Sigh....Swiss Pass HELP!

Old Jul 21st, 2014, 04:47 PM
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Sigh....Swiss Pass HELP!

Hi Everyone - I know that I am taking a risk even asking this here, since I KNOW it has been asked many times before and I HAVE read all of the posts and articles. However, everyone here has been so incredibly helpful in my trip planning that I am going out on the limb.

There are two of us, one adult and one senior, travelling over a period of 7 days.
We will be travelling from Alba (Italy) > Zermatt (unsure of that route so far) > Lucerne > Zurich. During this time, we would like to complete the golden circle, as well as see the customary mountain sights near Zermatt.

Which Swiss Pass do we need?! It seems like the swiss saver flexi pass? But I would really love some confirmation before I shell out the $$ for two people!

Also, do I buy from SBB or Raileurope? It seems that prices are not necessarily the same. Once I have the pass, are reservations necessary?? I understand that Alba>Zermatt has a few possibilities and because of all of the train changes it makes me nervous to book in advance, although we definitely want the most scenic route possible!

At the risk of sounding completely ignorant, I am not sure if it is my lack of math or logical abilities, but I absolutely cannot wrap my head around this. I have never found anything so confusing before!

Thank you so much in advance!
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Old Jul 21st, 2014, 05:09 PM
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OR a half-fare card. Forgot to mention that option. Quite honestly, that just confuses me even more!
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Old Jul 21st, 2014, 05:13 PM
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I was just in Switzerland and used the six day Flexi pass. For short travel days just buy a ticket. On the day you use the Flexi pass you can travel on it all day. It does include discounts on boats, etc. or sometimes they are at no charge. In Lucerne, on the day we triggered our pass we took a boat ride for no charge. On the day you travel all you need to do is write the date on the ticket. Enjoy!
Jill
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Old Jul 21st, 2014, 09:08 PM
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Hi CatchK,

Yup, it is dauntingly confusing trying to figure out which pass will work best for you.

Whenever I tried to figure it out, I had to do a spreadsheet -- you know with all the individual trips on one side with costs for each one -- just to keep track of all of the options and combinations possible.

Every time I did the math & spreadsheet, the Half Fare Card came out as the most economical for me. After a while, I quit doing the math and just got the HFC.

Good luck as you work on it!

s
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Old Jul 22nd, 2014, 06:57 AM
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As Swandav says, you have to do the math.
For ME, the HFC always comes out on top economically, but I know exactly where I want to go during my trip.
The passes are generally more expensive, but allow more flexibility and serendipity--just jump aboard, no tickets usually.
You say, "see the customary mountain sights," but are you focused in on WHICH sights? If not really sure of what you may wish to see, a pass may be better for you.
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Old Jul 22nd, 2014, 08:39 AM
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Anyone considering the Half-Fare Card should also look at the Swiss Card which gives everything the Half-Fare Card does but two trips by train - 1 from any Swiss border station or airport to any one place in Switzerland and then one back from any place in Switzerland to any border station or airport and in between the two train trips you get 50% off everything, just like the Half-Fare Card - especially good for people doing long trips on the beginning and ends of their trips.

As for the pass yes the flexibility it affords is great - rainy day in the mountains and you can day trip to a nearby city that is better in wet weather than being in the Alps - Half-Fare Cards and Swiss Cards are great for folks basically going to one place and staying put.

Where to buy Swiss Pass - yes check prices booking thru RailEurope and its agents (prices uniformly the same but mailing fees can be added on) and those in Switzerland, keeping in mind any 3% your credit card may tack onto foreign transactions - but if little difference just wait until Europe - but often the price in the U.S. for some reason has been cheaper, sometimes signifcantly so in several years of tracking price comparisons. (RailEurope is part owned by the Swiss Federal Railways).

For lots of great stuff on Swiss trains and passes, etc I always spotlight these IMO superb sites: www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com (to talk to a real expert on Swiss trains, passes, etc call Bryon here - I have bought passes from him for years - will answer any question even if not buying IME) and www.seat61.com.
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Old Jul 22nd, 2014, 10:27 AM
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OK - that is very helpful. Thanks! I think that we would like the flexibility offered by the flexi pass.

One more question - I apparently messed up by putting this off - We leave for Italy on Saturday, headed to several places in Northern Italy before moving into Switzerland on August 10. I didn't realize you couldn't print the passes - I can't seem to figure out where or how to get one once in Italy?
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Old Jul 22nd, 2014, 10:43 AM
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OK - maybe now I see - the best way may be to buy one in Brig? And if there is not enough time there, then in Zermatt?

Thanks!
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Old Jul 22nd, 2014, 10:51 AM
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Think you have to buy it in Switzerland as this point and buy it in Brig as the cost of Brig to Zermatt is probably $40 or so each - you have to change trains anyway in Brig/Visp and you'd have to buy a regular ticket anyway if no pass - just as easy buying two passes. Trains go hourly or so Brig/Visp to Zermatt so check schedules and you'll probably have ample time to buy the passes in Brig and have them validated at the same time.
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Old Jul 22nd, 2014, 11:13 AM
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Ok great - thank you so much for your help PalenQ....
Except I did lie a little I guess about the one more question haha.

I really don't like booking trains ahead of time unless I need to...but is there any reason to book ahead for any leg of the Alba>Cavallermaggiore>Torino>Milano>Domodossola>Brig>Zermatt journey?

Just a little confused (feeling like it is my normal state, lately)because I am not seeing the same timetables on the raileurope/trenitalia/sbb sites.

Again - your help has been a lifesaver - thanks!
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Old Jul 22nd, 2014, 11:48 AM
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Well RailEurope does not contain nearly all the trains on their schedule of trains that they sell tickets on - trenitalia.com should show all of their trains (and www.italotreno.it for Italo trains which I do not think run on your routes)- but you do need a seat reservation for all Italian trains save regional trains, on which you cannot make a reservation at all (and no reason buying regional train tickets in advance - flat fare - no discounts available I believe.

The set reservations when mandated automatically come with the ticket when you purchase it - either on www.trenitalia.com or at stations in Italy.

Go to www.bahn.de/en - the German Railways online pan-European schedule site - to me it is the easiest to use of any and has all European trains on it - so for quick schedules go to www.bahn.de/en - if your train in Italy is an R or regional train then just buy tickets once there and hop on any train with them.


Brig-Zermatt is a local train where I suppose you may be able to reserve but IME would be a waste of money - except for the official Glacier Express trains that roll between Brig and Zermatt a few times daily (also with a pass requires a surcharge) - to me the locals are just fine - same scenery over the same tracks - so you cannot just hop on the GE trains as you can, with a valid pass, any regular train in Switzerland.
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Old Jul 22nd, 2014, 03:45 PM
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I really don't like booking trains ahead of time unless I need to...but is there any reason to book ahead for any leg of the Alba>Cavallermaggiore>Torino>Milano>Domodossola>Brig>Zermatt journey?>

If those are R or regional trains in Italy you can't book - go to www.bahn.de/en and see - between Torino and Milan there are lots of fast trains requiring a seat reservation but probably much slower regional ones you can just hop on.

Ditto Milan to Domodossola (just buy your Italian ticket to Domodossola - considered to be the border station for tarifaction purposes. Again regional trains probably exist but can take forever.
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Old Jul 23rd, 2014, 11:34 AM
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OK - That sounds good and like what I thought. We will just wait then and buy our tickets at the station. I don't like taking the risk that we will be running late, or decide to see something else haha. I would much rather just get them when we are there!

Thanks again!
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Old Jul 23rd, 2014, 03:15 PM
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I would much rather just get them when we are there!> And if for some weird reason 2nd class were full then first class is IME always available and IMO the extra cost is in any case well warranted - especially if typically carrying way too much luggage.
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Old Jul 24th, 2014, 04:00 AM
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>>>Alba>Cavallermaggiore>Torino>Milano>Domodossola>BrigAlba>Cavallermaggiore>Torino>Milano>Domodossola>Brig
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Old Jul 24th, 2014, 06:16 AM
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Yes you may want to reserve those last two trains kybourbon is on about - as they can fill - but then again IME they would rarely be filled in first class so the worst case scenario may not be bad - in my view that first class on the trip of a lifetime with way too much luggage may be well worth the extra cost. Others say there is little if any difference in classes but ticket availability is definitely one area where tickets are more available, almost always in 1st class if sold out in 2nd class.

So try 2nd class and usually you can buy a ticket if not just splurge a little and reap the benefits in a much more relaxed ride IME. You should buy those tickets as far ahead of time once in Italy - if it is a full-fare ticket it can be changed I believe easily.
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Old Jul 24th, 2014, 09:48 AM
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2nd class on those speedy trains is apt to be full many times - I just checked for tomorrow Venice to Florence (just for an example) and many of the 2nd class train seats were sold out none of the first-class seats were sold out) - so if you're willing to pay extra over 2nd class waiting is fine if not book on trenitalia.com or at any Italian train station as long before your date of journey as possible.
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Old Jul 24th, 2014, 11:41 AM
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And regional trains are always an option but can take much much longer - for example Milan Centrale to Brig - on direct EC or fast trains about 1:50 but on regional trains nearly 4 hours and you often have to take a bus from Domodossola to Brig - so yes as a back up if both classes were sold out but they also do not leave as frequently.

there are many regional trains Turin to Milano Centrale - but faster trains take 50 minutes or so regional ones 1 h 40 mins - again as a back up - regional trains are also much less comfy than express trains - you get what you pay for but at least with regional trains you can just hop on with a ticket - be sure to validate it yourself before boarding or your ticket I believe will be considered to be invalid and you'll face a fine for riding without a valid ticket (I think - kybourbon can correct me, as usual, on this if wrong).
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Old Jul 24th, 2014, 12:42 PM
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If you buy a regional train ticket online, they are pre-validated and you are tied into a specific time window on the day you selected(about a 90 window). Regional tickets bought in Italy are usually good for several months and you must validate track-side before boarding.
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Old Jul 26th, 2014, 05:59 AM
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Excellent. I think we are just going to take our chances - we can always shell out for 1st class if necessary.

Thank you so much for all of the information!
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