Is the Swiss Travel Pass worth it? Calculator

How it works

The Swiss Travel Pass covers almost every train, bus and boat in Switzerland, plus 500 museums, for 3 to 15 consecutive days. What it does not fully cover is the part most Americans travel for: the mountain railways. Jungfraujoch is 25 % off, Gornergrat and Pilatus 50 % off, Rigi is free. The Glacier Express is included but its seat reservation is not. Whether the pass pays off depends entirely on your route. Tick the legs below and the calculator does the arithmetic with published 2025 fares.

A Half Fare Card beats the pass for this trip.per adult, for the legs you selected

Swiss Travel Pass 8 days (CHF 439) + discounted excursions: CHF 735
Half Fare Card (CHF 150) + half-price tickets: CHF 586
Point-to-point tickets, full fare: CHF 817
Seat reservations (Glacier Express, Bernina Express), paid in all cases: CHF 54

You save about CHF 231 per adult versus full-fare tickets.

Leg by leg

Leg	Ticket	With pass
Zurich Airport → Lucerne	CHF 30	CHF 0
Lucerne → Interlaken (Luzern-Interlaken Express)	CHF 34	CHF 0
Jungfraujoch, Top of Europe (from Interlaken, round trip)	CHF 235	CHF 176
Interlaken → Zermatt	CHF 86	CHF 0
Gornergrat railway (Zermatt, round trip)	CHF 132	CHF 66
Zermatt → St. Moritz (Glacier Express)	CHF 166	CHF 0
St. Moritz → Zurich	CHF 80	CHF 0

Published 2026 prices, rounded. Check current fares on sbb.ch before you buy. Our Swiss itineraries include the right pass or tickets for your route.

Our designers’ advice

Rule of thumb from our designers: with two or more long train days and at least one lake cruise, the pass wins. With a single base and one big excursion, a Half Fare Card is usually cheaper. Over 25 and staying 8 days or more, the 8-day pass is the sweet spot. Our train itineraries include the right ticketing for the route, and the Legendary Swiss Trains trip is built around the Glacier Express and the Gornergrat.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Swiss Travel Pass cover the Glacier Express?

Yes, the ticket is covered. The mandatory seat reservation (CHF 54 in 2026, one price all year) is not. The same applies to the Bernina Express.

Does the pass include Jungfraujoch?

Partly. The pass covers the train from Interlaken to Grindelwald or Wengen; from there, the Jungfraujoch ticket is 25 % off. Gornergrat, Pilatus, Schilthorn and Titlis are 50 % off; Rigi and Stanserhorn are free.

Half Fare Card or Swiss Travel Pass?

The Half Fare Card (CHF 150 for a month) halves every ticket, mountain railways included. It wins when you stay in one or two places and take one or two excursions. The pass wins when you move every two days and take boats and local trains freely.

Should I buy 1st or 2nd class?

Second class in Switzerland is clean, punctual and panoramic. First class gives more space and quieter cars, useful in July and August on the popular routes. Our 7-day Swiss trips include 1st-class rail.