Selecting the right Rail PASS!
 

I know this is a redundant question but here goes: 45 year old woman traveling alone - arrive zurich- staying in switzerland for 19 days. i want to take trains to the various towns locally but not consecutively. Will be staying with family in zurich. Which PASS???
Also can i buy it at the zurich airport?
Would really appreciate this so much GISELLA ps anyone traveling to zurich in Sept wish to discuss selection of itineries with me , let me know

You need to make a list of all your trips, and know the cost of 2nd class tickets purchased at the train station... to know which, if any, pass is a better value.

Just because you are using the train a few times, does not necessarily mean you need a pass at all.

Call Budget Europe Travel Service at 800-441-2387.

I'm a 45 y/o woman travelling alone to Switzerland in May. I've chosen the Swiss Pass for 15 days, because I plan to ride lots of trains all the time, a couple boats and a few cable-cars. Also, it's incredibly comfortable not to have to open a wallet all the time to buy tickets.

There is no better, easier, or safer country for a woman to travel in than Switzerland. Relax.

Though you can buy Swiss Passes in Switzerland they are significantly cheaper for the same pass if bought in the U.S.

You sound like you'll be traveling quite a bit by train, which is fine as every mile of every comfy Swiss train is scenic, sometimes dramatically so.

If you can lop 2 days off the beginning of your trip and end - two days in the city you're landing in and two days in departure city the 15-straight day pass is often the best deal:

CHF (Swiss francs) 446 x .85 = $382

same pass bought in U.S.= $336

single traveler exact same pass!

You could also look at the Swiss Flexipass which gives you a minimum of 3 unlimited 100% covered travel days and in between those days 50% off everything that moves in Switzerland (except Jungfraujoch special train = 25%)

if not traveling that much that is often the best deal

but a consecutive day pass (only 4, 8, 15 and 22 day and month options - nothing in between) costs a lot less per day and gives you carte blanche - no advance planning like flexipass to see which is the better deal - with flexi to see you have to have some idea of your travels.

Swiss cons 15-day pass is good on city buses, trams, trolley buses, lake boats, most postal buses, some cable ways and then gives 50% off all mountain lifts like in Jungfrau BernerOberland area. I echo Hops recommendation of www.budgeteuropetravel. com - lots of Swiss train info on web site and if call you can query someone who knows a lot about Swiss trains IME - impossible to talk to anyone knowledgeable on many web sites. www.ricksteves.com also has great info on Swiss transports and www.swisstravelsystem.com has both mouth-watering photos but describes many scenic Swiss train rides and talks about passes and the Half-Fare card which is another option and only sold in Switzerland at stations

But from your OP it seems a Swiss Pass of some type will be best for you.

plus i forgot to figure in the 3% fee most credit cards impose for purchases in Europe - so increase those savings 3%

You could also consider the Half-Fare card only sold in Switzerland - 99 Swiss Francs for one-month then you get half off everything that moves in Switzerland except cows.

Good for folks staying in one base and taking short trips - but for 19 days and traveling around a bit a Swiss Pass is often the better deal

Even the 22-day consecutive pass can be an absolute bargain (even if only there 19 days) as it would cover everything that moos as well except mountain aerial cable cars which it gives 50% off on - covers every form of transportation between cities and all transport inside cities - boats, except. Some postal buses are not included but most are.