Do I need a Swiss pass (which kind)
 

We are travelling from the U.S to switzerland + france this august. Tentatively this is our plan. Fly into Zurich and fly out of Paris.

Train from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen on Day 1
Train from Lauterbrunnen to Bern on Day 4
Train from Bern to Paris or maybe squeeze in a day in Nice, France.

Is getting a swiss rail worth it. Or is a europass better? The train passes are a bit confusing.

The only sdvice I have is to decide, what if any trips or days out you want to do while you are in Lauterbrunnen, even if you don't do them all or change you minds. Go to the Swiss Rail website www.sbb.ch/en and find not only train times but prices and remember the site defaults to half fare. Then do the maths, you may well find that the half fare card at 110 Swiss Francs for 0ne month is the best bet, this cover you for all your trips including the day in Berne.

Just a point when you book your tickets from Berne to Paris just book from Basel to Paris, again look at the Swiss Rail website they often have good deals on single tickets. YOu do realise as well that to go to Nice you are going in the opposite direction to Paris.

Hi calidream,

I'd just like to encourage you to get your tickets from Switzerland to Paris as soon as possible. The cheapest deals go on sale 90 days early -- the longer you wait, the more you'll pay.

It addition to buying on the Swiss rail site posted above by tipsygus, you can buy your ticket at

www.tgv-europe.com

HOWEVER, do NOT let them bump you to Raileurope. After you choose your country, look at the bottom of the square and choose "continue to tgv-europe."

Have fun as you plan!

s

Calidream I bought tickets from the UK to Basel and found I got a much better deal booking single tickets for all four journeys. Especially the Basel Paris leg which as I said was 31 Swiss Francs. I agree with Swandav book as early as possible for the Eurostar tickets and if you can look at early morning departures mine cost me £33 each way. Which is almost as cheap for me as a day trip to London from the Kent coast.

Hi
the swiss pass is worth if you are planning to travel a lot in switzerland. if you already know that you will just use it from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen and Bern, just compare the prices. anyway the swiss pass you can bu it directly at the train station. so ask them what is the best for you.

A 4-consecutive-day Swiss Pass could be a good deal depending on what you are doing in the Interlaken-Lauterbrunnen area - for instance a Swiss Pass covers in full the whole route Interlaken-Lauterbrunnen- cable car to Grutschalp -mountain train to Murren - cable way to Gimmelwald - cable way back down to Lauterbrunnen Valley at Stechelberg and postal bus back to Lauterbrunnen. If going to Schilthotn the pass gives 50% off Murren to Shilthorn, perhpas a $40 value or so in itself.

Passes also are 100% valid on lake boats on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz - the two lakes bookending Interlaken and on trains to Wengen and Grindelwald and give you 50% off everything else that moves in the Jungfrau region except Grindelwald/Wengen to Jungfraujoch which is 25% discount with the pass.

Of course covers trains from Zurich airport to Interlaken and out to Bern and a Swiss Pass also I believe earns you a Pass 2 fare Bern to Paris on the TGV (thought discounted PREM tickets from www.voyages-sncf.com may be cheaper!). With a pass you just hop on the train, bus, boat, etc.

If going to museums the pass gives free entry to over 400 Swiss museums. Great sites for info about Swiss trains, boats, passes, etc I always highlight these IMO fine fine sites - http://www.swisstravelsystem.com;htt....com/id3.html; and www.ricksteves.com. If buying a pass compare prices both in dollars if living in US and buying there and in Swiss francs if buying at train stations in Switzerland - I have been tracking prices both here and there for several years before purchasing my dozen of so separate Swiss Passes I have used and often the exact same pass has been significantly cheaper here than there - but NOT always so check and if little difference just wait until Switzerland before buying IMO.

You could also look at the Berner Oberland Pass and the Jungfraubahn Pass - the former I think would take you to Bern on it - the more narrower in focus Jungfraubahn Pass I think has more benefits on expensive cables perhaps.

http://www.goldenpass.ch/default.asp?Language=EN

discussion of the Jungfraubahn Pass efficacy.