ramiabg

Hi,

We are a family of 3 with 6 yo son travelling to Switzerland in August. Landing and departing from Basel, we are planning to spend 2 days in Lucerne and 2 days in grindelwald or wengen. My question what is the cheapest and best travel pass to use for trains buses and cable cars etc.

Thanks
Ray

PalenQ

No Pass unless it's the Berner Oberland Pass covering Lucerne and Jungfrau areas. Or, the Half-fare Card which gives 50% off everything that moves in Switzerland and if you take the expensive Jungfraujoch Railway up so you can walk to glaciers and have ice grottos, etc. at the top as well as wondrous views well half off that about pays for the Half-Off Card. But I do not think you are traveling enough for any pass but a definite Yes to the Half-Fare Card - sources to check www.sbb.ch; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. Good of course on lake boats on Lake Lucerne. Buy Half-Fare Card at any Swiss station. And any kids traveling with parents under age 16 gets a free Family Pass at the same time and that means they never pay a penny for any form of transport their parents pay or have a pass for.

ramiabg

Thank you for the valuable information.

neckervd

There are also some (not daily) buses from Basel airport to Lucerne for 6 EUR/pax.
https://shop.flixbus.com/

ToujoursVoyager

So you are spending 4 nights total outside of Basel? Are you thinking of using the expensive funiculars to go to the top of Europe or the Schilthorn?

I have bought in the past the half fare card, especially useful for the expensive funiculars. But your time traveling in Switzerland is very limited. Maybe buying the supersaver discounted tickets (on sale 60 days in advance on sbb) might be cheaper for you than buying any pass. You can buy a children's travel pass for 30 CHF for your 6 years old son and he gets unlimited travel with you.

PalenQ

But do super savers go to Jungfraujoch or Schilthorn? If not just 50% off those two places pays for Half-Fare Card which can be used for any transportation in Switzerland. If not doing Jungfraujch maybe not.

ToujoursVoyager

No the supersaver to not go to the Jungfrau or the Shilthorn. That is why the OP should decide in advance what he wants to do or see.

The OP could also decide once he is there if the weather is favorable to go up the Jungfrau or the Shilthorn and pay full fare. With only 4 days travelling in Switzerland, I do think the supersaver fare offer a huge discount and makes the train very affordable. Basel to Murren is only 40 CHF on some supersaver tickets.

neckervd

A Saver Day Pass will cost between 52 and 70 CH/pax in August.
Would make sense for daytrips like Basel - Lugano and back, Basel - Riederalp/Aletsch arena and back or Basel - Saas Fee and back, but not for 2 day trips or journeys with tons of gondolas and cog wheel trains.

PalenQ

And Swiss Travel Pass doesn't pay more than 50% for most gondolas and only 25% off Jungfraujoch Railway above Wengen and Grindelwald. Half-fare Card only viable option to me, maybe.