Help with the Train tickets
 

I arrive Geneva May 28. Want to spend 2 days in Annecy, Fr. before I continue travel in Switzerland. I am having problem getting prices for train tickets online. I leave Annecy on May 30 spending 2 days in Mounteux, then on to Lauterbrunnen for 2 days, then to Thun for overnight before my return to Geneva airport. I have tried to price city-to-city fares since I am traveling solo am not sure which rail pass would work out cheaper for senior traveler. I was told its easy to buy all the tickets on arrival in Geneva airport but does anyone know if this is best choice? Thanks. Kate

Hi Cavangal,

Which train website are you using to get point-point prices? The best and easiest one is the Swiss rail site at

www.rail.ch

You can find fares there for all you trips -- except the one to Annecy. For the trip to Annecy, the bus is best because the train makes all kinds of stops & changes. The bus is a direct shot.

Here's the link to the bus services from Geneva (Gare Routiere de Geneve):

http://212.203.98.98/WW70AWP/WW70AWP...827?DRAPEAU_EN

After switching to English, use the drop-down menu to select "Regular Lines Region Bordercross" to get the line into Annecy.

Have fun!

s

swandav: Thanks for your response. I have tried that sbb website a few times but was unable to get the prices. I wanted to get the single city to city fares and then compare with cost of pass. I was able to get the coach to Annecy which is reasonable at 17.50 so I am taking it R/T back to Geneva.

I will try again. Cheers, Kate

If going from Geneva to Lake Thun and back the Swiss Pass IMO is almost always the best bet. either a 3-day flexipass or a consecutive day pass if the 4 or 8 or whatever time frame for those are conducive for your trip. www.swisstravelsystem.com has lots on Swiss trains and boats, etc. I always recommend two good sites for Swiss train info and passes - www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com as these two sites give much more than the usual just pass prices and to buy button - a lot of great info on either one. Swiss Passes currently cheaper if bought in U.S. than in Switzerland (www.sbb.ch, Swiss railways official site for prices of regular trains and passes in Switzerland and then you see why the Swiss Pass for your plans is the best deal. Swiss passes cover the boats on Lake Thun in full.

Hi again,

I'm sorry you're having trouble with the SBB site -- sometimes it just gets touchy for an hour or so, but it shouldn't give you problems for long. Just for a review, this is what you do --

From: Montreux
To: Lauterbrunnen
Date: use the European format of day/month/year, so 28 May is 28/05/08.
Time: use the 24-hour clock. I usually do a departure around 09.00 or 10.00.

When the connections come up, just click on "Fare/Ticket." You may have to select a particular routing. Then the fares will come up. The fares with a 1/2 designation will work if you buy a Half Fare Card (99 chf, valid for one month).

Good luck!

s

Half-Fare tickets cost 99 CHfrancs or about $105

a 3-day Swiss Flexipass costs (saver - two names on one pass) $179 p.p. or about $75 more

so figure the fare Geneva-Jungfrau base and half it and see what it adds up to

but don't forget you have one other third unlimited travel day with the pass - and there are several great excursions in the Jungfrau area that are completely covered by Swiss Passes - boats on Lakes Brienz and Thun - the excursion Lauterbrunnen-Murren-Gimmelwald-Stechelberg-Lauterbrunn is 100% covered - so the third day could well make the Swiss Pass a better option than the Half-Fare card - and on the Swiss Flexipass you also get 50% off gondolas that are not fully covered by the pass and well as 50% off all transport on the days in between the 3 100% covered days - the same as the half-fare card, etc. like the Half-Fare card

So if the round trip Geneva-Jungfrau area fare, at 50% off is not that much less than the 3-day pass look strongly at the 3-day pass for possible use on expensive excursions once in the Jungfrau

Your responses are much appreciated. I will get the R/T coach tickets to Annecy. Then I will need 4 single tickets to get back to Geneva: Geneva/Vevey, Montreux/Lauterbrunnen, Lauterbrunnen/Thun and Thun back to Geneva. If I buy the Pass for 99 Swiss francs, will I be paying the half fare on each individual city to city routes in addition? Some of my travel will not be long distance, so I might do better with individual single tickets as I will be staying in each location for 2 nights and spending my time walking about and hiking. Does anyone know if Swiss travel offers senior discounts. I have looked at the prices for the rail passes (4, 5 to 8 days) and I would be paying much more with railpass.

Many thanks. Kate

I have finally been able to get fares to cover my route. If I buy the 99 pass to qualify for 50% discount on train fares, the total cost for my 4 rides works out at 179 Swiss Francs. If I just get the one way point to point tickets it comes to 159 total. I do not know if there are lower fares for seniors but if so, then it might be even less. Any comments as I hope I got it right?

Well off hand it seems the 3-day Swiss flexipass would be the best deal - if i understand the fare you gave.

I'll analyze it more tomorrow and perhaps prove to be mistakin

Geneva-Montreux 28 CHF

Montreux-Interlaken-Ost via the Golden Pass route via Zweissimmen 55 chf (using this figure for train to Interlaken)

faster less scenic route via Bern 64 chf
interlaken-ost - Lauterbrunnen
7 chf

lauterbrunnen-interlaken-ost 7 chf

interlaken-ost to Thun 16 Chf

thun - Geneva Airport 59 chf

Half-Fare Card (99 CHF) or about $105 if used for all would be: 1/2 of 164 chf = 90 chf or $96

$96 half-fare tickets + cost of Half-Fare pass of $105 = total cost $201 - say $200

With 3-day Swiss Flexipass

a- Geneva-Montreux 100% covered by flexi day 1

b- Montreux-Lauterbrunnen 100% covered by flexi day 2 on pass

c-Lauterbrunnen-Thun - 50% off with Swiss Pass 11.50 Chf
(with pass you get, like Half-Fare Card, 50% off trains in betweent he first and final flexi day - whent he 3rd or last flexi day is used up then the pass expires.
-(both half-fare card and pass also give 50% off Interlaken-West to Thun boats if you take that wondrous but slower option)

d- Thun-Geneva Airport - use final and third 100% covered travel day.

Total with Swiss Pass
cost of 3-day Swiss Flexi Saver pass p.p. $179

pass cost $179 plus 50% tickets bought with pass Chf 12.50 ($13) (Lauterbrunnen - Thun)

add to pass price $179 +$13 - $192

$192 with pass

$200 with Half-Fare Card

exact same benefits for OP's indicated train trips

plus with the pass on the three 100% days the OP could use the pass more
like when OP gets to Montreux with 1st 100% day - could hop Lake Geneva boats that afternoon and go to Evian-les-Bains in France (100% covered by the pass that day) or even the bus to Chateau Chillon, train to nearby Vevey, etc.

and upon arrival on 2nd 100% covered flexi day in Lauterbrunnen - could hop the cable way up to Murren or take the train down to Interlaken for the evening, etc. or go up to Wengen - all 100% covered by Swiss Pass

and on 3rd 100% day arriving in Geneva Airport - pass will still be valid the rest of the day - go into town, take the lake boats from Geneva that are also 100% covered, ride trams or buses in Geneva, etc.

So 3-day Swiss Pass would be about $10 cheaper than the Half-Fare card - you would not have to buy tickets on the 3 100% covered days - just hop on and you may well use the pass more even on the 3 100% days as i've given examples of.

Now these comparisons are for passes bought in the U.S. - buy the same pass in Switzerland and it costs considerably more last i checked.

I always recommend the following sites for lots of info on Swiss trains, boats, passes, etc. - sites that give more than the usual price list and a add to card option: www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com (request their free European Planning & Rail Guide that has a fine chapter on Swiss trains) and www.swisstravelsystem.com (a joint site of scenic Swiss trains, lake boat operators, etc.); as for passes prices in U.S. are always the same no matter where you buy but handling and mailing fees can be added on. Many have no few but some like ricksteves i believe do have a $15 fee.

I may have errored somewhere in my calculations and happily will accept pointing out any errors, thanks

the only difference between pass and half-fare card would be, in their benefits as regards 50% off on non 100% coverage days on the pass, is that passes now only give 25% off Kleine Scheidegg-Jungfraujoch trains as opposed to 50% (i believe but not totally sure) with the Half-Fare Card.
that's about a $20 difference as far as i can figure.
But in any case the Jungfraujoch, if in your plans, may be always shrouded in clouds so i would not in a 2-day visit say plan on it and IMO there are other less pricey jaunts just as thrilling - like the Lauterbrunnen-Murren-Gimmelwald-Lauterbrunnen loop with the Schilthorn (both pass and 1/2 fare card give 50% off this) journey in Europe's longest cable car line from Murren and back - a thrilling ride in a small gondola vs a six-mile ride in tunnel up to the Jungfraujoch (which is in its own way an incredible place but with limited time...)

My thanks to PalenQ for all your assistance with the train fares. When I looked at buying a rail pass I did not see anything about a 3 Day Flexi Pass. I will purchase my rail pass/tickets in Swiss francs from Euros so this might be easier as I will be in France & Ireland before I reach Geneva.
I will check the fares once again and will go for the 3-day pass if it works out. With appreciation. Kate

Cavangal: when are you going and where do you live

If you live in U.S. Canada, OZ, NZ, etc. then see if you can buy your Swiss Pass there rather than on arrival as prices for the same pass in Switzerland are significantly higher last time i checked and would throw my calculations off

even at RailEurope in London (Piccadilly St) may sell them cheaper than in Switzerland as well but i do not know their prices - www.raileurope.co.uk and you can pick up a pass in their Piccadilly office - but it could be they use the Swiss pricing

In U.S.i know the prices are significantly lower and there is usually no mailing fee, etc.

I live in the US having dual citizenship. I am traveling from Ireland to France on May 26 and will arrive Geneva on 5/28. I am after checking all the fares again on SBB.ch and arrived at total of 167.80 CF. for the four single ride tickets. I am however considering the 3 day flexi pass if I can get it under $200. If not, then I will take my chances on the individual tickets. Again, thank you for all the good advice.

might check with a travel agent in Ireland who may be able to issue Swiss Passes and perhaps at a rate cheaper than in Switzerland

you can get the Swiss Pass prices in Switzerland at sbb.ch and then x 1.06 $ to the franc - was .80 not long ago, one reason Swiss Passes outside of Switzerland in local currency i think are such bargains

And in Ireland i think you can buy Swiss Passes perhaps at the CIE International Rail Travel Center, 35 Lower Abbey St, Dublin 1, ph (01) 703 1885
mon-fri 9-17:00

PalenQ. Thank you for all your helpful advice. I will look at getting the 3day Flexipass as I will have Euros in Ireland and should get good rate when paying in Euros. I feel at this stage it would be unlikely I could have tickets delivered to me in NY without paying hefty express delivery charge. If not, I can just get the single tickets as I will be in France for several days and might be able to check the SNCF prices. I ordered my tickets for the journeys in France and received them in the mail and prices were reasonable. I will report back to this board with the details on my return early in June. with

I had a wonderful vacation in Switzerland and France. I did not purchase any rail pass and managed fine by going to the ticket window at the stations for city to city fares. In fact, it came out a good bit cheaper than either the half fare pass or the 4-day rail pass suggested on various sites. I traveled by express coach from Geneva airport to Annecy on arrival which was very reasonable and convenient R/T 21 Euros. I then continued to Montreux/Vevey, onwards to Lauterbrunnen where I got cable car and mountain trains to Murren and Wengen for day trips. On return I had overnight in Thun before my return to Geneva airport. I traveled about 10 days and enjoyed hiking and walking trails. I paid a total of 172 CHF for the train fares and I even made comparisons by checking the fares at the Lauterbrunnen station when I found attendant not busy and she confirmed that if I had taken the 4 days pass I would have paid a total of 260 CHF. Since I did not need unlimited travel as I did one journey per day my point to point tickets worked out at a great savings. I had a great time in all the places since this was my first trip into the mountain areas.

When I travel in France I always buy the point to point tickets also which work out cheaper also than the passes we hear so much about. I feel the passes are good for the travel industry who want to profit by offering them to travelers. Hope this helps others.

I bought an 8-day consecutive Swiss Rail pass last year, and I know it saved me a great deal; I did much traveling, by train, boat, gondola, and most of that was covered $100% by the pass. I just bought a 4-day flexi-pass, and I'm pretty sure the same will be true this time -- that I save money. It certainly saves time having to go to a ticket window.

I have purchased both times from Budget Europe Travel. They are extremely helpful. This time, the guy tried to save me money by selling the 3-day flexi. They are wonderful, helpful folks there.

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