EuroRail Pass?
Mar 2nd, 2017, 06:17 AM
#1
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EuroRail Pass?
Traveling by train for vacations is not done well in the U.S. so I am trying to get to understand the EuroRail Pass. My wife and I are flying into Zurich next day travel to Milan to spend a few days in Cinque Terra, some days in Lake Como and back to Milan to travel back to Switzerland and Zurich. We then hope to spend 3 days in Berner Oberland before flying back the the U.S. via Zurich. I have been looking to buy single tickets from Zurich to Milan, then IC train from Milan to Cinque Terra, etc. I still can't figure out if a EuroRail Pass for two countries is worth it and what does it get me. I apologize for my ignorance regarding train travel and I don't want to rent a car to drive from Zurich to Italy and back. Thanks to all responders, your advice is appreciated.
Mar 2nd, 2017, 07:47 AM
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A standard ticket from Como (Swiss border) to Monterosso (5Terre) costs 33 EUR OW (66 EUR RT).
You can get cheaper tickets if you buy them ahead in the web: www.trenitalia.com
Conclusion: forget the railpass for Italy.
As to Switzerland, all depends on your rides with mountain railways (Bernese Oberland).
Have a look at http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-ch/b...etrangers.html and compare Half Fare Card with Swiss Travel Pass.
BTW: It could make more sense to travel Zurich - Milan - 5Terre - Milan - Domodossola - Spiez - Interlaken - Lucerne - Zurich.
You can get cheaper tickets if you buy them ahead in the web: www.trenitalia.com
Conclusion: forget the railpass for Italy.
As to Switzerland, all depends on your rides with mountain railways (Bernese Oberland).
Have a look at http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-ch/b...etrangers.html and compare Half Fare Card with Swiss Travel Pass.
BTW: It could make more sense to travel Zurich - Milan - 5Terre - Milan - Domodossola - Spiez - Interlaken - Lucerne - Zurich.
Mar 2nd, 2017, 07:56 AM
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First, unless you are restricted to do round trip to ZRH from the U.S. due to award travel, etc. Look at "Multi-city" option for your flight. Fly into Switzerland return from Italy or vice versa. You are consuming almost a full day to go to Italy and then again consuming yet another day plus cost to backtrack.
Italy train prices are so low it is rarely worth getting a pass. Also supplements and reservations required on express train segments make it very difficult to use a pass. Straight tickets purchased online or in Italy include all these.
Switzerland with high ticket costs benefits from some kind of Switzerland specific passes. There are more than one. To choose one requires detailed analysis of what you are doing in Switzerland. Many people come here for an easy answer. There is no easy answer. One must do considerable number crunching.
Italy train prices are so low it is rarely worth getting a pass. Also supplements and reservations required on express train segments make it very difficult to use a pass. Straight tickets purchased online or in Italy include all these.
Switzerland with high ticket costs benefits from some kind of Switzerland specific passes. There are more than one. To choose one requires detailed analysis of what you are doing in Switzerland. Many people come here for an easy answer. There is no easy answer. One must do considerable number crunching.
Mar 2nd, 2017, 08:06 AM
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NO to any Eurailpass but do investigate the Swiss Pass for Switzerland or Half-fare Card or Swiss Transfer Ticket- great sources for trains and Swiss Passes, etc. www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com - last one has great advice on Italian discounted train tickets.
Mar 2nd, 2017, 08:31 AM
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<i> EuroRail Pass?
Posted by: dhoffman14 on Mar 2, 17 at 10:17am</i>
For a general introduction to train travel in Europe see http://www.enjoy-europe.com/trains-in-europe.htm. Answers to your specific questions are dependent on type of train, class of service, time of day, day of the week, your age, and other variables. You can visit the web sites of the individual train systems, e.g. http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en, to get schedules and prices and do the math. If you buy the tickets from a USA vendor they will cost more. If you want a rail pass you must buy it in the USA. I suggest http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/ for buying passes. They are very helpful on the phone.
Posted by: dhoffman14 on Mar 2, 17 at 10:17am</i>
For a general introduction to train travel in Europe see http://www.enjoy-europe.com/trains-in-europe.htm. Answers to your specific questions are dependent on type of train, class of service, time of day, day of the week, your age, and other variables. You can visit the web sites of the individual train systems, e.g. http://www.trenitalia.com/tcom-en, to get schedules and prices and do the math. If you buy the tickets from a USA vendor they will cost more. If you want a rail pass you must buy it in the USA. I suggest http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/ for buying passes. They are very helpful on the phone.
Mar 2nd, 2017, 08:45 AM
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Enough info above on train travel so I will ask you a question instead.
Why are you travelling Zurich return instead of an open-jaw return from Milan? An open-jaw return would seem to make much more sense given where you say you want to spend your time.
Why are you travelling Zurich return instead of an open-jaw return from Milan? An open-jaw return would seem to make much more sense given where you say you want to spend your time.
Mar 2nd, 2017, 08:55 AM
#7
To correct Spaarne, slightly: you actually CAN buy the various Swiss passes after you arrive in Switzerland.
What a pass does is this: eliminates the need to buy tickets and in some places you probably won't need a seat reservation. But it does not eliminate the need for a seat reservation if you are traveling on a mandatory seat reservation train and if you do you'll have to pay the seat reservation charge.
Pass prices vary between classes of service and duration and whether or not two or more people travel together at all times. Remember this: the MORE you use a pass and that means in ANY country, the cheaper it becomes. If you aren't going to use one a lot then I suspect point to point tickets are going to be cheaper.
Are you familiar with the Swiss rail site: www.sbb.ch/en (they sometimes offer significant discounts)
www.trenitalia.com AND www.italiarail.com (the latter offers the same tickets as does Trenitalia but adds on a small surcharge; SOME folks find it easier to use than the Trenitalia site.
What a pass does is this: eliminates the need to buy tickets and in some places you probably won't need a seat reservation. But it does not eliminate the need for a seat reservation if you are traveling on a mandatory seat reservation train and if you do you'll have to pay the seat reservation charge.
Pass prices vary between classes of service and duration and whether or not two or more people travel together at all times. Remember this: the MORE you use a pass and that means in ANY country, the cheaper it becomes. If you aren't going to use one a lot then I suspect point to point tickets are going to be cheaper.
Are you familiar with the Swiss rail site: www.sbb.ch/en (they sometimes offer significant discounts)
www.trenitalia.com AND www.italiarail.com (the latter offers the same tickets as does Trenitalia but adds on a small surcharge; SOME folks find it easier to use than the Trenitalia site.
Mar 2nd, 2017, 10:31 AM
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To correct Spaarne, slightly: you actually CAN buy the various Swiss passes after you arrive in Switzerland.>
I think Spaarne was on about the Eurail Pass OP mentions which since Europeans can't use them are not sold at Swiss stations (well except at Eurail-Aide Offices in say Zurich Hbf - these are meant for folks with passes who have lost their pass to replace it or any non-european but the price is 20% over what you'd pay at home usually.
Yes Swiss Passes can be bought on arrival at any Swiss train station but again check prices vs passes bought in the U.S. as sometimes they are actually cheaper here than there for some reason.
but OP should not buy an Eurailpass -2 country for this trip - Swiss Pass of some type perhaps depending on total travel expectations.
I think Spaarne was on about the Eurail Pass OP mentions which since Europeans can't use them are not sold at Swiss stations (well except at Eurail-Aide Offices in say Zurich Hbf - these are meant for folks with passes who have lost their pass to replace it or any non-european but the price is 20% over what you'd pay at home usually.
Yes Swiss Passes can be bought on arrival at any Swiss train station but again check prices vs passes bought in the U.S. as sometimes they are actually cheaper here than there for some reason.
but OP should not buy an Eurailpass -2 country for this trip - Swiss Pass of some type perhaps depending on total travel expectations.
Mar 2nd, 2017, 12:29 PM
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reasons why a Eurailpass is not as good as a Swiss Pass in Switzerland:
Eurails don't cover many trains Swiss Passes do- a buses and boats. Don't cover hundreds of entries to museums as sights as Swiss Passes do nor give 50% off excursions to mountain tops and also cost a lot than Swiss Passes do.
Eurails don't cover many trains Swiss Passes do- a buses and boats. Don't cover hundreds of entries to museums as sights as Swiss Passes do nor give 50% off excursions to mountain tops and also cost a lot than Swiss Passes do.
