Euro Train
Dec 11th, 2013 | 04:51 PM
#42
Joined: Jan 2007
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If you do take by far the fastest Munich to Zurich link - direct trains and if you do want your Swiss Pass to kick in at the Swiss border station then you do not need to validate your pass in advance as a caveat of passes if that if coming into Switzerland on a direct train the Swiss conductor will validate your pass for you on the train - no need to get off and validate - ordinarily you must validate a pass at a Swiss train station prior to your first pass covered trip but only if coming on a direct train from another country will - must according to the rules - validate it for you on the train.
Dec 12th, 2013 | 06:53 AM
#43
Joined: Jan 2007
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The Swiss border station along the direct Munich - Zurich train itinerary is St. Margrethen SG and NOT Buchs SG (see above).>
Yes my mistake thinking of trains from Innsbruck and St Anton and not the Zurich route - where indeed the boarder station is Margrethan not Buchs. Thanks for the corrcto!
Yes my mistake thinking of trains from Innsbruck and St Anton and not the Zurich route - where indeed the boarder station is Margrethan not Buchs. Thanks for the corrcto!
Dec 14th, 2013 | 01:56 PM
#46
Joined: Mar 2013
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"Got speed up those IC trains!"
We (Swiss) try since the sixties of the last century!
The fact is that the German leg of the line is not electrified and that there don't exist any diesel engines which can run in all 3 countries (different signalisation and train security).
Furthermore, for DB, the domestic market is more important than the international one; therefore they want all trains to stop at Lindau dead end station (in the old city on the Island, close to the boat's pier).
As long as one has to change the engine anyway, the suppression of this detour wouldn't shorten the transit time significantly. Otherwise, trains could avoid the detour via the Island and stop at Lindau Reutin station between Lindau and Bregenz (the frequent local buses which ply between Lindau and Bregenz stop there).
Reutin is only a few miles from Bregenz. But OeBB wouldn't accept the Munich - Zurich IC trains, if they wouldn't stop at Bregenz, the capital of the Land Vorarlberg.
And as long as they stop in the center of Bregenz, the city of Lindau claims the same for Lindau too.
A few km after Bregenz, the IC stop at the small village of St. Margrethen, not because of a staff change (the Swiss Government managed to conclude agreements with the Austrian and German Governments allowing Swiss staff to board the train at Lindau), but in order to avoid a long layover for German tourists who visit the resorts of Graubünden (Davos, Arosa, St. Moritz, etc.) and who change there to a connecting train.
The next stop is at St. Gallen, a town with about 100.000 inhabitans and a local railway hub. There would be a faster line from St. Margrethen to Zurich (via Arbon - Amriswil), but this itinerary is politically not feasible and furthermore not in the commercial interest of SBB.
Finally, the IC trains make the detour via Zurich airport, again for commercial and for political reasons (only direct link of Lindau and Bregenz with an intercontinental airport).
There exist tons of similar examples in the European transport politics, difficult to understand for us Europeans and probably incomprehensibel for you.
In the meantime, the private German bus Company Meinfernbus opened a bus line Munich - Zurich with 8 daily buses (fares between 15 and 25 EUR and 3 others only up to the Swiss border. As a response to that, DB comes now with own buses. May be that the bus fleets of these 2 companies will definitely kill the direct Munich - Zurich IC trains.
BTW: the electrification of the lacking leg figures since the seventies (of the last century) in the German Bundesverkehrswegeplan, but get periodically postponed, despite the Swiss offer to pre-finance it.
We (Swiss) try since the sixties of the last century!
The fact is that the German leg of the line is not electrified and that there don't exist any diesel engines which can run in all 3 countries (different signalisation and train security).
Furthermore, for DB, the domestic market is more important than the international one; therefore they want all trains to stop at Lindau dead end station (in the old city on the Island, close to the boat's pier).
As long as one has to change the engine anyway, the suppression of this detour wouldn't shorten the transit time significantly. Otherwise, trains could avoid the detour via the Island and stop at Lindau Reutin station between Lindau and Bregenz (the frequent local buses which ply between Lindau and Bregenz stop there).
Reutin is only a few miles from Bregenz. But OeBB wouldn't accept the Munich - Zurich IC trains, if they wouldn't stop at Bregenz, the capital of the Land Vorarlberg.
And as long as they stop in the center of Bregenz, the city of Lindau claims the same for Lindau too.
A few km after Bregenz, the IC stop at the small village of St. Margrethen, not because of a staff change (the Swiss Government managed to conclude agreements with the Austrian and German Governments allowing Swiss staff to board the train at Lindau), but in order to avoid a long layover for German tourists who visit the resorts of Graubünden (Davos, Arosa, St. Moritz, etc.) and who change there to a connecting train.
The next stop is at St. Gallen, a town with about 100.000 inhabitans and a local railway hub. There would be a faster line from St. Margrethen to Zurich (via Arbon - Amriswil), but this itinerary is politically not feasible and furthermore not in the commercial interest of SBB.
Finally, the IC trains make the detour via Zurich airport, again for commercial and for political reasons (only direct link of Lindau and Bregenz with an intercontinental airport).
There exist tons of similar examples in the European transport politics, difficult to understand for us Europeans and probably incomprehensibel for you.
In the meantime, the private German bus Company Meinfernbus opened a bus line Munich - Zurich with 8 daily buses (fares between 15 and 25 EUR and 3 others only up to the Swiss border. As a response to that, DB comes now with own buses. May be that the bus fleets of these 2 companies will definitely kill the direct Munich - Zurich IC trains.
BTW: the electrification of the lacking leg figures since the seventies (of the last century) in the German Bundesverkehrswegeplan, but get periodically postponed, despite the Swiss offer to pre-finance it.
Dec 14th, 2013 | 08:03 PM
#47
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Joined: Nov 2013
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THe new bus sounds like a good option.
Munich - Swiss border:
direct bus Munich dp 7.00 - Zurich ar 10.45, fares start at 15 EUR, standard fare 38 EUR
This sounds like a good option. The times sounds perfect. Where is the station to catch this bus?
I haven't gotten the swiss pass yet but now it seems like getting a pass isn't a good idea? I'm in Switzerland for 3 days and will be going to zurich, bern, and Zermatt.
Munich - Swiss border:
direct bus Munich dp 7.00 - Zurich ar 10.45, fares start at 15 EUR, standard fare 38 EUR
This sounds like a good option. The times sounds perfect. Where is the station to catch this bus?
I haven't gotten the swiss pass yet but now it seems like getting a pass isn't a good idea? I'm in Switzerland for 3 days and will be going to zurich, bern, and Zermatt.
Dec 15th, 2013 | 02:32 AM
#48
Joined: Mar 2013
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Dec 15th, 2013 | 02:35 AM
#49
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Dec 15th, 2013 | 09:28 AM
#50
Joined: Jan 2007
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I'm in Switzerland for 3 days and will be going to zurich, bern, and Zermatt.>
On the 4th day you are leaving Switzerland - if so look at the 4-consecutive day Swiss Pass which would cover everything and give 50% off mountain conveyances in Zermatt. Even in 3 days you are covering a bit of ground - but a simple comparison at www.sbb.ch would be easy to see if the pass comes anywhere near the regular tickets and if it does go for the pass.
I'd still consider taking the direct Munich to Zurich train if you can get say a 29 euro fare at www.bahn.de - 4 hours I believe and trains are always IME more comfy than buses.
On the 4th day you are leaving Switzerland - if so look at the 4-consecutive day Swiss Pass which would cover everything and give 50% off mountain conveyances in Zermatt. Even in 3 days you are covering a bit of ground - but a simple comparison at www.sbb.ch would be easy to see if the pass comes anywhere near the regular tickets and if it does go for the pass.
I'd still consider taking the direct Munich to Zurich train if you can get say a 29 euro fare at www.bahn.de - 4 hours I believe and trains are always IME more comfy than buses.
Dec 15th, 2013 | 11:23 AM
#51
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
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4-day Swiss pass is about $260 or about $65 a day or about 50 Swiss francs (Saverpass that is) - I guess you may not spend that much but not sure how costly the trip from Brig/visp to Zermatt and back is and how much 50% savings you may make once there.
But Lucerne to Zermatt could be costly. I like the pass because it solves everything - I just hop on - no need figuring out anything so if the pass is close to your actual costs go for it.
But Lucerne to Zermatt could be costly. I like the pass because it solves everything - I just hop on - no need figuring out anything so if the pass is close to your actual costs go for it.
Dec 15th, 2013 | 12:09 PM
#52
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 9,499
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Once again (my post from Dec 6th):
Swiss train fares:
Swiss/German border - Zurich:
costs more than a discounted bus ticket Munich - Zurich
Zurich - Zermatt:
standard train fare 97 EUR
discounted fare (Sparbillet): 49 EUR
Zermatt - Iselle (Italian border):
standard train fare: 39 EUR
If you plan to use many mountain railways around Zermatt, you may check the Swiss Half Fare Card.
All Swiss fares can be seen at http://www.sbb.ch/en/
Swiss train fares:
Swiss/German border - Zurich:
costs more than a discounted bus ticket Munich - Zurich
Zurich - Zermatt:
standard train fare 97 EUR
discounted fare (Sparbillet): 49 EUR
Zermatt - Iselle (Italian border):
standard train fare: 39 EUR
If you plan to use many mountain railways around Zermatt, you may check the Swiss Half Fare Card.
All Swiss fares can be seen at http://www.sbb.ch/en/
Dec 15th, 2013 | 01:48 PM
#53
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 78,320
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It seems clear the OP is best with just regular tickets or discounted tickets - no Half-Fare Pass or Swiss Pass if they go the discounted ticket and or bus route.
Otherwise the Swiss Transfer ticket may be a good choice - giving train/bus passage from any border station to any place in Switzerland then one from that place to any border station and can hop any train and or bus. Probably still best just to book way in advance to get the discounted tickets or if not just buy as you go along.
Otherwise the Swiss Transfer ticket may be a good choice - giving train/bus passage from any border station to any place in Switzerland then one from that place to any border station and can hop any train and or bus. Probably still best just to book way in advance to get the discounted tickets or if not just buy as you go along.
Dec 15th, 2013 | 04:41 PM
#54
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Joined: Nov 2013
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The swiss 50% off tickets sounds good. I can't book them until 14 days before my travel. It's definitely cheaper than getting a swiss pass. I don't mind sticking to the train schedule while in Switzerland.
We will only be going up one mountain in Zermatt.
We will only be going up one mountain in Zermatt.
