Which pass?

I know this topic isn't new, but wasn't sure how to add my question to existing topics. My husband and I are coming to Switzerland in two weeks to visit some cousins and travel a bit for 3 weeks. Our travels include Zurich - Rheineck - Klosters- Celerina - Lugano -Locarno- Luzern - Interlaken/Thun area - and then down to the southern coast of France for 4 days, then back to Rheineck - Zurich. I was wondering which rail pass would be the best, I'm thinking the half fare card for now, since in France we'll be renting a car to cruise along the coast. Your thoughts please? And, we would like to do some boat rides in Luzern and on the Thuner See, and hopefully some cog rail rides? Do these passes help these costs somewhat too? Thank you!

Hello cynswiss, and welcome! Actually, it's better to create a new topic for your own question, so you did just fine :-). (In case you would like to post an answer to existing topics: just get to that topic and click 'Add reply in the upper right or lower right corner.)

Which pass is best, depends on a number of questions. The Swiss Half Fare Card may work out fine for you, especially if the trips you mention are the only ones you'll be making. It covers many cable cars and boat rides, providing a 50% discount on nearly all trips. Please review the Swiss Half Fare Card page for more details and a map showing the exact area of validity (under the header 'Swiss Half Fare Card features').
If you'll be travelling more than the plans you currently listed, and if you like the idea of unlimited travelling, you may consider a Swiss Saver Pass (free travel on all days) or a Swiss Saver Flexi Pass (free travel on a number of days, and a 50% discount on days in between the free travel days). Both are valid for mountain transportation and boat trips too. Maps are listed at the detail pages of both passes, just as with the Swiss Half Fare Card.

Only a complete list of travel plans would provide a starting point for calculating which pass is best. As long as you're not quite sure what you'll be making, you will have to make a guess based on travel preferences and a rough outline of travel plans. By the way, your travel plans for France (whether by train or by car) shouldn't be included in your calculations, as none of the Swiss rail passes is valid there.

I know this isn't a decisive answer, but I do hope it helps you decide. Best regards,

thank you so much - i almost just ordered the Swiss Saver Pass for 15 days, but then i saw "15 consecutive travel days". So that means we can't skip days and not travel in between? I saw the Flexi Pass, but the longest one they have a pass for is 6 days! I'm thinking now the half fare card may be the way to go..........? thanks for your help.

Hi cynswiss,

"15 consecutive travel days" means that you can use the pass for 15 days in a row, but you don't have to travel every day. Whether you do or you don't, the pass ends 15 days after the first day. There are Swiss Saver Passes for 4, 8, 22 days and 1 month as well.

A 6-day Swiss Flexi Pass is valid for up to 1 month. It starts with a day of free traveling and it ends with a day of free traveling (whenever you want, but no more than 1 month after the first day). In between, you get 4 additional free travel days and 50% discounts on the remaining days.

Just to make sure that you understand the passes well. Enjoy your stay!