Need advice on what train passes to buy!
Jul 10th, 2012, 01:55 PM
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Need advice on what train passes to buy!
Hello everyone,
My husband and i are starting to plan our trip to Europe for Summer 2013. We plan on visiting, London, Paris, and Bernese Oberland/Switzerland area for 17 days. Here's our itinerary so far
Day 1- Fly from MIA to LHR
Day 2 to 4- London
Day 5- Train from London to Paris
Day 6 to 10- Paris
Day 11- Train from Paris to Lauterbrunnen
Day 12 to 16- Lauterbrunnen
Day 17- Train to Zurich Airport, fly Zurich to MIA
I've already narrowed down a few hotels in all three areas, but my question is trying to figure out what would be the best and most economical train passes to buy? Should i buy a 3 country pass? Although i understand the pass is not valid between London and Paris. So should i get a 2 country pass (France/Switzerland)? But then i read that the Swiss pass is the best...so what should i do? Can the swiss pass be used for the trains/cablecars in the Lauterbrunnen area (Murren, Wengen, Interlaken, Jungfraujoch)? There are just so many options and im not sure where to start looking, so would love your thoughts/suggestions on the best train passes we should buy
My husband and i are starting to plan our trip to Europe for Summer 2013. We plan on visiting, London, Paris, and Bernese Oberland/Switzerland area for 17 days. Here's our itinerary so far
Day 1- Fly from MIA to LHR
Day 2 to 4- London
Day 5- Train from London to Paris
Day 6 to 10- Paris
Day 11- Train from Paris to Lauterbrunnen
Day 12 to 16- Lauterbrunnen
Day 17- Train to Zurich Airport, fly Zurich to MIA
I've already narrowed down a few hotels in all three areas, but my question is trying to figure out what would be the best and most economical train passes to buy? Should i buy a 3 country pass? Although i understand the pass is not valid between London and Paris. So should i get a 2 country pass (France/Switzerland)? But then i read that the Swiss pass is the best...so what should i do? Can the swiss pass be used for the trains/cablecars in the Lauterbrunnen area (Murren, Wengen, Interlaken, Jungfraujoch)? There are just so many options and im not sure where to start looking, so would love your thoughts/suggestions on the best train passes we should buy
Jul 10th, 2012, 04:33 PM
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You need to work out the specifics for what travel you will do from Lauterbrunnen - but my suspicion is that passes will be waste of money for you and you will be better with individual point to point tickets.
The Eurostar from London to Paris works like an airline in terms of seat pricing - popular trains cost more and unpopular ones are cheaper. But you should check out prices starting 3 months in advance - since the closer you get to departure the higher the cost. (And I don't believe that any passes are valid for this train.)
The Eurostar from London to Paris works like an airline in terms of seat pricing - popular trains cost more and unpopular ones are cheaper. But you should check out prices starting 3 months in advance - since the closer you get to departure the higher the cost. (And I don't believe that any passes are valid for this train.)
Jul 10th, 2012, 06:12 PM
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I traveled from France to Switzerland a couple of years ago by rail and found the choices/options for passes to be overwhelming (even more complicated by the fact that I was traveling with my daughter and children travel free in Switzerland - and we were skiing so also wanted to see if we could use the pass for cable cars etc). Someone on this board suggested that I contact Byron at Budget Europe Travel 800 441 2387 budgeteuropetravel.com and I found him to be very helpful in sorting out all of the options.
Jul 10th, 2012, 08:17 PM
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First start with Switzerland. Tourists who bounce around and ride high altitude transports "usually" benefit from some kind of pass, but which one?
Many people come to this forum looking for easy answers on Swiss train passes. If you really want to figure out which one works out for you at the price you want, you have to do a lot of computations. No one would care to do that for you.
For a good description of what different passes cover:
http://www.ricksteves.com/rail/switzerland.cfm
Which one (if any at all?) To do this, you need pricing resources.
For Jungfrau area, http://www.jungfrau.ch/en/quick-navi...-europe/fares/
For "low land" Switzerland point-point price, www.sbb.ch. This includes up to Murren via Grutschalp but not via more spectacular Stechelberg cable car.
Now France or not. If your France usage is just Paris-Swiss border, it is unlikely to benefit from a pass. You will probably using some kind of TGV train which requires a reservation on top of your pass. If you buy advance Web discount tickets, you get the reservation at the same time and can print the ticket at home on your computer. For this reason, if what people travel within France are mostly TGVs and have firm schedule, they don't bother with passes but just buy advance tickets at www.voyages-sncf.com or www.tgv.com. To see what kind of price, just look at 90 days ahead right now. For Summer of 2013, you will be buying such tickets in the Spring of 2013.
A place to buy London-Paris Eurostar ticket is www.eurostar.com. The pricing works like Southwest airline tickets. As time passes, people buy out cheaper discount tickets leaving late comers the pricey tickets. Familiarize yourself now, so you area ready to buy tickets in early 2013. Right now, you can book up to Dec 8, 2012 and the cheapest fare is $57. If however you waited until the last minutes, for example for July 12th, the cheapest fare is $207 and even that on a handful of trains at early in the morning. Everything is sold out at that price. If you want to travel later in the day on July 12th, it would be $264.
Many people come to this forum looking for easy answers on Swiss train passes. If you really want to figure out which one works out for you at the price you want, you have to do a lot of computations. No one would care to do that for you.
For a good description of what different passes cover:
http://www.ricksteves.com/rail/switzerland.cfm
Which one (if any at all?) To do this, you need pricing resources.
For Jungfrau area, http://www.jungfrau.ch/en/quick-navi...-europe/fares/
For "low land" Switzerland point-point price, www.sbb.ch. This includes up to Murren via Grutschalp but not via more spectacular Stechelberg cable car.
Now France or not. If your France usage is just Paris-Swiss border, it is unlikely to benefit from a pass. You will probably using some kind of TGV train which requires a reservation on top of your pass. If you buy advance Web discount tickets, you get the reservation at the same time and can print the ticket at home on your computer. For this reason, if what people travel within France are mostly TGVs and have firm schedule, they don't bother with passes but just buy advance tickets at www.voyages-sncf.com or www.tgv.com. To see what kind of price, just look at 90 days ahead right now. For Summer of 2013, you will be buying such tickets in the Spring of 2013.
A place to buy London-Paris Eurostar ticket is www.eurostar.com. The pricing works like Southwest airline tickets. As time passes, people buy out cheaper discount tickets leaving late comers the pricey tickets. Familiarize yourself now, so you area ready to buy tickets in early 2013. Right now, you can book up to Dec 8, 2012 and the cheapest fare is $57. If however you waited until the last minutes, for example for July 12th, the cheapest fare is $207 and even that on a handful of trains at early in the morning. Everything is sold out at that price. If you want to travel later in the day on July 12th, it would be $264.
Jul 10th, 2012, 10:45 PM
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Is your flight from Miami to London being made on an umlited travel multiple-flight all-round-the-world air-pass? No? One journey, one ticket? Exactly the same logic applies to trains!
London to Paris from £39 at www.eurostar.com. Booking opens 120 days ahead, book early for the cheapest prices, they work like air fares.
Paris to Basel at www.tgv-lyria.com from €25. Booking opens 90 days ahead, book early for the cheapest prices, as fares work like budget airlines, and blow gold-plated passes out of the water.. You simply do not need an unlimited travel pass, you are only making one simple A to B journey.
Swiss pass once in Switzerland, if cheaper than ordinary tickets worked out at the Swiss Railways site www.sbb.ch
London to Paris from £39 at www.eurostar.com. Booking opens 120 days ahead, book early for the cheapest prices, they work like air fares.
Paris to Basel at www.tgv-lyria.com from €25. Booking opens 90 days ahead, book early for the cheapest prices, as fares work like budget airlines, and blow gold-plated passes out of the water.. You simply do not need an unlimited travel pass, you are only making one simple A to B journey.
Swiss pass once in Switzerland, if cheaper than ordinary tickets worked out at the Swiss Railways site www.sbb.ch
Jul 11th, 2012, 05:06 AM
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Hi LG,
Is two days in London worth the extra trouble of transferring to and from a hotel and taking the train to Paris?
You could easily add the extra time to Paris and Switzerland OR you could visit Strasbourg on your way to Lauterbrunnen from Paris.
Before you waste your money on a railpass, look at www.voyages-sncf.com and http://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html for the prices of point-to-point tickets.
Enjoy your visit.
Is two days in London worth the extra trouble of transferring to and from a hotel and taking the train to Paris?
You could easily add the extra time to Paris and Switzerland OR you could visit Strasbourg on your way to Lauterbrunnen from Paris.
Before you waste your money on a railpass, look at www.voyages-sncf.com and http://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html for the prices of point-to-point tickets.
Enjoy your visit.
Jul 11th, 2012, 08:01 AM
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Only pass of use may be the Swiss Pass - which covers train travel to Lauterbrunnen in full and also to places like Wengen, Murren and Grindelwald - places most people visit in the area.
Best choice would probably be a 3-day Swiss Flexi Saverpass - 3 days of 100% covered travel on trains, lake boats (wonderful floats from Interlaken on the two lakes bookending it), city transports, buses - just about everything in Switzerland that moves - and in between the first and third day of unlimited 100% travel you then get 50% off everything that moves practically - pricey aerial cable ways, special trains to mountain tops, etc.
For lots of great info on Swiss trains, passes (also consider the Half-Fare Card, Swiss Card and regular tickets - check out these fantastic IMO sites - www.swisstravelsystem.com; http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html; and www.ricksteves.com. If traveling after Sep 1 note there is a 2 for 1 sale on certain Swiss Passes.
Best choice would probably be a 3-day Swiss Flexi Saverpass - 3 days of 100% covered travel on trains, lake boats (wonderful floats from Interlaken on the two lakes bookending it), city transports, buses - just about everything in Switzerland that moves - and in between the first and third day of unlimited 100% travel you then get 50% off everything that moves practically - pricey aerial cable ways, special trains to mountain tops, etc.
For lots of great info on Swiss trains, passes (also consider the Half-Fare Card, Swiss Card and regular tickets - check out these fantastic IMO sites - www.swisstravelsystem.com; http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html; and www.ricksteves.com. If traveling after Sep 1 note there is a 2 for 1 sale on certain Swiss Passes.
Jul 13th, 2012, 03:34 AM
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Before you waste your money on a railpass, look at www.voyages-sncf.com and http://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html for the prices of point-to-point tickets.>
Ah the old Fodor mantra - railpasses are always a waste of money - well in the case of Switzerland this is just a stupid statement to make - a Swiss Pass for a typical traveler is rarely a 'waste' of money.
And if Ira would check fares at the sbb.ch site he mentions he would realize that.
"before you waste your money" - this wording suggests that a Swiss Pass is always a waste of money - pure misinformation and a disservice to you. That said yes check fares and compare and keep in mind that many folks end u using a pass more than they imagined - very useful in the Lauterbrunnen area - covers trains in full there from Interlaken and also up to Murren and Gimmelwald and back down - about a $50 value in itself - and if going to Schilthorn from Murren you get a 50% discount - another big chunk of money - so you can see in one day the pass would cover about $80 in fares.
Ah the old Fodor mantra - railpasses are always a waste of money - well in the case of Switzerland this is just a stupid statement to make - a Swiss Pass for a typical traveler is rarely a 'waste' of money.
And if Ira would check fares at the sbb.ch site he mentions he would realize that.
"before you waste your money" - this wording suggests that a Swiss Pass is always a waste of money - pure misinformation and a disservice to you. That said yes check fares and compare and keep in mind that many folks end u using a pass more than they imagined - very useful in the Lauterbrunnen area - covers trains in full there from Interlaken and also up to Murren and Gimmelwald and back down - about a $50 value in itself - and if going to Schilthorn from Murren you get a 50% discount - another big chunk of money - so you can see in one day the pass would cover about $80 in fares.
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