livetoroam

I am trying to crunch numbers between buying point to point tickets, Swiss travel pass, half fare cards and 3 country Railroad passes. I think I understand everything but am struggling to get the point to point cost estimates. Can someone who is more adept at the sbb.ch site help me? I need to have an estimate of second class fares between the following places.

Montreux- Wengen on a Friday
Wengen- Zurich on a Monday
Zurich- Maienfeld- Zurich. On a Tuesday

I am taking the train from Paris to Montreux and from Zurich to Salzburg but have a handle on those costs. Also taking the chocolate train one day and understand the discount for that for each pass.

Any kind insight you can give me is much appreciated.

Travel is in August.

PalenQ

Well no to any 3-country pass - that's a Eurailpass that would not give as man benefits in Switzerland - like only 25% off to Wengen and few discounts.

If you are taking just three train trips Half-Fare Card maybe depending on what you are doing in Jungfrau Region.

anyway some sources- www.sbb.ch for fares; www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Swiss Travel Pass could be could if going to and from Wengen but I'd lean to Half-Fare Card which you could not go wrong with.

Also taking the chocolate train one day and understand the discount for that for each pass> you could take regular trains covered in full by pass over the same routing. 1/23 Fare would cover the Chocolate Train fare but maybe not the supplements>

Melnq8

livetoroam -

I tried to look up the fares for you but the SBB site has lost its mind at present. That could be the issue, site problems.

As an FYI, which may or may not help you, we have learned over the years that the Half Fare Card is the best choice for us. Once you spend 240 CHF per person in transport - which is pretty easy to do - you've broken even (120 for the Half Fare Card, so 240 CHF is the break even point). Any more than that is gravy.

How many days will you be in Switzerland?

livetoroam

I would like to blame my inability to get the fares on site problems, not just my own incompetence!

We will only be in Switzerland 6 days total, one day for the chocolate train, one day travel to Wengen, two days hiking in Wengen area, one day travel from Wengen to Zurich, one day round trip from Zurich to Maienfeld. Then train to Salzburg.

The Half fare card is looking good, just want to make sure I am not making a mistake as math is not my strong suit.��

PalenQ

Do check Swiss Travel Passes vs Half-Fare Card - seems your train trips may be sufficient for pass to be better perhaps than 1/2 off fares + cost of buying Half-Fare Card and no waiting in queues to buy half-price tickets. Check for specials on Swiss Passes - either thru agents in U.S. and on www.sbb.ch - often pop up during winter/spring and can use within sex months of purchase.

How many trips will you be doing say once in Wengen? The whole Wengen-Lauterbrunnen-Murren-Gimmelwald-Stechelberg-Lausterbrunnen-Wengen loop is completely covered by Swiss Passes (and this is one of my very favorite excursions - also doing Schilthorn/Piz Gloria from Murren. Just a wonderful day.

So often a Swiss Pass may be used more than you plan -like funcky weather days day trip to say Bern.

Melnq8

There are ticket machines at most train/bus stations. Takes only minutes, couldn't be easier.

You can buy tickets on busses from the driver, just tell him you want a Half Fare ticket (Halbtax).

For comparison, the Swiss Travel Pass is priced as follows: Three day 225 CHF, four day 270 CHF, eight day 398 CHF.

PalenQ

OP would price a 5-day Swiss Flexipass perhaps since they need 5 days of travel. Unfortunately their first and last days are long expensive trains - check into the day passes for 45 euros or so for unlimited day of training - www.sbb.ch to supplement a 4-day pass. But if all depends on how much you do once in Wengen. since they do not have much time seems Half-Fare Card would be best.

Mara

I was recently in Switzerland but just bought a pass for the area around Lake Geneva where I was staying. However, for my couple of trips to other areas including back to Zurich I used the SBB app on my phone and got Supersaver tickets - half price.

livetoroam

Roughly how much would that Wengen loop cost? Maybe I should save a flex day to cover that day and not use it on the chocolate train where it saves about $25. We fall into a gray area for each option it seems so will just have to go with one and not look back at some point. Thanks for your help!

neckervd

Full fare/pax:
Monteux - Golden Pass - Wengen: 70 CHF
Wengen - Lucerne - Zurich: 66 CHF
Zurich - Maienfeld RT: 68 CHF
I suppose you know that Maienfeld (Sargans) lires on the railway line Zurich - Salzburg.

PalenQ

The whole Wengen-Lauterbrunnen-Murren-Gimmelwald-Stechelberg-Lausterbrunnen-Wengen loop is completely covered by Swiss Passes>

How much would it cost> Not sure but a whole whole lot more than $25.

PalenQ

Maybe I should save a flex day to cover that day and not use it on the chocolate train where it saves about $25>

Definitely - not sure how much exacdtly that Lauterbrunnen-Murren-Gimmelwald-Lauterbrunnen Loop from Wengen would cost but a whole lot more than $25.

And do not forget on Flexipasses I believe once you've used the final flexible travel day the pass expires and thus no good for discounts which don't need rfequire a day of use on pass but just that the pass is still active and it always bas been the pass'v valdity period lapses when the final flexi day is used. Check to see if that has changed but if not keep on flexi day till last day of pass if want to get discounts after 5th flexi day is used.

livetoroam

Thank you all so much, that helps a lot. Appreciate your time and expertise.

PalenQ

Chocolate Trains costs only $25? Sounds too low - sounds like a possible supplement over 2nd class fares as Choco Train is first-class only I believe. I'd re-check that price. $25 for Switzerland is about 5 cups of coffee!

livetoroam

The chocolate train costs over $100 but I meant that with the Swiss Pass, it only saves about $25 off of that total. Sorry for the poorly worded earlier post. Don’t want to confuse anyone else looking at the chocolate train, it is a pricey excursion.

PalenQ

I thought you'd pay $25 supplement with a Swiss Pass which would cover the basic train fare- seems you should use a day on pass on that for sure. Or is Choco Train no longer covered in full for train fare?

PalenQ

You could of course take regular trains that roll over the same rail as Chocolate Train - and pay nothing extra - takes you to Gruyeres and to gates of Callier Nestle Chocolate plant at Broc-fabrique station. No commentary or whatever snacks they may give out on chocolate train but saves a ton of money and you go your own pace.

Melnq8

Yes, regular trains are free with Swiss Pass - we've done it. What exactly does one get for that extra $100 anyway? All you need is transport. As I recall, admission to the chocolate factory is also free with the Swiss Travel Pass - can't swear by that so be sure to check.

PalenQ

What do you get on official Chocolate trains?

A Belle-Epoque fancy-dancy Pullman car with all the luxuries like nice seats and doilies on them - I think some cheese - and hostess/commentary and maybe marginally faster and no need to change trains as I think you have to on locals. Official trains I understand often full with tour groups. I like locals because they are usually half-full and I can flit from side to side as scenery dictates rather than be stuck in my seat on a full train.
Local trains which I took you can just go anytime as they go anytime and have just as large windows as official train it seems.

neckervd

" The whole Wengen-Lauterbrunnen-Murren-Gimmelwald-Stechelberg-Lausterbrunnen-Wengen loop is completely covered by Swiss Passes. How much would it cost> Not sure but a whole whole lot more than $25."

46 CHF