Switzerland 2024: Your Guide to Swiss Travel Passes
Planning your Swiss adventure? Let's dive into the latest on Swiss travel passes, offering tips on routes, pass selection, and purchasing tickets for an unforgettable journey!
Understanding Your Swiss Travel Options
After years of stable pricing, some Swiss travel passes have seen slight increases this year. Let's break down the most popular options to help you plan your trip.
1. Half Fare Card (HFC)
The Half Fare Card remains at 120 CHF and is valid for one month.
2. Saver Day Pass (SDP)
The Saver Day Pass starts at 52 CHF (or 29 CHF with an HFC). Remember, snagging this deal requires booking in advance!
3. Swiss Travel Pass (STP)
The Swiss Travel Pass has increased from 232 to 244 CHF for a 3-day pass (2nd class). At over 81 CHF per day, consider the Saver Day Pass for shorter trips (if purchased early). While the STP offers additional benefits, the SDP is equally valuable for trains, buses and boats.
4. Jungfrau Travel Pass (JTP)
The Jungfrau Travel Pass has gone up from 190 to 210 CHF for a 3-day pass. Fortunately, tickets to Jungfraujoch remain at 63/75 CHF.
5. Berner Oberland Pass (BOP)
The Berner Oberland Pass saw a minor increase, from 230 to 240 CHF for a 3-day pass. Connecting tickets to Jungfraujoch are still 99 CHF.
Exciting news for young travelers! The BOP now offers discounted rates for those aged 16-24 (under 25). Enjoy prices equivalent to those with an HFC. For example, a 3-day pass is 168 CHF instead of 240 CHF, and a 4-day pass is 196 CHF instead of 280 CHF.
Since last year, the BOP covers travel from Interlaken to Domodossola (Italy, near the border), previously only covering as far as Brig on that route. This is great news for travelers arriving in Interlaken from Italy!
6. Journey to Jungfraujoch
This summer, fares for the Jungfraujoch have risen. Here's a breakdown:
🏔️ Round Trip from Interlaken:
- Regular Fare: 249.80 CHF
- With Half Fare Card: 124.90 CHF
- With Swiss Travel Pass/Eurail Pass: 167.40 CHF (uses one travel day)
Considering a Half Fare Card is wise even when purchasing individual tickets, as it offers savings on other mountains and routes!
🏔️ Good Morning Ticket (limited availability, check Jungfrau .ch for details):
- Regular Fare from Interlaken: 185 CHF
- With Half Fare Card: 105 CHF
- With Swiss Travel Pass: 95 CHF (uses one travel day)
- Eurail Pass: No discount
This ticket is valid for the first three departures of the day, departing from Interlaken Ost at 6:34, 7:04, and 7:34 AM. Purchase online or the day before at the station, as the ticket office may not be open early in the morning.
🇨🇭Choosing the Right Pass: A 3-4 Day Itinerary
There's no one-size-fits-all answer to the best pass for your trip. It depends entirely on your itinerary! Finding the most convenient pass is simple, but finding the cheapest solution (usually a mix of individual tickets and passes) requires a detailed comparison of options based on your plans. Here are a few factors to consider:
📍1. Age of Your Travel Companions
Children under 6 travel free with parents. For children aged 6-15, consider the HFC or STP for a free Swiss Family Card. If you don't purchase either, consider a Junior Travel Card for your children.
If you have travelers aged 16-24, the STP or BOP may be better than the SDP or JTP, because of youth discounts.
📍2. Jungfraujoch on Your List?
If so, careful planning is essential!
If Jungfraujoch is your only mountain, the Good Morning Ticket is the most affordable option (but requires an early start!).
If you plan to visit Jungfraujoch and other mountains in the Jungfrau region (or the broader Berner Oberland), the JTP or BOP are ideal.
If you plan to visit Jungfraujoch and mountains outside the Berner Oberland region (e.g., near Lucerne or Zermatt), or Jungfraujoch + other train travel, you should buy individual tickets with an HFC.
📍3. Rail, Bus, and Boat Travel Only?
If your plans revolve around trains, buses, and boats, purchasing a SDP for each day is your best bet (purchase well in advance). If the 2nd class SDP is sold out at the cheapest price (52 CHF), check the availability for the 1st class ticket. These start at 88 CHF.
Individual tickets are suitable for short trips, but the SDP becomes more economical for two or more trips, or even just one long trip. The SDP is also a more flexible option.
If you purchase your SDP close to the travel date, or are unable to find a reduced fare, you may want to consider purchasing a STP, or individual tickets for your trip to find the best deal.
If you are travelling for many days, the STP offers better value over multiple days. The STP also offers benefits which are not available with the SDP. For instance, discounts on cable car rides and free access to museums.
📍4. Choosing Between JTP and BOP?
The JTP is slightly cheaper, but its scope is limited to the Jungfrau region (from Interlaken onwards). It doesn't offer discounts for Schilthorn, doesn't cover the Stechelberg-Gimmelwald-Murren cable car, and can't be used on buses (such as Lauterbrunnen-Stechelberg or the Interlaken-Iseltwald 103 bus).
The BOP covers many mountains in the Berner Oberland (including outside the Jungfrau region), notably Brienzer Rothorn.
❤️ The BOP offers several advantages over the JTP:
- Unlimited bus travel within the Berner Oberland.
- Travel on trains beyond the Jungfrau region, such as Interlaken to Spiez-Thun-Bern or routes towards Lucerne, Saanen (near Montreux), Brig, and Domodossola.
- Access to locations such as Sigriswil, Blausee, and Oeschinensee by train and bus.
- If your hotel is situated outside of Interlaken or the Jungfrau region, such as in a village near Lake Thun or Lake Brienz, the BOP provides easier access to these areas compared to the JTP.
- Discounts for young people (16-24 years old).
- Children aged 6-15 do not need a BOP if you have a Swiss Family Card or Junior Travel Card.
- Significant discounts when combined with the HFC.
📍5. Driving and Mountain Adventures?
If you're driving, consider the HFC combined with individual mountain tickets (if visiting multiple mountains). For only 1-2 low-altitude mountains, just buy individual tickets. For Rigi, Stanserhorn, and Stoos, the SDP is a good option, as it covers these three mountains and is often cheaper than individual tickets.
For mountains in the Jungfrau region, you'll still need a ticket/pass, as cars only reach Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen.
📍6. Zurich to Interlaken and Beyond?
Many travelers fly into Zurich and head straight to Interlaken, spending 3-4 days in the region before continuing to France (e.g., Colmar) or Italy (e.g., Milan). For this itinerary, the BOP (or BOP+HFC) is an excellent choice. Purchase a ticket from Zurich to Bern or Lucerne, then use the pass from there to Interlaken. When leaving Switzerland, purchase a ticket from Bern-Basel (then Basel-Colmar) if going to France, or from Domodossola (e.g., Domodossola-Milan) if going to Italy.
Past articles contain more detailed information on Swiss tickets and passes. Official website links are in the comments. The next post will cover essential tips for buying train and bus tickets in Switzerland!
📸 Photo from the Berner Oberland Pass website
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