Fodor's Travel Talk Forums

Fodor's Travel Talk Forums (https://www.fodors.com/community/)
-   Europe (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/)
-   -   Based on my itinerary, which of these travel passes should I buy? (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/based-on-my-itinerary-which-of-these-travel-passes-should-i-buy-1664828/)

CledTravel Mar 17th, 2019 01:56 AM

Based on my itinerary, which of these travel passes should I buy?
 
Based on my itinerary and the travel costs from the SBB website, should I buy the Swiss Half Fare Card, the Regional Bernese Oberland Pass, and/or the Saver Day Pass? I will be based in Murren.

Day 1: Stein am Rhein to Murren: 106.80 CHF
Day 2: Schilthorn: CHF 82.60
Day 3: Männlichen-Kleine Scheidegg Trail: CHF 83.00
Day 4: North Face Trail: No transport required from Murren
Day 5: First to Schynige Platte trail: CHF ~87.00
Day 6: Murren to the Dolomites (arrive the same day, potentially scenic route)

The Regional Bernese Oberland Pass looks like it fully covers my travel to and from my hikes, so this might be the go. But then I also think the other two passes will save me money for my Day 1 and 6 trips.*

neckervd Mar 17th, 2019 03:19 AM

Stein am Rhein - Muerren, any itinerary: Saver Day Pass to book in the web 2 months ahead: 52 CHF
Muerren - Swiss border on the route to Ortisei, any itinerary (Buchs SG, Martina, Mustair, Chiasso, Domodossola): Saver Day Pass to book in the web 2 months ahead: 52 CHF
Schilthorn/Maennlichen/Muerren - Grindelwald - First - Schynige Platte - Muerren: Bernese Oberland Pass for 3 consecutive days + half fare ticket Schilthorn: 251 CHF

neckervd Mar 17th, 2019 07:03 AM

Te same with the Swiss Half Fare Card:
Half Fare Card: 120 CHF
Stein am Rhein - Muerren, any itinerary: Saver Day Pass to book in the web 2 months ahead: 29 CHF
Muerren - Swiss border on the route to Ortisei, any itinerary (Buchs SG, Martina, Mustair, Chiasso, Domodossola): Saver Day Pass to book in the web 2 months ahead: 29 CHF
Schilthorn: 41 CHF
Maennlichen - Kleine Scheideegg: 48 CHF
/Muerren - Grindelwald - First - Schynige Platte - Muerren: 59 CHF
total: 326 CF
Solution according to post 2 above: 355 CHF

PalenQ Mar 17th, 2019 08:38 AM

Half-fare Pass yes gives half off Saver Day Passes as neckervd shows - 29 F instead of 58 francs. Not doing enough for Berner Oberland Pass.

CledTravel Mar 17th, 2019 05:48 PM

Neckervd, thank you so much for this. Do you think it's worth going for the slightly more expensive option (Regional Bernese Oberland pass) as that means I don't need to buy tickets for each journey, as I would have to with the Swiss Half Fare Card?

*BTW, I have decided to go ahead with your suggested route from Murren > Ortisei! I'm going to take the scenic route via Kandersteg and take the post bus over Simplon pass. I presume this is also all covered by the Swiss Half Fare card and Saver Day passes? And just to confirm, I only need to book the route from Domodossola onwards, right? Everything else, I just use the Saver Day Pass and jump on any train or bus I like?

neckervd Mar 18th, 2019 02:05 AM

I proposed (post 14 in my answer to one of your previous threads):
" Muerren dp 6.36 - L'brunnen - I'laken - Spiez ar 7.50, dp 8.12 by scenic train Loetschberger via Kandersteg - Goppenstein - Brig to Domodossola ar 9.54, dp 10.03 by scenic Centovalli Express to Locarno ar 11.55. Enjoy Locarno and Lake Maggiore. Locarno dp 13.35 - Milan ar 15.50; change at Giubiasco or Bellinzona. Milan dp 16.15 - Verona PN 17.28/17.50 - Waidbruck 19.47/19.59 - Ortisei ar 20.27 "
In this solution, the Swiss Saver Day Pass would have been valid up to the Swiss/Italian border station of Chiasso (arrival 15.04, departure 15.07). The Bellinzona dp 14.13 - Giubiasco - Lugano - Chiasso (15.04/15.07) - Milan (ar 15.50) train is a regional train (no need to book ahead).

But if you plan to travel by Postbus over the Simplon Pass, things will change a bit:
" Muerren dp 6.36 - L'brunnen - I'laken - Spiez ar 7.50, dp 8.12 by scenic train Loetschberger via Kandersteg - Goppenstein to Brig ar 9.20, dp 10.18 by Postbus via Simplon Pass to Domodossola ar 12.00, dp by regional train (no reservation needed) 12.53 - Milan ar 14.35, dp 15.15 by Frecciarossa (reservation compulsory) to Verona ar 16.28, dp 17.02 by Eurocity (reservation compulsory) to Bolzano/Bozen ar 18.31, dp 19.02 by regional train (no reservatoin needed) to Waidbruck ar 19.17, dp by bus 19.25 - Ortisei ar 19.55.
In this solution, the Swiss Saver Day Pass will be valid up to the Swiss/Italian border station of Domodossola.

Regional train fares:
Domdossola - Milan: 11 EUR
Chiasso - Milan: 6 EUR

CledTravel Mar 18th, 2019 12:37 PM

Thank you. Yes, I changed the route slightly as I have already been to Lake Maggiore, and I read the bus over the Simplon pass is very scenic. Sorry, should have said that I made that modification. Is this route still scenic (ie your second itinerary above)? Timings work out nicely actually.

If this is a good itinerary, how do I enter this into SBB? I managed to find your itinerary from Murren to Brig, but I can't find the 10:18 postbus from there to Domodossola. I presume the Italian portion of the trip you just used Trenitalia?

Melnq8 Mar 18th, 2019 02:40 PM

Day 4: North Face Trail: No transport required from Murren

I seem to recall the North Face Trail beginning at Allmendhubel, which is accessible from Murren via funicular - 7 CHF per person one way. I have not-so-fond memories of walking up and back down one winter when the Allmendhubel funicular was closed - we had a devil of a time finding the trail in the very deep snow.

I assume you're traveling in summer though, so probably not an issue.

CledTravel Mar 18th, 2019 05:44 PM

On both SBB and postauto.ch websites, I cannot find the 10:18 bus by Postbus.

BUS 631 63109 Direction Domodossola, Stazione leaves Brig at 09:18 or 11:35. I am searching via 'Simplon Pass' to get these results.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this would mean:

Brig dp 11:35 bus > ar 13:17 Domodossola > dp 14:53 > ar 16:31 Milan > dp 17:15 Frecciarossa 9747 > ar Verona 18:28 > dp 19:09 Verona Porta Nuova > ar 21:27 Bolzano Bozen > dp 22:32 > ar 22:48 Waidbruck.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that would mean I miss the last bus (20:27) from Waidbruck to Ortisei, but that would surely be a cheap taxi.

neckervd Mar 25th, 2019 10:10 AM

The 10.18 bus runs from June 15th until Oct 20th.
But once again, this itinerary which has almost nothing to do with my suggestions is not really scenic.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 07:25 AM.