Zurich to Interlaken to Jungfraujoch rail pass?

  • Franks4duke
    Participant
    12 posts
    10 October 2018 at 16:53:52 #818653

    Hi I’m new to the forum. I’ve read a lot about the rail system on your site but I’m a little overwhelmed and hope someone can help me! My two daughters, ages 22 and 24, and I will be in Zurich Jan.5. We want to take the train to Interlaken and stay 3 nights. Our plans are to take a day trip to Jungfraujoch. We’re tryng to find the most economical options. My questions are: Should we get a 4 day rail pass? (And with a rail pass do we make reservations in advance for our train travel?) I also read about a Half fare card, is that an option and how does it work? Where do we purchase our tickets for Jungfraujoch? (I think I read there’s a discount if you have a rail pass…but I don’t want to purchase them in advance in case the weather is bad) Also is there another short day trip we could take from Interlaken? If so, what would you recommend? Thank you in advance for your help. This is all so new to me!

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    Debbie_B
    Participant
    16 posts
    10 October 2018 at 22:03:48 #897724

    Hi, have a look at this link it will give you an idea of what trips you can take. http://www.viator.com/Interla ken/d5011-ttd

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    10 October 2018 at 23:02:03 #897725

    Hi Frank-

    Welcome to My Swiss Alps!

    This will also help:

    http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses

    You don’t need to make reservations in advance for any rail travel within Switzerland. If you are not doing a lot of travel, you might find the half-fare card your best option, and it gives you a greater discount on the quite expensive Jungfraujoch journey than does the Swiss Travel Pass…That will be your most expensive trip from what you have described.

    Reservation for the Jungfraujoch trip are not a bad idea, but there won’t be a lot of crowds in January. Not really necessary. Don’t book until the last minute or the night before.

    You don’t want to go up if the weather up top is cloudy, so buy your Jungfrau tickets on the night before or the day you travel, in Interlaken, and ask about the weather up there before you buy. Local information is the best guide.

    Webcams are useful, and the weather comes in layers…could be sunny up top but not below or vice versa.

    en.swisswebcams.ch/kat egorien

    And, the weather in the Alps is very unpredictable.

    Slowpoke

    Franks4duke
    Participant
    12 posts
    10 October 2018 at 23:53:50 #897726

    Thanks everyone for the tips. It looks like the half fare card may be my best bet. This may be a silly question – but when I get tickets for Jungfraujoch – does that include the rail travel from Interlaken? Or am I paying for rail travel from interlaken to Lauterbrunnen- Wengen to Kleine Sccheidegg and then buying a ticket to go to the top? Are there reserved seats to go up to the top? And also I read where you should go up one route and take the other down. How does that work…do I just get return tickets for the other way at the train station?

    Also regarding things to do in Interlaken – the girls would like to sled (neither know how to ski) and we’d also like to know if there are any walking trails along the lakes that are within walking distance of the town.

    Is there any other day trip you would recommend from Interlaken…as we plan to spend one day at Jungfraujoch, and would entertain the idea of another short day trip. If not we will tour Interlaken.

    Thank you so much for your help.

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    11 October 2018 at 0:21:17 #897727

    <<“This may be a silly question – but when I get tickets for Jungfraujoch – does that include the rail travel from Interlaken?”>>

    Yes.

    😉

    You can do it whatever way you wish.

    This map may help:

    map.search.ch/?pos=642448,162400&z=32

    <<“Also regarding things to do in Interlaken – the girls would like to sled (neither know how to ski) and we’d also like to know if there are any walking trails along the lakes that are within walking distance of the town.

    Is there any other day trip you would recommend from Interlaken…as we plan to spend one day at Jungfraujoch, and would entertain the idea of another short day trip. If not we will tour Interlaken.”>>

    map.geo.admin.ch/?topic=swisstopo&lang=e n&bgLayer=ch.swisstopo .pixelkarte-farbe&layers=ch.swisst opo.swisstlm3d-wanderwege&zoom=4&E=26 24891.11&N=1175484.68

    http://www.alpenwild.com/stat icpage/trail-signs-in-the-swiss-alps/

    Consider Bern for a nice, easy day trip. Interlaken is boring. 😉

    http://www.myswitzerland.com/ en-us/bern.html

    http://www.myswissalps.com/be rneseoberland

    http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion

    http://www.myswissalps.com/be rn

    Slowpoke

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    11 October 2018 at 6:11:17 #897728

    Hi Franks4duke,

    If you’ve decided on the Swiss Half Fare Card you can buy it online and have it emailed to you here: http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isshalffarecard

    You can buy tickets from any town to any mountain and the ticket would cover the entire trip. So from Interlaken you can buy a ticket right to the top at Jungfraujoch. You’ll have train changes along the way of course, you can see the schedule/connections for any trip using the Swiss railways timetable here: http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

    If you want to buy tickets online for Jungfraujoch you can do so here: http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfraujoch/tickets – I agree with Slowpoke, don’t buy until the day before or later.

    For other ideas on what to do in the Interlaken / Bernese Oberland area look here: http://www.myswissalps.com/be rneseoberland/activiti es

    Franks4duke
    Participant
    12 posts
    11 October 2018 at 23:55:01 #897729

    Many thanks for the tips! I feel much better prepared.

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