sperks

Help!!! What companies will deliver Swiss Flexi Passes by FedEx?? Our travel plans changed & I need to have passes delivered by Saturday for our departure from the states on Sunday. Also, it is better to order train tickets (Zurich to Lucerne) before we go or at the train station? If before, who does e-tickets or can we pick-up at the station will-call? Also, my friend and I are meeting at the Zurich Airport – will there be an obvious place for me to meet her? I get in 3 hours ahead of her. How long has customs been taking? (For an idea of what time we can catch a train.)

Any advice is greatly appreciated!!

waverunner26

I can help with the Zurich and Lucerne questions. You can get tickets to Lucerne at the train station in Zurich. There are numerous trains to take between the two cities. They're also very punctual so don't be late. Oh,and Lucerne is spelled with a 'z' instead of a 'c' in Switzerland. Have fun in the land of lakes and mountains!

altamiro

>Also, it is better to order train tickets (Zurich to Lucerne) before we go or at the train station?

No need to buy in advance, just use the ticket machine. There is a counter too, but sometimes thy are quite busy (when a few jumbo-jets just arrived...)

>If before, who does e-tickets or can we pick-up at the station will-call?

My suggestion: forget prebooking.

>Also, my friend and I are meeting at the Zurich Airport – will there be an obvious place for me to meet her?

For example at the train station entrance in the main hall. She just has to follow the obvious "train" pictogram. In this time you can just buy the train tickets so you donīt waste time when your friend arrives - if, for example, there is a train waiting in the station.

> I get in 3 hours ahead of her. How long has customs been taking? (For an idea of what time we can catch a train.)

Customs donīt take any time unless you have something to declare. Immigration (passport control) can vary - if you have a EU/EFTA passport you will be through (including luggage) within 20 min after landing. With other passports, it depends on how busy the passport control counters are - it may well take a bit longer.

ira

Hi S,

Are you sure you need the railpass?

Enter your itinerary at www.railsaver.com and click "only if it saves money".

sperks

Thanks for all the help!! I did put in our itinerary before I sent the post and the railpass looks like the best rate for the rest of our trip - we will be traveling to several cities and want to do some day trips. Any ideas who will FedEx them? Thanks again!

PalenQ

Help!!! What companies will deliver Swiss Flexi Passes by FedEx?? Our travel plans changed & I need to have passes delivered by Saturday for our departure from the states on Sunday.

I'd recommend BETS (800-441-2387) who i always recommend for Swiss Passes because of their expertise and they should be able to Fedex them out as you need. Talk to Byron there as he's gotten rave reviews in the past on this forum.

altamiro

Btw. you can buy rail passes in Switzerland if all fails.
They are slightly more expensive than from US outlets (prices see www.swisstravelsystem.com), but by the time you add the mailing charges etc. it might be just the same.

Do the math.

PalenQ

Math - alto correct me if i'm wrong

i put in 1 person 3 day flexi 2nd class and got 244 CH Francs or at .85 to $ $207

vs US $184

or $23 more - i couldn't figure out saver price but assume savings are similar so would seem to be better to buy here as mailing can't cost nearly $40 - and in Switzerland if you use your credit card to pay you'll figure in 3% more or so your card company charges.

altamiro

>or $23 more - i couldn't figure out saver price but assume savings are similar so would seem to be better to buy here as mailing can't cost nearly $40

On this forum "handling charges" or some such fraud in similar amounts were mentioned, so I thought it might even out. I donīt know how much FedEx charges in USA but for express delivery within Europe the amount will be not much below your number. Of course it depends on how "express" you want it to be.

In any case, with these numbers sperks will be able to decide

PalenQ

OK I think i have the Saverpass prices as most would be doing that

3-day flexi saver for 2 2nd class

CHF 244 per person = CHF 488, then 15% discount for two persons or more = CHF 73 discount = total for two persons 3-day flexi 2nd class saver = 415

CHF 415 = (.85 per dollar after recent dollar decline, taking in charges, etc.) = $353 if bought in Switzerland - if pay by credit card add on 3% probably or about $10 = $363

if bought in US $156 p.p. for same pass or $312 - $51 less plus not transactions in Europe. Some agents like BETS have no mailing fees though RailEurope would charge $18 for normal mailing for orders under $399 - but even with perhaps a $20 express overnight mailing fee you'll be about $30 ahead and have one thing taken care of.

Why are they so much cheaper - same pass in US? Good question as RailEurope, who seems to initiate these passes in US is part owned by Swiss Railways, who i guess are ripping folks off who buy the same pass in Switzerland.

PalenQ

meant to add the 3-day flexi is the cheapest Swiss pass - ones that cost more correspondingly are that much cheaper in US for some reason - perhaps decline of dollar and they haven't adjusted prices?

sperks

Thanks everyone - I called BETS and they can 2-day or overnight the passes to me. I will just buy the point-to-point tickets at the station.

altamiro

>Why are they so much cheaper - same pass in US?

If you say 312$ for the twin passes, is it what you pay? Or do you have to pay some taxes on the top (VAT or USA equivalent)?

And then there is the matter of pass prices fixed once for the entire year in all currencies - US$ did fall against CHF since Jan 1...

PalenQ

$312 it total - no taxes on tickets. Which leads me to wonder if i bought in Switzerland would i then have VAT of 15% or so even more to pay?

There can be mailing fees but pass prices in US $ are universal i think - some agents like BETS don't charge for normal mailing but others like RailEurope would charge $18 if the order is under $399 as many Swiss Flexipass orders are. There are no other fees.

This price discrepancy has been in effect for at least three years now so it's not all on exchange declines.

PalenQ

But if you can't get one in time the in Swiss prices are still a great deal and you can buy at any station i believe. Same pass same benefits.

altamiro

>Which leads me to wonder if i bought in Switzerland would i then have VAT of 15% or so even more to pay?

1) VAT in Switzerland is 7,6%
2) it is as in most (all?) European countries always included in the quoted price.

PalenQ

I think at www.raileurope.com will be able to overnight it to you - i believe they charge $30 for that. But the problem with doing it online is that you will not be sure that they will actually send it pronto but have to put a leap of faith that it will come. You can talk to someone at RailEurope but then their web site indicates that this will cost an extra $25.

highwall - it seems car rentals never include VAT in their prices. Why?

altamiro

>highwall - it seems car rentals never include VAT in their prices. Why?

???
I have rented a car and sometimes there is an extra insurance. But taxes MUST be included in the price in EU, it is a law, not just a custom.
Of course if you are looking up on awebsite based outside of the EU/EFTA, the regulation isnīt valid.