I see that the Swiss Pass covers trains, buses,boats. I can't find information about funiculars though.

I believe they are discounted by 50%, but not free:

http://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass

Depends. It's good on the one in Lugano from the train station. Or rather would be, except that it's out of commission for another year or so.

The rule I've been told by Byron at Budget Europe, who sells Swiss Passes and knows everything about them is that if the conveyance - funicluar, train, cable car, etc links two actual towns or places or in Lucerne's case is inside a city it is free but if they just go to mountain tops they are usually 50% off. IME any questions just call him at www.budgeteuropetravel.com and he will IME answer expertly any such question even if you've already bought a pass or not buying, etc.

Thus the aerial cable car that replaced the old funicular going from Lauterbunnen to Grustchalp and connecting train to Murren are free - it links two towns but the same cable way to Shilthorn from Murren is not free because it only goes to a mountain top or place with no inhabitants.

Ditto for Stechelberg to Gimmelwald and onto Murren - free with a Swiss Pass but those in say from Wengen to Mannlichen are 50% off because it does not link two inhabited places.

Most cable cars are 50% off because they mainly go from towns to places with no regular inhabitants. I've looked at the map and this does indeed seem to be true in all cases I looked at.

There are very few funiculars left and more aerial gondolas and cable cars but they are treated the same per Swiss Pass.

Do you have a particular funicular in mind?

For lots of great info on Swiss trains - passes, etc check out www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com - mentioned above and www.swisstravelsystem.com.

When you buy the train pass, you receive a map with detailed "areas of validity" denoted by varying colors for the more common funiculars. To be honest, detail is quite small, and difficult to make out.
If you pull up whichever lift you'll be using online, ahead of time, the Fahrplan/Preise will give you a better idea of whether there is a reduced rate or if its free(included).
Many of the more obscure lifts may only offer a few CHF off. When in doubt, always show your trainpass and ask if there us a reduction.

Hi Dianedancer,

I hope you do come back and let us know which funiculars you're thinking of taking.

Just one more example --

The funicular linking Montreux (Territet) and Glion is free with the Riviera Card, which you'll get for free from your hosts. So in that case, you won't need to use a day of your Swiss Pass.

Have fun as you plan!

s

Well, we'll mostly be in the BO so I'm thinking of doing the BO Regional Pass. But we have used the Swiss Pass before when in Switzerland and I didn't remember whether or not the funiculars were covered. I am guessing that with the BO Pass they would in that area.

I do have the map which shows what is covered, just making a final decision as to get the Swiss Pass or the BO Pass. If weather is not good one day we will not be going up to the mountains, so thinking making side trip to Bern, which we've been to before and loved. Would love to go to the Chateau du Chillon (again), but it's a far trip and not covered by BO Pass. We are going with people who have never been to Switzerland, but I told them to check out the passes for themselves and make their own decision.

I am guessing that with the BO Pass they would in that area>

BO pass does not cover everything in full - check the B O map.

http://www.regiopass-berneroberland....e-of-validity/

There are again very few funiculars in Switzerland but lots of aerial cable cars - gondolas or whatever you want to call them.

A funicular runs on the ground on rails up steep slopes - aerial cable car swings thru the air - but they all have the same qualifying thing for being free or half off - if they connect places where folks actually live - towns, villages, hamlets, etc. Ones to mountain tops are usually but not always 50% off - though nearly all the common person will take are 50% off - same applies to mountain trains - Trains are say free with a pass from Interlaken-Ost to Wengen and Grindelwald but beyond that since they connect no real towns they are 25% off (should be 50% off and was but this very popular line to the Jungfraujoch was reduced to 25% off beyond Grindelwald and Wengen several years ago - still 25% off that astronomical fare is not chump change.)

Thanks Pal.