megdean

As with other posts, I am also very confused what is the best travel pass for our upcoming trip to Switzerland. Following is our itinerary:

Day 1 Land in Zurich airport, immediately take train to Lucerne
Day2 - staying in Lucerne
Day 3 - Lucerne (maybe some day trips in area around Lake
Day 4 - travel to Lauterbrunnen hotel (not sure how)
Day 5 - hiking around Lauterbrunnen
Day 6 - travel to Evian-les-Bain, France (maybe train to Lausanne then boat to Evian?)
Day 7 - visiting Lake Lausanne towns- Montreaux, Vivey, etc.
Day 8 - boat from Evian to Lausanne, then train from Lausanne to Florence Italy (separate ticket I assume)

We are thinking of getting 2 of the 4-day Swiss passes (total 8 days) due to the deal now running (2 for 1). Does this make sense?

Thank you!

Dukey1

The Swiss Pass would also be good on the lake steamers and would get you as far as Domodossola in Italy from which you would need a regular ticket to Florence. In addition, you can use the Swiss Pass on the buses and the "Metro" in Lausanne. The latter will take you from the main rail station down to the port in Ouchy where the steamers over to Evian leave from.

megdean

OK, then I do think we will get two of the 4-day passes for each of us. They are valid for the train from Zurich airport to Lucerne, right?

love_ch

Yes, the Swiss Pass is valid from Zurich airport to Lucerne.

Make sure you buy the passes before May 25, 2012. Travel is valid from April 1 through May 31, 2012, and bookings can be made by visiting Rail Europe’s website at RailEurope.com, myswitzerland.com/rail or by calling Rail Europe’s Contact Center.

Have a nice trip!

PalenQ

Yes with the special of 2 for 1 the Swiss Pass for that trip IMO is a no-brainer! Hop on any train anytime - same with lake boats - covers all the way to Evian-les-Bains and back - covers trains in full to Lauterbrunnen (and above it to Wengen or Murren via the lift to Grutschalp - 100% covered as well as lake boats on either lake bookending Interlaken, etc. for great info on Swiss trains, passes, etc I always spotlight these IMO great sites -
http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html (any questions call Byron there - an expert with no pressure to buy - I have bought passes from him for years - a RailEurope agent but customer service much better IMO) and www.swisstravelsystem.com and www.ricksteves.com. You can buy Swiss Passes in Switzerland but I do not think this 2 for 1 special applies to passes sold there - check www.sbb.ch - Swiss railways site to see and compare if so.

PalenQ

Day 3 - Lucerne (maybe some day trips in area around Lake>

yeh yeh

IMO and IME Lake Lucerne is the finest of many very fine Swiss lakes - great great excursions by boat. Not much time now but will return to give you more ideas of a lake excursion.

marg

Your Swiss rail pass will also give you discounts on trips to Mount Pilatus, Schilthorn and Jungfrau. You can also get free entry into museums and art galleries on your pass.
We've had two holidays in Lauterbrunnen in recent years and have stayed at Hotel Staubbach. Ask for a room with a balcony overlooking the valley - absolutely beautiful.
If you are looking for hotel recommendations in Lucerne, Hotel Goldener-Stern is reasonably priced and ten minutes (flat) walk from the station and five minutes from the covered bridges.

PalenQ

If doing Mt Pilatus from Lucerne you can combine it with a boat ride on the lake - first take a trolley bus from center of Lucerne to Krens - then catch the scintillating aerial cable car to the summit of Pilatus for lots of oohs and aahs - then take one of the world's most thrilling and steepest mountain railways down to the lake at Alpnachstad (or Alpnachstad-Dorf - forget which dock but the dock the mountain train arrives at and hop the boat for a leisurely float around lovely Lake Lucerne - Swiss Pass valid on all but the cable car and mountain train and then it gives you 50% off.

PalenQ

Mt Pilatus if fickle IME - been to Lucerne many many times and only on a handful of days it seems is the unique visage - a human's face IMO - visible from Lucerne as it has often been shrouded by fog or smog or mist or whatever - so if it is clear and you are going hop on it pronto - it may not re-appear again during your stay!

megdean

Thank you for all of the information. We had previously decided to stay at the Hotel Silberhorn in Lauterbrunnen. Got a balcony room. It was a decision between this hotel and the Staubbach. In Lucerne, we are at the Marriott, on points. Yes, the Mt. Pilatus trip is on our radar. I am not sure how cold it will be in mid-May when we are there, which may affect some of the mountain excursions.

I am getting so excited about the trip!! There is too much to fit into one week. Thank you again for the help.

PalenQ

mid-May may indeed affect mountain excursions as that period is a really slack time - between winter sports and summer hiking seasons - many mountain conveyances take a hiatus for needed repairs, etc so check about excursions to mountain tops in early to mid-May IME.

GillsinEurope

We'll be there in mid-may too so I'm hoping for good weather!

PalenQ

I think mid-May weather should be OK - some trails at higher elevations may be a bit muddy but there will be many not IME - and the Alpine flowers should be out in full force and the cows as well!

PalenQ

BTW - just checked the prices of Swiss passes bought in US and those bought in Switzerland and it appears they are significantly cheaper in the US than in Switzerland - an 8-day Saverpass here in 2nd class is $365 p.p. vs 384 Swiss francs - the franc being more than a dollar in worth so it seems considerably more expensive there than here for the exact same pass. Compare your type of pass and see if I figured correctly - for prices in francs use www.swisstravelsystem.com - the Ticket Shop and for prices in dollars http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html - the site I used.