Swiss Flexi Pass V Swiss Card: help with decision
 

Hi all

Please help me with making the best choice with Swiss rail travel. Our plans are not concrete. We will be based in Grindelwald. We will go up Jungfraujoch, weather permitting. Also hiking. Possible trip to Thun (can't find individual price for this).

Day 1: Paris to Grindelwald
Days 2, 3, 4: Based in Grindelwald
Day 5: Grindelwald to Italy

Me (adult) and two children under 15, so I will also get Swiss Family Card, entitling them to free travel.

Swiss Flexi Pass for 3 days: 260CHF – if I understand this, I have to use the 'free travel' first and last, with 50% off on days between? So I'd have to use it on Day 5, or pay full fare to border? Is it worth using it on Day 1?

-OR-

Swiss Card for 1 month: 195CHF – this will give me 50% off all trips plus free trips to and from Swiss border

There are people out there with lots of experience. I hope someone will be able to say 'Take this option! it will work out best for you.'

Thanks so much.

It's up to you to compare.
Only you know at which fare you will buy the Paris - Switzerland and Switzerland - Milan tickets. Some tariffs grant huge discounts for the Swiss legs too. If you get attractive fares for them, it may be useful to have a look at regional passes too.
Same remark for your excursions from Grindelwald. Some of them (Berne etc.) are completely free with the Swiss Pass, for others you will have to pay half fare and for Jungfraujoch even more. Things are different with other passes.

So I'd have to use it on Day 5, or pay full fare to border? Is it worth using it on Day 1?

the fare from Bern, the closest city served by French TGVs I believe would be substantial - probably $30 or so. It seems that the Swiss Card may be the best bet here and for days 2-4 in Grindelwald if doing the famous Jungfraujoch train you may want to by a Jungfraubahn Pass - good on many mountain trains and gondolas in the area that Swiss Pass would only give 50% off - and I believe you get a discount on the Jungfraubahn Pass with a Swiss Pass or Swiss Card.

Check out these superb sites IMO for lots of good info on Swiss trains, passes, cards, etc - www.budgeteuropetravel.com (any questions call Byron there - I have bought passes from him for years and he will expertly answer any query IME whether you are buying anything or not) and www.ricksteves.com and www.swisstravelsystem.com.

There are people out there with lots of experience. I hope someone will be able to say 'Take this option! it will work out best for you.' Swiss Card with free Family Pass.

check Swiss Card prices for those sold in the U S in dollars vs those sold for 195 francs in Switzerland - more often than not the same Swiss Pass or Card sold in Switzerland IME of comparing before buying for years is that they often are cheaper here than there - not always but check - sometimes the difference is substantial.

I should have added to be sure to ask about mailing fees if not buying directly in Switzerland - even the Swiss Railways charges about 23 euros mailing fee - but there is no reason to order from Switzerland - just buy the Card or Pass at any train station - like at the airport.

Thanks so much for your replies.

Neckervd, I have had a look at the Berner Overland regional pass, thanks: 230CHF for 4 days. Advantage is also it is 50% off Jungfraujoch rather than 25% as in others. Free travel Bern/Brig. Although I think we will take train Paris-Basel rather than Paris-Bern.

Seems to equate in value with the Half Fare Card (120CHF), and advantage with this (HFC) is it can be used anywhere, anytime.

Swiss Card I'm now having second thoughts! But still open.

PalenQ I can't find price for Jungfraubahn Pass! I would like to compare this. Do you know? Also, I am not in the US, but thanks for those websites.

I so want to make a decision on this and be done with it! It's doing my head in, all this comparing of prices, the maths, maths, maths. Probably the most time-consuming exercise for the entire trip. I REALLY appreciate your help.

http://www.jungfrau.ch/en/tourism/tr...al-travellers/

Here are the various fares that are covered by the Jungfraubahn Pass - I'll try to find the actual pass prices - can't seem to get on the site though they must be there. It is cheaper than the Berner Oberland pass and covers more things in full I believe.

The Jungfrau rilways Pass costs 250 CHF
http://shop.jungfrau.ch/en/bergbahn/jungfraubahnen-pass

Thank you both!

So the Jungfrau pass is 250CHF plus 58CHF to go to Jungfraujoch. Not sure if Family Card comes with this or not, or does this only apply to the Swiss railway passes (Flexi/Card, etc)?

This could equate to the Berner Oberland Pass then: 230CHF plus approx. 90CHF for Jungfraujoch. Once again, the site does not say Family Card comes with it. It says Junior Cards are 30CHF each.

My brain is dizzy with it all. I honestly can't figure out the best deal for us.

It's up to you to choose the best deal. Have a nice trip.

Hard to see how you could realize the benefit of the Jungfraubahn Pass in just a few days stay - the Swiss Card I think is you best bet - gets 50% off everything the Jungfraubahn Pass covers except I believe 25% Grindelwald/Wengen to Jungfraujoch.

Still seems Swiss Card is your best bet IMO.

Thanks for your good wishes, neckervd.

Thanks, PalenQ. I think you're probably right and I'm grateful for your clear-sightedness!

I now think it's a choice between the Swiss Card and the Half Fare Card. The latter does the same, apart from the to/from border bonus. It's cheaper, though. I really like the fact that both are valid for a month, so I don't have to concern myself with working out travel days, etc, as in the Flexi and the regionals.

You've been very helpful, thank you!

Card for Half-Off Pass simply do the math on the two train trips included with the Card and then add to the price of the Half-off Pass - otherwise exactly same benefits BUT the Jungfraujoch train - not sure each or either get 50% off that or 25% off as a Swiss Pass does (from Wengen or Grindelwald on up - fully covered by pass below those towns and half-off for sure too.

can anyway clarify if the Half-Off Card and Swiss Card get 50% off the the Jungfraujoch trains or is it 25% like a Swiss Pass?

thanks in advance.

topping - anyone know my last query?

thanks

50% with half-fare card according to my interpretation of the validity map

http://files.gadmin.ch/51796

http://www.swisstravelsystem.com/en/...s-card-en.html

I can't remember where I found it, but in my notes I had both HFC and SC giving only 25% off Jungfraujoch. The Regional Pass gives 50% off.

Anyone know for certain?

So far HFC is coming out on top for the best deal, having worked out the to/from border trips.

Thanks everyone!

Well I think indy dad's link shows the current discounts for the Half-Fare Card - Swiss Card I suspect may be like the Swiss Pass and 25% Wengen/Grindelwald to Jungfraujoch but 100% cover to Wengen and Grindelwald.

PQ -- Not sure why you are interpreting it that way. It shows a dotted line that says it is available for 50% off. The note (1) applies to the pass, not the card.

Also, if you go to www.sbb.ch to price it out (say Wengen to Jungfraujoch) it is 83 chf full fare and 41.50 with the half fare card.

Convinced?

Love the Switzerland transport system but they havve done a marvelous job of making the purchasing of passes a MASS OF CONFUSION! I hope someday they can somehow simplify!

It does seem as though the Swiss Card is 50% off, and Swiss Pass 25%.

Are we to read 'Half Fare Card' as being included under general 'Swiss Card' ? There is no specific mention of the HFC on the map of validity.

You'd think 'Half Fare' would mean exactly that, unless there are exceptions.

Hear, hear Toucan!

PQ -- Not sure why you are interpreting it that way. It shows a dotted line that says it is available for 50% off. The note (1) applies to the pass, not the card.>

I mis wrote - I was saying that the info and link you gave proved the Half-Fare Card got 50% off - I was agreeing with you. Sorry for misspeaking.

Looking right now at a Swiss Pass map from SwissTravelSystem and it clearly says 50% off with Half-Fare Card like indy dad proved and also 50% off with Swiss Card but only 25% off with Swiss Pass - thus Swiss Card 50% matches exactly the Half-Fare Card.

Whoopee!!

Thank you both so much for sorting this out. You're legends. I think the HFC is the one for us.

Such a relief to have made a decision.

Half-Fare Card costs 120 CHF = about $132 with all charges in foreign exchange, etc.

Swiss ?Card $221

$221-
$132

$81

$81 = 73 CH F

So I think it depends on where you ticket from France lets you off - if in Bern then yes to Half-Fare Card but if you can get a deeper discount by saying going to Basel or Geneva or Lausanne from Paris - often possible as they have many more seats serving those towns.

So if you pay more than 73 CH Francs to get to Grindelwald from your arrival point the Half-Fare Card would work better - if not half-Fare - very simple and you have apparently made the calculations - but just to note that you may have to go from Basel, Geneva, etc for a cheaper rate from www.voyages-sncf.com.

Thanks, PalenQ.

I think we will be taking the Paris-Basel route. From my notes it was 34.40CHF to Grindelwald from Basel. So Half Fare is approx 17CHF. And of course the kids will go free with the Family Card.

Is this what you mean?

I'm not sure what I meant - rather flummoxing but I'll give another try later. Half-Fare Card is great for those who know exactly what they will be doing and no more or less and pretty much staying in one place. And you can buy it upon arrival - at any train station.

Yes I mean that if the two train trips to and from Grindelwald cost a total of more than 73 francs the Half-Fare Card is better - if they cost more than the Swiss Card is better - each one otherwise gives the exact same benefits.

So yes Half-Fare Card sounds better.

A full fare OW ticket from Basel SBB to Grindelwald costs 68.80 CHF (via Berne or via Lucerne)

So if they do only 5 francs worth of travel going out of Grindelwald the Swiss Card is a better deal - if they pay full fare. I assume they have some kind of discount lined up?

Oh. I stopped on the sbb site after I read 'from 34.40'! Just assumed that was the fare.

Yes, it is 68.80, 34.40 half fare! My fault.

Damn. Need to look at this again.

Just when I thought...

smm_18 -- this part really isn't that difficult

The premium for the Swiss Card vs. the Half-Fare card is 75 chf.

Look at your inbound and outbound legs(in Switzerland). If the Half-Fare price for both combined is greater than 75 chf, then you would save money by getting the Swiss Card. [use the half fare price because you will get that anyway with the Half fare card, i.e. your baseline option]

First leg is 34 chf. What about the second? is it more than 41 chf? Either way, it doesn't sound like a big difference. Not enough to stress about, for sure. You are probably safe just getting the Half Fare Card.

Thanks for your clear logic, indy_dad!

Second leg, i.e. Grindelwald to Domodossola, is 89.80, or 45CHF half fare.

So...
34 + 45 = 79

Not a huge difference, as you say. Not to stress about, anyway.

Unless there are any other differences between the cards that I haven't noticed, they're pretty much on par.

Would you agree? Hope so!

Thanks very much.

As you can buy a Swiss Card in Switzerland at the same place you'd buy the Half-Fare Card why pay even 6 more francs as the Swiss Card after the two train trips has the exact same benefit as the half-Fare card - to me a no-brainer to buuy the excat same product and save 6y francs - I can't see why anyone would pay 6 france more for the Half-Fare Card once in Switzerland.

Yes, that's right. I wasn't going to buy the HFC simply because there's not much of a difference. That would be plain silly. Just saying no need to stress any further about calculations. I will get the Swiss Card.

Thanks so much for taking me to the end of this decision-making road. It has had many twists and turns, but very satisfying to arrive!