brubenow

Traveling from Paris to Wengen for 2 adults and 2 children. I plan on buying a BO regional pass because we will spend a week in Wengen. So my tickets from Bern to Wengen will be covered under the BO pass. I will need to buy a ticket from Paris to Bern, as that is not covered under the pass.

1. Do I purchase a ticket from Paris all the way to Wengen and then when I pay online, somehow get credited for the section from Bern to Wengen that is covered under the BO Pass? Or do I just buy a ticket from Paris to Bern, then make a separate reservation using the BO Pass? I want to book in advance so that I can reserve seats so that all 4 of us can sit together.

2. Do I do this online or over the phone? I don't want to wait and buy the tickets on the day of travel- it's way too stressful for me to do that, and I'm concerned we would not be able to sit together if I don't reserve seats in advance.

3. The train I want to take only has a 5 minute transfer time in Basel. That can't possibly be enough time. But I see no other options for this train. If we miss the next train, can we just get on the next one that comes along to Bern? Even if we have a seat reserved? How do I choose a ticket that has a longer transfer time than 5 minutes? I'm looking at the TGV that leaves Paris at 10:23am and goes to Basel, arriving I think around 1:26pm, The train for Bern leaves at 1:31 I think, which is not enough time. I don't want to take too late of a train, though, because I have to arrive in Wengen between 4pm and 6pm to check in to our chalet.

So complicated! Trains stress me out because I haven't ridden them for 20 years! Help a girl out!

Many thanks!

greg

First, the routing for your trip is:
Paris-Basel SNCF then Basel SBB (same station, different track)-Interlaken OST-Lauterbrunnen-Wengen. The Basel SBB-Interlaken OST train does go through Bern, but you don't get off.

1. For this trip, the only segment you MUST reserve is Paris Gare de Lyon-Basel SNCF because 1) it is mandatory seat reservation and 2) advance fare offers discount and 3) you get to select your seat in advance. Bacause you book this segment separately, there is NO overlap to the intra Swiss segment.
2. For Paris-Basel TGV segment, you can do it ALL online. Either www.voyages-sncf.com if it take you CC or much easier to use at no additional cost at https://www.captaintrain.com/. This is all described in http://www.seat61.com/. From Basel SBB on, there is NO need for reservation.
3. Presuming you are using www.sbb.ch or www.bahn.com to see the schedule, the itinerary displayed is ONLY an OPTION. You DON'T have to take all these options. Unlike airfares, these are not nickle and dime you for any wrong moves market prices. There is a 13:59 Basel departure to Wengen that does the exactly same thing, but about 30 minutes later.

brubenow

Thank you, Greg! I'm sorry, but a few more questions:

Say I book the Paris to Basel part online and reserve my seats. If I don't reserve the part from Basel onward, and buy it the day of travel in the Basel station, will we be able to find 4 seats together (I have children so this is very important to me)?

In Basel, do I buy a ticket from Basel to Bern and then get off at Bern and validate my BO regional pass for the remainder? Or do I buy a ticket from Basel to Wengen and then show the ticket agent my BO pass and she only charges me the portion from Basel to Bern?

neckervd

Basel SBB: the Paris dp 10.23 - Basel SBB - Zurich TGV and the Basel SBB dp 13.31 - Bern - Interlaken Ost Intercity train use the same platform (tracks 9 resp 10).

If this train is bounded (almost impossible at this time of the day) or if you miss it, go to track 11 where the next Interlaken bound train will arrive at 13.47 and leave at 13.59. At arrival (13.47), this train will be half empty for sure!

If you buy your Bernese Oberland Pass in the web, the validity period is printed on the pass; there should be no need to validate it again.

brubenow

Neckervd:

Thank you for your help! What do you mean by "bounded"?

Also if I do not need to get off to validate my BO pass, then can I just buy my advance online SNCF reserved ticket from Paris to Bern (changing trains in Basel) rather than Paris to Basel? That way I would have everything paid for in advance. Then at Basel, just get on the train from Basel to Interlaken Ost? (Assuming this train goes through Bern and I do not need to get off in Bern since I have the BO pass?

Thank you for being patient! I appreciate so much all of the help!

PalenQ

www.swisstravelsystem.com has loads of good info pertinent to your questions - other informative sites are www.eat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Try to get a TGV fare to Bern from Paris - there are some direct trains there I think so you do not have to get off at Basel and then pay for the Basel-Bern portion (or from wherever the BO pass kicks in).

PalenQ

If I don't reserve the part from Basel onward, and buy it the day of travel in the Basel station, will we be able to find 4 seats together (I have children so this is very important to me)?>

go first class and IME you will have many empty seats to chose from the whole way - 2ns class can always be quite full IME.

brubenow

Ok I'll do that PalenQ, thank you!

PalenQ

Note that the only train you should be worried about is the Basel to Interlaken-Ost one (Interlaken-Ost is the final stop and where you change for trains to Lauterbrunnen, where you change for trains to Wengen (all because of a different track gauge or width - trains from Interlaken-Ost to Lauterbrunnen have only a few first class seats and is only a 20-minute or so ride - ditto for trains from there to Wengen and though these can be crowded too in mid-day IME they usually are not. changes are from one platform to an adjoining platform.

PalenQ

Now there is a bit of confusion often in that Interlaken-Ost to Lauterbrunnen train - it starts out as a train hooked onto a part of the train that will ultimately split and one half head to Grindelwald the other trundling to a different valley and Lauterbrunnen.

The train splits at Zweilutchenen (sp?) and I always see folks scrambling from one half of the train to the other - not realizing that when they boarded in Interlaken-Ost it would split. Each car has a placard on it saying where it is going - be sure you get on the correct half!

brubenow

Good reminder, PalenQ, thank you. I have heard that before. Hopefully I'll remember to look on the outside of the car before I board.

Are there any issues with children being in first class? My girls are well behaved and older (9 and 11), but will they be expected to be totally silent? Or is it ok to have a conversation? I'll be buying a first class BO pass and first class point to point ticket from Paris to Bern, so that we can be assured to have seats together and more room for our luggage. Just hoping we don't get shushed for talking.

PalenQ

Unless it's a specially marked Quiet Car as some first-class carriages and 2nd cl too now are it will be fine - I guess as they don't scream and yell REALLY loud - not a factor. Kids get a free Family Pass so in Bern (two trains or more an hour to Interlaken-Ost from there) if you don't order one online take time to show your tickets to the staffer and ask for a free Family Card or Pass and the kiddos under 16 never pay a cent for any transporation their parent or parents pay for. No need to buy them a ticket at all for anything in Switzerland as long as they are accompanied by a prent with a valid ticket or pass, which you will have in the B.O.

IME of first class on regular Swiss trains there should be very few folks riding first class - French TGV may be rather full in either class - discount tickets are available in 1st class at www.capitainetrain.com or www.voyages-sncf.com as well as 2nd class and at times not much more.

If it's a doube-decker TGV by all means try to get seats in the top deck as the bottom deck is sunk so much that it is hard to see anything but guard rails, retaining walls or wind blocks.

again for well-behaved kids absolutely no problem IME in first class with a modicum of normal noise - Quiet cars are well marked with signs like no mobile phone useage, etc.

brubenow

Great advice- thank you PalenQ!!

swandav2000

Hi brubenow,

Some Swiss trains even have "family wagons" that are filled with colorful seats and toys, etc. Your children may be too old for these, but if they need to let off steam, it may be worthwhile looking for them --

Have fun as you plan!

s

neckervd

"What do you mean by "bounded"?"
Sorry! my mistake. I translated from Swiss German (my mother tongue) into French (bondé) instead of English (full).

But don't worry, this train is usually half empty, at least the wagons at the end of the train. I use it at least once every month and sometimes I have a full second class wagon (the last one) for me alone.

First class from Basel up to Bern would cost 30 CHF/pax more if you buy the ticket at the railway station and 40 CH/pax more if you buy it in the train. Up to Interlaken Ost the supplement would be 45 resp 55 CHF/pax. Kids up to 16 years travel free in the same class as their parents if you have a Swiss Family Card.

Between towns like Zurich, Basel and Bern, trains during the week are usually full in both classes between 6.30am - 9am and 4pm-7pm. Basel - Interlaken trains usually initiate their journey at Basel. Even those which will be full a few minutes prior to the departure will be empty about 20 min before departure, when they will be put at the departure track. A few Interlaken bound trains come from Berlin; they are usually full between Berlin and Karlsruhe and more or less empty when they arrive at Basel SBB.

There is no direct Paris - Bern TGV at convenient times, but you can of course buy direct Paris - Basel - Bern tickets even if you have to change trains at Basel.

As Palen told you, one of the 4 first class wagons of a standard Intercity train is often a Ruhewagen-Voiture Silence where it is forbidden to speak loudly. In all other wagons, most people speak to each other and everybody understands that kids cannot be silent all the way. There is absolutely no difference between first and second class.

PalenQ

There is absolutely no difference between first and second class.>

In terms of speaking I hope as there is a significant difference between the two classes IME - bigger seats in first class and usually much less seats are full than in 2nd class, which however can at many times but not all of day be quite full as can first class during rush hours - that is for Basel or Bern to Interlaken.

brubenow

Neckervd: thanks for clarifying. Appreciate your help!

Swanda- thanks for the tip on the family cars.

I should be able to buy in advance online everything to cover this route, correct? I'll go to SNCF and buy the TGV Paris to Basel and the SBB Basel to Bern. Then if I buy the BO pass online, that will cover the rest. I should not have to worry about buying any tickets at all once I'm there, correct? Whew! That's 4 train changes! This is one of the reasons I'm going to try carry-on luggage only. Easier on the trains.

Also, while I've got your attention, the following week we'll be traveling Wengen to Fussen to see Neuschwanstein castle. The BO pass will cover me to Lucerne, then I will need to buy tickets from Lucerne to Fussen. Can I do this online as well?

brubenow

Or actually it looks shorter to go from Wengen to Fussen via Bern, not Lucerne.

PalenQ

Can I do this online as well?>

Yes - check first www.bahn.de/en - German Railways web site that usually sells fares for trains involving Germany but may not book the Swiss parts unless they continue on into Germany

www.sbv.ch but those are flat-fare regional trains I believe so just as well buy them at any train station - Wengen, Interlaken stations, etc - can be used on any regional train.

PalenQ

www.sbb.ch not www.sbv.ch