I am going to Switzerland in Late May 2001. I will be comming from Paris using the Eurail flexipass. I want to visit Berner Oberland. Can I get there with my eurail pass (do trains do directly there)or do I have to buy Swiss Pass?

claudia, <BR> <BR>Yes, the Eurail pass is good for *most* of Switzerland. At the Swiss Rail site (www.rail.ch), you'll find the journey from Paris to Wengen takes 7 1/2 to 8 1/2 hours and involves 3-5 changes; the journey to Grindelwald takes about 7 1/2 hours and takes 2-4 changes. <BR> <BR>You may have to pay an additional fee for the journey above Interlaken, as that is all a privatized rail system. You can e-mail the Swiss Rail folks (I've done this 2x, and they're very prompt and extremely informative in their responses) from their web site and ask what the fee might be. If you do much exploration around the B.O., you'll either need to pay the additional fees, buy point-point tickets, or buy a regional pass. <BR> <BR>One good place to start your search might be www.twenj.com, a great private site. Ed & Julie have a very detailed page covering the Swiss rail system, and I think they have the answer to this question. <BR> <BR>Good luck! <BR> <BR>s

I was hoping to refer you to an article on the Glacier Express in last Sunday's www.nytimes.com - - but they have jumped the gun and already posted TOMORROW's Sunday edition (12/17/00) - - and thus you have to pay to read the article "A Slow Ride, With Reason" <BR> <BR>Here is the teaser (the site will require you to register, and pay $2.50 to read it) <BR> <BR>"At 6,670 feet on a bright winter day, the vast, sweeping snow fields of Switzerland's Oberalp Pass glistened. The snow was deep, a thick blanket of white. There was no one in sight. Two virgin ski tracks spoke of high-alpine solitude." <BR> <BR>As I recall, the article was a "mixed" review - - giving both positive and mediocre comments about the famous train ride through the Alps. You will have to decide whether you want to pay to read more from this particular article. <BR> <BR>And of course, it's hard to say whether your choice of a flexipass is a good idea or not, given that you don't tell your complete trip itinerary (before Paris or after Switzerland). But you might want to research point-to-point costs before you decide on that flexipass purchase. You have to do a lot of traveling to make those passes worth their price. <BR>

Sorry we missed the NYT article, Rex. Our own feelings about the "Glacial Express" are summed up in a new page on our website. <BR> <BR>Claudia, your Eurail pass is good as far as Interlaken, as swandav suggests. Beyond there you'll get a 25% discount on the private rails (and most/all cables, etc.) wherever you want to go. <BR> <BR>Detailed info on Swiss public transport and their rail passes at www.twenj.com/swissrail.htm <BR> <BR>Ed

I'd like to confirm something, however. The Eurail is only as good as far as Interlaken, but the Swiss Pass will get you as far as Muerren, etc. with discounts on some of the other journeys. Is this accurate?

Beth, that's correct. Eurail to Interlaken (Ost). SwissPass covers as high as Grindelwald, Wengen, Muerren. Discounts above those points. <BR> <BR>Generally Eurail gets a 25% discount beyond Interlaken. SwissPass tends to get a bit higher discount on some routes. <BR> <BR>Ed

Is this also true of the Europass? I thought I could go Paris to Strasbourg, then later Strasbourg to Lucerne on this pass. Please clarify! Thank you.

Susan, <BR> <BR>Yes, your pass will take you from Strasbourg to Lucerne. When Ed and I say that the pass doesn't go "beyond" Interlaken or "above" Interlaken, we are talking about trips to the villages in the mountains, i.e., Wengen, Grindelwald, Muerren. The rail system in these mountain villages is private. However, the main rail lines between the major cities are all covered by your pass. <BR> <BR>s

s: Thank you for the clarification. The Europass is a better deal than point-to-point, so that's what I wanted to use.