Eurail pass? huh? Whats the point?

Now you know what most people don't take so many train trips in only 15 days unless they are conductors and why most no longer buy a rail pass... they stopped being a bargain a number of years ago.

Hey - are you friends with Jessiedeexx?

ParisAmsterdam: Good tip! Thanks....
Woyzeck: jessiedeexx is on the same trip.

You've probably come across this, but Rick Steves actually has a very good primer on the Eurail pass which is up to date:

http://www.ricksteves.com/rail/usepass.htm

Keep in mind that reservations are not always mandatory, so you could wing it for some of your legs, or just purchase on the spot if you really want a reserved seat. I have no idea about the extra fees.

Amsterdam -> Brussels -- You can do this for approximately 25 Euros, with an advance purchase ticket.
Brussels -> Paris - 25 Euros for advance purchase
Paris -> Rome (overnight train) - not sure, but I'd fly.
Rome -> Sarento - (Sorrento, I think you mean?) - cheap, no need for a pass
Sarento -> Rome - ditto
Rome -> Venice - Buy an Amici fare in advance
Venice -> Tirano - Not sure if any advance tickets are available, but probably not that expensive
Tirano taking small scene train -> Chur - can't advise here
Chur -> Amsterdam - can't advise here, but I'd look for the nearest airport and fly

Particularly if you are willing to commit to an itinerary, rail passes are not helpful in general, particularly for this sort of itinerary.

WillTravel: Where do I go to purchase the advance ticket purchases you mention?

Also what would the point of a rail pass be regardless of what works best for me? If I had a global rail pass, would those tickets purchases you mention become free or cost a lot less? I tried looking up info on it and I felt like the info I found was wrong because an example was...

one train w/ eurail pass was $40 euro
without/ eurail pass was $47

I know thats a discount, but I thought it was like a drastic discount that actually made spending the money on a eurail pass kind of worth it.

You mention booking flights, I'm wondering how it is for booking flights over there? Can I call and book them that morning at a reasonable rate or is it like the USA where if i try to book them within like 2 weeks of the flight, it cost 10x more in price? What happens if I miss a flight?

"Also what would the point of a rail pass be regardless of what works best for me? "

We choose to buy First Class passes and generally opt for Flexipasses or Select Passes as they work better for us.

We make our reservations either online using the rail website of the country we are visiting or when we are in Europe but never with the RailEurope site as they add a hefty surcharge.

Many on Fodors do not see the point of using a pass. We like them for the complete flexibility they offer so for us it is a worthwhile investment. We do not have to book far in advance to get the best fares and can change our plans for day trips and such based on the weather that day or our mood.

We only make reservations in advance on busy routes, busy dates or when we when we have a firm travel plan.

When we fly the low cost carriers in Europe, it has been my experience that the cheapest fares are not available close to the date of travel.

Many trains require mandatory seat reservations which a pass does not include. You can't ride these trains without the seat or you will be fined. It also doesn't include sleeping arrangements on overnight trains (can run as much as 125€ with a pass), most scenic trains, many private train lines or commuter lines.

There are many budget airlines in Europe, but the cheapest tickets usually sell out early. You can sometimes fly from Paris Orly to Rome on Easy Jet for as little as 25€.

www.whichbudget.com

>>>Rome -> Venice - Buy an Amici fare in advance<<<

Amici fares no longer exist, but there are other advance discounts in Italy (meno 30 and meno 15).

What you need to do IMo is speak to somneone who pretty much does rail travel exclusively and can compare the costs of point to point tickets vs using a pass in your partoicular case.

That "small train" you are planning on taking from Tirano to Chur is the Bernina Express and a pass can save you plenty on that portion alone especially if you are planning to use the panorama cars to travel in.

Many of the trains on your itinerary do NOT require any sort of mandatory seat reservations although if you use the Italian Eurostar service between Rome-Venice those tickets come WITH that mandatory seat reservation included but using a pass you'll have to pay for the res.

I would call Budget Europe Travel Service and ask for Byron..thetre is no obligation and he can answer ALL your questions...he also has acces to the most up to date schedules AND fares...800-441-9413

Now, as to using one of those "solves every single traveler's problems" budget flights...they cvan be great BUT please bear in mind and factor in the costs of the possible charges for baggage if there are any and the baggage weight restrictions; the time it will take to get to the airport, go through security, etc. the time and possible costs of getting to and from the airport.

I would agree that flying between Paris and Italy is probably a better idea but bear in mind thse other factors.

As no-one has mentioned it, I thought I'd better - www.seat61.com

>>>That "small train" you are planning on taking from Tirano to Chur is the Bernina Express and a pass can save you plenty on that portion alone especially if you are planning to use the panorama cars to travel in.<<<

Are you sure that's accurate? I know you can save half if you have the Swiss Half Fare card, but the OP is talking about a Eurail pass.

Eurailpasses are valid 100% on the Bernina Pass railway, Tirano, Italy to Chur but if you take the official Bernina Express that runs the route a few times a day then you do have to pay about 8-10 Swiss Francs reservation fee - but you can ride the hourly regular trains that go over the same route and same scenery without any extra charges.

Eurailpasses valid in Switzerland will take you the whole way Tirano to Chur without any needed extra charge - and of course onto Amsterdam if Germany and Holland are part of your pass.

Swiss Passes also cover the whole route 100% with the same extra few franc reservation fee if you want to take the official Bernina Express.

And to me the Bernina Pass rail route is one of the very top scenic railways in all of Europe.

and I'll mention it again http://www.seat61.com
The place to go for train info

I agree www.seat61.com has lots of great info - i always spotlight it too for folks planning European rail trips and asking questions like the OP - two other sites that are info-laden and not just the usual listing of railpass prices and an Add to Cart option: www.ricksteves.com (recommended by Woyzcek) and www.budgeteuropetravel.com - on this one download their free and excellent IMO European Planning & Rail Guide.

If OP was not going from Tirano via Chur to Amsterdam in one fell swoop a railpass would probably not be the most cost-efficient way but if they are and want to hop any train along the way - at least three changes if in the day i'd think - then those full fare tickets may cost well over $200

the alternative is to pay as they went until Zurich and then have a online discounted fare from Zurich to Amsterdam from www.bahn.de - the German rail site - if they offer discounts for such a trajectory.

There is also an overnight CNL or CityNightLiner train beween Zurich and Amsterdam - again scour www.bahn.de or www.sbb.ch for online discounts - if only full fare is available then the railpass again could come into play - but with a pass, which pays for the train fare, you have to pay for optional extra sleeping accommodations - from a few euro for a reclining chair to about $40 or so for a place in a couchette and much more for a private double.

bahn.de shows train fare Zurich to Amsterdam at 119 euro or about $160-70 p.p. - Add on fare from Tirano, Italy and it would be well over $200

bahn.de said that 119 euro was the lowest fare available for the date i checked but play around and see if the dates you want may have a better offer

but if you cannot find one then $220 or so for one day's train ride may make a railpass more advantageous - plus you can just hop any train on all segments - the discounted tickets are train specific and not changeable nor refundable.

I have checked later dates and if you book some weeks in advance there are 29-39 euro fares for Zurich to Amsterdam in the day - but non-changeable non-refundable so it depends if you just want to show up in Zurich and hop the next train or not as a pass would allow you.

Palenque,

My fellow travelers and I have 3 country Eurail passes that we plan to use for Germany, Italy, and Switzerland, but there is one small section of Austria we must pass through for which we will need to purchase a ticket. I feel sure we must purchase this in advance (maybe at the train station in Garmisch), but would you know if we can purchase a border-to-border ticket, or must I find out the exact towns on the borders (Germ/Austria and Austria/Italy)?

You simply go up to a ticket window in any German station, show your pass and explain you need a supplemental ticket for the Austrian portion but yes best to know the border points so you can write down the stations between which you want to buy the ticket - so there is no language barrier.

You should not need to know the exact towns if you explain your pass does not cover Austria - but nevertheless i would.I'd say Mittenwald, Germany to Brennero, Italy would be the border stations - these are marked with red dots on the Eurail Map you should have gotten with your pass.

Thanks so much! I guessed at Mittenwald and Brennero, but didn't know for certain. We can do that when we get to Garmisch.

As we say in Florida, muchas gracias!

The only thing the station/ticket agent needs to know is the ROUTE you are going to take across Austria...and if he knows your starting and ending points then the route is a non-issue.

And as with your pass validation you can buy that "across Austria" point to point ticket anywhere.

In the past I never went to Europe without a Eurail pass. Now I go point to point because I usually stay in one area or I fly if my next destination is hours away. I really enjoyed the pass. If I decided to go to another town, I would just jump on and go. And with the pass, I would do day trips that I wouldn't justify paying the ticket price and return. Just the convenience was worth it to me. But I am sure it was not the most economical way.

But I am sure it was not the most economical way.>

that depends - I have had at least 100 passes and they have ALWAYS been an economic boon to me and my travel style and plans - for what you did it may well not have been but the key to me also is what you like - just hop on any train anytime - in the countries like Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Holland, Belgium and the U.K. that still allow this. In countries like Italy, Spain and France however that full flexibility is practically gone as most fast trains there mandate reservations before boarding - meaning you must go to the ticket window and wait in line, etc. So it also depends on the country now.

Country passes are much more viable on an average than the Eurail Pass, which used to always be a good value when folks took longer and more wide-ranging trips - now they tend to concentrate on one or two countries

The German Pass can pay off in just two full fare longish journeys.

The Swiss Pass is almost always a great deal, even for limited travel plans, etc.

For a good decade, I got a Eurail pass, but I was in Europe for 11 weeks straight. Although I had a permanent place that I rented the entire summers, In Denmark, the Eurail pass was convenient for me to be spur-of-the-moment and jump on a train and go to other countries...like when it would start pouring raining in Denmark and I'd leave and go to a friend's villa in the South of France for a week or so. Then I'd go back up to Denmark. I'd also do other trips, to visit friends, so my pass would more than pay for itself. But, I would never buy a Eurail pass for 15 days. It's not cost effective. Happy Travels!

Palenque. interesting note: I compared ticket prices to Brennero from Mittenwald and Garmisch and it's about 4x's as much from Mittenwald. I guess we'll purchase those tickets in Garmisch and just overlap a bit. We would've bought a 4 country pass, but we got a great deal, buy one, get one free on the 3 country, 5 day pass, and it's worked out perfectly for us, except for that one gap, which we can fill for about 22 euros. I know we've saved a bunch of money over point to point.

I think Eurail passes are the bomb, especially if you don't have a set itinerary, and now days, there are so many more options, with the flexible passes, than when I started using them in the early 80's.

Thanks again!! You've been so helpful.

We would've bought a 4 country pass, but we got a great deal, buy one, get one free on the 3 country, 5 day pass, and it's worked out perfectly for us, except for that one gap, which we can fill for about 22 euros>

tina- thanks for nice comments - can you tell me where you found this special - i usually catch wind of such deals and an interested in knowing more about for two for 1 - an incredible deal IMO - thanks

Would still like to find out about that 2 for 1 railpass special -never ever heard of it and am very keen to know about it.

thanks

Me too!

ttt

I'm looking at train fares in Italy in September and can't find any discounts.
Rome-Naples 58 Euro (Sept 1)
Naples - Lucca 76 Euro (Sept 4)
Lucca - Milan 57 Euro (Sept 25)

I'm very surprised by the prices. I can buy a 3 day Italy Pass in Australia for $A180.00 or 118 euro. Am I missing anything on the Trenitalia site?

Not really because it appears any discounts on trenitalia.com are virtually impossible to book with American or Aussie credit cards - lie the Amica fare that gives 20% off i believe. But even then 191 euros at 20% off is still more than the 3-day Italy Railpass i would think.

Remember that the pass does not typically cover the full cost of the tickets. For Italy, you'll still need to stand in line, and pay for reservations and seats. (Don't count on me for this detail, but it's roughly correct.)

Rome/Naples is 44€, not 58€. If you are tacking on the 14€ Leonardo Express from the airport, it is not covered by the pass you are pricing. The pass will be around 127€ (saver pass assuming you are traveling with someone else and qualify for this discount pass), not 118€. You will have to pay 30€ for seats plus $18 (14.30€) shipping (assuming the mailing fee to Australia is similar). Cost of pass plus fees 171€. Cost of point-to-point tickets without any discounts 177€. You would still need to purchase your other train tickets not covered by a pass (from airport and between Naples/Sorrento). Some discounts only need 7 day advance purchase so you might save money buying all tickets upon arrival in Italy if you can't get Trenitalia to accept your credit card.
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=492299e8e609a110VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD

Rome/Naples is 44€, not 58€. If you are tacking on the 14€ Leonardo Express from the airport, it is not covered by the pass you are pricing.>

The Leonardo Express is covered by a railpass but since it is a first-class only train you would have to pay the difference between the normal 2nd class and 1st class fares - about 40% or about 6 euros or if you have a first-class pass then it is fully covered.

Many agents do not have any mailing fee so the $18 is only if you buy from RailEurope, which i believe charges the $18 for orders under $400 - but many agents do not charge anything and you can pop into STA Travel in Australia and pick up your pass without any fee. They are not sold in Italy to my knowledge.

And when buying in Italy tack on 3% for credit card foreign transaction fees and do not use the official rate in papers as banks make money on foreign exchange.

The 7-day advance discounts are sold in limited numbers i believe so they being available once there could be problematic - kybourbon can correct me if this is not so.

Naples to Sorrento, CircumVesuviana trains cost all of 3 euros so not a factor worth mentioning IMO

Sarvowinner was not talking about a 1st class pass or prices of 1st class tickets. To have the Leonardo Express covered, sarvowinner would have to buy a 1st class pass AND add a day to the pass as the Leonardo Express costs one full days use of the pass.


Overview
Travel Bonuses
FAQ
Pricing and Discounts
Travel Bonuses for Eurail Italy Pass

>>>>Please be sure to note that any bonus that is free will use a travel day on your rail pass. Discounted bonuses will not require the use of a travel day, but do require a valid rail pass. And all bonuses are handled locally and are subject to change.<<<

>>>>* Free transfer is available on the Leonardo Express between Fiumicino Airport and Roma Termini train station for 1st class passholders only. This transfer requires use of one day of travel on the pass.<<<<

AFAIK, a 2nd class pass is of no use at all for the Leonardo Express and sarvowinner would have to pay the 14€. Do you have a link stating otherwise?

>>>And when buying in Italy tack on 3% for credit card foreign transaction fees and do not use the official rate in papers as banks make money on foreign exchange.<<<

I don't know what credit card you use, but mine simply does not charge this. I get the interbank rate and wouldn't dream of using a card that tacked on 3%.

>>>>The 7-day advance discounts are sold in limited numbers i believe so they being available once there could be problematic - kybourbon can correct me if this is not so.<<<

While discounts are limited, I entered all of sarvowinners routes for random days next week and the discount was available for multiple trains I checked (all fast AV trains) for Rome/Naples AV at 37€, Naples/Florence AV at 60€, Florence/Milan AV for 44€. You can not include Lucca for the discounts to show on Trenitalia since that involves slow R trains between Florence/Lucca which is 5€(bus is sometimes better on this route anyway because of AC)and R train prices only show if you enter a date within 7 days. AV discounts must be more than 7 days.

Best Credit Card to use in Europe Posted by: apirone on Sep 6, 07 at 3:38pm
Posted in: Europe

I am traveling to Italy the end of this month. I have called all of my credit card companies:

BofA
Chase
Citibank
Wells Fargo

They all have a service fee of 3% and some have additional fees for using the card outside the US. I have no problem getting another card just for this trip if someone could recommend one that offers less fees.

'free transfer' yes only with a first-class pass - does this mean you cannot do the standard throughout Europe when you have a 2nd class pass or ticket and want to go first class - by paying the difference in fares - i do not have that in writing for this specific train but do you have it on authority that this standard practice on flat fare trains throughout Europe is not true?
bourbon - it seems most credit card companies do charge the 3% - i have several different types and mine all do too, like the person who posted this today on a different thread.

And with a 2nd class pass they could take the local train from the airport to Rome's Tiburtina station- it may be a 2nd class only train and transfer there to high-speed Eurostar type trains there- a much smaller and more manageable station in which to change than Rome Termini, with zillions of different tracks - and could be quicker over all, depending on schedules.

Thanks KyBourbon, I didn't realise that the discounts didn't apply to combination trips, and I hadn't read the fine print on the Leonardo Express. I will relook at both point to points and using the pass via Tiburtina.

I have several different credit cards from my credit union (Visa and Mastercard) that do not charge 3%, but there are also other cards that don't (most people use Capitol One, USAA, Schwab). You can also just get cash from the ATM to pay for the tickets and avoid fees.

>>>And with a 2nd class pass they could take the local train from the airport to Rome's Tiburtina station- it may be a 2nd class only train and transfer there to high-speed Eurostar type trains there- a much smaller and more manageable station in which to change than Rome Termini, with zillions of different tracks - and could be quicker over all, depending on schedules.<<<

Not possible. The high speed trains don't stop at Tiburtina. You would have to train to Tiburtina (45 minutes)and change trains to Termini.

Just a note on credit card fees in Australia. All the cards issued by the majors charge 3% for foreign transactions. However the Wizard Clear Advantage Mastercard doesn't charge any fees (either FX or annual) and the cross rate is more favourable. Now the question is - does it works with Trenitalia?

Westpac charged me for a 250 euro cash withdrawal from an ATM in Lucca a AUD10.50 FX fee plus AUD5.00 ATM fee. I generally keep my Wizard account in credit and use it as ATM card - not charges.

We just received our 2 for 3 pass. Our trip starts end of July 2010. There's 7 of us, so we got an additional 3 for 4 pass as well. We averaged $250 for each. If there is only 3 of you, it will cost an average of $230 per person. We ordered it through RailEurope: http://www.raileurope.com/rail-tickets-passes/buy-two-get-three-eurail/discounts-and-pricing.html

Although, this is about the only best deal you can get from them. If you have to make a reservation through them, the prices get ridiculous, and you almost do not have a choice because other agencies will not let you book through them if you bought the passes somewhere else.

There is another popular place where sells booking, but I don't know how others can trust this: Euro Railways. They will let you book through them and take your payments. But they do not confirm your order until after a few days. I tried with them because they advertise reasonable price, but they are just "teaser prices". When they confirm your booking, they'll say that price is no longer available and will give you a price the same as RailEurope. It was good that they allowed to cancel my order without charging my account. I'll be watching my credit card though because I saw in another blog that some of these agencies will wait a few days/weeks and charge you anyway. It will then take a while before you can get refunded. So, buyer beware!

Buying/Booking high speed train (EuroStar) from London to Paris is another story. So many websites will sell them at very high, ridiculous prices up to $1,000++. It took me a few days of research and finally decided to call EuroStar directly in London and ordered it. No hassle with that. Got the tickets and reserved seating for 50 Pounds each. Now, that is a real deal! It was worth the $3 long distance.

What I have not found is how to do the same with Artesia/TGV overnight train from Paris to Firenze or Rome (arriving August 1, morning). If anyone knows a way, please let me know. I tried calling direct but I can't seem to connect. Also, even if I get connected, I doubt if I will get an English speaking person. Since we are getting closer to the day, I'm afraid we might be running out of time. It seems that July-August is the peak season and it might be hard to book. But our schedule is fixed. We are attending specific events in our schedules. Anyone who can provide a way to book this trip, please advise. I've been trying to get our iteniraries and it had been slow. I'm glad to find this site though. I've learned a lot from people who posted information. Thank you all!

roma1616 - Are you sure you want an overnight train? Easy Jet flies Paris Orly to Pisa (108€ on 8/1 or 86€ on 8/2) or Orly/Rome for about 145€ (116€ on 8/2).
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=9bd599e8e609a110VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD

Here's some info about discounts on Artesia, but might not be available since you are traveling high season.
http://www.artesia.eu/english/train-ticket-reservation.php
http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=9bd599e8e609a110VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD

Sarvowinner - You have to register on Trenitalia first. Good luck with your credit card attempt. If you can book far enough in advance you should be able to get 30% off. You will have to book your tickets as Rome/Naples, Naples/Florence, Florence/Milan. Leave off the Lucca portion or you won't get the discount options. Fiumicino/Rome and Florence/Lucca/Florence can easily be bought when you arrive at the airport. Naples/Sorrento must be bought in the Naples station as they are not part of Trenitalia. There are windows selling tickets for Circumvesuviana only (follow the signs).

I can't say for sure about using a pass for the train to Tiburtina, but I do know that none of the transport passes available for Rome or Lazio allow them to be used on these two trains (Leonardo or FM1). The RailEurope website only mentions being able to use the 1st class pass on the Leonardo Express. There's also the bus option from Fiumicino to Termini for 8€. http://www.sitbusshuttle.it/

Thanks kybourbon

We did take the bus in May into Rome, and the Leonardo out. It does take a lot longer on the bus.

>>>>* Free transfer is available on the Leonardo Express between Fiumicino Airport and Roma Termini train station for 1st class passholders only. This transfer requires use of one day of travel on the pass.<<<<

I'm a bit confused by what "use of one day of travel" means?
If I bought a 1st class pass, and used it on the Leonardo Express then paid my 10 euro for a seat reservation on the fast train to Naples on the same day, would that be counted as one or two days? Seems very punitive if it was two days.

but I do know that none of the transport passes available for Rome or Lazio allow them to be used on these two trains (Leonardo or FM1).>

I have used my Eurailpasses on the regional train to Rome's Airport several times - i guarantee that railpasses are indeed valid on those trains as they are just local trains that terminate at the airport but go beyond Rome the other way - like perhaps to Orvieto and of course like any Trenitalia regular train railpasses are valid. If going into Rome Tiburtina is just as convenient as hectic Termini - on a metro line and getting a cab may be less a hassle as well. And if no pass the local train to Tiburtina is just about 6 euros i think - much cheaper than Leonardo train.

kybourbon: We prefer to experience the overnight train. Since we are passholders, the train is practically free, except for reservation on overnight trains. This also saves from hotel accommodations. We will only take this once, so it should be good, if I can make the reservation. Thank you for the links. I have been to Artesia website, but I'll check the once you provided. Hopefully it works. I'll update if anyone is still interested.

>>>>* Free transfer is available on the Leonardo Express between Fiumicino Airport and Roma Termini train station for 1st class passholders only. This transfer requires use of one day of travel on the pass.<<<<

Just received an answer from Rail Plus in Australia:
<<<it would just count as 1 day on the pass. It means it would require to use a day of travel on your pass, but you can still travel on other trains that day also. >>>

and you can take a train from Rome's Airport to Rome Termini without going all the way to Tiburtina - buy by changing at Trastevere or Ostiense stations i believe.

bookmarking

Dear all ,PLSSS HELP ME....

I am planning to go to Paris.The trip is as below

Paris - Grenoble
Grenoble - Geneva back to grenoble
Genoble to Rome
Rome to Venice
Venice to Grenoble
Grenoble tp Lyon back to grenoble
Grenoble to Monacco back to grenoble
grenbole to Paris

Pls help me the eurorail and their ticket is driving me nuts.Do i need to take point to point or shall Ijst go ahead and 2 country pass for eurorail.Which will save me money.Also where can I book it .Plssssss help me

I'm not a rail expert and I'm sure one will come along to help you but if you know your travel dates then you need to compare the cost of point to point tickets with the cost of a rail pass and keep in mind that with a rail pass on some trains you're going to have to pay an additional supplement to reserve a seat. Also, in terms of point to point tickets on many of the longer distance trains you get a cheaper rate if you book far in advance, usually up to 90 days. You also really need to post your specific travel dates to get the best answers.

Lastly, go to the website www.seat61.com which is one of the best resources to learn about train travel in Europe.

Well with all those trips I would be the France-Italy Eurailpass would be your best bet - even compared to online discounts and those are train-specific and either impossible to change or hard to do so - the pass can be used on any train anytime (except the new Thello Paris to Italy train - discount only I think) but all others decide as you go. For pass prices and a wealth of info on trains in France and Italy check out these fab IMO sites - http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id39.html; www.seat61.com (this site's commercial link to RailEurope gives current pass prices) and www.ricksteves.com.

I assume the France-Italy pass wouldn't cover all the way to Geneva.

In my personal experience the Eurailpass is the way to go. We had the 3 country one and it was very useful and a life saver some times with the Inspectors when I made mistakes.

I assume the France-Italy pass wouldn't cover all the way to Geneva.>

Good question - if you were coming into the Geneva Eaux-vives station I think it would as this is I believed considered a SNCf or French railways station for ticket/pass purposes - but Geneva Cornavin I am not sure - you may have to pay a few extra euros to cover the Swiss portion unless it is like Basel where a pass can be used to Basel SBB main station as it is considered a French station for that purposes and indeed has a SNCF station in it. If you want a definitive answer to your question call Byron at www.budgeteuropetravel.com - I have bought passes from him for years and he is an expert and will get a definitive answer.