Need Swiss Rail Pass Expert
 

Need an expert on Swiss Rail passes. We will be staying in a friend's house in Zug -- about half way between Zurich and Luzern for six days. Probably will spend to two days each in Zurich and Luzern. Is there a pass that would be useful for four/five days of short rail travel? Thank you.

Hi fmpden,

Probably not. To be absolutely certain that you're getting the best deal, you'll need to price out each of your trips (at the Swiss rail website, www.rail.ch) and then compare prices to the passes.

A quick way to estimate your point-point tickets is to enter your itinerary and the travellers' data at www.railsaver.com, then click on "only if it saves me money." Of course, you need to have a good idea of your itinerary & excursions.

Basically, the trips from Zug to Zurich and Luzern are short and probably pretty cheap; a pass would be overpaying by quite a bit I think.

Good luck!

s

Thanks, swandav2000. I guessing it would be nearly a commuter run and was hoping for some type of a daily or week commuter pass.

Switzerland is one place where we've usually gotten passes -- Swiss Rail. In addition to your regular trips you can add up, we often would hop on a boat late in the day and just ride for fun, air, and the scenery. Those are all free, as are many local bus and tram services. I'm not sure if we compared the point to point tickets alone we would have found the pass was a good deal, but we invariably get more than our cost out of them, by taking advantage of the extras.

Hi fmpden,

Here's a link to a city-city ticket that may be what you're looking for:

http://mct.sbb.ch/mct/en/reisemarkt/...ity-ticket.htm

I didn't see how much it was though.

There is also the Tell Pass (www.tell-pass.ch) but the site is only in German, and I'm not sure that it reaches as far as Zug. I'm sure it doesn't inlcude Zurich.

I suggest you e-mail your friend and ask if there's a regional pass that will cover this area.

s

You are not traveling far enough by rail to make any Swiss Pass, Swiss Card, Swiss Transfer Ticket or Half-Fare Card to pay off. Just buy tickets as you go or investigate the possible local passes mentioned above. Actually just go to the Zug station and ask what's the best deal.

Thanks, Swanday2000. But our friend does not live there and seldom vists. I think the property is primarily for tax purposes.

The 1 month Swiss Half Fare card is often a good deal. It gives you half fare on just about any public transit option througout Switzerland, including most high alpine lifts and trains, for 99 CHF. It can be bought in any Swiss rail station.

In your case it may not pay off, however. The full fare 2nd class fare from Zug to Zurich is 26.80 CHF and the round trip to Luzern is 20.80 CHF. You would have to make a lot of these trips to make up the 99 CHF cost of the half fare card, unless you plan to take a few mountain trains such as Mt. Pilatus or Rigibahn. Full fare for a trip up to Mt. Pilatus via boat and cogwheel rail from Luzern and back via ariel tram/gondola/bus is 92 CHF, so the this one trip would recover almost half the cost of the half fare card.

Also, I don't know if you will be traveling with kids or not, however you can buy a swiss family card that allows all children under 16 traveling with at least one parent to travel free on all public transit in Switzerland, including most private alpine lifts and trams. This is also sold in Swiss rail stations for 20 CHF, or you can get one for free with any Swiss Pass, Flexi Pass, Swiss Card or Swiss Transfer ticket but you have to request one at the time of purchse.

Thanks, ripit. Good Info. It will be close. Guess it will depend on what side trips we do.

Also keep in mind that Swiss passes act as a half fare card when not using a pass day (for Flexi Pass or Swiss Card) and on railways that do not accept passes (e.g. Mt. Pilatus).

And that Swiss Passes, on 100% covered travel days, also give free entry to over 400 Swiss museums, including the pricey Swiss Transport museum in Lucerne which will delight kids and adults.
Passes also good on lake boats on Lake Lucerne, a gorgeous fjord-like Alpine lake hemmed in by high Alps, and Lake Zurich.

Still can't see how OP can possibly realize benefit of a Swiss Pass or a Half Fare card given the proposed train rides, which are hardly anything.

As the OP I agree. Was really hoping for some type of a daily commuter type pass not unlike the daily pass for the London Tube or ten ride caret of Paris. Just hoping. The local TI probably will have this info if it is available.

I'd more go to the train station and ask about a regional transit pass as they no doubt would sell it there.

Is your friend's apartment near the train station? You may need to use the bus to get from the train station to the apartment. Also a cost factor.

Your friend's apartment sounds quite intriguing. Zug is known for its huge tax cuts for richer folks and international businesses. I believe there are many flats like your friend's in Zug.

Schuler, I think that is true. He was one of my more successful MBA students. Even if a cab fare is invovled in getting from the flat to the train station. it is still MUCH cheaper than paying for a hotel in Switzerland for a week.