an additional day pass is only worth it for very long main line train trips. I don’t see those in your plans.

    If you order your pass quickly you might be just in time to take advantage of the lower online prices. Click “Price” on any of our pass pages to find all retailers. Since you live in Singapore it makes sense to take a look at http://www.raileurope.com.sg/ pass/swiss-travel-pass-82.

    I hope this was useful!

    watertreader
    Participant
    2 posts
    14 September 2015 at 14:40:49 #846118

    Hi,

    My bad. I meant the Swiss Travel Pass and Half Fare Pass

    1) This certainly is difficult to decide as the amount are rather close. Can I ask a further question on public bus? Do hotels offer regional travel bus pass?

    On point 2), Do you mean that I can buy a ticket for Jungfraujoch via Lauterbrunnen, and then drop off at Lauterbrunnen for visit and then rehop on the train to Jungfraujoch for the same day?

    3&4) Thanks

    Arno
    Moderator
    15484 posts
    15 September 2015 at 14:50:07 #846119

    Hi watertreader,

    If your calculations show that the overall costs with both passes are similar, then pick the Swiss Travel Pass as it’s much more convenient. We added a simple rail pass overview document to this page today. It might be useful for you to download it.

    In some towns you will get a pass for free local transportation or discounts, if you book a hotel there. Montreux is one of them, see here please. Interlaken offers this too, but it won’t get you to Jungfraujoch; it’s really only local.

    Yes, you can get off the train in Lauterbrunnen and take another train later that day.

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