ronkala

Funny that you pulled this up. I was just looking at it last night as a cousin and family are starting to plan a trip to Switzerland and I wanted to get train info for them.

PalenQ

telepahtetic for sure, ronkala!

PalenQ

There seem to be no Swiss Pass deals in the pipe line this spring as there were the previous few years when they had a 2 for 1 sale on 4-day consecutive and flexipasses - a current special only gives a 5th day free on 4 day passes but only in first class.

If I hear of the 2 for 1 sale coming back I'll post.

Itallian_Chauffer

Bookmarking. Thanks for posting this!

Bob

melissaharrower

bookmarking

Huggy

HR

liesel

Bookmarking

Rubicund

10 year old threads may have out of date information in them.

PalenQ

Yes that's what I was going to say - but something never change with those scenic railways - like the scenery! Read if knowing the factual thing about fares, timings will be changed but the overall description of the routes are timeless. Most of the things are from 2008 and of course facts will change.

Huggy

That is why I bookmarked it as I wanted access to this easily for future planning. Presently, I am watching a PBS series hosted by Michael Portillo whom uses a 1913 Bradshaw Railway Guide to travel by rail across Europe.

Thanks Pal for putting this together. Quite an undertaking.

PalenQ

Thanks for the thanks - it was a project of joy - I love trains and Switzerland is the epitome of a variety of trains going off everywhere - and gondolas and postal buses - I have written some along with others helpful inputs on those:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...witzerland.cfm

twk

Glad someone brought this to the top. I'm planning a Swiss trip for 2016 and think the descriptions will be useful.

PalenQ

http://www.swissvistas.com/swiss-rai...l#.VO4RDfnF9-4

A nice rundown from Swiss tourist Office and Railways - current info!

ginnyfd

Wow, PalenQ! This must be a record breaking post! Your commitment and patience is truly admirable

I am so glad that I stumbled onto this thread! I've spent so much time planning my trip already, and yet I still have a long way to go. In one of the train blogs I've read, it says that it is advisable to book your train tickets as far in advance as possible - so I've already booked the first leg because I noticed that the prices were really rising. But now, onto the second and third leg, I am as confused as ever as to what to do. I know I need to tabulate all the data and compare the total with a Travel Pass - but I am not settled with the itinerary still. I hope you will find the time to offer your opinion?

Travellers - Myself, 2 daughters (13 yo, 16 yo)
30 March - Paris (4 nights)
02 April - Versailles (day trip)
03 April - Provins (2 nights)
05 April - Vienna (by night train, arriving on the 6th, then 2 nights)
08 April - Salzburg (3 nights)
11 April - Dornach (via Zurich, Berne) - drop off 16yo daughter for conference
11 April - Montreux (4 nights)
13&14 April - may do Gruyeres, Vevey, Lavaux, etc - not yet settled
15 April - Zermatt (2 nights)
will do Klein Matterhorn and/or Gornergrat
17 April - Luzern via Thun/Bern (4 nights)
18 April - Bern to pick up elder daughter
19&20 April - in and around Luzern (is Rigi good to visit at this time?)
21 April - Flight home from Zurich

After I read your post on Brienz and Meiringen, I think I want to go there and see the famous Reichenbach Falls! So I thought of altering my trip to go through Brienz instead of Thun on the way to Lucern. Do you think it's doable coming from Zermatt on the 17th? I think I can send my luggage ahead to Luzern, right?

I was already able to book the Paris-Zurich-Vienna route on the 5th of April. I still have to book the Vienna-Salzburg and Salzburg-Zurich tickets, but I wonder if I should go ahead and do that or get a Eurail or an Austrian Pass?

Also, the question of the Swiss Pass plagues me. It seems I have a lot of rail days, my daughter of 13yo can travel free, we have museum passes everywhere, etc. But what about my daughter whom I'll meet on the 18th? Should I get her a shorter pass so that we all travel the same way later on and not have to fall in line?

How do you find my Swiss Itinerary? I've already booked the hotels so I can't change bases. I need ideas on which sites to visit with my limited time and to figure out if a Swiss Pass (the regular and the Flexi) is right for my family.

I would really appreciate your help on this! Many thanks again for all your help offered to people like me who are first-timers in Switzerland and haven't a clue what to do! I would like to ride all the modes of transport you've described!

PalenQ

Will give this more attention later but a quick note - since you've pre-booked two long trains I do not think a Eurailpass or Austrian Railpass would be a good thing but a Swiss Pass would be a good deal for Switzerland - not only does it cover much more than a Eurailpass does - like trains to Zermatt and back from Visp but other trains you may be taking too that a Eurail may well not cover and a Eurailpass is a lot more expensive per day.

And yes 13-yr-old goes free on the Family Pass - you could buy the other daughter the shortest youthpass (not sure there is one but check) - Swiss passes have all been reorganized in 2015 - no more Saverpass but cheaper solo passes and with a Swiss Pass you can buy a half-off Half-Fare Card (1/2 of $129) that would give you half off on everything transit wise practically in Switzerland in between the 100% covered flexible travel days on a Flexipass (conseuctive pass you don't want the half-fare because that pass gives pretty much the same 1/2 off benefits on things it doesn't fully cover).

Check www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com for pass details - if you want to actually talk to some real expert - call Byron at Budget Europe Travel - I've bought passes from him for years - a Rail Europe agent as everyone who sells Swiss Passes is) but he'll answer any questions even if not buying IME - at least there is a live person who knows something - something you can't find at say RailEurope, who wholesales Swiss Passes, which regardless of where you buy them are the same price. To confuse things even more until the end of March there is a special on some Swiss Passes where you get an extra 2 or 3 or more free days if you buy before the end of March! Could tip the balance for a pass.

I'll come back later to rewspond to your other questions and you may want to re-post this same question as a separate thread as it is buried in this old thread that few people who may normally respond to will and you'll get some varied opinions!

ginnyfd

Thanks for your reply, PalenQ. I was thinking that the 8-day Swiss Pass would be what I need, plus a few more days, but not quite 15 days, so those extra 2 or 3 days free would be great! I will look into it.

As for BETS, if I come from Asia, is it possible to order tickets from them? And are the prices from BETS lower still than on sbb.ch?

I'll give Byron a call on Monday, hope to get my train trips settled and planned soon. I'm obsessing because I'm not a great navigator or train traveller and I don't want to get lost, haha.

Poconolady

Bookmarking

PalenQ

ginnykid - I doubt if an American agency will send a pass to Asia - it is a printed on paper pass but if you look at www.sbb.ch the Swiss Railways web site you can see if there are any specials being offered and buy in Swiss francs plus I think a mailing fee but the only reason to buy in adance would be to get extra days free - otherwise just buy at the first train station you come to.

ginnyfd

I didn't see any free days on the sbb.ch website. But perhaps I didn't look carefully. I will check again. Thanks!

PalenQ

Well from Asia I think you have little choice but to take what is on www.sbb.ch or try www.raileurope.com and see what agencies they may have in your country - you could order RE products thru a travel agency in your home country if there is a big difference but consecutive-day passes are hard to beat - I think the extra days, which I saw on www.raileurope.com are on flexipasses but not sure but check this sight for what I saw (a banner add on Fodor's periodically advertises the same special).