Farooq

Hi Everyone

Need a bit of help on the trains. We are planning to travel from Bologna to Rome (one way) and after some time from Rome to Interlaken (one way). From Interlaken we will go to Zurich airport for our departure flight back home.

Should i get a rail pass in advance or point to point tickets in advance or nothing at all (just purchase from the stations).

In switzerland i intend to get a swiss pass for exploring the interlaken region.

Need a bit of guidance as first time will be using European railways.

Regards
Farooq

Dukey1

You can buy the Rome-Interlaken ticket several months ahead using the www.sbb.ch/en site. The earlier you buy it the cheaper it will be and you should be able to print the ticket(s) out at home.

You could use the www.trenitalia.com or the www.italiarail.com sites for the Bologna-Rome tickets (Italiarail charges a surcharge but for some seems like an easier site to use). Get THOSE tickets in advance as well for the best prices.

PalenQ

In switzerland i intend to get a swiss pass for exploring the interlaken region.>

You may find the Berner Oberland or Jungfraubahn passes a better deal if only using trains in the Interlaken region. Maybe a Half-Fare Card would be the best overall deal -for lots of info on Swiss trains and passes - www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.swisstravelsystem.com.

Dukey1

Actually, all the information about passes, etc., in Switzerland is very well-explained on the SBB.ch site.

PalenQ

www.swisstravelsystem.com is a SBB site that explains all passes and much more - use either one. Problem with using a provider's site may be that they may be less than objective sometimes.

PalenQ

http://www.jungfrau.ch/en/sommer/tou...avel-pass_1020

Farooq

Thanks a lot guys, have gone through the links. PalenQ you are right half fare card would suit my need better. Many thanks.

Regards
Farooq

PalenQ

Half-fare Card gives you 50% off the Jungfraujoch train - even the Jungfraubahnpass as far as I can decipher does not cover it in full or even discount it on its most expensive part (not sure though but Half-Fare Card will surely be worth it IF you can get a discounted ticket to Interlaken.

If you must pay full-fare Italian border to Interlaken then look at Swiss Transfer Ticket + 1/2 off Half-Fare Card.

PalenQ

Also check www.trenitalia.com for discounted tickets Italy to Interlaken - as well as sbb.ch.

Farooq

On the sbb.ch website, Rome to interlaken normal price on my dates is CHF 359. If i select "Half fare travel card-1/2/3 year" then the price goes down to CHF 311.

Another thing is validity period, Hald fare is valid for a month while Swiss pass would be 4 days (since i am leaving on 5th day morning hence i could not use it either at start of my trip or at end while going to Zurich).

Based on loose calculations if i dont go to Luzerne or Mt titlis etc i will be a little better off with half fare card vs 4 day swiss pass.

Regards
Farooq Zuberi

Farooq

Hi PalenQ

Need a bit of your help for interlaken iternary, we will spend 4 nights there. Will have partial first day (arrival 3PM) though and after spending three full days will depart to Zurich for our 3PM flight back home.

is there any activity we can cover in our partial first day.

And while departing will it be feasible to go to zurich via luzern. Say we leave interlaken at 8AM can we have breakfast in luzurn and then move onward to Zurich so as to reach airport by 12: 30 PM

For the full three days we will explore the interlaken region.
One day we will cover the Grutschalp-Murren-Gimmewald-Stechelberg-Lauterbrunnen circuit. Next day Jungfrau (will it take full day?) and in between other towns etc.
For third day what would you recommend. We have a 14 month toddler so keeping it a bit slow will suit us.

Thanks
Farooq

PalenQ

is there any activity we can cover in our partial first day>

Where are you staying - if Interlaken you can take a leisurely boat trip on say Lake Thun - I'll try to answer your questions later or others may chime in too.

Yes half-fare card seems best - for one thing a Swiss Pass gives only 25% off on Jungfraujoch trains above Wengen and Grindelwald but half-fare gets 50% off - not chump change- tips in favor of half-fare card.

kiddo of course always goes free.

PalenQ

On the sbb.ch website, Rome to interlaken normal price on my dates is CHF 359. If i select "Half fare travel card-1/2/3 year" then the price goes down to CHF 311.>

Is this for one or two persons?

try www.trenitalia.com for Rome to Brig- Swiss border town - then sbb.chf from there on- see if a difference.

PalenQ

And while departing will it be feasible to go to zurich via luzern. Say we leave interlaken at 8AM can we have breakfast in luzurn and then move onward to Zurich so as to reach airport by 12: 30 PM>

Should be fine - taking the scenic Brunig Pass train (part of the Golden Pass route) would take about an hour longer than going Interlaken to Zurich airport via Bern- not sure I'd linger in Lucerne for breakfast - your hotel will probably serve early chow if need be) as with trains you never know - delays, etc but you should be comfy taking that much more scenic routing time-wise.

It should be about an hour Lucerne to Zurich flughafen- airport train station.

Farooq

Many thanks PlaenQ, the Golden Pass route is not covered in either half fare pass or swiss travel pass?

PalenQ

GP route is fully covered as are Golden Pass official trains on that route - optional reservation extra of course but on regular trains few reserve I think and there should always be room.

neckervd

Available web train fares for random date October 13th:
Milan - Spiez (smart): 29 EUR/pax
Rome - Milan (super economy): 40 EUR/pax
http://orario.trenitalia.com/
Interlaken Ost - Zuerich HB: 40 CHF
https://www.sbb.ch/ticketshop/b2c/angebotReisende.do

PalenQ

Those fares may not last long - here today gone tomorrow sometimes - book ASAP.

neckervd - question for you - the Swiss fare expert - do inter-city Swiss trains (domestic) routinely also give discounts or is it as I am under the impression rather limited vs the Italian ones which are always available if you book early enough to get them?

Curious- seems you should be the one to ask.

Merci/danke/grazze

neckervd

Palen: there is no rule, it depends on the itinerary and on the time of day. There will be no discounts on rush hours for sure. There are much less discounted tickets to Zurich airport than to Zurich HB (city railway station).

For Swiss destinations close to the border, you may book the dirty cheap German buses from for example Zurich to Loerrach bei Basel (8 EUR) and reach Basel from there by S-Bahn

PalenQ

thanks neckervd - as usual you are the expert.