Austria and Switzerland
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Approximate point-to-point one-way 2nd class rail fares in $US. Add up fares for your itinerary to see if a railpass will save you money. For 1st class rail fares, add 50%. Source: www.sbb.ch. 
Switzerland
Public transport in Switzerland is fast, frequent, and well connected. Choose the pass that best matches the countries and number of travel days on your itinerary. A Swiss Pass is a great value for a Swiss-focused trip using lots of trains, lifts, and boats. See www.museumspass.ch for a list of museums covered by Swiss Passes. The 7 p.m. rule for night trains does not apply to Swiss passes.
Two-country passes can cover Switzerland plus France, Austria, or Germany. For a few days in Switzerland as part of a wider-reaching trip, a Eurailpass or Selectpass is fine. As you get higher up the mountains to some private trains and lifts, show your pass at the ticket window and smile when they give you a discount (even some not found in pass literature). Don't waste time trying to calculate every discount in advance.
Reservations are required on named scenic routes (below) and some international services (TGV, Cisalpino, night trains) but not most other Swiss trains.
Read about Switzerland's Scenic Rail Journeys (excerpted from Rick Steves' Switzerland) in our Best Destinations section online.
Swiss Family Card
The Swiss Family Card allows children under 16 to travel free with their parents. Based on the validity of the parent's ticket or pass, they're free even on the high mountain routes. The Swiss Family Card is available for 20 SF per child at major Swiss train stations, but you can request a free Swiss Family Card when you order an adult Swiss Pass, Swiss Card, or Swiss Transfer Ticket in the U.S. Not valid with passes that include other countries. Kids 6–15 not accompanied by parent are half of full adult fare (not saver); under 6 free.
| Swiss Pass | ||||||
| Type of Pass | 1st Class Indiv. | 1st Class Saver | 1st Class Youth | 2nd Class Indiv. | 2nd Class Saver | 2nd Class Youth |
| 4 consecutive days | $332 | $283 | $249 | $222 | $189 | $167 |
| 8 consecutive days | $472 | $402 | $354 | $315 | $268 | $237 |
| 15 consecutive days | $576 | $490 | $432 | $384 | $327 | $288 |
| 22 consecutive days | $668 | $568 | $501 | $446 | $380 | $335 |
| 1 month | $742 | $631 | $557 | $496 | $422 | $372 |
| Covers all trains, boats, buses, 400 Swiss museums, and buses in Liechtenstein. 50% discount on high mountain rides. Saver prices are per person for 2 or more traveling together. Youth passes are for travelers under age 26 only. See Swiss Family Card for kids. All Swiss passes are also available in major train stations. Prices subject to change. | ||||||
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| Swiss Flexipass | ||||
| Type of Pass | 1st Class Indiv. | 1st Class Saver | 2nd Class Indiv. | 2nd Class Saver |
| 3 days in 1 month | $315 | $268 | $210 | $179 |
| 4 days in 1 month | $380 | $323 | $253 | $216 |
| 5 days in 1 month | $446 | $380 | $297 | $253 |
| 6 days in 1 month | $508 | $432 | $338 | $288 |
| Covers all trains, boats, buses, 400 Swiss museums, and Liechtenstein buses on your counted travel days. 50% discount on high mountain rides. Saver prices are per person for 2 or more traveling together. See Swiss Family Card for kids. All Swiss passes are also available in major train stations. Prices subject to change. | ||||
| The Swiss Flexipass also acts as a Half-Fare Travel Card. Between your counted, full-coverage travel days, you can get 50% off any transport (but not museums). The discount does not apply for the whole one-month validity period unless you use a counted travel day at the beginning and end of that period. | ||||
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| Swiss Card & Swiss Transfer Ticket | ||||
| The Swiss Transfer Ticket gives you one train ride in from any Swiss airport or border station to any point in Switzerland, then one trip out to any airport or border for $164 in first class or $108 in second class. Each direction must be completed in a day by the fastest, most direct route and both trips must occur within a month. Sold only outside Switzerland. Prices subject to change. | ||||
| The Swiss Card includes one roundtrip within a month as above, plus 50% discounts between those two trips on all Swiss railways, lake steamers, postal buses, and high mountain lifts for $214 in first class or $159 in second class. Also available at a few Swiss airports and border stations. Prices subject to change. | ||||
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Comparing Swiss Pass Coverage
All passes that include Switzerland cover national network trains, boat trips on Swiss lakes, and many sightseeing and private rail discounts. A map of this network comes with your pass. All passes cover these and other scenic rides:
- Geneva to Brig.
- Interlaken to Luzern (Lucerne).
- Named scenic routes: Golden Pass (Montreux to Spiez), Bernina Express (Chur, Switzerland to Tirano, Italy), William Tell Express (Luzern to Lugano with lake boat), Voralpen Express (Luzern to Romanshorn), Chocolate Train (excursion from Montreux). Reservations extra.
- 50% discounts include Mt. Titlis, Mt. Stanserhorn, Rigi/Vitznau Railways, and Bürgenstock funicular (need not use a counted flexipass day).
Here are the key routes where coverage varies:
| Route or bonus: | Eurail Global, Select, or Two-Country Passes | Swiss Card or Transfer Ticket | Swiss Pass or Flexipass |
| Swiss Family Card (kids travel free) | No | Applies | Applies |
| Postal buses | No | Covered | Covered |
| Urban transport in 35 cities ($2/trip) | No | No | Covered |
| Swiss museums admissions | No | No | Covered |
| Brig-Disentis section of the Glacier Express scenic route ($45 2nd cl, reservation extra) | 25% discount | Only if it's fastest, most direct route (fr/south border to south destination) | Covered |
| Brig–Zermatt private train to see the Matterhorn ($35 2nd cl) | 25% discount | Only if it's fastest, most direct route (fr/south border to Zermatt) | Covered |
| Jungfrau Region Railways (e.g., from Interlaken: $7 to Lauterbrunnen, $10 to Grindelwald, $13 to Wengen; $180 round-trip to Jungfraujoch) | 25% discount beyond Interlaken | 50% discount with Swiss Card; Jungfraujoch not covered on in- & outbound roundtrip | 50% discount above Murren, Grindelwald, or Wengen, except only 25% off Kl. Scheidegg-Jungfraujoch |
| More high mountain lifts (e.g., Stechelberg-Schilthorn $90 roundtrip/$70 off-peak) | No | 50% discount w/Card, not w/ Transfer Ticket | 50% discount |
| Half-fare option — 50% transport discount between fully covered flexi travel days | No | 50% discount w/Card, not w/ Transfer Ticket | 50% discount w/flexipass |
| Passholder rate on international night trains | Applies | No | Applies |
| 7 p.m. rule for night trains | Applies | No | No |
| All "covered" services start use of a travel day on a flexipass, but discounts do not. | |||
Deals available once you get to Switzerland
Sold at Swiss train stations, the Half-Fare Card for visitors gives you 50% off on all national and private trains (including Jungfraujoch), postal buses, lifts, and steamers for about 99 SF ($99) a month. This can save you money if your Swiss travel adds up to more than $200 in point-to-point tickets.
The Berner Oberland Pass, giving you a combination of free and discounted use of virtually all the trains, boats, and lifts in the Bern-Interlaken-Luzern area, is the most useful of Switzerland's regional passes. You can choose any 5 days of free travel plus 10 days of 50% discounts in a 15-day period for 270 SF ($270) second class or any 3 free days plus 4 days of 50% discount in 7 days for 224 SF ($224). The highest mountain lifts are either 50% off during the validity of the pass or have special prices (e.g., Kleine Scheidegg to the Jungfraujoch, or Murren to the Schilthorn are 50% off). Also available in first class for 20% more; or if you have any type of Swiss Pass or discount card, all prices are 20% less. To see a map of discounted rides, go to www.regiopass-berneroberland.ch.
The Austria-Switzerland Pass
For a little more than an equivalent first-class Swiss Flexipass, this combo covers two countries and allows you to spread travel over a longer period. Separate, second-class passes for each country are cheaper still, but you will use a day of each pass when crossing the border.
| Austria-Switzerland Pass | |||
| Type of Pass | 1st Class Individual | 1st Class Saver | 2nd Class Youth |
| 4 days in 2 months | $390 | $333 | $274 |
| Extra rail days (max 6) | $45 | $38 | $31.50 |
| Saver prices are per person for 2 or more traveling together. Youth passes are for travelers under age 26 only. Kids 4–11 half single adult or saver fare; under 4 free. Prices subject to change. | |||
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Approximate point-to-point one-way 2nd class rail fares in $US. Add up fares to see whether a railpass will save you money. For 1st class rail fares, add 50%. Source: www.oebb.at.
Austria Pass
When considering the 3 days in 15 Austria Pass, remember there is a European East Pass which gives you any 5 days in a month for a similar price and covers Austria with the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland to boot. If you're going to Prague or Budapest, this may actually beat the Austrian pass. Find the European East Pass and other Austria combos on our Eastern Europe page.
| Austria Pass | |||||
| Type of Pass | 1st Class Individual | 1st Class Saver | 2nd Class Individual | 2nd Class Saver | 2nd Class Youth |
| 3 days out of 15 | $216 | $185 | $148 | $128 | $98 |
| Extra rail days (max. 5) | $31 | $26 | $22 | $19 | $14 |
| Saver prices are per person for 2 or more traveling together. Youth passes are for travelers under age 26 only. Kids 4–11 half single adult or saver fare; under 4 free. Prices subject to change. | |||||
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Point-to-point ticket deals sold in Austria
For €20 - 27, a Vorteils Card allows youths (under 26), seniors (60+), or families with kids under 15 to save up to 50% on point-to-point tickets for one year. Group ticket discounts start at two travelers and get better as you add more people. See "Traveling Cheaper" at www.oebb.at.