Can anyone guide me in buying train tickets in Switzerland?

Question

I am going to Switzerland in January.I am planning to go to Zurich(2 nights), Interlaken(2 nights), Geneva(1 night).So, if anyone can give me their advice on which rail pass to choose, I would really appreciate it.

Answer 1

if you're only going to Zurich, Interlaken, and Geneva, you can simply buy a round trip ticket for Z-to-I-to-G for 210CHF on 2nd class.  (as long as you specify the stations you want to go to when you buy the ticket, you can use part of the itinerary on different days without penalty -- ie, stop at interlaken for a few days before continuing to geneva).  if you get the 1 month half fare card (99CHF), you can save a little bit on the same train ticket (99 + 105 = 204).

problem is, most people take side trips once at a location.  for instance, at Interlaken, people take the Jungfraubahn, cable cars, etc... and transportation in the Berner Oberland can add up very quickly.  in that case, you 'd be better off with a Swiss Pass, especially if you're under 25 (8 day pass for 272CHF, you get 50% discount on cable cars and Jungfraubahn).  alternatively, the half fare card may still work, but you have to decide on what sidetrips you'll be taking, and then calculate the cost (half fare card is 50% off all SBB run trains/buses as well as cable cars and Jungfraubahn in the Berner Oberland).

Answer 2

http://www.sbb.ch/en/