>>> How many tickets total do you need? Technically, your 3 year old doesn't need a ticket and can travel free (under age 4 travel free<<<>

but keep in mind what kywhiskey says - kids under 4 travel free as long as they do not occupy a seat - now if there were empty seats they probably could but they will have no reserved seat unless you buy them a child's ticket like those for 4 years old and over.

It was something to do in the booking , if you select child then I am forced to choose the age which is between 6 and 11. Not 100% sure if it was a family discount option.

I guess I have to get Tickets fro all since all of them would require seats.

>>>I guess I have to get Tickets fro all since all of them would require seats<<<

Yes. Even if you see 9€ tickets for the fast train, sometimes only one or two are still left at that price. If you are buying multiple tickets, it will adjust the price up to the next available discount (19€). It will probably be cheaper than buying the family discount if super economy or economy are available. If super is sold out for 2nd class, you will sometimes notice it's still available in 1st class which is often the same price as the economy rate for 2nd class.

It's annoying that Trenitalia doesn't let you purchase anymore than 5 tickets at once. After you buy your first group of tickets select seat nearby on the 2nd set so hopefully you will be close together. You might want to split them 3 and 4 in the purchase process to make sure there are adults with kids just in case you can't get seats close.

ttt

Swiss Pass Offer -http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html
Options for Second Class
Travelers: 4 Adults
Swiss Pass
Validity: 8 Days
Class of Service: Second Class
Saver pass - price reflects 15% savings
Free Swiss Family Card

About $368 per adult= 1472USD for 2nd class and another 1000USD for First Class.

Is this the right pass

Is Second class is good enough. I reckon if required we could upgrade our self on the trains itself?

FYI, while trying to purchase the pass from budgeteuropetravel.com it redirects to http://www.raileurope.com for payment. I guess this is normal procedure.

vjose - I have bought passes from Byron at budget europe for years - if you want to talk to him or others there and place an order in person you can do it - but if you click on the link buy railpass or whatever it routes you to RailEurope as do many sites like ricksteves.com. I like talking to someone in person and if you do just call IME. I always pay with a c c over the phone though they are a RailEurope agent - ultimately RE is the wholesaler for all Swiss Pass I believe as it is part owned by the Swiss Federal Railways - prices are always the same no matter where you buy, I believe.

and yes an 8-consecutive-day pass could be the best if you are traveling nearly every day - even from a base but if not then look at a 3-day Swiss Flexipass (Saver = two or more names on one pass - one person can use it alone if they want - both people do not have to be present.

To anyone going by train to Wengen or Lauterbrunnen or Murren or Gimmelwald or Grindelwald I always advise to be sure you are on the right half of the train when boarding the train in Interlaken-Ost as this train splits half-way to either Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen and every time I've ridden these trains there are several flummoxed folk told by the conductor they were in the wrong car and thus headed to the wrong vally - and since these trains can be full if you have to scramble for a seat at the part where the train breaks (Zweilutshchen sp?) you may or may not find an empty seat but have to stand the rest of the way. In Interlaken-ost look at the outside of each train car and see the plaque that tells exactly where that train car is headed!

On trenitalia.com,Booking is available only till 28th of July 2013.(Venice to Milan)


PalenQ, your advise on train splits at Interlaken-ost is most helpful. Sure not want to head to a wrong valley after a long journey.

About $368 per adult= 1472USD for 2nd class and another 1000USD for First Class.>

many folks find 2nd class perfectly fine in Switzerland but if you find 2nd class chock full for some reason you can go sit in first class, which will always IME have lots of empty seats, and then pay the conductor the difference between the first and second class fares - so-called upgrade.

I've always had a first-class pass because I always want to be able to hop from side to side of the train car and just want to be able to have lots of empty seats and because I travel on trains extensively all around the country - so many times near cities like Zurich the trains act like commuter trains and can be SRO in 2nd class - but the average traveler just takes trains to the Alpine resorts and gets the benefit of a pass from 50% off gondolas, etc that are regardless of class.

PalenQ, thanks, noted the difference on 1st class vs 2nd class

We are planning for 8 days in Switzerland and will be flying out through Zurich.

Already confirmed Wengen and booked hotel for 3 days on breakfast+ dinner basis(http://www.facebook.com/Hotel.Baeren)

I am yet to finalise on other places for the remaining 5 days. Any suggestions on places and accommodations would be great.

And of course any help on daily plans/sight seeing/train trips/hiking/eating outs etc. would be highly appreciated.

I am yet to finalise on other places for the remaining 5 days. Any suggestions on places and accommodations would be great.>

Oh let's say you take the Golden Pass scenic train from Interlaken to say Montreux, on the shores of lovely Lake Geneva (a k a Lac Leman) over which hovers the visage of Europe's highest peak - Mt Blanc.

Many folks fall in love with Vevey and Montreux - two neighboring smallish cities smack on the lake and both exuding old-world romance and a French look and feel.

Take lake boats on the lake to ssy Evian-les-Bain in France - a spiffy thermal spa resort (Swiss Passes cover the boat in full even though it goes into France) - take a day trip perhapos on the Chocolate Train (or just on regular trains) to say Gruyeres - one of Europe's finest walled cities and where you can also visit a cheese-making factory - and go onto Brocc to visit th4e Nestle Chocolate Factory.

Lots of things to do in Lake Geneva area for say 3 days

Then you may want to go back towards Zurich to Lucerne and base there for the final few days - Lucerne is only a short train ride from Zurich Airport and is IMO one of the cutest cities in Europe with one of the nicest settings, on the north end of a fjord-like Lake Lucerne.

well for starters some ideas...

Now Venice - Milan trains till 3rd August 2013 is loaded.

I am not able to see the timings for Milan-SPIEZ any more. Any ideas.

Thanks

Ok. I can see it now . Milan-SPIEZ is loaded for my date(5th August 2013). Ticket price is 62EUR per person on 2nd class.

So I think only standard rates are available now.

If I choose the Offer as "GA Switzerland" then the price drops it to 17EUR. However it is asking for a Swiss Pass number for all including child.

GA card is not same as Swiss pass. Below is from TA

"we figured out and booked the ticket from Milan to Domodossola from Trenitalia website . From there on the swiss pass is valid"

In that case is it ok to take the tickets from Milan to Domodossola from Trenitalia website which is on discount 9EUR.

How do we reserve the seat from Domodossola to SPIEZ.

Is your actual destination Spiez? You would need to book Milan/Spiez on Trenitalia, not sbb.ch. It's hard to advise without knowing your actual destination. Are you buying a pass in advance and need to activate it on this leg?

GA card is a pass for Swiss residents.

Kybourbon, My Actual destination is Wengen.

I am planning to buy swiss pass(8 days) in advance.I will buy point to point(Lucerne - Zurich)tickets for the last day(13 th August).

Yes, I am using Trenitalia for booking Milan to Spiez.

How do we reserve the seat from Domodossola to SPIEZ.>

After Domodossola you do not need seat reservations for the Swiss portion so if you buy a ticket from Milan to Brig you could then use the Swiss Pass and have no seat reservation requirements within Switzerland (according to www.ban.de - German railways site which indicates trains after Brig do not require seat reservations even though on the Italian section they do.

Is it Milan to Domodossola Or Brig. How do we confirm.

If it is the former then the ticket price is only 9EUR.

Chanced upon this link

http://www.swisstravelsystem.com/en/...Questions.html

"When booking an international rail ticket to Switzerland you will be entitled to free travel once you cross the Swiss border – if already in possession of a valid Swiss Pass. On purchasing your international rail ticket, please specify therefore that you are in possession of a "GA" General Travelcard (the Swiss Pass equivalent for residents of Switzerland). This means you will be required to pay only for the part of your journey outside Switzerland – and can then travel on your Swiss Pass from the Swiss border to your holiday destination."

So "GA" is the way to go. Confused indeed.