Hi everyone! I will be traveling to Switzerland for the very first time and will be in Swiss for 5 days. I am planning to purchase the 4-day continuous swiss travel pass since there is no 5-day option. I am just not sure what would be more worth the money, to begin using it on the first day and not have the pass for the 5th day or the other way around. For those who are more experienced swiss travelers, please give me any input or advice. I appreciate it!!

Here is my Itininery for all 5 days:

Day 1: Lucerne (2 nights in Lucerne)
-We will first be flying from Paris to Zurich
-From here we will take a train from Zurich to Lucerne
-Pilatus round trip that includes boat, funicular, cable car and bus
-Explore the old town and kapellbrucke.

Day 2:
-Boat cruise with stop in Vitznau
-Take the cog-train up to Rigi, do a hike down to Kaltbad, cable-car down to Weggis and boat back to Lucerne.

Day 3: Jungfrau region (2 nights in Wengen)
-Head to Jungfrau region/interlaken: Take a direct train from Lucerne to Interlaken
-Check into room in Wengen
-Cable car up to Männlichen, hike to Kleine Scheidegg
-Cog-train up to Jungfraujoch and back down

Day 4:
-Schilthorn
-Trummelbach Falls
-Murren: Hike the North Face Trail
-Visit Oberhofen Castle

Day 5: Montreux, Vevey
-Train from Jungfrau region to Montreux to see the Chillon Castle
-Go to beautiful town Vevey
-Then take a train to our room in Geneva

So which day do you think I would need the swiss travel pass more, day 1 or day 5? Thank you!!

Day 1 for sure - Day 5 is very expensive. Look at 5-day Flexipass too. And consider taking train Paris-Lucerne - tickets at www.oui.sncf can be really cheap all the way to Lucerne so Zurich-Lucerne would not figure in. For lots on Swiss trains, etc check www.swisstravelsystem.com; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. day 1 I may forego Pilatus - often shrouded in clouds and not nearly as awesome as you'll find in Jungfrau Region.

PalenQ,
Thanks so much for your advice! I will make sure to start the pass on day 2 then. Since you suggested not seeing Pilatus on day 1, is there something else in Lucerne you recommend seeing or doing instead? (Something that wouldn't be too expensive without the swiss travel pass)

Pilatus would be very expensive sans pass or with (probably half-off) - I would just explore Lucerne a bit though it is rather compact - see if your hotel offers some kind of local travel pass - in Lucerne see the Lion Monument - very famous and the also famous Bouraki Panorama:

https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/...rn-luzern.html

The Swiss Transport Museum is one of the best of its type - a nice walk along the lake on footpaths for a few miles - https://www.verkehrshaus.ch/en - Swiss Travel Passes get 50% off and even though your pass will not be activated it may fly with a quick glance (also at Lion Monument and Panorama Museum) - you do have to activate that pass by taking it up to a ticket window at stations to put beginning date on it before boarding first train or whatever.

So I can't think of anything out of Lucerne that would be inexpensive - but also in Lucerne, you can also walk along the town walls on north side ot town - lovely walk few tourists do. So you seem to be into walking and that's what I'd do if you do not want to pay lots of money for Pilatus which again could always be shrouded in fog or clouds, etc - I've been in Lucerne many times and rarely IME was Pilatus clear.


Direct train Lucerne to Interlaken-Ost (jumping of point for hill towns like Wengen (change at Lauterbrunnen) - but be sure to take the Brunig Pass route and not equally fast or even faster mainline via Bern - part of Golden Pass scenic train route which you can ride without reservation or supplement (though reservations suggested for panoramic cars) - lovely ride the whole way. There are of course regular trains as well and have large enough windows.

day 4 - I'd skip Oberhofen Castle as huge detour and spend the whole day going to Murren - cable car up from Lauterbrunnen to Grutschalp then train to Murren but a lovely flat cliffside walk on footpaths too!

And stop in Gimmelwald - famous small hamlet out in seemingly middle of nowhere - and also a nice downhill walk onn paved footpaths hugging cliff from Murren or via cable car - then plunge to Stechelberg in Lauterbrunnen Valley - again Stechelberg to Lauterbrunnen nice flat footpath along a bubbly creek - hit Trummelbach Falls before Lauterbrunnen - or take postal bus Stechelberg-Trummelbach.

But really to get to Oberhofen means a huge detour off that loop. Swiss Travel Pass valid in fully to Murren and Gimmelwald and Stechelberg - 50% off Murren-Schilthorn.

day 5- suggest taking Golden Pass route to Montreux instead of mainline route via Bern - again no surcharges but seat reservations in panormaic car Zweisimmen-Montreux (most scenic part highly suggested) - descends slowly thru vineyards to Lake Geneva and Montreux. GoldenPass Panoramic: A feast for the eyes! - GoldenPass

There are also VIP seats on GP official trains where you sit in compartment next to driver's compartment so you can think you're driving the train - costs extra - first class upgrade but very very cool (again think Zweisimmen-Montreux only) - sections Interlaken-Zweisimmen where you have to change trains because of track width differences are nice but not dramatically scenic.

Swiss Pass valid for entry at Chillon Castle I believe (and many other sights and museums).

Paris city center - CDG airport - ZRH airport - Lucerne city center will take more time than Paris - Lucerne by train.
So you may leave Paris on day 0 at 18.24 and sleep at Basel (Ibis Budget or so).

Use the Swiss Travel Pass on days 1-4, but go from Oberhofen/Spiez to Montreux on day 4 (try to arrive there before it gets dark; actually around 9pm).
The standard fare ticket from Montreux to Geneva costgs 31 CHF.

Won't have time for Oberhofen and not that great - could just go to Montreux late in day.

Thanks so much again! Great advice and suggestions. I have a lot to consider since my trip to Switzerland is coming up so soon in July. If I moved oberhofen castle to day 5 and saw it on my way to Montreux would that workout better? If there wont be enough time then I will consider taking it out. I figured I may have time on day 5 since I will have the full day as I am staying the night in Geneva. I mostly would like to visit Montreux and Vevey as I have heard it is very beautiful there and more swiss than Geneva. (So I wouldn't arrive to my room in Geneva until about 9 or 10 pm)

I probably wont do Pilatus afterall and will spend day 1 exploring the town of Lucerne as you suggested, this will save us a lot of money on day one. I know that you have suggested taking a train from Paris directly to Lucerne, which would have been nice, however I already purchased an airplane ticket from Paris to Zurich (Possibly because I didn't see an early enough train ticket to get to Lucerne that morning..but I don't remember the specific reason) I heard the train tickets from Zurich to Lucerne are not too expensive. Do you recommend I purchase that ticket ahead of time or just buy it when I arrive?

You can do Interlaken - Oberhofen - Speiz - Gstaad - Montreux - Vevey - Geneva on day 5 without any problem, but you will have to spend much more for train tickets as your Swiss Travel Pass will be valid for 4 days only.

Paris - Lucerne: I suggested to leave Paris by train THE EVENING BEFORE at 6.24 pm and to sleep at Basel (first stop in Switzerland, 3 hrs by train from Paris). You would have reached Lucerne (1 hr by train from Basel) the morning after.

Already has flight - yes no need to pre-purchase Zurich-Lucerne -no reason! Just buy at airport train station on arrival tickets good on any train for that day TMK. I'd forget Oberhofen Castle - Castle Chillon is great - Oberhofen to me is not that great- not sure why you want to see it so much. Spiez' castle is much more imposing and your train Interlaken-Montreux goes right by it - get off there maybe but still a very long day to begin with.
And don't use pass Zurich Airport-Lucerne (probably have to change trains in Zurich Hauptbahnhof - a rather large station - but well marked. You could sneak a short look at Zurich if you want - put bags in station locker and explore and end up in Lucerne.

I heard the train tickets from Zurich to Lucerne are not too expensive. Do you recommend I purchase that ticket ahead of time or just buy it when I arrive?>

Easy to buy at airport train station but if you want to just waltz from plane to train and can book it to have on your phone or an e-ticket no reason not to do that. Unlikely long lines at airport train station but never know. Again a full-fare ticket should be valid on any train to Lucerne - direct trains to Lucerne from Zurich airport leave hourly at :47 min after each hour - negating a hassle of changing in Zurich Hauptbahnhof so aim for those trains.

If the OP doesn't want to leave his Paris hotel in the middle of the night, he will not arrive at ZRH before 11.10. As the airport is usually busy at this time, it's not sure at all that he will catch the 11.47 Lucerne bound train. If he takes the next DIRECT train, he will arrive at Lucerne at 13.49 only (almost 2 hrs later than by Paris - Basel - Lucerne train). If he then goes to his hotel first, it may be too late for the Pilatus round trip.

Has decided to stay in Lucerne 1st day so can arrive anytime - Pilatus is scratched - see above.