When traveling through Switzerland by rail, bus, boat and even tram, having a Swiss Travel Pass is the way to go.  The pass provides unlimited travel on the network of the Swiss Travel System.  There are several different passes to choose from including the Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Travel Pass Flex, Transfer Tickets, Half Fare Cards and Coupon Pass each having their own benefits and discounts.

On this page we focus on the Swiss Travel Pass.  Details on this pass as well as the other passes can be found by selecting the links below.

This pass is only available to non-residents of Switzerland or the Principality of Liechtenstein.  It can be purchased online or at rail stations in Switzerland simply by showing your passport to confirm your nationality.

Website Home https://www.swiss-pass.ch/   Swiss Pass Page https://www.swiss-pass.ch/swiss-pass/

The Swiss Travel Pass entitles you to unlimited travel on consecutive days throughout the rail, bus and boat Swiss Travel System network. The Swiss Travel Pass is available for 3, 4, 8 or 15 days. This pass also covers scenic routes and local trams and buses in 75 towns and cities and offers 50% reduction on most mountain railways and cable cars. The Swiss Travel Pass also includes the Swiss Museum Pass, allowing you free entrance to 500 museums and exhibitions. For slightly more, the Swiss Travel Pass Flex provides the same discounts for non-consecutive travel days in a one month period.

Traveling in Switzerland is not cheap, and you can pay hundreds for all your travel.  Depending on your needs, purchasing a pass can be well worth it.  Not only for the cost savings but for the convenience and ease of use.  The Swiss Travel pass will average out to be less than $100/day and traveling through the Jungfrau Region, if you were purchasing each train and tram ride separately, you may spend $300, so having the pass is well worth it.

Before purchasing a pass, consider the number of days you may need a pass and then determine the cost per day.  Compare the daily pass cost to what you would pay to travel and purchase all your activities individually on the same day to determine if the pass is worth the investment.

If you have purchased a 2nd class pass, it may be possible to purchase an upgrade to 1st class at your board point such as a boat ride.  Before you board, simply present your pass at the ticket window and ask what the cost would be for an upgrade.  Upgrading on a boat may give you upper level access for open area views.  An upgrade may also include a better or free meal.  On one of our trips, we purchased an upgrade for a nominal fee on our boat across Lake Thun from Thun to Spiez.  As it was a beautiful day, the upgrade gave us access to the upper level open area to enjoy the views.

The following are examples of travel through the Jungfrau Region of Switzerland using the Swiss Travel Pass.

Day Trip from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen including the Schilthorn

All the following is completely covered with the Swiss Pass. Train from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen - 30 min. Arriving in Lauterbrunnen, immediately take the tram from the train station up to Grutschalp where you connect to a waiting train to Murren. Walk through the small town of Murren then take the tram up to the top of the Schilthorn and back. Arriving back in Murren, hike or take another tram down to Gimmelwald. In Gimmelwald there is another tram down to Stechelberg where you can catch a bus back to Lauterbrunnen or hike back about 90 min. We walked about 30 min. from Stechelberg to Trummelbach Falls and purchased a ticket to see the Falls located inside the mountain.  From the Falls, catch the bus back to Lauterbrunnen. From Lauterbrunnen, take the train back to Interlaken. Note: If you want to see the Matterhorn, it's an easy train ride all the way to Zermatt from Interlaken, all covered by the Swiss Pass.

Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen including the Schilthorn and Kleine Scheidegg via Train The town of Grindelwald is only about a 30 min. train from Interlaken.  If you stay the night in Grindelwald, the same day trip described above is possible as it's only about an hour by train to Lauterbrunnen. Rather than returning to Grindelwald the same way, as an alternate, you can travel by train from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen.  From Wengen, you can travel up to Kleine Scheidegg before returning to Grindelwald.  At Kleine Scheidegg, you can also take a side trip on another train to Jungfraujoch (Top of Europe).  The train continues on to Grindelwald from Kleine Scheidegg although the map does not show it. The trip from Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg and back to Grindelwald is a private railroad not covered by the Swiss Pass, so you must purchase a separate ticket for this section of the trip.  The train up to the Jungfraujoch and back must also be purchased separately. It is possible to travel in either direction between Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen by a combination of trams and hiking, avoiding the train altogether.  Below we describe some other travel possibilities.   Returning to Grindelwald from Lauterbrunnen via Wengen and Tram to Männlichen There is a short train ride from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen.  You can also take the more uphill strenuous hike for about an hour to Wengen. From Wengen, take the Tram up Männlichen.  From the top of the Männlichen Tram, you can walk just a few minutes to the Holenstein Tram that will take you back down to Grindelwald.   Returning to Grindelwald from Lauterbrunnen via Wengen and hike from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg From Wengen, take the Tram up Männlichen.  Hike from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg which is a fairly easy short route with only slight ascents and descents. From Kleine Scheidegg, there is a beautiful view of the Jungfrau massif (a grouping of mountains separate from other groupings). The trail leads through grasslands where many alpine flowers can be seen in Summer. This route is perfectly suitable for families with small children and for people who want to walk in the high mountains without too much effort. The trail can be rather crowded on beautiful days, as it is very popular among tourists. Hiking time: 1h-30m Difficulty: Easy Elevation: 2064 - 2233 m Distance: 4.4 km Terrain: Meadow Once you arrive in Kleine Scheidegg, there is a train back to Grindelwald every 30 minutes.  This section of the train line is private and you must purchase a separate ticket as the Swiss Pass does not apply, but you will get a discounted ticket when you show your Swiss Pass.