Six days costs $492 and drops you to $82 a travel day
The six day Continuous pass is $492.06 in second class and $781.87 in first. That works out at $82.01 a day, which is 21 per cent less per travel day than the three day pass. This is where the curve bends hardest, so if you're wavering between four days and six, the extra two days are the cheapest ones you'll ever add.
| Length | Second class | Cost per travel day |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days | $313.24 | $104.41 |
| 4 days | $381.07 | $95.27 |
| 6 days | $492.06 | $82.01 |
| 8 days | $541.39 | $67.67 |
| 15 days | $615.38 | $41.03 |
Look at the step-ups rather than the totals. Going from three days to four costs you $67.83. Going from six to eight costs $49.33, less money for more days, which is the whole argument for not buying short. Full numbers for every length sit on the price page.
What six consecutive days on the pass gets you
It's six days in a row, activated from the start date you pick at checkout, so there's no saving a day for later. At CHF 1 = $1.2357 you need roughly CHF 398 of travel in second class to break even, or about CHF 633 in first, and here's what the individual tickets cost if you had no pass at all.
- Zurich to Zermatt: CHF 125
- Geneva to Zermatt: CHF 120
- Zurich to Interlaken: CHF 76
- Lucerne to Interlaken: CHF 40
- Zurich to Lucerne: CHF 27
- Lake Lucerne boat: CHF 45
- City transport: CHF 12 a day
- Zurich airport to the centre: CHF 7
Two long scenic rides are covered outright: the Glacier Express fare of CHF 159 and the Bernina Express fare of CHF 125. The seat reservations are CHF 54 and CHF 44 and no pass has ever covered them, so budget those separately and book them early.
Continuous against Flexi at six days: a $31 gap
Flexi lets you pick your travel days inside a month, and at six days you pay $31 more for that freedom, about 6 per cent, down from roughly 14 per cent at three days.
| Length | Continuous 2nd | Flexi 2nd | Continuous 1st | Flexi 1st |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 days | $313.24 | $356.40 | $499.46 | $569 |
| 4 days | $381.07 | $430 | $606.75 | $684 |
| 6 days | $492.06 | $523 | $781.87 | $831 |
| 8 days | $541.39 | $566 | $859.56 | $899 |
| 15 days | $615.38 | $640 | $970.55 | $1,010.01 |
The gap is so small now that Flexi only wins if you'd genuinely waste Continuous days. On a six day trip where you only move on four of them, a 4 day Flexi at $430 beats the 6 day Continuous by $62. Move on five or six days and Continuous is cheaper, and with three bases and mountains in between you will move on five or six days. That's why six days is the length where I stop recommending Flexi to most people.
A six day itinerary across Lucerne, Interlaken and Zermatt
Three bases is the sweet spot at this length: two nights each, no day wasted entirely on trains, and every transfer covered.
- Zurich to Lucerne. Airport to the centre is CHF 7, Zurich to Lucerne is CHF 27, both covered. Drop your bag and take the Lake Lucerne boat, another CHF 45 you don't pay.
- Rigi. Cogwheel up, boat or train back, CHF 76 of ticket and you pay nothing on top. It's the best free mountain on the whole pass.
- Lucerne to Interlaken. The ride is CHF 40 and covered. In the afternoon go up Harder Kulm, CHF 51 full fare, CHF 25.50 with the pass.
- Schilthorn. CHF 115 full fare, CHF 57.50 with the pass, and the trip through Lauterbrunnen and Mürren is half the fun.
- Interlaken to Zermatt. Covered end to end, and you arrive to a car free village with the Matterhorn at the end of the street.
- Gornergrat, then out. CHF 132 full fare, CHF 66 with the pass. Then Zermatt to Geneva is CHF 120 or to Zurich CHF 125, covered.
Add that up and the pass absorbs about CHF 464 of travel on this route, before you count CHF 12 a day of trams and buses. Break-even in second class is CHF 398, so you clear it around day five. If you'd rather stretch the same route out, the 8 day pass drops you to $67.67 a day.
Mountain railways: what the pass covers and what you still pay
The pass either covers a mountain outright or knocks 50 per cent off, with one badly behaved exception at the bottom of the list.
| Mountain | Full fare | You still pay |
|---|---|---|
| Rigi | CHF 76 | Nothing |
| Stanserhorn | CHF 82 | Nothing |
| Harder Kulm | CHF 51 | CHF 25.50 |
| Pilatus | CHF 94.20 | CHF 42 |
| Titlis | CHF 96 | CHF 48 |
| Schilthorn | CHF 115 | CHF 57.50 |
| Gornergrat | CHF 132 | CHF 66 |
| Jungfraujoch | CHF 234.80 | CHF 176 |
Around 500 museums are free with it too, and the lake boats are included rather than discounted, which matters more than people expect on Lake Lucerne.
Jungfraujoch is the one trip the pass loses
Jungfraujoch is CHF 234.80 and the pass takes only 25 per cent off, leaving you CHF 176. The Half Fare Card is $184.98 for 30 days, about CHF 148, and it halves almost every fare instead of covering it, so the same trip comes to CHF 117.40. If Jungfraujoch is the single thing you've flown here for and you're not moving much otherwise, run the numbers on the worth it page before you buy. For a six day, three base trip the pass still wins comfortably, and you just accept that one CHF 176 hit.
FAQ
How much is the Swiss Travel Pass for 6 days?
It's $492.06 in second class and $781.87 in first class for six consecutive days. That's $82.01 a travel day in second, against $95.27 on the four day pass and $104.41 on the three day.
Is the 6 day Flexi pass worth $31 more?
Only if you'd leave Continuous days unused. If you move on four days out of six, the 4 day Flexi at $430 beats the 6 day Continuous at $492.06 by $62, but if you move on five or six days Continuous is cheaper.
How many bases can I cover in six days?
Three comfortably, four if you don't mind packing more often. Two nights each in somewhere like Lucerne, Interlaken and Zermatt uses the pass hard without turning the trip into a train timetable.
Does the 6 day pass cover Jungfraujoch?
Not fully. The full fare is CHF 234.80 and you still pay CHF 176 with the pass, which is only 25 per cent off. On a Half Fare Card the same trip is CHF 117.40.
How much travel do I need to do to break even on the 6 day pass?
About CHF 398 of tickets in second class, or roughly CHF 633 in first. A Zurich to Lucerne to Interlaken to Zermatt route with a couple of mountains clears that by around day five.
Are Glacier Express and Bernina Express included?
The fares are, CHF 159 and CHF 125 respectively. The compulsory seat reservations of CHF 54 and CHF 44 are never covered by any pass, so pay those on top and book ahead.
When does the six days start?
From the start date you choose at checkout, then it runs for six days in a row. There's no pausing it and no saving a day for the end of the trip.
