kb, ingo - thanks for the update. this could greatly benefit folks say landing in Frankfurt but going mainly to Switzerland - which leads to another quesstion - can you get the discount originating in Germany/Italy or only originating in Suisse?

The link kbrennan kindly provided won't work on my computer. Any idea? danke

The link works on my computer.

You can get the discount originating in Germany, too. This is what I did. It was really funny, actually. I planned to go by train from Dresden to Freiburg/Breisgau in Germany, but didn't have a Bahncard from the Deutsche Bahn. But I had the Swiss Half Fare Card, so I purchased a ticket Dresden - Basel SBB, got the discount of 25% and that was considerably cheaper than Dresden - Freiburg w/o discount.

You only have to make sure to book a train fare to a station that is in the other country. E.g. Basel Bad(ischer) Bhf. is still a German station.

One other thought. I learned that it saves money that if you buy the ticket in Germany from the German station to Switzerland you better buy two different tickets. One from Germany to the first station in Switzerland (you get 25% off on the German part AND on the Swiss part) and then you buy a ticket from that first Swiss station to your final destination in Switzerland - you get 50% off with the Half Fare Card on the Swiss portion, but only if you buy it separate! Not if it's an international ticket (at least if you buy in Germany). It sounds ridiculous, but that's how it is.

As of July, 2007, according to sbb.ch Swiss Passes will now have to pay a CHF 27 supplement to use them on the Junfraubahn trains above Wengen or Grindelwald to the summit - this with the 50% off the passes get, making the effective discount 25%, which it was thru 2005.

I wonder if Half-Fare cards get 50% off Jungfraubahn trains like Swiss Pass or if they too get 50% off but have to pay the CHF 27 supplement?

We bought the half-fare card and got 50% off on just about everything, including the Jungfraubahn trains. Even got 1/2 off going up to the Jungfraujoch whereas Swiss Pass had to pay a supplement. ((b))

Thanks everyone for all the info...v. helpful. I now have a question about hiking in the Interlaken area. We are going to be based there for 3 days (then moving on to Lucerne or Weggis--still not sure...any suggestions?). We want to do some good hikes...we are both in good shape. Can anyone suggest something?

Thanks

there's all kind of hiking in the area - easy putzes to ones requiring sturdy shoes and a strong resolve.

Easy ones - one of the finest is to take the gondola Grindelwald or Wengen to Mannlichen then do a fairly flat ridge walk to Kleine Scheidegg or v.v. and train down from KS to Wengen or Grindelwald

I walked down from Klein Scheidegg to Wengen and it was lovely - a wide trail even mountain bikes were using with sweeping views over Lauterbrunnen Valley

Mannlichen is known for its stunning views over both the Grindelwald amphitheatre and lauterbrunnen valley and down over Interlaken, wedged between its two pristine lakes.

There are many hiking possibilities but these are two of the finest and easiest.

Here's a great website that lists various hikes and their difficulty levels. Photos available too.

http://www.walkingswitzerland.com/walks/

Once you get to the Jungfrau Region, from Interlaken on up you will see at your hotel or in train station racks the excellent JUNGFRAU MAGAZINE

which contains a wealth of info on trains and hikes - it has a good relief map with hiking trails outlined and indicates their degrees of difficulty - it has elevations on it, etc. so you can easily see whether the trail is gentle or ultimately goes down or up a steep path, etc.

I think one of the nicest near town hikes is to go over to the glacier across the valley