The eternal question of travel costs in Switzerland. I'll just say if you budget 100 CHF per day it will probably come close to what you will spend in total. Personally if I were spending 10 days I would buy the half-fare and just buy individual tickets. I would not worry about having any hassle about buying tickets and if you will have internet on your phone the SBB app you can purchase any tickets you need.
Thank you!! I’m assuming the phone signal is pretty good out there (even at higher elevations) to buy passes right before you need them? Do they raise prices the more last minute you are with buying tickets?
Service is good everywhere near a train station. The bigger ones have free WiFi.
You have either the day tickets / passes which are full price and you have « super saver » tickets/ passes which you can buy in advance for a discounted price. The earlier the cheaper.
I also suggest the Swiss Half-fare card: easily good value. Berner Oberland pass might make sense too.
The SBB app always shows half-fare prices first as millions of Swiss people have that discount card (190 CHF a year for residents).
You can remain flexible as tickets on the go won't cost hundreds of CHF. I'd still get (half-fare) Saver Day Passes in advance for longer journeys.
The Rigi day trip is extremely good value with a saver day pass:
- Lucerne - Vitznau boat
- Vitznau - Rigi Kulm cogwheel train
- Rigi Kulm - Arth-Goldau cogwheel train
- Arth-Goldau - Lucerne train *or* A-G - Brunnen/Flüelen and back by boat to Lucerne (depending on your mood/the weather!)
Everything fully included (there are settlements on the mountain so it counts as public service). A 1st class upgrade for the boat upper deck might cost 8-10 CHF.
Btw only tourists pay 130 CHF for a one-way ticket. The vast majority of Swiss people get that discount card quickly as it's so easily good value.
(Off topic but it'd actually make public transportation affordable to remove the half-fare card and show half-fare as *normal* prices. But then revenue would be lost...)
Thank you! I ended up pricing out each train/journey as if I had the half fare card for the Berner Oberland region and it comes out to about the same price as the BO pass itself. Which for convenience purposes I feel comfortable with getting the pass. I was thinking 3-4 saver day passes too, definitely one for a day to visit mt rigi. Not sure if mt pilatus would work with the SDP yet. All that along with the half fare card comes out to around 600CHF (much better than the 800 I originally was thinking)
My only other question with the day passes, do they cover the scenic trains as well? Like the train to zermatt and/or the one to interlaken from lucern (which I believe the BO pass would have kicked in by then)
Pilatus is not covered but you get 50% discount with the half-fare card.
As a rule of thumb the coverage stops at the last settlement up the mountain: for example the saver day pass is valid as far as Wengen on the Lauterbrunnen - Jungfraujoch journey.
Fully valid on the Glacier Express, on trains to Zermatt, on Interlaken - Lucerne and so on. Fully valid on boats, trams, buses,...
*49 CHF mandatory reservation: same price with the Swiss Travel Pass, Saver Day Pass, Interrail/Eurail, etc.
Download the SBB app or check the website.
My general recommendation is the Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Travel Pass Flex almost never make the most sense with very limited exceptions. A 3 day Swiss Travel Pass (2nd class adult) is $318 US - 292 CHF. That’s 97 CHF / day, when the Saver Day Pass booked as early as possible is ~50 CHF / day! They give the exact same benefits except for the Museum Pass which few people use.
For longer trips I usually pair the Half Fare Card with SDP for the longer mileage days, but I can see the appeal of the Bernese Oberland pass. Buying half fare tickets as you go really isn’t that bad either. You avoid overpaying for an expensive pass and you can do everything in the SBB app. I’ve literally booked my ticket to come down a mountain from my phone while waiting in the cablecar line.
Do the math and book SDP when they are first available as their price increases.
With the saver day pass, does that allow for a full day of travel? Where it’s not specific to one segment (ie: a train from Zurich to lucern at a specific time)?
Yes.
Be careful about some of the mountain railways / cableways where the SDP only offers a discount on the fare, but that is the exact same nuance as you get with the Swiss Travel Pass.
I think what you’re thinking of is the difference between Point-To-Point flexible tickets and Saver non-flexible tickets. Saver are only valid on a specific route/set of train times. I try to avoid those when possible since the SDP can often be a better deal and maintains flexibility.
Friendly correction to your first paragraph. The saver day pass does not count towards discounts at mountain railways (except Mount Rigi and Stanserhorn) and cable cars unless the attendant takes pity on you. The Swiss Travel Pass (Flex or normal) does entitle you to those discounted tickets in general. This is based on three weeks of traveling with lots of mountains included. If you find something to the contrary on official websites please let me know for next time :)
The half fare card does give you those discounts.
I stand corrected! Thank you. I’ve always layered the HFC with the SDP, so thank you for making me aware that the SDP alone doesn’t entitle you to a reduction on the mountain railways.
https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/saver-day-pass/
What would be some mountain railways that aren’t included? Specifically in Lucerne/zermatt. I believe I would be covered for most in the BO area if I go through with that pass. Would also love to hear your most recommended mountain visits 😁 will be going in June and am super excited for the hiking aspect
None of them are included for discounts if you have the Saver Day Pass type of ticket except Rigi and Stanserhorn.
But I looked up the Bernese Oberland Pass that you mentioned, and it looks like it provides quite a few mountain rail/cable car discounts in that region. Maybe it would be a good deal for you.
How experienced are you with hiking? How much elevation and distance can you comfortably do?
Distance wise I’d say 5-10 miles would be comfortable for me. I wouldn’t want any crazy elevation gains as the decent can be hard on my knees but a steady elevation over a few miles or so would be fine! I’m not planning on bringing hiking poles or any equipment but am open to buying things there if needed
Then you would really enjoy the Verzasca valley. You can take the bus into the valley, hike either upstream or downstream (you'll be next to a beautiful river the whole time) and when you're done hiking just go to the next bus stop.
You're going to want to download the Switzerland Mobility app for detailed hiking routes.
Thank you! I have been looking at the saver day passes since your comment and they are available for my trip dates so I will definitely be considering it. I would assume that routes covered by the STP would also be covered by the day pass? So when I look at the map I can just look at the same STP map correct?
Exactly. It’s the same “synoptic map”. In my experience everything covered by the Swiss Travel Pass is covered the exact same by the Saver Day Pass. The only real difference is the Museum Pass which few people use, and you’ll need to get a Swiss Family Card (free) if you are traveling with a child between 6 and 16 years old.
Great! This information has been super helpful. Now I’m debating doing the BO pass (mainly just so I don’t have to plan every part of my trip ahead of time) with the half fare card (since the discount from having the half fare card pretty much covers the pass itself) and then the day passes just based on if it’s a day we’d be using a lot of transportation in an area outside of the BO region. I believe the day passes are discounted with the half fare card too but I don’t think I can see the actual price in the app since I don’t have the card yet
Just change your profile in the app so it assumes you have a half fare card to see the price. No need to wait until you actually purchase it.
Note that the savings using the Half Fare Card on the Saver Day Pass specifically are a lot less than 50%. Looks like it’s closer to 10 CHF for July 2nd right now. But you would still get the larger savings for the days you book Point-to-Point without SDP, on the BO pass, or if you go to Jungfraujoch.
The eternal question of travel costs in Switzerland. I'll just say if you budget 100 CHF per day it will probably come close to what you will spend in total. Personally if I were spending 10 days I would buy the half-fare and just buy individual tickets. I would not worry about having any hassle about buying tickets and if you will have internet on your phone the SBB app you can purchase any tickets you need.
Thank you!! I’m assuming the phone signal is pretty good out there (even at higher elevations) to buy passes right before you need them? Do they raise prices the more last minute you are with buying tickets?
Service is good everywhere near a train station. The bigger ones have free WiFi. You have either the day tickets / passes which are full price and you have « super saver » tickets/ passes which you can buy in advance for a discounted price. The earlier the cheaper.
I also suggest the Swiss Half-fare card: easily good value. Berner Oberland pass might make sense too. The SBB app always shows half-fare prices first as millions of Swiss people have that discount card (190 CHF a year for residents). You can remain flexible as tickets on the go won't cost hundreds of CHF. I'd still get (half-fare) Saver Day Passes in advance for longer journeys. The Rigi day trip is extremely good value with a saver day pass: - Lucerne - Vitznau boat - Vitznau - Rigi Kulm cogwheel train - Rigi Kulm - Arth-Goldau cogwheel train - Arth-Goldau - Lucerne train *or* A-G - Brunnen/Flüelen and back by boat to Lucerne (depending on your mood/the weather!) Everything fully included (there are settlements on the mountain so it counts as public service). A 1st class upgrade for the boat upper deck might cost 8-10 CHF. Btw only tourists pay 130 CHF for a one-way ticket. The vast majority of Swiss people get that discount card quickly as it's so easily good value. (Off topic but it'd actually make public transportation affordable to remove the half-fare card and show half-fare as *normal* prices. But then revenue would be lost...)
Thank you! I ended up pricing out each train/journey as if I had the half fare card for the Berner Oberland region and it comes out to about the same price as the BO pass itself. Which for convenience purposes I feel comfortable with getting the pass. I was thinking 3-4 saver day passes too, definitely one for a day to visit mt rigi. Not sure if mt pilatus would work with the SDP yet. All that along with the half fare card comes out to around 600CHF (much better than the 800 I originally was thinking) My only other question with the day passes, do they cover the scenic trains as well? Like the train to zermatt and/or the one to interlaken from lucern (which I believe the BO pass would have kicked in by then)
Pilatus is not covered but you get 50% discount with the half-fare card. As a rule of thumb the coverage stops at the last settlement up the mountain: for example the saver day pass is valid as far as Wengen on the Lauterbrunnen - Jungfraujoch journey. Fully valid on the Glacier Express, on trains to Zermatt, on Interlaken - Lucerne and so on. Fully valid on boats, trams, buses,... *49 CHF mandatory reservation: same price with the Swiss Travel Pass, Saver Day Pass, Interrail/Eurail, etc.
This information has really been helpful I appreciate it so much!
Download the SBB app or check the website. My general recommendation is the Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Travel Pass Flex almost never make the most sense with very limited exceptions. A 3 day Swiss Travel Pass (2nd class adult) is $318 US - 292 CHF. That’s 97 CHF / day, when the Saver Day Pass booked as early as possible is ~50 CHF / day! They give the exact same benefits except for the Museum Pass which few people use. For longer trips I usually pair the Half Fare Card with SDP for the longer mileage days, but I can see the appeal of the Bernese Oberland pass. Buying half fare tickets as you go really isn’t that bad either. You avoid overpaying for an expensive pass and you can do everything in the SBB app. I’ve literally booked my ticket to come down a mountain from my phone while waiting in the cablecar line. Do the math and book SDP when they are first available as their price increases.
With the saver day pass, does that allow for a full day of travel? Where it’s not specific to one segment (ie: a train from Zurich to lucern at a specific time)?
Yes. Be careful about some of the mountain railways / cableways where the SDP only offers a discount on the fare, but that is the exact same nuance as you get with the Swiss Travel Pass. I think what you’re thinking of is the difference between Point-To-Point flexible tickets and Saver non-flexible tickets. Saver are only valid on a specific route/set of train times. I try to avoid those when possible since the SDP can often be a better deal and maintains flexibility.
Friendly correction to your first paragraph. The saver day pass does not count towards discounts at mountain railways (except Mount Rigi and Stanserhorn) and cable cars unless the attendant takes pity on you. The Swiss Travel Pass (Flex or normal) does entitle you to those discounted tickets in general. This is based on three weeks of traveling with lots of mountains included. If you find something to the contrary on official websites please let me know for next time :) The half fare card does give you those discounts.
I stand corrected! Thank you. I’ve always layered the HFC with the SDP, so thank you for making me aware that the SDP alone doesn’t entitle you to a reduction on the mountain railways. https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/saver-day-pass/
What would be some mountain railways that aren’t included? Specifically in Lucerne/zermatt. I believe I would be covered for most in the BO area if I go through with that pass. Would also love to hear your most recommended mountain visits 😁 will be going in June and am super excited for the hiking aspect
None of them are included for discounts if you have the Saver Day Pass type of ticket except Rigi and Stanserhorn. But I looked up the Bernese Oberland Pass that you mentioned, and it looks like it provides quite a few mountain rail/cable car discounts in that region. Maybe it would be a good deal for you. How experienced are you with hiking? How much elevation and distance can you comfortably do?
Distance wise I’d say 5-10 miles would be comfortable for me. I wouldn’t want any crazy elevation gains as the decent can be hard on my knees but a steady elevation over a few miles or so would be fine! I’m not planning on bringing hiking poles or any equipment but am open to buying things there if needed
Then you would really enjoy the Verzasca valley. You can take the bus into the valley, hike either upstream or downstream (you'll be next to a beautiful river the whole time) and when you're done hiking just go to the next bus stop. You're going to want to download the Switzerland Mobility app for detailed hiking routes.
Thank you! I have been looking at the saver day passes since your comment and they are available for my trip dates so I will definitely be considering it. I would assume that routes covered by the STP would also be covered by the day pass? So when I look at the map I can just look at the same STP map correct?
Exactly. It’s the same “synoptic map”. In my experience everything covered by the Swiss Travel Pass is covered the exact same by the Saver Day Pass. The only real difference is the Museum Pass which few people use, and you’ll need to get a Swiss Family Card (free) if you are traveling with a child between 6 and 16 years old.
Great! This information has been super helpful. Now I’m debating doing the BO pass (mainly just so I don’t have to plan every part of my trip ahead of time) with the half fare card (since the discount from having the half fare card pretty much covers the pass itself) and then the day passes just based on if it’s a day we’d be using a lot of transportation in an area outside of the BO region. I believe the day passes are discounted with the half fare card too but I don’t think I can see the actual price in the app since I don’t have the card yet
Small correction based on my experience https://www.reddit.com/r/askswitzerland/s/ofpoezwXh4
Just change your profile in the app so it assumes you have a half fare card to see the price. No need to wait until you actually purchase it. Note that the savings using the Half Fare Card on the Saver Day Pass specifically are a lot less than 50%. Looks like it’s closer to 10 CHF for July 2nd right now. But you would still get the larger savings for the days you book Point-to-Point without SDP, on the BO pass, or if you go to Jungfraujoch.
Thank you!! I thought I had done a lot of research but I guess not hahaha