as once up in the higher elevations which are 'private' trains, your reduction goes down to 50% or 75% savings only on the Pass.>

The Wengen/Grindelwald trainto Jungfraujoch is the only example of this I know of so it is not at all a general thing as aliced points out but is specific to the Jungfraujoch, as far as I know - look on the map that comes with a Swiss Pass and it indicates 50% off and 25% off (not 75%) - the Jungfraujoch is about the only one not 50%.

Passes but not half-fare cards also get free entry to 470 Swiss museums and sights - including I believe 50% off the pricey Swiss Transport Museum - have not checked this year but it once was 100% covered - half-fare only covers transportation.

Heading to Interlaken OST from Geneva via Montreux, it looks like we will be reaching Interlaken around 3 pm. As I have booked a hotel at Grindelwald for that night, I would like to go there as soon as possible. How frequent are the trains from Interlaken OST to Grindelwald? How long is the journey, approximately?

Trains trundle from Interlaken-Ost to Grindelwald every hour at :05 after each hour - 15:05; 16:05, etc and take 34 minutes all told. Interlaken-Ost is a small station with just a few platforms - you will see the train marked B O B on its side - the name of the train company operating the line sitting on an adjoining platform probably.

Trains run into the evening.

Actually, I find the answer to my question:

The journey is about 30 minutes, and here is the schedule:

http://fahrplan.sbb.ch/bin/query.exe/en

Note that that train to Grindelwald will split about half way, with one half trundling up the Grindelwald Valley and the other half the Lauterbrunnen Valley - the split is at Zweilutschenen (sp?) and I always see flummoxed folks who are told by the conductor they are in the wrong half of the train and have to scurry off and to their correct half at Zweilutschenen and then may have to even stand the rest of the way.

Be sure you get in a car at Interlaken-Ost that is clearly labeled "Grindelwald" on the outside and not "Lauterbrunnen".

bookmarking

If you never arrove by train in Interlaken before coming from the west the train will stop at Interlaken-West in many ways the main SBB station but all trains continue onto in a mile or so to terminate at Interlaken-Ost - no worry about finding your stop as all trains must terminated there from West station because those mainline standard-gauge tracks end at Interlaken-Ost and narrow-gauge trains take over to go along Lake Brienz to Meiringen and then up and over the Brunig Pass to Lucerne - a sweet scenic route to Lucerne if heading there from Interlaken.

Thanks, I will have to remember that, about the split half-way towards Grindelwald.

As we will be headed to Lucerne the following day, I reserved the Golden Pass train for that part of the journey. Does that go over the Brunig Pass?

Yes in deedy - it does - try to get a seat on the left side of the train when it leaves Meiringen - where the train reverses direction - so sit on the right side of the train when leaving Interlaken-Ost as you see lovely Lake Brienz on your right and then in Meiringen when the train reverses direction you'll have the better views when you descend from the Brunig Pass and pass a series of lovely lakes on your (then) left side.

Another question about the Golden Pass. On the Golden Pass train from Interlaken to Lucerne, I reserved 1st class seats, although I will most probably purchase a 2nd class Swiss Pass (if I get the Swiss Pass at all). I understand that I will have to pay the difference between the 2nd class and 1st class on the Golden Pass. Any idea how much the difference is in the fare?

http://www.sbb.ch/en/timetable.html

On regular trains on that route 2nd class costs 31 CHF and 1st class 55 CHF - I assume the Golden Pass official trains are about the same - so about 25 CHF p.p. to upgrade to first class - why are you upgrading - are there only observation cars in first class - if so on this scenic line the scenery IMO is not really dramatic and the large windows of second class cars should show it just fine.

You can check the official timetable with fares for your specific train on the link above.

Actually, I am not upgrading, I happened to reserve 1st class on Golden Pass seeing that it cost the same to reserve 2nd class. I only found out afterwards that if you purchase a 2nd class Swiss Pass, you can reserve only 2nd class on the Golden Pass, otherwise you have to pay the difference of the ticket cost. Had I known this before reserving, I would have booked 2nd class Golden Pass.

You do not need reservations on the Interlaken-Lucerne part of the GP and can easily make them if you want once in Interlaken IME and being told so by train staff. they said only to make them if you want to be in observation cars as tour groups often fill them largely up.

Oh, I wish I had known that earlier. Every website I read about the GP said you should reserve seats early since they get filled up quickly.

that advice is mainly I believe for the Montreux-Zweisimmen sector and especially for the observation cars. I would go to the station in Interlaken and ask to be sure and make them for a few francs if in 2nd class.

Personally I actually enjoy taking the regional trains that ply the exact same route as the official GP train - the locals are usually IME sparsely full so that I can hop from side to side as the scenery dictates - there are no reservations possible on those locals I believe.

And with large enough windows you see the same exact scenery. Plus these trains go about hourly so may comport to the actual time you want to travel than the few official GP trains.

What kind of activities can 2 80+ travelers enjoy at Grindelwald, and Lucerne, respectively? They are both in good shape, do daily exercise. But as expected, their capacity is limited because of their age.

Lucerne they can take a boat ride on Lake Lucerne and head for some place like Mt Rigi - take the mountain train up to the summit for rave views over the spiny ridge of central Switzerland and the lovely lake below - can stroll around a bit.

Take the train back down and take the boat either to the end of the fjord-like finger of Lake Lucerne - to Fluelen and then take the train back to Lucerne.

Or just return to Lucerne from Vitznau, where the train to Rigi departs from - do a little stroll around Vitznau - have lunch, etc.

Swiss Passes are fully valid on the boats and the train to Rigi and back.

If they can do a fairly flat few mile walk they may want to do the easy Ridge Walk between Mannlichen and Kleine Scheidegg - gently ascending going that way so going the other way may be easier - the Ridge Walk is famous for its views down both into the Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald valleys - and at The Mannlichen you have rave views over Interlaken far below, lovingly wedged between the two lakes bookending it and views for miles around - one of the most celebrated view points in Switzerland.

From Grindelwald either take the mountain train to Kleine Scheidegg and walk to The Mannlichen or take the aerial cable way from Grindelwald to TheMannlichen and walk towards Kleine Scheidegg - there are benches along the way so they could take it real easy.

Older folk may also love a boat trip on Lake Thun, getting off at say Oberhofen, strolling around the town, having lunch, etc then boarding the next boat or another boat for Thun - walk around that lovely town - and take the train or boat back from Thun.