Far by Rail

Switzerland · three worked examples

Swiss Travel Pass or individual tickets?

A pass pays for flexibility, but a single outing may cost much less with tickets. Compare the same named legs below—not an assumed whole holiday.

What is being compared

Adult 25+, second class, per person in CHF; permanent resident outside Switzerland and Liechtenstein. You are buying a new product, not already holding a discount card. The full pass purchase is counted even on unused days; only named rail legs are included.

Swiss Travel Pass · CHF 254

3 consecutive days; this published price is valid only through 31 December 2026. Rigi is covered, but not all mountains are free. Premium reservations and supplements cost extra.

Swiss Half Fare Card · CHF 150

Tourist product for one month, distinct from the annual resident Half Fare Travelcard. Eligible rail and mountain tickets are generally half fare here; reservations remain full price.

Saver Day Pass and supersaver tickets can be cheaper, subject to availability and advance purchase. No lowest saver fare is assumed; “lower” below means only among these three strategies.

Example A

One city-to-city journey

5–7 December 2026 · illustrative three-day window

Day 1: Luzern → Interlaken Ost, one way. Days 2 and 3 assume no other paid travel. No return or Swiss arrival transfer included. No reservation selected.

2026 individual fare input. Conservative timetable boundary: recheck after 12 December 2026.

Luzern → Interlaken Ost × 1
Full fare CHF 34 · half fare CHF 17 per ticket
No reservation selected or panoramic fee added
Fare source

Individual tickets

CHF 34 base fares
+ CHF 0 reservations

CHF 34

New Swiss Half Fare Card

CHF 150 card + CHF 17 base fares
+ CHF 0 reservations

CHF 167

3-day Swiss Travel Pass

CHF 254 pass + covered base fares
+ CHF 0 reservations

CHF 254

Lower among these three: Individual tickets, under the stated fare-input assumptions.

Review window ends 2026-12-12. Check dated operator timetables, maintenance and seats before booking.

Example B · Published-fare illustration

An intensive three-day rail itinerary

3 consecutive days · 2026 pass-price assumption

Day 1: Zermatt → St. Moritz on Glacier Express, about 8 hours. Day 2: St. Moritz → Tirano → St. Moritz on ordinary RhB regional trains, NOT Bernina Express panoramic services. Day 3: Glacier Express back to Zermatt, about 8 hours again. Overnight in St. Moritz; hotels, meals and arrival to Zermatt excluded. Two full train days—not a universal holiday recommendation.

Published-fare illustration, not a dated quote: combines the 2026 pass price, current published Glacier Express upper fare and a RhB 2027 manual fare assumption. Exact RhB fare changeover date is unverified. Obtain an operator dated quote and timetable. No same-day winter Bernina Express panoramic return is proposed.

Glacier Express · one full journey each direction × 2
Full fare CHF 166 · half fare CHF 83 per ticket
Mandatory reservation CHF 54 per journey, in every strategy
Fare source
Ordinary RhB regional trains · one way each direction × 2
Full fare CHF 35 · half fare CHF 17.5 per ticket
No reservation selected or panoramic fee added
Fare source

Individual tickets

CHF 402 base fares
+ CHF 108 reservations

CHF 510

New Swiss Half Fare Card

CHF 150 card + CHF 201 base fares
+ CHF 108 reservations

CHF 459

3-day Swiss Travel Pass

CHF 254 pass + covered base fares
+ CHF 108 reservations

CHF 362

Lower among these three: 3-day Swiss Travel Pass, under the stated fare-input assumptions only—not a dated quote.

Review window ends 2026-12-31. Check dated operator timetables, maintenance and seats before booking.

Example C

One Rigi excursion

5–7 December 2026 · illustrative three-day window

Day 1: Arth-Goldau → Rigi Kulm → Arth-Goldau. Days 2 and 3 assume no other paid travel. Transport to Goldau and other holiday costs excluded. No optional booking added.

Rigi return fare effective from 1 June 2026; check the dated timetable and maintenance before travelling.

Arth-Goldau ↔ Rigi Kulm · return ticket × 1
Full fare CHF 84 · half fare CHF 42 per ticket
No reservation selected or panoramic fee added
Fare source

Individual tickets

CHF 84 base fares
+ CHF 0 reservations

CHF 84

New Swiss Half Fare Card

CHF 150 card + CHF 42 base fares
+ CHF 0 reservations

CHF 192

3-day Swiss Travel Pass

CHF 254 pass + covered base fares
+ CHF 0 reservations

CHF 254

Lower among these three: Individual tickets, under the stated fare-input assumptions.

Review window ends 2026-12-31. Check dated operator timetables, maintenance and seats before booking.

Sources & price scope

Sources checked 7 November 2026. These are published inputs, not live fares, availability or a seat guarantee.