Don't forget that we have a FREE download: How To Pick A Swiss Train Pass! Find it here: aplinsinthealps.com/ultimate-swiss-train-pass-guide-2023/ Still need help picking a Swiss Rail Pass that saves you time and money? We're happy to help :) Book a Swiss Vacation Consultation with us! https:/www.aplinsinthealps.com/consultations
Hi, guys！ Your video is very helpful and informative. Thank you very much！ My sister and I will be arriving I Zurich on May 10！！ We're still struggling to decide what passes to buy at this moment. We'd really appreciate your help to find the right passes to buy. We'll arrive in zurich on May 10, and we have booked 5 nights in Wengen to appreciate the peaks and surrounding areas. Then, we'll get back to Zurich for a 4-day visit before heading for Vienna. Which Switzerland passes should we get? Thank you very much for your help！ Lisa N.
Hi my husband and 2 kids who are 12 and 9 are going to Switzerland for 4 days in July and we are not sure what train passes we need. We are staying in Grindelwald for 3 nights and in Zurich for 1 night. We plan on visiting Lucern, Interlaken, etc. and by the way, what train should we take from Milan Italy to Switzerland? Thanks
Wait until you get there and go to the Swiss Travel Center at the airport train level. Explain to them your length of stay and your needs THEY will give you your best pass options. Their recommendations will be YOUR best bet. I have used several of the options depending on my needs. No use me explaining them.....let the experts at the Travel Center give them to you!
The Swiss Travel Center is certainly a great resource! We’ve used their help plenty of times in the past! Although we find that they don’t always know about the best regional passes, which can be more helpful than the national passes.
My wife and I just spent 6 days in Switzerland and we want to thank you for your helpful videos. They made our stay simpler and more entertaining. Keep up the good work!
We're so thrilled to hear that you and your wife enjoyed your time here in Switzerland and that we got to be a small part of it! Thank you for taking the time to leave an encouraging comment.
Hahaha! Your question at 5:27. Answer: that guy and this gal! :) (But only because I'm familiar with travelling in Switzerland and I'm a geek in that way.) Honestly, your previous videos got me thinking about how I did travel on my many trips, always using the Swiss Travel Pass for its convenience but making me aware of the other options. Since we're going to be there a month this year and I had an itinerary roughed out pretty well I decided to do a spreadsheet comparing ALL types of possibilities that you have mentioned in this and previous videos. Since I'm not into the high touristy mountain excursions and fall under the category of daily travel of some type through 2/3 of Switzerland surprisingly the Swiss Travel Pass was again a winner for me by 64chf; its convenience made it a no brainer. But some of those regional passes are really great values covering wide areas. All should note that some regional passes are available to all for a fee, some are available just by staying in the area (e.g. Ticino Pass, Appenzeller Holiday Pass) BUT you need to check with your lodging in that area to see if they offer the area pass--not all do. Best advice from this Swiss traveler: unless you get joy out of detailed planning for your trip ahead of time, consulting with people who've done the work for you is a bargain--and I get no residuals from saying that :) ! Excellent video, guys!
Hi Laura! We're so glad you enjoy this type of analysis too!! I looked into the Ticino Pass recently, but it seemed like all the others-just giving a small discount on mountain rides. What's been your experience with the Appenzeller Holiday Pass? What all does it cover? Thanks again for your kindness and encouragement, and for "tuning in" to our videos!
Thanks for this info, Laura. I am planning my first family trip with my parents (50+ age) and we will not be exploring the mountains so much but will be going to many areas like Interlaken, Zurich, Zermat, Lucerne, Grindelwald and Jungfrau region. My calculations also suggested that Swiss travel pass would be cheaper (and of course convenient). Thanks for confirming! Thank you very much for your videos Jana and Brett, they are very informative and helpful! :D
@@AplinsintheAlps Sorry, Jana & Brett, I just saw your reply (8 months late). The Ticino pass does cover ALL train & bus transportation throughout the entire canton with small discounts on other transportation & excursions. The Appenzeller Holiday card is similar, but a bit more complex as it allows the same type of travel through 15 zones--one would have to look carefully to see where these zones are and what they cover.
Thanks! All of your videos were very helpful in planning our recent trip to Switzerland. Plus your Swiss train pass info was very helpful and saves us a lot of money. We bought the Swiss half fare card and the Berner Oberland pass. We traveled to Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken, Zermatt and Geneva and had a terrific time. The SBB app was invaluable. Fun to see the places that were in your videos. We kept an eye out for you guys and saw a lot of people creating content.
You are so kind and generous, thank you! 🙂Sounds like you had a wonderful trip and saw some great Swiss highlights! And saved some money with those great train passes! Sorry we didn’t cross paths - maybe next time 😊
I swear you guys sound exactly like another UA-cam Couple, they have over 3M followers, I am sure you know who I am talking about, but you guys are great too. Excellent video, I am planning my trip to Switzerland very soon.
Just got back from an amazing trip to Switzerland! Specifically Grindelwald and Interlaken area. Thanks to your videos, we decided on the Berner Oberland Pass with the Half Fare card which was the perfect choice!!!! I can’t stress enough what a great option this was for all of our adventures. Thank you Aplins in the Alps for your very informative videos 😊
Hi Michelle! I am Deepti Tiwari and am planning a trip to Switzerland, From your comment it sounds like you recently went to Switzerland and know some budget options. Can you tell me any stay options in the whole Interlaken- Lucerne- Grinderwald- Lauterbrunnen region. I kind of want to stay in the villages in a budget friendly option in a very quiet way.
I’m in Switzerland right now and all the videos and the itinerary have been super helpful. However, I would strongly consider the first class Berner Oberland pass. It’s not much more and will save many headaches in finding seats on busy trains. They’re usually all busy and it’s mid-September now. Especially if you’re traveling with older people like parents, get first class.
First Class is definitely helpful during high season if you’d like your own seat! But we always remind people that not all forms of transportation offer a first class section. And this year was unusually busy though mid October!!
I can't thank you enough. Just returned from our trip to Switzerland. My parents were so happy (their first international trip), me and my sister had great fun together. Every time I was telling my family about your channel . Your videos made our trip to Switzerland very smooth and wonderful.I bought Berner Oberland pass and it really helped us. Thank you ..Thank you ..Thank you so much 🙏🙏😇😇😍😍💐💐
Stayed in the Jungfrau region, visiting be car and stayed in Gimmelwald. We followed the recommendation and bought the Jungfrau pass for our family. It was a very costly mistake. We didn't even use it once. When we tried, the activity listed as open on-line wasn't available. So the very frustrating lesson I learned is not to buy tickets in advance, on-line.
So sorry you had trouble! Some transport routes closed for maintenance in the fall, but the Jungfrau travel pass is good for most cable cars and gondolas!
I just returned from my Swiss holiday and took your advice on the half fare card + Berner Oberland Pass… that saving is huge! Thank you for the advice!
this is what i want to do in september! did u buy on the app ahead of time? i’m a little nervous about when i should purchase and if i can put my bf and i on the same acct
Am also wanting to travel to Zermatt and Jungfrau regions ONLY in late Sept or early Oct for total of 5 days (2 in Z and 3 in J regions). Where did you all go to on your trip and for how many days?
Does the Berner Oberland pass cover the ride up to the Eiger Glacier? They mentioned the Berner Oberland connecting ticket to the Jungfraujoch would cost $99. However if you also have the half fare card, would it be cheaper to purchase the round trip from Eiger Glacier to Jungfraujoch instead of the connecting ticket?
Please Help: Please suggest best pass or combination of passes for my one week trip which will include: Pilatus, Titlis, Lauterbrunnen tour with falls, Murren village hike and schilthorn peak, mannlichen, Interlaken thun or brienze lake boat ride, giessbach falls, iseltwald tour , Grindelwald first
We are over in the Jungfrau region in August, based in Unterseen for 11 nights. Driving in and sleeping in our VW Transporter part campervan. As a family of 4 - (2 adults and 2 kids [15 & 12]) I've opted for the Swiss Half Fare Card which then gets some discount on the Berner Oberland Pass and the Jungfrau Unlimited Summer Pass. Excessive, you might think.... Both passes cross over but we're looking at possibly spending a night at the Monchjochhutte so that equates to 2 days of Jungfraujoch tickets, doing some boaty trips, plus a sneaky day trip down to Milan. Plus some of the more 'normal' stuff like First and the villages. I plan on doing very little driving while we are in Switzerland... Let the train take the strain! Busy itinerary, but I worked out that bagging both passes using a half fare card worked best for us. Plus the Berner Oberland pass gets you down to Domodossola in Italy now, so only tickets for Domodossola to Milano Centrale needed - and as one of the kids is 12, we bagged cheap Bimbi Gratis tickets so it was a lot less than a 'proper' ticketed day trip from Interlaken Ost to Milano Centrale. Just a whole lot of timetable examination and waiting for train numbers to be released! Your videos have been a huge help! Thank You both!
Hi Paul, what a fun trip you have planned! We don't have any experience traveling by camper van, but we've been talking more and more about what a great place this would be to do it! We LOVE that you did the research to figure out which passes were best for you and your family. Hope you have a great trip!
Thanks to you two, we're all set to go with our half fare card and berner oberland passes. A few weeks away, and we'll be there. The 1 on 1 consult was so helpful, and I'm a travel planner/hotelier by trade, but the extra few dollars to gain some insights from 2 locals was a great value. Thanks again!
Hi guys! thanks for the video! But please do let the viewers be aware that the Oberland Pass is only available from 1st April onwards for annually! Meaning travelers hitting the country from winter till 31st March doesnt have the option to enjoy the Oberland Pass!
This was the video I have been waiting for so long, which gave the answer to the most confusing question i.e. which rail pass to buy in switzerland. Thank you so much guys.
Wow what a detailed blog on train passes etc. It enlightened me a lot on what to do . I have a planned trip to Switzerland in 2024. 5 nights in Jungfrau Region our based is Interlaken and 3 nights in Luzern.
Thanks for taking the time to let us know this was helpful! Our goal was to help you feel confident in choosing the right train pass and it sounds like our goal was accomplished!
I really appreciate the level of nerding going on here. You've probably saved me a few spreadsheets... Thanks! I know it's not really your game but a video like this with kids in mind would be crazy beneficial. Again thanks, all your stuff is great!
We’re glad you can appreciate the spreadsheet neediness - we love it! 🤓 Actually a video like that would only be about a minute long. Here’s why: Kids under 6 are always free on transportation everywhere in Switzerland. Kids 6-15 are always 50% off on transportation throughout the country of Switzerland. Kids 6-15 can ride for FREE with the Swiss Family Card when they’re riding with their parents. Kids 16+ are treated like adults. Pretty simple! Hope that helps 😊
@@AplinsintheAlps So, if you're traveling with three kids under the age of 16 (14, 12, & 5), then the travel pass generally makes the most sense, right?
The various Swiss travel tickets are so complicated and I can’t find any Chinese videos about them. Thank you for the analysis, which gave me some inspiration😊
This video saved us a fortune. Although we discovered that if you’re travelling with kids and have bought the Swiss half fare card, the Berner Oberland pass always works out more cost effective than the Jungfrau travel pass simply because the Swiss family pass can be used in conjunction with it. If you have that pass, you only need to buy a Berner Oberland pass for the adults and kids travel for free. We were in the Jungfrau area for 3 days and the B.O. pass worked out 50 CHF cheaper (25 CHF per child) than buying the Jungfrau pass.
Leaving tomorrow from Hawaii to start working our way there. Whew! This is a huge help! Spending time in Zurich, Lucerne, and the Jungfrau region. Thank you for the best train into out there!
Hi guys, thanks a lot for the detailed video. Your videos helped us to pick the best pass to travel in Switzerland . And also saved a lot of money 😊. We stayed in the Interlaken region for 4 days, as you guys suggested we bought the Berner oberland pass and Swiss half fare card. We did the glacier walk on top of jungfraujoch and hike to bachalpsee lake, which turned out to be the best hike we did in our life. Thanks a lot for the suggestions and detailed videos. Looking forward to more videos 😊 thanks!
Thank you so much for your feedback! We're so grateful you enjoyed your trip and that we were able to play a small part it it. Do you think you'll come back to Switzerland?!
Hi my wife Yvonne and myself, Tony, would like to thank you for this video! We got the Half Fare pass and it saved us a TON of $$$ on our Switzerland vacation. We went from Zurich to Zermatt and then worked our way back via Interlacken, Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Luzern, Lugano and finally back to Zurich. While we didn't take your advice and only pick 3 regions we did enjoy seeing all of these regions and know what we would visit on return someday. THANK YOU !!!!!
WOW.... my head is spinning and all I had to do was listen to you both !!!!!. FANTASTIC work guys ...I bet Brett's jaw was sore for days after this spool. Still, a cold beer would have fixed it. You covered all bases and MUCH MUCH more. Thank you. Max Australia.
It is a lot of information and we worked SO hard to make sure to explain it in such a way that would make your train pass purchasing as painless as possible. Thanks for letting us know this was helpful to you.
i need help… i got lost between all these options. Can someone with experience please give me advice on which option is best for this schedule: Basel-Lauterbrunnen- Geneve-Zermatt(Glacier Express to St.Moritz)-St.Moritz-Zurich-Basel. Anyone knows which option is the best? THANK YOU
Make sure you download our free checklist! Because unless you’re only visiting those cities and not riding any transportation once you’re there, it’s not a simple answer. We promise our checklist is designed to make it simple!
This is the best video or podcast I've listened to about Swiss Train passes! It's been so overwhelming to think about and figure out. We will definitely use y'all's links to buy the half fare card and the other for the jungfrau region
Hi Aplins! I am heading to Switzerland tomorrow. I have purchased half fare card and Bernard Overland Pass online, I printed them out, and I assume that there will be a place to scan the QR code when I purchase tickets at a kiosk? In all the videos I don’t see anyone scanning the half fair card or their Overland pass so I’m not sure how that process works. Also for buses? I do have the half fare card uploaded into my SBB app but again I’m curious, how do use it for trams and buses as well… thanks!
WOW! This was so helpful, thank you both. I was going to get the Jungfrau travel pass and paying for regular trains outside that but now I'm definitely getting the half fare card!
Thank you for this video! We are leaving in a week for 🇨🇭. I've been nosing into this subject for the last couple of months at night when I have time. It is just too much to get a hold of it all unless you make a spreadsheet 🤔. This video is a huge time saver on the subject, which I would never have sifted through by myself anyhow! Thank you again 🎉
Love your videos! We bought the half fare card and now trying to add the Berner Oberland Pass. You say that it would be 25-40 franc more but all we see is 150 for a 3 day pass. Just want to make sure we aren't missing something. Thanks!
Hi there, good question! What we're referring to is your overall transportation cost. For the example you mentioned, we estimate you'll spend about 25-40 CHF more overall on transportation by adding the Berner Oberland Pass than you would if you don't add it (because it will also save you some money as well). Hope this helps clarify!
If you plan to make a round trip between two cities, for example you're staying in Zurich and making a daytrip to Basel or Luzern, often the saver day pass can be cheaper than two full-price tickets there and back so it easily becomes a no-brainer for most daytrips. For example, Zurich to Basel is 36 CHF each way, totalling an eye-watering 72 CHF for the round trip if you just buy full-price tickets on the day. However, if you buy your tickets just a few days in advance, you get access to the saver day pass which can be as cheap as 52 CHF (the only catch is it gets more expensive closer to the day of travel and you can't buy it ON the day you plan to travel) so you already saved 20 CHF just for the round trip. If that's not enough, you also get access to full unlimited travel on most regular trains all over Switzerland AND all the local public transport too, such as buses and trams, which saves even more. Thus, not only would it cover that round trip from Zurich to Basel for cheaper, but you even get to ride the trams and buses in both cities for no extra cost, and even hop to another city like Bern on the way back if you're feeling adventurous.
We are planning a trip to Switzerland in June 2024. Let me give you an overview of our itinerary so you can have a reference to answer my questions. Day-1 Fly into Zurich and take a train from Zurich airport to Lucerne. Day-2,3,4,5 Lucerne as base to stay, visit Mt Titlis, Pilatus and Rigi one destination a day with 4th spare day for bad weather or any destination needing more time. Day 6,7 Rent a car in Lucerne and drive for the first day to Interlaken to experience and photograph mountain passes Susten, Furka and Grimsel. 2 nd day visit Aare River gorge and lake Blausee. Return car in Interlaken and visit Harder Kulm in the afternoon. Day 8,9,10,11 Interlaken as base visit Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald and Jungfraujoch for 3 days with a spare day for bad weather and any destination needing more time. Day 12 Take the train from Interlaken to Bern. Visit Bern Day 13 Take the train to Zurich and take a flight home. Questions 1. For public transportation, I am thinking about getting. a. Swiss Half Fare Card (120 CHF/month) b. Tell-Pass for Lucerne area (24 CHF/day) c. Jungfrau Travel Pass (215 CHF/4 days) Would Tell-Pass & Jungfrau Pass cost me half if I purchase half fare card? Would this be the most economical strategy, or you would recommend some other? 2. Would Lucerne and Interlaken be good base? After living in US for years, we are used to having private bathroom with the hotel room. With this in mind what hotel would you recommend in these two towns? 3. I am considering Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald for tandem paragliding. Which of these or any in Lucerne is best for paragliding? 4. One option that appears attractive is to return to Interlaken after visiting Bern and take the scenic train to Zurich. Is this doable, what train, how long it takes etc.? 5. Any suggestions for modification to itinerary?
We love that you’re working so hard to plan your trip! We’d be happy to answer your questions in a consultation call 🙂 www.aplinsinthealps.com/consultations
Hello! I really hope we can get just a bit of help! We're planning to go across Europe (14 day trip), coming from Paris, staying at Interlaken, then going to Venice, all with a Eurail Pass. We're staying in the Jungfrau region for 3 days Aug 1-3 inclusive. We were hoping the train from Paris to Interlaken then Interlaken to Venice would be scenic but watching your videos it seems we need to book special trains for those? In the video, your main point was to not buy extra days for the Jungfrau Region which showed what not to do, but what SHOULD we do regarding the passes and wanting to go on scenic train rides. Thank you so so much for your help, this channel is genuinely the only place on the entire internet that has information laid out so perfectly for all to see for free and that truly is so incredible!
Hi there! Soo many of the trains in Switzerland are scenic! If you're not planning to spend lots of time up in the mountains (and especially if you will not be visiting Jungfraujoch), then you would be just fine using your Eurail Pass here! You'll just need to understand the validity map well so you know when you need an extra ticket and how much of a discount you will receive. Hope this helps!
@@AplinsintheAlps Thank you so much this helps a lot! Do you think we need to book extra tickets for the scenic trains or do the normal trains from Paris into the Jungfrau and from Jungfrau to Venice have just the same amazing views? Thank you once again so much!
Love the content, concise and precise as always! My Fiancé I and are more then halfway through booking our late September honeymoon to Italy and Switzerland, and are really glad we found this channel! Much love from Canada. PS the Jungfrau 7 Day travel guide is fantastic
Thank you so much for the kind words! It sounds like you have an amazing honeymoon planned. We honeymooned in Switzerland too! Thanks for the feedback on the Jungfrau travel guide! We hope you guys have a wonderful honeymoon:)
I love and hate Europe. I was fascinated by the stunning scenery and rich history, but I was overwhelmed by the high cost. I think trainpal's discount coupon saved me.
I'm going to Switzerland this September & i was not sure which pass to get. This vid is loaded with great info. Thank you so much. Appreciate it very much
If we are spending all of our trip in the Luzern, Grindelwold, Wengen, Interlokken and Bern area's, do we need the Half Fare Card? It looks like all the major trains, buses and gondola's are covered with the Berner Oberland Pass once we get to Luzern? We do plan on going to enjoy the fun in Grindelwold and possibly riding the train up to the Jungfrau glacier. Help me understand the value of the half fare card in our situation. Thank you so much! Great info on helping to plan our trip.
Hi Chad, great question! The Half Fare Card actually gets you a discount on the Berner Oberland Pass...and in the case of the 6-day, 8-day, and 10-day passes, that discount is equal to or more than the cost of the Half Fare Card! In addition, if you're traveling to or from the airport, you'll save even more with the Half Fare Card, and more still if any of your plans include rides that aren't fully covered by the Berner pass. Hope this helps!
You guys are awesome. We appreciate you putting together such good videos. We do travel videos as well and know how much time and effort it takes to put together a clear, concise and all inclusive video. Thanks!
I recently purchased a Swiss Travel Pass (second class) and have a few questions about using it: 1. For travel within major stations, like going from Lucerne to Kriens, do I need to purchase a separate ticket through the SBB app or at the station, or can I hop on the train with my Swiss Travel Pass? 2. When booking through the SBB app, do I select “GA Travelcard, 2nd class” under the "Travelcards for Switzerland" section in the passenger info? Is that the correct option for the Swiss Travel Pass? 3. For journeys where reservations are mandatory, like the Glacier Express, do I need to buy the ticket separately in advance? And if my reservation is in first class but my Swiss Travel Pass is for second class, can I upgrade to first class through the app or at the boarding station? I’d appreciate any insights or advice from those who have experience with this! Thanks!
I am so grateful for your videos! You always have the best advice when it comes to train passes. I managed to snag my half fare card when I was in Switzerland in January. It really helped save some money on train rides. Thank you for going through all the passes and helping me figure out the best option for my trip.
This is so encouraging to hear! We love helping others travel with confidence and we're thrilled to hear that we were able to help you choose the best train pass and save money!! Thanks again for sharing:)
No worries Paul! Now that you have the Eurail Pass, make the most of it by making sure you know what's covered, what's not, and what discounts are available to you.
Hello from Singapore! Really appreciate the effort that you guys put into this guide! You’ve earned yourself a new subscriber! ❤️ Also I’m heading over to Saas-fee from Milan in early March to Ski for a few days before heading over to Zurich for my flight back home. Am I right to just purchase the Swiss half fare or should I do the Eurail Global Pass Youth. Thanks in advance 🙏🏻🙏🏻
I think I have decided on the Oberland Pass and half fare card, but I’m wondering if the Bernina Express from Milan to Zermatt will be covered on either pass.
I love the fact that you have taken the time to navigate this confusing system of travel passes. I think that Switzerland must do a better job in this area. Too many passes!
Oh wow! I'm still trying to wrap my head around all the passes since we are heading to Interlaken next month via Paris train. This was very helpful! Still trying to figure out which train would require less train changes to reach Interlaken. We'll def purchase the halffare once we reach Interlaken, we are there only for 2 nights so might not do the Bern pass. Thank you!
Does anyone know if the Nessental Triftbahn is included in the Berner Oberland Pass? This is to go see the Trift Bridge! I see reservations are recommended for the gondola, but I don't see a way to apply a half fare card, or the Berner Oberland pass. Thank you, Aplins! Everything of yours has been super helpful, and we love your 7-day itinerary guide.
We’re as of today in Wengen 😁🎉. Have to get to Neuschwanstein Castle, leaving next Tuesday. We did the half fare card and Berber Oberland passes. Do you have any videos on connecting trains with the surrounding countries by chance?
@@AplinsintheAlps We love it here! Gorgeous! Yes, a video on connecting to the other countries would be so helpful! 😁. Friends we made in Lucern headed down to Italy yesterday as we left for here. I know they ran into a few hiccups getting there. How are you liking Swiss life? Hope we run into you guys this week. ❤️
Re-viewed and re-enjoyed this video because we’re going to Jungfraujoch in May. Please correct me if I misunderstood: We will buy the half fare card and use it to buy the Berner Overland pass, right? Since the Half-Fare card has a validity period. I should then purchase it near the date of our travel to maximize it. Is that correct? We are also coming from Milan on our way to Interlaken. Does this mean I can apply the Half Fare card for the part of our trip that passes through Switzerland? The train from Milan is direct to Spiez so I’m not sure how this would work out.
You've got it! When you buy the passes online, you select the date when you want them to start. And yep - you can use the Half Fare Card to get a discount from Domodossola in Italy (and actually, you could use your Berner Oberland Pass from here too! Just make sure you take the route that goes through Kandersteg, and not the direct route to Spiez). Hope this helps!
Can you do a video explaining the free guest passes? I haven't seen a video anywhere on YT explaining how it works or what's included. Really appreciate it. Good job overall!!!
I’ve downloaded the pass link and i will be sure to buy tickets via your link guys! This video and other videos you’ve done are so in depth! And it’s free knowledge 🙏🏽🥹 thank you again!!! loving the content 🎉
Thanks so much for your support and encouragement! We love Switzerland so much and want to help others travel here with ease and confidence:) Thanks for letting us know we've been helpful!
Thank you for the insightful video! I'm planning a trip to Jungfrau + Zermatt in December. Are the Half Fare Card and Berner Oberland Pass advisable for winter travel? I couldn't locate any videos specifically discussing winter passes.
Hi there! Unfortunately the Berner Oberland Pass is not available during the Winter. There is a Winter Hiking and Sledging Pass for the Jungfrau Region, but you might be better off with a half fare card instead, depending on how much you will do in the mountains.
Thanks for the great videos, very helpful! For inter city trains with a changover, I see 6 to 10 minutes to change train. Will thaf be enough. And what hsppens if i miss a connecting train? Buy a new tickef for remainder of the journey? Thanks
Ooh, good question! Usually, swiss trains are very precise and the quick changes aren't a problem. But if you miss a train, don't worry-if you purchase a normal ticket, it's good for that route the entire day. And most trains/buses come at least once every 30 minutes.
@@AplinsintheAlps Thanks for the reply! just confirming normal ticket would mean a ticket I buy from sbb using half fare card concession applied, right?
This was amazing. I can tell you guys were probably corporate professionals who decided to switch to youtube and travel. You guys aren't the usual run of the mill slackers who decided to become youtubers. The efficient, easy to understand way you presented a very complex ticket/travel issue is evidence that you are very smart, hard working pros. Its guys like you who made America a first class power. Thank you from a former New York bank now back in Seoul, S. Korea.
Thank you for your compliments and encouragement! Surprisingly we have never been in corporate work, but we value professionalism, helpfulness, and clarity. (And we both have a bit of perfectionism and nerdiness too🙃🤓) And this isn’t just UA-cam for us, it’s a business of which UA-cam is a part of - and we love it!!
I guess this is one of the most informative videos on Swiss Passes available in UA-cam. Thanks a lot for compiling all the information in one place. I have two questions you might help me with. We're visiting Zermatt (2 days) and then the Jungfrau region (3 days) beginning of September and going to purchase the half fare card and the BO pass (3 days). Q1- will the BO pass cover the journey from Zermatt to Grindelwald if we travel via Visp and the Lotschberg Basistunnel, as showing in the SBB app or do we have to take another route in order to utilize the BO pass during that journey? Q2- During our stay in the Jungfrau region, we plan to do a day trip from Grindelwald to Jungfraujoch via Eigergletscher and come down to Lauterbrunnen via the Wengen route. Will the CHF 99 connection ticket be valid for this entire journey in this scenario? Many thanks in advance for your response. Regards...
Hello, amazing video. My wife and I are going to Switzerland in Sept 2024. We will definitely be taking your suggestions and getting a half fare pass. Needed to clarify this though, do we both need a half fare? Or can one half fare pass buy all our tickets for two people?
Great videos thanks a lot. I need a bit of more advise. I am planning 2 weeks in switzerland. 2 adults and 2 kids below 12. The plan: 1 night geneva, 6 nights jungfrau region with one day trip to Luzern (might do 1 mountain), day trip on rhine falls, then 3 nights in Lugano with day trip to Milan and Como, then 2 nights in Zermatt with mountain excursion, then we want to stop at Chamonix on our last day to Geneva. Should we rent a car? If car, what pass we buy with it? If not car, what pass you recommend we buy?
Hi there! We would personally just use the public transportation and skip the car rental. For a specific pass recommendation, be sure to download our checklist and look at the section for trips to the Jungfrau Region + Luzern + Zermatt: aplinsinthealps.com/ultimate-swiss-train-pass-guide-2023/ That's where you'll find our best recommendations, even based on specific plans for each location!
Very enlightening! My husband and I planning to go there in Nov for 7 days we wish to see Geneva, Zurich, Lucern, and Interlaken. We’re staying in Interlaken. We wanted to see 1 mountain ride, a boat, and 1 scenic express like the glacier express. Which one to purchase?
Half price rail card, 10 full days Berner Oberland pass and return from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen. Cost 520sf but would have cost over 1,000sf- free boat, cable car, train, funicular railway and post bus. Only cost was half price train from Zurich, half price Murren to Schilthorn and Eiger Gletcher to Jungfraujoch.
Your videos are very informative, it helped me alot in planning my next trip. Just one quick question though, if i buy a half fare pass, do i get a 50% discount if i buy berner oberland pass? Thanks alot ❤
I've just started researching for Switzerland. Our dates of travel are 27th October 1 week. Then I watched one of your videos and some of the gondolas are closed at this time of year. Is it still worth visiting? Thanks
You really have to make that decision based on where you want to go and what you want to do. If everything (or even mostly everything) you want to see is open, then it could be great! But if a lot of places you want to go will be closed, it's probably worth waiting to come another time. The end of October and early November also usually sees the weather changing quite a bit. Maybe not too much snow yet, but usually it's quite a bit cooler with a lot more clouds and fog. Hope that helps!
I’m only going to interlaken for 3 days and Lucerne for a day so going for half fare card as the Bernese pass doesn’t cover Lucerne or the trains to and from Lucerne
Hi there! The Half Fare Card is a great choice...but you can actually travel between Interlaken and Lucerne for totally free with the Berner Oberland Pass, so keep that in mind!
If you'd like, train to Luzern first, and then ride the Luzern-Interlaken Express to Interlaken. So beautiful! You pass a few lakes and also go over the Brünig Pass.
Thanks for letting us know it was clear and easy to understand! Trying to explain the Swiss transportation system/train passes can feel a little overwhelming....there's so much information!
I am planning a 8-day trip to Germany and Switzerland. Could you help plan the itenarry? I want to include Grindelwald and the Neuschwanstein castle along with other points. Solo budget trip
We're sorry, but we don't create custom itineraries :( We do, however, sell done-for-you Swiss trip itineraries online, so be sure to check those out: aplinsinthealps.com/guides/
The Jungfrau Travel Pass offers free travel up to Eigergletscher, but it doesn't cover the last part to Jungfraujoch. So you'll need to purchase a ticket for that section. The Jungfraujoch connecting ticket will cover that route-but funny enough, it's exactly the same price as if you just buy a ticket for that route using a Half Fare Card!
Thank you so much for this amazing information! So very organized and easy to understand. In your video you talked about traveling from Lugano, Italy to Interlaken with the Saver Day Pass. You rode the Gotthard Panorama Express Train from Lugano to Fluelen then went by boat all the way to Lucerne. Then took another scenic train from there to Interlaken (can you name this train ride?) How long did the entire journey take you? I'm thinking of doing it in reverse to get to Lake Como. Is that feasible?
Great questions Lana! The train we took from Luzern is called the Luzern-Interlaken Express. This entire journey takes about 8 hours, plus another 40 minutes or so to travel from Lugano to Como. Totally doable, but a bit of a long day.
Thank you for all the helpful info! We bought the half fare card, however, I am debating the berner oberland pass as well. I was wondering, do any of these trains need to be booked in advance, for example, a trip to Schynige Platte? And if you have the berner oberland pass, is that an option? Thanks!
Hi Stacey! There's really no reason to book any of these trains in advance. In fact, most don't even allow for that. With the Berner Oberland Pass, you can just get on the train to Schynige Platte without a separate ticket (because the pass works as your ticket). And if you go earlier in the day, the lines shouldn't be too long!
Hello I love your videos. They are very helpful, thank you. We are looking to travel to Brienz from Zurich and stay in Brienz for 6 nights in October. We also plan to do day trips to Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. Then we will travel to Lucernce and spend 1 night there before traveling to Zurich, all by train. Is it worth just buying the Half fare card for 2 adults and 1 youth? Thank you.
What do you recommend getting from Basel airport to Thun/Interlaken/ Grindelwald? We do not plan visiting every mountain 2 Adults and 2 Children 6 days Thanks
Hi there! We love just using a Half Fare Card for a simple trip that doesn't have too many mountains. You can also get the Swiss Family Card (for kids 6-15) when you buy your Half Fare Cards.
Y'all this is soo helpful. But how do we use the passes? We purchased the Half Fare card and the BO Pass. How do we book tickets ahead of time if (coming from Italy) half of the way is covered by the HFC and the rest is included in the BO pass? How do we get the BO pass discount in advance?
So glad this video was helpful! We actually have a resource that guides you through the process of purchasing passes, using the passes, booking tickets, and how to book tickets with the discounts from the passes you've purchased! I'll put a link to it here: ua-cam.com/video/Ugnaq5PNofU/v-deo.html
Hello Aplins, Thank you for the wonderful video and information on Swiss Travels. I have 2 adults and a 11 y.o travelling to Zermatt (3 days) and interlaken (2 days). We want to be active in Zermatt and plan to visit Glacier Paradise, Gornergrat and possibly Rothorn and have easy day at Interlaken. Do you have a recommendation on Travel Pass for my travel needs. Can I travel to Zermatt from Paris on Eurail Global Pass? Thank you and Cheers :)
Hi Casey! You can travel to Zermatt using the Eurail Pass, but it won't provide any discounts once you're there. A half fare card might be your best bet, but be sure to follow the recommendations in our download. Hope that helps!
Hi,very informative content..Was wondering if there is a limit to how many times a Saver Day Pass can be used in a month with the Half Fare Card? Thanks,Monica.
Hi Monica! You need to purchase 1 Saver Day Pass for every day that you need to use it. So if you need 5 days, you will need to buy 5 Saver Day passes. Does that answer your question? Hope so!
Hi, This video is very helpful. Thanks a lot for making such useful content. We are planning to travel in September. We will be coming from Salzberg. Onenight at Luzern, just for city visit and no plans of mountain excursion. Then 5 nights at Jungfrau region and out from Zurich airport. My question is in this case do we need the half pass. My Calculation says OB pass + half pass is 40SF extra than only OB pass. Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi there! Remember that the Half Fare Card gives you a discount on your Berner Oberland Pass (96 CHF savings on a 6-day pass), plus it saves you money on your travel to and from the region, as well as anything else you'll do that isn't covered by the BO Pass. It will certainly save you money compared to not having it!
thank you for the awesome videos, really helped by the informarion you gave. from what i know that berner oberland pass only valid from april-october (correct me if i m wrong). i plan to jungfrauch and luzerne in december. is there any substitute pass for berner oberland pass? Thanks
Unfortunately, you're correct! There has been a winter version of the Jungfrau Travel Pass in previous years...so if that's offered again, that might be a great choice for you!
Thanks a ton for making an updated version too! Could you please suggest best travel pass for my itinerary will be travelling in mid-June - Land in Zurich Lucerne - Pilatus (only toboggan run), Titlis (top) Interlaken-Grindewald First(all adventure activities)-Jungfraujoch(top)-Zermatt (only till riffelsee) Bern (thun-spiez) Bern to Zurich/Basel for a flight to amsterdam
For 5-7 days in the immediate Jungfrau region (just Grindelwald, Mürren, Mannlichen, etc.) would you still recommend the half fare card & the Berner overland pass? Or would the Jungfrau pass be sufficient? We want to ride several trains/lifts per day…
Thank you for all of the tips, it has been so helpful during our planning! We will be visiting next month and staying for a full month. I have gone back and forth on the half fare and the GA 1 month). Can you share what makes the most sense? We plan to do a lot of traveling and like the flexibility but also trying to stay budget conscious. Thank you!
How fun! Both are great options but it truly depends on what you plan to do. The GA works well for longer distances but it’s not great in the mountains. If you’ll be more in the mountains, the often the Half Fare is better. It might be best to kinda price out your expected activities and pick based on that!
Hi Jana and Brett! Last year we visited the Berner Oberland and your videos were so helpful! This summer we will be spending three days in Zermatt but we will stay in an Airbnb in Täsch. We are a family of 4 (two children of 13 and 14 yo). I am a bit confused thst in the video you state that when you come by car, you should not buy a swiss travel pass or half fare card. I calculated that the half fare card will be the most beneficial to us (going to Gornergrat one day, another day to Glacier Paradise and one day the 5 lakes hike), because in that way we will pay half price for the cable cars AND our children will travel for free with the Swiss Family Pass. Or am I overlooking something? Thanks and regards!
Great question! And I think you found a hole in our recommendations we need to fill! For sure, if you're doing all of those things, the fact that you can get Swiss family cards for your kids makes it worth buying the Half Fare Card. And honestly, the prices for all the lifts increased this year, but the cost for the Half Fare Card didn't, so we might need to update that recommendation even for adults without kids. Thanks so much for reaching out with this question!!
Exceptional as usual. Thank you both. You suggest that there are affiliate links but I think you said not for the half fare card. I would like to help in a small way if there is an affiliate link to buy the Berner Oberland Pass and I'm assuming I need to buy the half fare pass first.
Thanks so much for your support! There's no need to buy the half fare card first (as long as you'll have it when you travel). You can find the affiliate link for the Berner Oberland Pass in our free download. Thanks again!
Can you tell me if you can purchase the half fare card for the time you'll be in Switzerland and still purchase tickets using the card ahead of time? I don't want to pay for a longer date range if I don't need to. Thank you for your help!
Yes, you can do this on the SBB Mobile app. However, there's little benefit to purchasing tickets in advance. You can get a small discount by buying SuperSaver tickets, but those lock you in to having to travel the exact time and route you booked. We think it's generally best to buy your tickets once you're here. Hope this helps!
Don't forget that we have a FREE download: How To Pick A Swiss Train Pass! Find it here: aplinsinthealps.com/ultimate-swiss-train-pass-guide-2023/
Still need help picking a Swiss Rail Pass that saves you time and money? We're happy to help :) Book a Swiss Vacation Consultation with us! https:/www.aplinsinthealps.com/consultations
Thank you, I appreciate the offer, definitely will use that. 💕
I would like to book a consultation. How can I do this?
Hi, guys！ Your video is very helpful and informative. Thank you very much！ My sister and I will be arriving I Zurich on May 10！！ We're still struggling to decide what passes to buy at this moment. We'd really appreciate your help to find the right passes to buy.
We'll arrive in zurich on May 10, and we have booked 5 nights in Wengen to appreciate the peaks and surrounding areas. Then, we'll get back to Zurich for a 4-day visit before heading for Vienna. Which Switzerland passes should we get? Thank you very much for your help！ Lisa N.
Hi my husband and 2 kids who are 12 and 9 are going to Switzerland for 4 days in July and we are not sure what train passes we need. We are staying in Grindelwald for 3 nights and in Zurich for 1 night. We plan on visiting Lucern, Interlaken, etc. and by the way, what train should we take from Milan Italy to Switzerland? Thanks
9:31 pm
Wait until you get there and go to the Swiss Travel Center at the airport train level. Explain to them your length of stay and your needs THEY will give you your best pass options. Their recommendations will be YOUR best bet. I have used several of the options depending on my needs. No use me explaining them.....let the experts at the Travel Center give them to you!
The Swiss Travel Center is certainly a great resource! We’ve used their help plenty of times in the past! Although we find that they don’t always know about the best regional passes, which can be more helpful than the national passes.
My wife and I just spent 6 days in Switzerland and we want to thank you for your helpful videos. They made our stay simpler and more entertaining. Keep up the good work!
We're so thrilled to hear that you and your wife enjoyed your time here in Switzerland and that we got to be a small part of it! Thank you for taking the time to leave an encouraging comment.
Hahaha! Your question at 5:27. Answer: that guy and this gal! :) (But only because I'm familiar with travelling in Switzerland and I'm a geek in that way.) Honestly, your previous videos got me thinking about how I did travel on my many trips, always using the Swiss Travel Pass for its convenience but making me aware of the other options. Since we're going to be there a month this year and I had an itinerary roughed out pretty well I decided to do a spreadsheet comparing ALL types of possibilities that you have mentioned in this and previous videos. Since I'm not into the high touristy mountain excursions and fall under the category of daily travel of some type through 2/3 of Switzerland surprisingly the Swiss Travel Pass was again a winner for me by 64chf; its convenience made it a no brainer. But some of those regional passes are really great values covering wide areas. All should note that some regional passes are available to all for a fee, some are available just by staying in the area (e.g. Ticino Pass, Appenzeller Holiday Pass) BUT you need to check with your lodging in that area to see if they offer the area pass--not all do. Best advice from this Swiss traveler: unless you get joy out of detailed planning for your trip ahead of time, consulting with people who've done the work for you is a bargain--and I get no residuals from saying that :) ! Excellent video, guys!
Hi Laura! We're so glad you enjoy this type of analysis too!!
I looked into the Ticino Pass recently, but it seemed like all the others-just giving a small discount on mountain rides. What's been your experience with the Appenzeller Holiday Pass? What all does it cover?
Thanks again for your kindness and encouragement, and for "tuning in" to our videos!
Thanks for this info, Laura. I am planning my first family trip with my parents (50+ age) and we will not be exploring the mountains so much but will be going to many areas like Interlaken, Zurich, Zermat, Lucerne, Grindelwald and Jungfrau region. My calculations also suggested that Swiss travel pass would be cheaper (and of course convenient). Thanks for confirming!
Thank you very much for your videos Jana and Brett, they are very informative and helpful! :D
@@AplinsintheAlps Sorry, Jana & Brett, I just saw your reply (8 months late). The Ticino pass does cover ALL train & bus transportation throughout the entire canton with small discounts on other transportation & excursions.
The Appenzeller Holiday card is similar, but a bit more complex as it allows the same type of travel through 15 zones--one would have to look carefully to see where these zones are and what they cover.
Thanks! All of your videos were very helpful in planning our recent trip to Switzerland. Plus your Swiss train pass info was very helpful and saves us a lot of money. We bought the Swiss half fare card and the Berner Oberland pass. We traveled to Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken, Zermatt and Geneva and had a terrific time. The SBB app was invaluable. Fun to see the places that were in your videos. We kept an eye out for you guys and saw a lot of people creating content.
You are so kind and generous, thank you! 🙂Sounds like you had a wonderful trip and saw some great Swiss highlights! And saved some money with those great train passes! Sorry we didn’t cross paths - maybe next time 😊
The definitive and only resource one will need to figure out the tangled web of Swiss travel passes. Outstanding job!
Thank you so much!
Do you guys still do consultations? We will be staying in Interlaken. Short trip 4 days total but 2 of those will be travel days@AplinsintheAlps
I swear you guys sound exactly like another UA-cam Couple, they have over 3M followers, I am sure you know who I am talking about, but you guys are great too.
Excellent video, I am planning my trip to Switzerland very soon.
Just got back from an amazing trip to Switzerland! Specifically Grindelwald and Interlaken area. Thanks to your videos, we decided on the Berner Oberland Pass with the Half Fare card which was the perfect choice!!!! I can’t stress enough what a great option this was for all of our adventures. Thank you Aplins in the Alps for your very informative videos 😊
Hi Michelle! I am Deepti Tiwari and am planning a trip to Switzerland, From your comment it sounds like you recently went to Switzerland and know some budget options. Can you tell me any stay options in the whole Interlaken- Lucerne- Grinderwald- Lauterbrunnen region. I kind of want to stay in the villages in a budget friendly option in a very quiet way.
We're so encouraged to hear that we were able to help you pick the perfect train pass! We LOVE that you had an amazing trip!
I’m in Switzerland right now and all the videos and the itinerary have been super helpful. However, I would strongly consider the first class Berner Oberland pass. It’s not much more and will save many headaches in finding seats on busy trains. They’re usually all busy and it’s mid-September now. Especially if you’re traveling with older people like parents, get first class.
Hi! We're going to Switzerland next week. Is it rainy season right now and too pack of people?
First Class is definitely helpful during high season if you’d like your own seat! But we always remind people that not all forms of transportation offer a first class section. And this year was unusually busy though mid October!!
I can't thank you enough. Just returned from our trip to Switzerland. My parents were so happy (their first international trip), me and my sister had great fun together.
Every time I was telling my family about your channel . Your videos made our trip to Switzerland very smooth and wonderful.I bought Berner Oberland pass and it really helped us.
Thank you ..Thank you ..Thank you so much 🙏🙏😇😇😍😍💐💐
We are honored that we got to be a small part of the amazing experience you had with your family! Thanks for sharing this with us!
Thank you .... Thank you .... Thank you so much💐💐 @@AplinsintheAlps
Stayed in the Jungfrau region, visiting be car and stayed in Gimmelwald. We followed the recommendation and bought the Jungfrau pass for our family. It was a very costly mistake. We didn't even use it once. When we tried, the activity listed as open on-line wasn't available. So the very frustrating lesson I learned is not to buy tickets in advance, on-line.
So sorry you had trouble! Some transport routes closed for maintenance in the fall, but the Jungfrau travel pass is good for most cable cars and gondolas!
I just returned from my Swiss holiday and took your advice on the half fare card + Berner Oberland Pass… that saving is huge! Thank you for the advice!
this is what i want to do in september! did u buy on the app ahead of time? i’m a little nervous about when i should purchase and if i can put my bf and i on the same acct
Am also wanting to travel to Zermatt and Jungfrau regions ONLY in late Sept or early Oct for total of 5 days (2 in Z and 3 in J regions). Where did you all go to on your trip and for how many days?
We LOVE hearing this! So glad we could you help you choose the right passes for your trip:)
Does the Berner Oberland pass cover the ride up to the Eiger Glacier? They mentioned the Berner Oberland connecting ticket to the Jungfraujoch would cost $99. However if you also have the half fare card, would it be cheaper to purchase the round trip from Eiger Glacier to Jungfraujoch instead of the connecting ticket?
Please Help: Please suggest best pass or combination of passes for my one week trip which will include:
Pilatus, Titlis, Lauterbrunnen tour with falls, Murren village hike and schilthorn peak, mannlichen, Interlaken thun or brienze lake boat ride, giessbach falls, iseltwald tour , Grindelwald first
We are over in the Jungfrau region in August, based in Unterseen for 11 nights. Driving in and sleeping in our VW Transporter part campervan. As a family of 4 - (2 adults and 2 kids [15 & 12]) I've opted for the Swiss Half Fare Card which then gets some discount on the Berner Oberland Pass and the Jungfrau Unlimited Summer Pass. Excessive, you might think.... Both passes cross over but we're looking at possibly spending a night at the Monchjochhutte so that equates to 2 days of Jungfraujoch tickets, doing some boaty trips, plus a sneaky day trip down to Milan. Plus some of the more 'normal' stuff like First and the villages.
I plan on doing very little driving while we are in Switzerland... Let the train take the strain!
Busy itinerary, but I worked out that bagging both passes using a half fare card worked best for us. Plus the Berner Oberland pass gets you down to Domodossola in Italy now, so only tickets for Domodossola to Milano Centrale needed - and as one of the kids is 12, we bagged cheap Bimbi Gratis tickets so it was a lot less than a 'proper' ticketed day trip from Interlaken Ost to Milano Centrale. Just a whole lot of timetable examination and waiting for train numbers to be released!
Your videos have been a huge help! Thank You both!
Hi Paul, what a fun trip you have planned! We don't have any experience traveling by camper van, but we've been talking more and more about what a great place this would be to do it!
We LOVE that you did the research to figure out which passes were best for you and your family. Hope you have a great trip!
Thanks to you two, we're all set to go with our half fare card and berner oberland passes. A few weeks away, and we'll be there. The 1 on 1 consult was so helpful, and I'm a travel planner/hotelier by trade, but the extra few dollars to gain some insights from 2 locals was a great value. Thanks again!
Thanks so much for the encouragement! We're SO glad you felt the 1 on 1 consultation was a valuable investment. We hope you have an amazing trip!
Hey... Steve in NEPA... Is that as in Northeast PA?
@@timmccabe4654 yes it is
Try TrainPal next time! No issues I experienced so far. Many discounts drop and train card sales.
Hi guys! thanks for the video! But please do let the viewers be aware that the Oberland Pass is only available from 1st April onwards for annually! Meaning travelers hitting the country from winter till 31st March doesnt have the option to enjoy the Oberland Pass!
You're right that many of these passes have separate summer and winter seasons, like the Berner Oberland Pass!
@@AplinsintheAlps so is the Berner overland pass only for summer?
This was the video I have been waiting for so long, which gave the answer to the most confusing question i.e. which rail pass to buy in switzerland. Thank you so much guys.
Wow what a detailed blog on train passes etc. It enlightened me a lot on what to do . I have a planned trip to Switzerland in 2024. 5 nights in Jungfrau Region our based is Interlaken and 3 nights in Luzern.
Thanks for taking the time to let us know this was helpful! Our goal was to help you feel confident in choosing the right train pass and it sounds like our goal was accomplished!
Thanks!
Wow! Thank you so much for your generosity. We are so grateful for your support!
I really appreciate the level of nerding going on here. You've probably saved me a few spreadsheets... Thanks!
I know it's not really your game but a video like this with kids in mind would be crazy beneficial.
Again thanks, all your stuff is great!
We’re glad you can appreciate the spreadsheet neediness - we love it! 🤓
Actually a video like that would only be about a minute long. Here’s why:
Kids under 6 are always free on transportation everywhere in Switzerland.
Kids 6-15 are always 50% off on transportation throughout the country of Switzerland.
Kids 6-15 can ride for FREE with the Swiss Family Card when they’re riding with their parents.
Kids 16+ are treated like adults.
Pretty simple! Hope that helps 😊
Why not try a new app named trainpal which gives me a big surprise 🎉
@@AplinsintheAlps So, if you're traveling with three kids under the age of 16 (14, 12, & 5), then the travel pass generally makes the most sense, right?
The various Swiss travel tickets are so complicated and I can’t find any Chinese videos about them. Thank you for the analysis, which gave me some inspiration😊
So glad you found us and that we could be helpful!
This video saved us a fortune. Although we discovered that if you’re travelling with kids and have bought the Swiss half fare card, the Berner Oberland pass always works out more cost effective than the Jungfrau travel pass simply because the Swiss family pass can be used in conjunction with it. If you have that pass, you only need to buy a Berner Oberland pass for the adults and kids travel for free. We were in the Jungfrau area for 3 days and the B.O. pass worked out 50 CHF cheaper (25 CHF per child) than buying the Jungfrau pass.
So glad we were able to help you save money!!! Thanks for sharing!
Leaving tomorrow from Hawaii to start working our way there. Whew! This is a huge help! Spending time in Zurich, Lucerne, and the Jungfrau region. Thank you for the best train into out there!
Sounds like your at the beginning of an amazing trip! So glad this video was helpful! Happy Travels!
Hi guys, thanks a lot for the detailed video. Your videos helped us to pick the best pass to travel in Switzerland . And also saved a lot of money 😊. We stayed in the Interlaken region for 4 days, as you guys suggested we bought the Berner oberland pass and Swiss half fare card.
We did the glacier walk on top of jungfraujoch and hike to bachalpsee lake, which turned out to be the best hike we did in our life. Thanks a lot for the suggestions and detailed videos. Looking forward to more videos 😊 thanks!
Thank you so much for your feedback! We're so grateful you enjoyed your trip and that we were able to play a small part it it. Do you think you'll come back to Switzerland?!
Hi my wife Yvonne and myself, Tony, would like to thank you for this video! We got the Half Fare pass and it saved us a TON of $$$ on our Switzerland vacation. We went from Zurich to Zermatt and then worked our way back via Interlacken, Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Luzern, Lugano and finally back to Zurich. While we didn't take your advice and only pick 3 regions we did enjoy seeing all of these regions and know what we would visit on return someday. THANK YOU !!!!!
We LOVE hearing that we helped you save money! It sounds like you got to see and do a lot! We hope you had a great time:)
WOW.... my head is spinning and all I had to do was listen to you both !!!!!. FANTASTIC work guys ...I bet Brett's jaw was sore for days after this spool. Still, a cold beer would have fixed it. You covered all bases and MUCH MUCH more. Thank you. Max Australia.
It is a lot of information and we worked SO hard to make sure to explain it in such a way that would make your train pass purchasing as painless as possible. Thanks for letting us know this was helpful to you.
i need help… i got lost between all these options. Can someone with experience please give me advice on which option is best for this schedule: Basel-Lauterbrunnen- Geneve-Zermatt(Glacier Express to St.Moritz)-St.Moritz-Zurich-Basel.
Anyone knows which option is the best? THANK YOU
Make sure you download our free checklist! Because unless you’re only visiting those cities and not riding any transportation once you’re there, it’s not a simple answer. We promise our checklist is designed to make it simple!
This is the best video or podcast I've listened to about Swiss Train passes! It's been so overwhelming to think about and figure out. We will definitely use y'all's links to buy the half fare card and the other for the jungfrau region
Wow! Thanks so much for letting us know how helpful this video is. And thanks for using our links; that helps us keep creating helpful content!
That is very elaborate👍 Plus Europe rail ticket now has a discount😮
I’m going visit Jungfrau & Zermatt 7 day in this December. Thank you for ur VDO very helpful 🎉❤
So glad it was helpful! We hope you enjoy your time here.
Hi Aplins! I am heading to Switzerland tomorrow. I have purchased half fare card and Bernard Overland Pass online, I printed them out, and I assume that there will be a place to scan the QR code when I purchase tickets at a kiosk? In all the videos I don’t see anyone scanning the half fair card or their Overland pass so I’m not sure how that process works. Also for buses? I do have the half fare card uploaded into my SBB app but again I’m curious, how do use it for trams and buses as well… thanks!
Thanks! this is so helpful!
Thank you SO much! Your generosity helps us keep creating!
WOW! This was so helpful, thank you both. I was going to get the Jungfrau travel pass and paying for regular trains outside that but now I'm definitely getting the half fare card!
You’re so welcome! That sounds like a fantastic choice!
Thank you for this video! We are leaving in a week for 🇨🇭. I've been nosing into this subject for the last couple of months at night when I have time. It is just too much to get a hold of it all unless you make a spreadsheet 🤔. This video is a huge time saver on the subject, which I would never have sifted through by myself anyhow! Thank you again 🎉
We're so encouraged to hear that this video helped you save time on your travel planning! We hope you have a wonderful trip!
Love your videos! We bought the half fare card and now trying to add the Berner Oberland Pass. You say that it would be 25-40 franc more but all we see is 150 for a 3 day pass. Just want to make sure we aren't missing something. Thanks!
Hi there, good question! What we're referring to is your overall transportation cost. For the example you mentioned, we estimate you'll spend about 25-40 CHF more overall on transportation by adding the Berner Oberland Pass than you would if you don't add it (because it will also save you some money as well). Hope this helps clarify!
If you plan to make a round trip between two cities, for example you're staying in Zurich and making a daytrip to Basel or Luzern, often the saver day pass can be cheaper than two full-price tickets there and back so it easily becomes a no-brainer for most daytrips. For example, Zurich to Basel is 36 CHF each way, totalling an eye-watering 72 CHF for the round trip if you just buy full-price tickets on the day. However, if you buy your tickets just a few days in advance, you get access to the saver day pass which can be as cheap as 52 CHF (the only catch is it gets more expensive closer to the day of travel and you can't buy it ON the day you plan to travel) so you already saved 20 CHF just for the round trip. If that's not enough, you also get access to full unlimited travel on most regular trains all over Switzerland AND all the local public transport too, such as buses and trams, which saves even more. Thus, not only would it cover that round trip from Zurich to Basel for cheaper, but you even get to ride the trams and buses in both cities for no extra cost, and even hop to another city like Bern on the way back if you're feeling adventurous.
thanks for this info. Im staying in Zurich for a week but i want to do at least 2-3 day trips.
We are planning a trip to Switzerland in June 2024.
Let me give you an overview of our itinerary so you can have a reference to answer my questions.
Day-1
Fly into Zurich and take a train from Zurich airport to Lucerne.
Day-2,3,4,5
Lucerne as base to stay, visit Mt Titlis, Pilatus and Rigi one destination a day with 4th spare day
for bad weather or any destination needing more time.
Day 6,7
Rent a car in Lucerne and drive for the first day to Interlaken to experience and photograph
mountain passes Susten, Furka and Grimsel. 2
nd day visit Aare River gorge and lake Blausee.
Return car in Interlaken and visit Harder Kulm in the afternoon.
Day 8,9,10,11
Interlaken as base visit Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald and Jungfraujoch for 3 days with a spare day
for bad weather and any destination needing more time.
Day 12
Take the train from Interlaken to Bern. Visit Bern
Day 13
Take the train to Zurich and take a flight home.
Questions
1. For public transportation, I am thinking about getting.
a. Swiss Half Fare Card (120 CHF/month)
b. Tell-Pass for Lucerne area (24 CHF/day)
c. Jungfrau Travel Pass (215 CHF/4 days)
Would Tell-Pass & Jungfrau Pass cost me half if I purchase half fare card? Would this be the
most economical strategy, or you would recommend some other?
2. Would Lucerne and Interlaken be good base? After living in US for years, we are used to having
private bathroom with the hotel room. With this in mind what hotel would you recommend in
these two towns?
3. I am considering Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald for tandem paragliding. Which of
these or any in Lucerne is best for paragliding?
4. One option that appears attractive is to return to Interlaken after visiting Bern and take the
scenic train to Zurich. Is this doable, what train, how long it takes etc.?
5. Any suggestions for modification to itinerary?
We love that you’re working so hard to plan your trip! We’d be happy to answer your questions in a consultation call 🙂 www.aplinsinthealps.com/consultations
Hello! I really hope we can get just a bit of help! We're planning to go across Europe (14 day trip), coming from Paris, staying at Interlaken, then going to Venice, all with a Eurail Pass. We're staying in the Jungfrau region for 3 days Aug 1-3 inclusive. We were hoping the train from Paris to Interlaken then Interlaken to Venice would be scenic but watching your videos it seems we need to book special trains for those? In the video, your main point was to not buy extra days for the Jungfrau Region which showed what not to do, but what SHOULD we do regarding the passes and wanting to go on scenic train rides. Thank you so so much for your help, this channel is genuinely the only place on the entire internet that has information laid out so perfectly for all to see for free and that truly is so incredible!
Hi there! Soo many of the trains in Switzerland are scenic! If you're not planning to spend lots of time up in the mountains (and especially if you will not be visiting Jungfraujoch), then you would be just fine using your Eurail Pass here! You'll just need to understand the validity map well so you know when you need an extra ticket and how much of a discount you will receive. Hope this helps!
@@AplinsintheAlps Thank you so much this helps a lot! Do you think we need to book extra tickets for the scenic trains or do the normal trains from Paris into the Jungfrau and from Jungfrau to Venice have just the same amazing views? Thank you once again so much!
Love the content, concise and precise as always! My Fiancé I and are more then halfway through booking our late September honeymoon to Italy and Switzerland, and are really glad we found this channel! Much love from Canada. PS the Jungfrau 7 Day travel guide is fantastic
Thank you so much for the kind words! It sounds like you have an amazing honeymoon planned. We honeymooned in Switzerland too! Thanks for the feedback on the Jungfrau travel guide! We hope you guys have a wonderful honeymoon:)
I love and hate Europe. I was fascinated by the stunning scenery and rich history, but I was overwhelmed by the high cost. I think trainpal's discount coupon saved me.
I'm going to Switzerland this September & i was not sure which pass to get. This vid is loaded with great info. Thank you so much. Appreciate it very much
So glad we could help you with your decision!
Best video so clearly explained!!! THANK YOU! The Swiss system is CONFUSING :-)
You're welcome! So glad it was helpful. Swiss transportation can be confusing so hopefully you feel more confident after watching this!
If we are spending all of our trip in the Luzern, Grindelwold, Wengen, Interlokken and Bern area's, do we need the Half Fare Card? It looks like all the major trains, buses and gondola's are covered with the Berner Oberland Pass once we get to Luzern? We do plan on going to enjoy the fun in Grindelwold and possibly riding the train up to the Jungfrau glacier. Help me understand the value of the half fare card in our situation. Thank you so much! Great info on helping to plan our trip.
Hi Chad, great question! The Half Fare Card actually gets you a discount on the Berner Oberland Pass...and in the case of the 6-day, 8-day, and 10-day passes, that discount is equal to or more than the cost of the Half Fare Card!
In addition, if you're traveling to or from the airport, you'll save even more with the Half Fare Card, and more still if any of your plans include rides that aren't fully covered by the Berner pass. Hope this helps!
Once we worked out mostly what trains/lifts etc we were going to take over 6 days, the Swiss Half Fare card worked out best for us.
That's great to hear!
@@AplinsintheAlps … thanks to your advice!
Does jungfrau travel pass cover wengernalp railway? Or some other train between Kleine Scheidegg and Lauterbrunnen?
Yes, the Jungfrau Travel Pass covers the Wengernalp Railway!!
Thank you! I’ll be visiting in July 😊
You're welcome! Enjoy your visit in July:)
This is huge information for me who want to going to swiss next year by solo. Thank you sooo muchh🙌🏻
You're welcome! Glad we can help!
You guys are awesome. We appreciate you putting together such good videos. We do travel videos as well and know how much time and effort it takes to put together a clear, concise and all inclusive video. Thanks!
Thanks so much! That is so cool that you do travel videos as well. Where do you travel?!
@@AplinsintheAlps we’re mostly western United States
I recently purchased a Swiss Travel Pass (second class) and have a few questions about using it:
1. For travel within major stations, like going from Lucerne to Kriens, do I need to purchase a separate ticket through the SBB app or at the station, or can I hop on the train with my Swiss Travel Pass?
2. When booking through the SBB app, do I select “GA Travelcard, 2nd class” under the "Travelcards for Switzerland" section in the passenger info? Is that the correct option for the Swiss Travel Pass?
3. For journeys where reservations are mandatory, like the Glacier Express, do I need to buy the ticket separately in advance? And if my reservation is in first class but my Swiss Travel Pass is for second class, can I upgrade to first class through the app or at the boarding station?
I’d appreciate any insights or advice from those who have experience with this!
Thanks!
Thanks for the video. We’re going at the end of October for 9 days so it looks like the half fare card is the way to go..
Often a great choice. Enjoy!
I am so grateful for your videos! You always have the best advice when it comes to train passes. I managed to snag my half fare card when I was in Switzerland in January. It really helped save some money on train rides. Thank you for going through all the passes and helping me figure out the best option for my trip.
This is so encouraging to hear! We love helping others travel with confidence and we're thrilled to hear that we were able to help you choose the best train pass and save money!! Thanks again for sharing:)
I wish I had found your videos before we bought our eurail pass! Hindsight's 20/20 ughhh thanks for all the effort!
No worries Paul! Now that you have the Eurail Pass, make the most of it by making sure you know what's covered, what's not, and what discounts are available to you.
Thank you! You guys are amazing :)
You're welcome! Thanks for the support and encouragement.
Hello from Singapore! Really appreciate the effort that you guys put into this guide! You’ve earned yourself a new subscriber! ❤️
Also I’m heading over to Saas-fee from Milan in early March to Ski for a few days before heading over to Zurich for my flight back home. Am I right to just purchase the Swiss half fare or should I do the Eurail Global Pass Youth. Thanks in advance 🙏🏻🙏🏻
I think I have decided on the Oberland Pass and half fare card, but I’m wondering if the Bernina Express from Milan to Zermatt will be covered on either pass.
The Half Fare Card works for the whole country of Switzerland, including scenic trains!
I love the fact that you have taken the time to navigate this confusing system of travel passes. I think that Switzerland must do a better job in this area. Too many passes!
We totally agree! One pass, even if it's pretty expensive, would help many travelers!!
Oh wow! I'm still trying to wrap my head around all the passes since we are heading to Interlaken next month via Paris train. This was very helpful! Still trying to figure out which train would require less train changes to reach Interlaken. We'll def purchase the halffare once we reach Interlaken, we are there only for 2 nights so might not do the Bern pass. Thank you!
TrainPal can make a good smooth ticketing experience as well. Offers across Europe and discounts on train cards:))
Thank you for your research and sharing info's. I so appreciate you both.
This is huge for me especially on a budget and solo.
We're so glad that we could help you save money and feeling confident traveling alone!
Does anyone know if the Nessental Triftbahn is included in the Berner Oberland Pass? This is to go see the Trift Bridge! I see reservations are recommended for the gondola, but I don't see a way to apply a half fare card, or the Berner Oberland pass.
Thank you, Aplins! Everything of yours has been super helpful, and we love your 7-day itinerary guide.
Hi Mitch! Unfortunately the BO Pass isn't valid there!
@@AplinsintheAlps Thank you for letting me know!
We’re as of today in Wengen 😁🎉. Have to get to Neuschwanstein Castle, leaving next Tuesday. We did the half fare card and Berber Oberland passes. Do you have any videos on connecting trains with the surrounding countries by chance?
We do not have any videos about connecting trains with surrounding countries but I think that's a great idea! Are you enjoying Wengen?
@@AplinsintheAlps We love it here! Gorgeous! Yes, a video on connecting to the other countries would be so helpful! 😁. Friends we made in Lucern headed down to Italy yesterday as we left for here. I know they ran into a few hiccups getting there. How are you liking Swiss life? Hope we run into you guys this week. ❤️
Such a detailed comparison. You guys are so good in what you do..❤
That is such a nice compliment! Thanks for the encouragement:)
Re-viewed and re-enjoyed this video because we’re going to Jungfraujoch in May. Please correct me if I misunderstood: We will buy the half fare card and use it to buy the Berner Overland pass, right? Since the Half-Fare card has a validity period. I should then purchase it near the date of our travel to maximize it. Is that correct?
We are also coming from Milan on our way to Interlaken. Does this mean I can apply the Half Fare card for the part of our trip that passes through Switzerland? The train from Milan is direct to Spiez so I’m not sure how this would work out.
You've got it! When you buy the passes online, you select the date when you want them to start. And yep - you can use the Half Fare Card to get a discount from Domodossola in Italy (and actually, you could use your Berner Oberland Pass from here too! Just make sure you take the route that goes through Kandersteg, and not the direct route to Spiez). Hope this helps!
Can you do a video explaining the free guest passes? I haven't seen a video anywhere on YT explaining how it works or what's included. Really appreciate it. Good job overall!!!
That's a great idea! We will add it to our list. But we do mention it in our Lucerne Things To Know Video if you want a quick overview!
I’ve downloaded the pass link and i will be sure to buy tickets via your link guys! This video and other videos you’ve done are so in depth! And it’s free knowledge 🙏🏽🥹 thank you again!!! loving the content 🎉
Thanks so much for your support and encouragement! We love Switzerland so much and want to help others travel here with ease and confidence:) Thanks for letting us know we've been helpful!
Thank you for the insightful video! I'm planning a trip to Jungfrau + Zermatt in December. Are the Half Fare Card and Berner Oberland Pass advisable for winter travel? I couldn't locate any videos specifically discussing winter passes.
Hi there! Unfortunately the Berner Oberland Pass is not available during the Winter. There is a Winter Hiking and Sledging Pass for the Jungfrau Region, but you might be better off with a half fare card instead, depending on how much you will do in the mountains.
Thank you! ❤
Thanks for the great videos, very helpful! For inter city trains with a changover, I see 6 to 10 minutes to change train. Will thaf be enough. And what hsppens if i miss a connecting train? Buy a new tickef for remainder of the journey? Thanks
Ooh, good question! Usually, swiss trains are very precise and the quick changes aren't a problem. But if you miss a train, don't worry-if you purchase a normal ticket, it's good for that route the entire day. And most trains/buses come at least once every 30 minutes.
@@AplinsintheAlps Thanks for the reply! just confirming normal ticket would mean a ticket I buy from sbb using half fare card concession applied, right?
Hey guys, great content. Would you recommend getting the Berner oberland Pass if you are visiting interlakken for 1 day from Lucerne?
Hi there! For a day trip from Lucerne, we'd just use our Half Fare Card. Or if you'll have the Tell-Pass, that would cover the trip to Interlaken!
This was amazing. I can tell you guys were probably corporate professionals who decided to switch to youtube and travel. You guys aren't the usual run of the mill slackers who decided to become youtubers. The efficient, easy to understand way you presented a very complex ticket/travel issue is evidence that you are very smart, hard working pros. Its guys like you who made America a first class power. Thank you from a former New York bank now back in Seoul, S. Korea.
Thank you for your compliments and encouragement! Surprisingly we have never been in corporate work, but we value professionalism, helpfulness, and clarity. (And we both have a bit of perfectionism and nerdiness too🙃🤓) And this isn’t just UA-cam for us, it’s a business of which UA-cam is a part of - and we love it!!
I guess this is one of the most informative videos on Swiss Passes available in UA-cam. Thanks a lot for compiling all the information in one place. I have two questions you might help me with. We're visiting Zermatt (2 days) and then the Jungfrau region (3 days) beginning of September and going to purchase the half fare card and the BO pass (3 days). Q1- will the BO pass cover the journey from Zermatt to Grindelwald if we travel via Visp and the Lotschberg Basistunnel, as showing in the SBB app or do we have to take another route in order to utilize the BO pass during that journey? Q2- During our stay in the Jungfrau region, we plan to do a day trip from Grindelwald to Jungfraujoch via Eigergletscher and come down to Lauterbrunnen via the Wengen route. Will the CHF 99 connection ticket be valid for this entire journey in this scenario? Many thanks in advance for your response. Regards...
Hello, amazing video. My wife and I are going to Switzerland in Sept 2024. We will definitely be taking your suggestions and getting a half fare pass. Needed to clarify this though, do we both need a half fare? Or can one half fare pass buy all our tickets for two people?
Great question - you both need your own Half Fare Card. Enjoy your vacation - September should be lovely in Switzerland!!
Great videos thanks a lot. I need a bit of more advise.
I am planning 2 weeks in switzerland. 2 adults and 2 kids below 12. The plan: 1 night geneva, 6 nights jungfrau region with one day trip to Luzern (might do 1 mountain), day trip on rhine falls, then 3 nights in Lugano with day trip to Milan and Como, then 2 nights in Zermatt with mountain excursion, then we want to stop at Chamonix on our last day to Geneva.
Should we rent a car? If car, what pass we buy with it?
If not car, what pass you recommend we buy?
Hi there! We would personally just use the public transportation and skip the car rental. For a specific pass recommendation, be sure to download our checklist and look at the section for trips to the Jungfrau Region + Luzern + Zermatt: aplinsinthealps.com/ultimate-swiss-train-pass-guide-2023/
That's where you'll find our best recommendations, even based on specific plans for each location!
Very enlightening! My husband and I planning to go there in Nov for 7 days we wish to see Geneva, Zurich, Lucern, and Interlaken. We’re staying in Interlaken. We wanted to see 1 mountain ride, a boat, and 1 scenic express like the glacier express. Which one to purchase?
Half price rail card, 10 full days Berner Oberland pass and return from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen. Cost 520sf but would have cost over 1,000sf- free boat, cable car, train, funicular railway and post bus. Only cost was half price train from Zurich, half price Murren to Schilthorn and Eiger Gletcher to Jungfraujoch.
That Half Fare Card and BO Pass combo really is amazing for money savings!
Your videos are very informative, it helped me alot in planning my next trip. Just one quick question though, if i buy a half fare pass, do i get a 50% discount if i buy berner oberland pass? Thanks alot ❤
I've just started researching for Switzerland. Our dates of travel are 27th October 1 week. Then I watched one of your videos and some of the gondolas are closed at this time of year. Is it still worth visiting? Thanks
You really have to make that decision based on where you want to go and what you want to do. If everything (or even mostly everything) you want to see is open, then it could be great! But if a lot of places you want to go will be closed, it's probably worth waiting to come another time. The end of October and early November also usually sees the weather changing quite a bit. Maybe not too much snow yet, but usually it's quite a bit cooler with a lot more clouds and fog. Hope that helps!
Great to see Jim Courier do travel vids.
He said he's glad you're enjoying them ;)
@@AplinsintheAlpswe're planning a Switzerland and Italy first time trip in Sept/Oct and your info in gold! Thank you.
You're welcome Brad!
I’m only going to interlaken for 3 days and Lucerne for a day so going for half fare card as the Bernese pass doesn’t cover Lucerne or the trains to and from Lucerne
Hi there! The Half Fare Card is a great choice...but you can actually travel between Interlaken and Lucerne for totally free with the Berner Oberland Pass, so keep that in mind!
Hi. This is great thanks! Quick question. We are traveling from Zurich to Murren. Is there a scenic train that you recommend? Thanks.
If you'd like, train to Luzern first, and then ride the Luzern-Interlaken Express to Interlaken. So beautiful! You pass a few lakes and also go over the Brünig Pass.
Really clearly explained. Thanks
Thanks for letting us know it was clear and easy to understand! Trying to explain the Swiss transportation system/train passes can feel a little overwhelming....there's so much information!
Where n how can we compare the prices of different passes. Any website that will help in this comparison ?
Hi there! You just need to visit the websites of each of the individual passes :)
I am planning a 8-day trip to Germany and Switzerland. Could you help plan the itenarry? I want to include Grindelwald and the Neuschwanstein castle along with other points. Solo budget trip
We're sorry, but we don't create custom itineraries :(
We do, however, sell done-for-you Swiss trip itineraries online, so be sure to check those out: aplinsinthealps.com/guides/
Awesome video. Well done, guys! Keep it up!
Thanks so much!
What is the Jungfraujoch - connecting ticket for the Jungfrau Travel Pass?
The Jungfrau Travel Pass offers free travel up to Eigergletscher, but it doesn't cover the last part to Jungfraujoch. So you'll need to purchase a ticket for that section.
The Jungfraujoch connecting ticket will cover that route-but funny enough, it's exactly the same price as if you just buy a ticket for that route using a Half Fare Card!
Thank you so much for this amazing information! So very organized and easy to understand. In your video you talked about traveling from Lugano, Italy to Interlaken with the Saver Day Pass. You rode the Gotthard Panorama Express Train from Lugano to Fluelen then went by boat all the way to Lucerne. Then took another scenic train from there to Interlaken (can you name this train ride?) How long did the entire journey take you? I'm thinking of doing it in reverse to get to Lake Como. Is that feasible?
Great questions Lana! The train we took from Luzern is called the Luzern-Interlaken Express. This entire journey takes about 8 hours, plus another 40 minutes or so to travel from Lugano to Como. Totally doable, but a bit of a long day.
Thank you for all the helpful info! We bought the half fare card, however, I am debating the berner oberland pass as well. I was wondering, do any of these trains need to be booked in advance, for example, a trip to Schynige Platte? And if you have the berner oberland pass, is that an option? Thanks!
Hi Stacey! There's really no reason to book any of these trains in advance. In fact, most don't even allow for that. With the Berner Oberland Pass, you can just get on the train to Schynige Platte without a separate ticket (because the pass works as your ticket). And if you go earlier in the day, the lines shouldn't be too long!
Thanks for the useful information! Still don’t really understand how the saver day pass relates to the half fare card, could you explain it?
Hello I love your videos. They are very helpful, thank you. We are looking to travel to Brienz from Zurich and stay in Brienz for 6 nights in October. We also plan to do day trips to Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald. Then we will travel to Lucernce and spend 1 night there before traveling to Zurich, all by train. Is it worth just buying the Half fare card for 2 adults and 1 youth? Thank you.
Super usefull informatio n,thanks !!
Thanks for letting us know it was helpful!
What do you recommend getting from Basel airport to Thun/Interlaken/ Grindelwald?
We do not plan visiting every mountain
2 Adults and 2 Children
6 days
Thanks
Hi there! We love just using a Half Fare Card for a simple trip that doesn't have too many mountains. You can also get the Swiss Family Card (for kids 6-15) when you buy your Half Fare Cards.
Y'all this is soo helpful. But how do we use the passes? We purchased the Half Fare card and the BO Pass. How do we book tickets ahead of time if (coming from Italy) half of the way is covered by the HFC and the rest is included in the BO pass? How do we get the BO pass discount in advance?
So glad this video was helpful! We actually have a resource that guides you through the process of purchasing passes, using the passes, booking tickets, and how to book tickets with the discounts from the passes you've purchased! I'll put a link to it here:
ua-cam.com/video/Ugnaq5PNofU/v-deo.html
After you buy a Saver Day Pass, how you can use it to book a train ride on SBB? Or you can use it directly to enter on the train?
Hello Aplins, Thank you for the wonderful video and information on Swiss Travels. I have 2 adults and a 11 y.o travelling to Zermatt (3 days) and interlaken (2 days). We want to be active in Zermatt and plan to visit Glacier Paradise, Gornergrat and possibly Rothorn and have easy day at Interlaken. Do you have a recommendation on Travel Pass for my travel needs. Can I travel to Zermatt from Paris on Eurail Global Pass?
Thank you and Cheers :)
Hi Casey! You can travel to Zermatt using the Eurail Pass, but it won't provide any discounts once you're there. A half fare card might be your best bet, but be sure to follow the recommendations in our download. Hope that helps!
Hi,very informative content..Was wondering if there is a limit to how many times a Saver Day Pass can be used in a month with the Half Fare Card? Thanks,Monica.
Hi Monica! You need to purchase 1 Saver Day Pass for every day that you need to use it. So if you need 5 days, you will need to buy 5 Saver Day passes. Does that answer your question? Hope so!
@@AplinsintheAlps Great. Thank you.
Hi, This video is very helpful. Thanks a lot for making such useful content. We are planning to travel in September. We will be coming from Salzberg. Onenight at Luzern, just for city visit and no plans of mountain excursion. Then 5 nights at Jungfrau region and out from Zurich airport. My question is in this case do we need the half pass. My Calculation says OB pass + half pass is 40SF extra than only OB pass. Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi there! Remember that the Half Fare Card gives you a discount on your Berner Oberland Pass (96 CHF savings on a 6-day pass), plus it saves you money on your travel to and from the region, as well as anything else you'll do that isn't covered by the BO Pass. It will certainly save you money compared to not having it!
HI, Love the work you have put into your videos. Do you have any ideas as to when the passes will open for the christmas season?
So glad our content is helpful to you! The Winter passes usually go on sale around December 1st.
@@AplinsintheAlps thanks for replying
The Burner overland Pass is not avaible for Winter? :O
Unfortunately not this year! The best alternative is the Jungfrau Hiking and Sledging Pass.
thank you for the awesome videos, really helped by the informarion you gave. from what i know that berner oberland pass only valid from april-october (correct me if i m wrong). i plan to jungfrauch and luzerne in december. is there any substitute pass for berner oberland pass? Thanks
Unfortunately, you're correct! There has been a winter version of the Jungfrau Travel Pass in previous years...so if that's offered again, that might be a great choice for you!
Thanks a ton for making an updated version too!
Could you please suggest best travel pass for my itinerary will be travelling in mid-June -
Land in Zurich
Lucerne - Pilatus (only toboggan run), Titlis (top)
Interlaken-Grindewald First(all adventure activities)-Jungfraujoch(top)-Zermatt (only till riffelsee)
Bern (thun-spiez)
Bern to Zurich/Basel for a flight to amsterdam
There is free checklist download in the description that will help you find the right pass for your trip! Check it out!
For 5-7 days in the immediate Jungfrau region (just Grindelwald, Mürren, Mannlichen, etc.) would you still recommend the half fare card & the Berner overland pass? Or would the Jungfrau pass be sufficient? We want to ride several trains/lifts per day…
Hi Zach! For 6 or more days, go with the BO Pass :)
Tq so much. I'm more confused now😅. I'm sure it's just me
Hopefully our free download will be helpful so you know exactly what you need!
Thank you for all of the tips, it has been so helpful during our planning! We will be visiting next month and staying for a full month. I have gone back and forth on the half fare and the GA 1 month). Can you share what makes the most sense? We plan to do a lot of traveling and like the flexibility but also trying to stay budget conscious.
Thank you!
How fun! Both are great options but it truly depends on what you plan to do. The GA works well for longer distances but it’s not great in the mountains. If you’ll be more in the mountains, the often the Half Fare is better. It might be best to kinda price out your expected activities and pick based on that!
Hi Jana and Brett! Last year we visited the Berner Oberland and your videos were so helpful! This summer we will be spending three days in Zermatt but we will stay in an Airbnb in Täsch. We are a family of 4 (two children of 13 and 14 yo). I am a bit confused thst in the video you state that when you come by car, you should not buy a swiss travel pass or half fare card. I calculated that the half fare card will be the most beneficial to us (going to Gornergrat one day, another day to Glacier Paradise and one day the 5 lakes hike), because in that way we will pay half price for the cable cars AND our children will travel for free with the Swiss Family Pass. Or am I overlooking something? Thanks and regards!
Great question! And I think you found a hole in our recommendations we need to fill!
For sure, if you're doing all of those things, the fact that you can get Swiss family cards for your kids makes it worth buying the Half Fare Card. And honestly, the prices for all the lifts increased this year, but the cost for the Half Fare Card didn't, so we might need to update that recommendation even for adults without kids.
Thanks so much for reaching out with this question!!
Exceptional as usual. Thank you both. You suggest that there are affiliate links but I think you said not for the half fare card. I would like to help in a small way if there is an affiliate link to buy the Berner Oberland Pass and I'm assuming I need to buy the half fare pass first.
Thanks so much for your support! There's no need to buy the half fare card first (as long as you'll have it when you travel). You can find the affiliate link for the Berner Oberland Pass in our free download. Thanks again!
Can you tell me if you can purchase the half fare card for the time you'll be in Switzerland and still purchase tickets using the card ahead of time? I don't want to pay for a longer date range if I don't need to. Thank you for your help!
Yes, you can do this on the SBB Mobile app. However, there's little benefit to purchasing tickets in advance. You can get a small discount by buying SuperSaver tickets, but those lock you in to having to travel the exact time and route you booked.
We think it's generally best to buy your tickets once you're here. Hope this helps!