Mountain Railways & Half-Fare Card
Mountain railways are expensive — but there are strategies to save money.
Prices of the main mountain railways (round trip, 2025/26)
| Mountain Railway | Regular Price | With Swiss Travel Pass | With Half-Fare Card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jungfraujoch (from Interlaken) | 214.80 CHF | 107.40 CHF (50 %) | 107.40 CHF |
| Pilatus Golden Round Trip | 114 CHF | 57 CHF (50 %) | 57 CHF |
| Rigi (from Vitznau) | 72 CHF | Free (100 %) | 36 CHF |
| Schilthorn (from Stechelberg) | 105 CHF | 52.50 CHF (50 %) | 52.50 CHF |
| Klein Matterhorn (from Zermatt) | 110 CHF | 55 CHF (50 %) | 55 CHF |
| Gornergrat Railway (from Zermatt) | 96 CHF | 48 CHF (50 %) | 48 CHF |
| Grindelwald First | 65 CHF | 32.50 CHF (50 %) | 32.50 CHF |
Half-Fare Card
The Half-Fare Card (185 CHF for 1 year) gives you 50% off almost all trains, buses, boats, and mountain railways in Switzerland. It is the best-selling pass of the SBB — over 2.5 million Swiss have one. For tourists, it is worthwhile from the 4th mountain railway ride or for longer stays (>7 days), if the Swiss Travel Pass does not fit.
Mountain Railway Tips
- Early Bird / Good Morning Tickets: Many mountain railways offer early bird tickets (first ride in the morning) with 20–30% discount.
- Book online: On jungfrau.ch, zermatt.ch etc., online prices are often 10–15% cheaper than at the counter.
- Check the weather: Before an expensive mountain railway ride, check the webcam image at the summit — you see nothing in clouds. Better to postpone than spend 100+ CHF for fog.
💡 Tipp
Golden Rule: ALWAYS check the summit weather via webcam before taking a mountain railway. Live webcams are available on jungfrau.ch, zermatt.ch, and pilatus.ch. Clouds at summit height = you see nothing up there. Better to wait a day than pay 100+ CHF for fog.
