Train from Interlaken to Frankfrut - ticket question
 

We are planning on going to Lucerne and Interlaken this October. On our last day
in Switzerland, we will be taking the
train from Interlaken to Frankfrut. My
question is how should we purchase the ticket? We plan to buy a half fare card
to use while we are in Switzerland. So,
what are our options?
1) point to point from Interlaken to Basel
using half fare card, then while in Basel,
another point to point from Basel to Frankfrut?
2) purchase ticket in Interlaken for the
whole trip (perferred, but can I use the
half fare card?)
3) Any other options?


Thanks in advance.

The agent in Interlaken should be able to sell you both the Swiss portion covered by the half-fare card as well as the portion from Basel (Bad) onward.

Simply tell the ticket agent what you are trying to do and they will do the rest.

Assume you know you can buy the half-fare card after you arrive in Switzerland and that you have carefully compared it with a SwissPass.

Have a great trip.

Purchase the ticket in Interlaken at the railway station. Ask for a ticket to Frankfurt and show your Swiss Half Fare Card.

The Swiss Half Fare Card offers you a discount of 50% on the Swiss railway tickets PLUS a discount of 25% on the German railway tickets (not many folks know this, the staff at the railway station does). The discount on the German portion is only available if you purchase an international ticket (read: from Switzerland to Germany or vice versa, I did the latter). So, please do NOT split up your tickets in two portions - you would not get the discount for Germany.

If sure of buying either a Swiss Pass or Swiss Card, you can save money by buying it in the US:
Current prices from www.sbb.ch site:

Swiss Card = SF 170 2nd cl; SF 242 1st cl - NYTimes exchange rate 1SF=.80; so ones bought in Switzerland would cost US$ 136; in first class $194 vs RailEurope's prices: $124 ($12 cheaper) in 2nd cl; $166 first class ($28 cheaper)

and so too with Swiss Passes:
4 day pass in Switzerland= SF240 2nd class; SF360 first class, or at 1SF=.80 cents US - $192 in second class or $288
vs RailEurope's prices:
4-day pass 2nd cl $170 ($22 cheaper) or $260 in first class ($28 cheaper)

RailEurope has a $15 fee, but some agents who work through them have no fee (Budget Europe, 800-441-9413) for example and others. RailEurope's prices were set before dollar tumbled last year and havn't been raised - Swiss Passes traditionally have been cheaper in Switzerland, but not currently!
Please correct me if my math is not correct!

Thanks Topman/Ingo/PalQ for the information.

I will get the ticket from Interlaken.
Did not know about the 25% discount for
German railways...that is great!

Thanks Again.

Ingo said : The Swiss Half Fare Card offers ...tickets PLUS a discount of 25% on the German railway tickets .

That's a very useful thing to know. also I think I have read somewhere on Swiss Railway site, you can also get reduction (25% too or less)on Italian trains. BUT in order to get this discount, you will have to buy a through ticket from a Swiss station to German staion (eg, a ticket from Interlaken to Frankfurt). Once you are in Germany, you can not get this discount with the Swiss H.F.card.

> in order to get this discount, you will have to buy a through ticket from a Swiss station to German staion.

Sorry, Ingo clearly explained above already. I just did not read the whole thread.