A Swiss Pass can be a way of keeping normally expensive train trips down cost wise - if you travel more than a few times you may find a pass to be a boon - valid on trains, postal buses, lake boats, city trams and buses and also granting free entry to 400+ Swiss museums. With a consecutive-day pass you at least know exactly how much all your transportation will cost - but compare normal prices with the pass - but keep in mind with a pass many folks end up dong more than than previsioned.

For lots of great stuff on Swiss trains, passes and alternatives like the Half-Fare Card I always spotlight these IMO fantastic sites - www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.ricksteves.com and http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html. One benefit of a pass is that you can just hop on anything train, bus, etc covered by the pass - no going to the ticket window - and if staying in Wengen the Swiss Pass passes 100% up there so if using Wengen as a base the pass could be a great deal if day tripping out of Wengen!

Is Switzerland that expensive?

Switz is very expensive. The train up/down the Jungfraujoch is about 200 swissies for that alone. On the McDonalds price scale a big mac meal is about $18 versus the $8 or so it is in the US. (NOt that you should eat big macs - but other foods are equally priced).

You have more control over food - can do picnics or eat from markets - but sights cost what they cost.

The last time I was there we took the client to dinner in a pleasant but not very upscale Italian restaurant - for 4 women sharing appetizers and dessert and with 2 bottles of modest wine - dinner was almost US $ 700.

Hi catherinehaas,

Food in Switzerland can be expensive, but not necessarily as bad as nytraveler notes.

There are lots of fast food options that are much less than the $18 Big Mac meal -- for instance, you can buy a sandwich or a Wurst from a bakery or kiosk for about 3-5 chf. Yes, stay away from the American types of fast food to save some money.

You can economize by having your main meal at lunchtime, when the restaurants typically offer a meal for around 20-30 chf (wine or drinks extra). Then, for dinner, assemble some wonderful picnics from one of the grocery stores and eat outside enjoying the view.

You can also get inexpensive meals at cafeterieas like the ones in department stores or the Coop at larger towns.

I think you will be absolutely fine with your budget.

Have fun as you plan!

s

Thanks! I was starting to re-think my entire itinerary based on 700CHF for dinner. I am not really a "go and party it up" kind of girl especially when I am in a foreign county solo. I did a pub crawl for my first European trip to Dublin; however, since then I don't run the streets in Europe... LOL! Not a smart idea to not be fully aware of your surroundings in a foreign country. So drinking outside of my hotel is out. I plan to go to stores and get items for lunch and snack items. I have no problem eating cheap. Every trip I choose once to go somewhere "fancy" and this trip I might not be able to. Oh well, I will be in Switzerland... I can eat big macs to the cows come home for this opportunity.

Does anyone know how much pizza is in Wengen? Are we talking 500 CHF or something a bit more reasonable (like 20 CHF)?

Hi again,

Yes, pizzas can start at around 20 chf (18 chf or so) and go up to 25 or 30 chf.

s

We were surprised at how expensive food is in Switzerland. This past Dec we stopped at the equivalent of an Autogrill on the highway and had 2 bratwursts with fries and 2 diet cokes and the bill came to 46CH!!!!

Sounds good. If I eat from the markets, big macs, or pizza without anything on it, I should be ok with my budget. LOL!

Thinking about now skipping Paris altogether, which was the beginning part of my trip and staying for little over a week only in Switzerland. Flight is less, hotel is less, train ticket from Flexi Pass for 5 days vs. Swiss Pass for 8 days was only a little bit more expensive (covered by not having to travel from Paris to Wengen).

>>>you can buy a sandwich or a Wurst from a bakery or kiosk for about 3-5 chf. Yes, stay away from the American types of fast food to save some money.<<<

Usually if you are a tourist, you are in the more touristy areas and the prices are higher. I did find sandwiches for around 7chf last time I was there (2 years ago), but a small breakfast at the hotel was 38chf.

Here's a thread from 2011 that gives quite a few prices of things in Wengen. It might give you some ideas of where to eat/shop.
http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/wengenbernese-oberland-is-crazy-expensive.cfm

>, but a small breakfast at the hotel was 38chf.

Curious, which hotel? I wonder because the breakfast is usually included at hotel room rates in Switzerland. Exception: 5* hotels and some "superior" 4* hotels. CHF38 is more like a 5* hotel's price for breakfast.

Try the restaurant "Pasta & More" in hotel Victoria-Lauberhorn in Wengen. Reasonable prices, lower than average in Switzerland.
http://www.hotel-victoria-lauberhorn.ch/en/hotel-victoria-lauberhorn-wengen-switzerland/hotel/gastronomy.html
Click on "menu.pdf" (That's also for dinner.)
See Pasta and Grill sections - pasta is around CHF 20, chicken breast or pork Schnitzel (with roasted potatoes and veggies or salad) are CHF 20.50

So, there are options for reasonable food. But you cannot just walk into any restaurant, a little search is needed.

Usually the most convenient option in Swiss cities are self service restaurants at large branches of Coop, Migros, Manor stores. A lunch may be something like 25 CHF, and not bad at all.

The hotel menu looks great. I am sure that I can find a market for lunch and can go here for dinner, given that I am staying in Wengen. Thank you so much!!!

The hotel menu looks great. I am sure that I can find a market for lunch and can go here for dinner, given that I am staying in Wengen. Thank you so much!!!

I think $300 per day (after hotels?) is more than plenty. Are you only staying in Wengen? How long are you staying?

A big mac meal is CHF11.50. Save 12CHF in your bra for when you have no more cash.

Also, pack a real fork and knife if you intent to eat in. It's feels nicer than eating with plastic utensils. You can get a nice mixed/prepared salad for around 6/7CHF.

Yes hotels that offer guests at least demi-pension can be a great way to cut food costs and also get a good filling meal. Breakfast and one meal included in the room price.

I always stay at Hotel Baeren in Wengen. Breakfast (huge) is included and I pay an extra CHF 20 for dinner. Very much worth it to pay this extra! The dinner price does not include a drink and this hotel charges about CHF 3 for tap water when no other drink is ordered. Lunch is usually a sandwich from a grocery store or bakery. I buy my Coke Light at COOP for CHF 1.

Be sure to check the hours of the grocery in Wengen. They close during the middle of the day, usually when you are hungry, and early on Sundays. It happened to us a couple of times. Just check to be sure. The BO is beautiful...you will love it.

I feel much better cutting Paris out of my trip this time. I have been there and while there is still more to do, at the end of the day I wanted to focus all of my resources on Switzerland. It provides a bit of comfort not trying to do 2 expensive places in one trip.

Yes, I am staying in Wengen the entire time with exception of the last 2 nights will be in Zurich. With that being said, I have the Swiss Pass and marked out some places that I want to see. Thun, Bern, Gstaad, Grindlewald, etc are day trips planned. I am staying in Wengen because of the scenery but plan to rise early and travel around the area.

The hotel provides breakfast, so that is one meal that I won't have to worry about. During my travels I am sure that I will be able to find stores where I can manage lunch/dinner.

Does anyone know how late the trains run from Interlaken to Wengen?

Thank you everyone for all of your great advice!!!

Does anyone know how late the trains run from Interlaken to Wengen?

The last train most days leaves Interlaken-Ost station at 22:02, arriving Wengen 22:44 but there is a bus-train link leaving Interlaken-Ost at 23:04, arriving Wengen 23:44 - with a train from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen.

Check schedules at www.bahn.de - the easiest site for me to use for any European train ride (for a good link to the English schedule page of www.bahn.de go to the home page of www.budgeteuropetravel.com and click on the lin 'Best On-Line European Train Schedule" (or some such wording) and this brings you to the English schedule page where you simply put in Interlaken-Ost in the From box and Wengen in the To: box - I mention this home page link because they also give you several good tips on using the www.bahn.de site that may not be apparent to first-time users - for all your day trips you can get the train times, etc. You can also use the www.sbb.ch or Swiss Federal Railways site for schedules but to me it is not as quick or easy but then I have not used it all that much.

Note about taking the train from Interlaken-Ost to Wengen - Interlaken-Ost is the East station - the last stop on mainline trains coming from Spiez and the west and the jumping off place to hop on the usually waiting on the opposite platform trains to Lauterbrunnen (change their for Wengen) and Grindelwald.

But note that the Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald trains are joined into one train at Interlaken-Ost and this train splits half-way en route to either - be SURE you board a train car marked Lauterbrunnen - every time I take this train there are always flummoxed tourists who have boarded the wrong half of the train and are told by the conductor to get off at Zweilutschenen (sp?) and get on the other half of the train - as these trains are often IME packed to the gills you may have trouble getting a seat if you have to transfer here.

So at Interlaken-ost be sure to board the correct half of the train!

Most of our days in Wengen were spent hiking and lunches were picked up at COOP-sandwiches, fruit, water, yogurt,etc Take some plastic spoons for the yogurt-buying a pack of them would be an extra expense. There is a place in Wengen for doing laundry and the detergent was pricey at COOP. We made the best decision ever to take half board at Hotel Alpenrose. The owner is a chef and the meals are great. Don't know if you will spend time in Zurich but IMO it rivals Tokyo and London as being a very expensive city.

Sure Switzerland can be expensive but 300CHF per day for one person for a train ticket, eating, and walking around money is plenty!

Sandwiches from bakeries are great and easy to find. Prepared foods from the grocery store (like quiche, pate, etc.) Lunches at the 'workmens' type mom & pop cafes (look for the daily special written on a chalkboard) are very good value. Drink 'house' wine by the carafe, don't order bottled. Like that. You'll be fine.

The 300CHF will be for just food, sightseeing, and shopping. The train ticket will already be purchased. Thinking about doing the half fare card and buying point to point tickets. From what I am finding online with supersaver fares, these ticket prices are better than the Swiss Pass. For 8 days in 2nd class, the cost is 441CHF for the pass. Using the supersaver fare for point to point tickets, the cost is 397CHF. Either way, that money is not included in the 300CHF per day.

THANK YOU PalenQ about the train information. I would have definitely been one of those crazy tourists on the wrong train.

Your budget is fine. I'm no expert on train travel or Wengen, but I've been to Switzerland 5 times (friends live vevey/montreux area) and while I agree it is generally "expensive" you have budgeted plenty for what you want to see & do.