@PalenQ - I think official site is sbb.ch

At this site, when I was trying to purchase half fare card & family card, I found many discrepancies between what is mentioned here and at sbb.ch

Then I read through the comments made on this site. Just scroll down. I found many users have complained that after booking , they didnt receive the pass by email.

So, I have doubts and advised others to check before going ahead.

@neckverd - It will be cheaper if I book the tickets in advance. Also, my travel schedule is fixed. Hence, wanted to book in advance.

"@PalenQ - For my train travels (Basel-> Interlaken, Interlaken <-> Jungfraujoch, Interlaken <-> Grutschalp, Interlaken -> Domodossola) the cost with Transfer+ Half Fare is ~ 829 CHF & only Half Fare card = 827 CHF. So, going for only Half Fare Card"

Let's have a look:

Standard Fares:
Basel SBB - Interlaken West OW: 60 CHF
Interlaken West - Visp - Domodossola OW: 55 CHF
BORDER - INTERLAKEN - BORDER: 115 CHF
Interlaken Ost - Grindelwald RT: 22 CHF
Full Lake Thun cruise: train Interlaken - Thun RT plus boat Thun - Beatenbucht - Thun (no boat from Interlaken after 2pm in April): 78 CHF
Interlaken Ost - Muerren RT: 37 CHF
ALL EXCURSIONS EXCEPT JUNGFRAUJOCH: 137 CHF
Grindelwald - Jungfraujoch RT: 184 CHF
JUNGFRAUJOCH 184 CHF

WITH REGIONAL PASS BERNESE OBERLAND (and travel to Brig via Kandersteg):
Basel SBB - Bern standard fare: 40 CHF
Brig - Domdossola standard fare: 16 CHF
Kl Scheidegg - Jungfraujoch RT half fare: 62 CHF
Regional Pass: 240 CHF

CONCLUSION:
Total Standard Fare (115 + 137 + 184): 436 CHF
Total with Half Fare Card (120 + 218): 338 CHF
Total with transfer ticket (141 + 137 + 184): 462 CHF
Total with transfer ticket and Half Fare Card Combi (201 + 161): 362 CHF
Total with Regional Pass Bernese Oberland: 358 CHF

Kids up to 16 years free with the family card (free if bought together with the Half Fare Card).

"Guys, I read up about below site and feel it's a scam. Anyone using, please check thoroughly.

Appears to be the official site of Swiss Federal Railways to me- why do you think it to be a scam?"

Frankly, I don't know who is behind this site.
Official SBB site: http://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holiday...fare-card.html

@neckverd - Thank you so much for the detail comparison. Makes sense to go for Half fare Card in my case. We are 2 adults and 1 kid.

I had done a similar calculation and the figures ~8XX CHF I mentioned earlier were for 2 adults. I think I made some mistakes, so it was coming a bit more.

"@neckverd - It will be cheaper if I book the tickets in advance. Also, my travel schedule is fixed. Hence, wanted to book in advance"

Are you sure that Swiss domestic supersaver tickets can be booked more than 1 month in advance?
http://www.sbb.ch/en/travelcards-and...r-tickets.html

Supersaver tickets are only valid in the train you booked. If the TGV from Paris arrives late at Basel or if the purchase of the half fare card will take more time than expected, you may have to buy a new (standard fare) ticket.

But you can of course try to get a international supersaver ticket for the Interlaken - Venice journey. Nobody will ask you whether you are in possession of a Swiss Half Fare Card before you sit in the train.

DO NOT buy your tickets for mountain trip in advance. They are only valid for the date on them. if weather is poor and visibility bad you will have wasted a lot of money. Whatever pass you buy you should buy your tickets for these trips on the day you imtend to travel Check the weather forecast before you leave your hotel or ask at the station/

that sight looks like an official site of SBB because it closely copies their format and style - yet I do not believe it to be a scam but a private travel agency selling passes - don't think it's a scam as the Swiss Railways would do something but seems to be an agent of them - if prices are the same that would be so - but Swiss Passes, etc are only originated by SBB so to sell them it must be Hoyle IMO - but no reason to use them rather than the source.

When checking prices of Swiss Passes, Half-Fare Cards, etc always check was these sell for in the U.S. - I've been tracking for years and more often than not U S prices are often lower - not always and have not checked recently but check with www.ricksteves.com or www.budgeteuropetravel.com sites for current prices but also note any mailing fees - no reason to order from Switzerland online as you'll pay exactly the same at any Swiss station- there are also specials that pop up so no reason to buy a pass early and once you have the pass it is refundable minus a 20% I think cancellation fee and you never know what is going to happen - so unless the U.S. price is substantially lower as it has been at times in the past, just wait until Switzerland and easily buy any product I believe except the Swiss Transfer Ticket (not sure if you can buy this there but think not) once at any Swiss train station - figure in any % your credit card puts on foreign purchases when comparing your home country's prices with those at stations in Switzerland.

Thanks PalenQ. To add complexity, I need to show all these train tickets as a proof of my itinerary when I apply for visa apart fr
om hotel reservations.

Over the last few days, I interacted with SBB customer service and now the plans are as follows :-
a) Book the 120 CHF Half Fare Card around 15-Feb. We cant book more thab 2 months in advance.
b) Then book the tickets online and apply visa by Feb end.

I have purchased the Swiss Half Fare card for tourists (1 month validity) for 120 CHF. It can be purchased 2 months before the validity period starts.Also got free family card for our son.
Purchasing it online was a breeze and we could print from the softcopy at home.

All other train tickets (Paris -> Basel, Interlaken West -> Venice & Venice -> Rome ) are booked using Swiss Railways and Train Italia web sites. This too was straight forward.

Now, we plan to book Basel -> Interlaken West leg after few days and want to take advantage of both the Half Fare Card and Supersaver tickets. As per my understanding, if we book tickets only for the adults it should suffice as our son should travel free by virtue of the family card. Is this correct or we need to reserve a seat for him too and that wont cost anything?

Is this correct or we need to reserve a seat for him too and that wont cost anything?>

He can board free but if you want to have a reserved seat then that is a separate thing and would require a charge I believe as reservations are not mandatory on Swiss trains - consider going first class where there are usually lots of empty seats IME and with the half-fare card won't cost a fortune.

Thanks PalenQ for your continuous guidance. Idea of first class is good, we will do that.