vacationlady

I just did a post on my blog about Choosing the Best Swiss Travel Pass. It was really hard to decide between the Swiss Travel Pass and the 1/2 fare travel card. Most reports I read favored the 1/2 travel card as it was cheaper, but unless you have been to Switzerland and understand how expensive it is to go places, especially depending on where you are staying, the costs add up quickly. I hope this helps anyone who is trying to decide between the two.
http://winenchocolate.com/choosing-t...s-travel-pass/

PalenQ

Great report - I always use a pass more than I think too and yes like you gives you flexibility to change plans as say weather dictates, etc. For others looking for lots of info on Swiss trains and passes check out www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

even not having to stand in line to buy 50% off tickets is nice - and in any case for many the Swiss Card will be a better idea than the Half-Fare Card too though many only at the latter.

Excellent blog BTW!

robincal

Nice report. One thing that I find enticing about the Swiss travel passes is the more days you purchase, the lower the per day price goes. I've actually started thinking about a whole month in Switzerland because of this, maybe purchasing the 15 day flexipass, usable over a 30 day period, plus also purchasing the half-fare card (at a reduced rate) for the other 15 days, for about 600 dollars total.

tipsygus

I've been spending holidays in Interlaken, well Unterseen, for the past ten years and only once bought the Half Fare Pass, always the Swiss Travel Pass. As Vacationlady says it saves having to buy ticket. it also gives people like me the opportunity to change their minds having started a day's outing, something I have done frequently. I will admit at not making a spreadsheet or working out the days fares.

I buy the pass before i leave home and trat it as part of my holiday costing along woth the hotel. Living in the UK, I also use the Swiss Rail Fly Rail system which has always meant that my suitcase is delivered to my hotel room and on my return journey I can check in at Interlaken Ost station and get my boarding pass and leave the suitcase to get back to my home airport. So fat Swiss Rail have never let me down

PalenQ

I've had many Swiss Passes and often buy them before leaving home but I always compare prices with those sold in Switzerland at every large train station (or maybe any station) as sometimes the price differential is significant - often incredible cheaper in the U S than in Switzerland for some reason. I always advise checking in prices in your home country and in Switzerland and always check for specials on either end that at times give a day extra or free excursions to some mountain tops, etc. These usually are for travel in shoulder seasons between winter ski season and summer hiking seasons - March, April and May and Oct, Nov for instance.

mokka4

I have found that the Half Fare Card served me best on my last 5 trips to Switzerland. However, I have very definite destinations, only switching around the SEQUENCE if weather requires. There were not many times that I had to 'stand in line', though its true that a ticket purchase from the self-service automat is required.
For me, the cost of the HFC always trumped the pass, but then I don't mind having to purchase a ticket because its so easy!

brubenow

Very helpful info, thanks... But what about the Berner Oberland Regional Pass? That will likely be my choice when my family stays a week in Wengen next July. The cable cars and gondolas are all included.

PalenQ

For me, the cost of the HFC always trumped the pass, but then I don't mind having to purchase a ticket because its so easy!>

Again check out the Swiss Card or Transfer Ticket - forget what it is called now (for others pondering HFC) as it gives a trip from any border station or airport to any place in Switzerland on any train - just hop on (or bus, etc) and with it you can buy a 50% off Half-fare Card - so all the benefits of the HFC plus two trips in and out of your Swiss base - say if landing in Geneva and going to Wengen that one trip alone could be expensive even with the HFC - so it depends on how far your destination is from your base.

Many folks do not check on the Swiss Card (or Transfer Ticket??) and automatically go for the HFC when the other could be better for them - I'm sure mokka4 has checked as he/she is a veteran traveler but for others be sure to check on both - the Swiss Card or Transfer Ticket with half-off HFC could be cheaper as many have reported in the past here - but not always - if landing at Zurich and going to Lucerne that would not be a good deal.

PalenQ

checked on proper name - Swiss Card is no more but it's the Swiss Transfer Ticket (plus half-off HFC) that could be better and provide the exact same benefits as the HFC. And it's not available for purchase in Switzerland I believe - only in other countries.

PalenQ

for those not studying Swiss Passes there was a huge change in them this year - not only a new name Swiss Travel Pass, to reflect that it is good on boats, buses, etc I think and not just trains but also a major change in Flexipasses. Saverpasses were also eliminated and prices for solo passes allegedly lowered to reflect that.

With consecutive-day passes you get 50% off on virtually everything that moves in Switzerland that is not covered in full by the pass as long as the pass is valid.

But flexipasses no longer give any discounts on the days you are not using them to 100% coverage BUT along with flexipasses you can now buy a 50% Half-Fare Card to use in those days that gives 50% off everything whereas under the old rules some things would be on 25% off (like Jungfraujoch train from Grindelwald and Wengen on wards - a 25% still only granted to consecutive-pass holders on the world's most expensive train.

So keep those things in mind if familiar with the old Swiss Passes and not the new Swiss Travel Pass.