Swiss Passes/RailSaver
Dec 20th, 2004, 02:43 PM
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Swiss Passes/RailSaver
On almost all of our trips to Switzerland we buy the Swiss Saver Pass because it gives us the most flexibililty and we usually cover a lot of ground. But this year I read one of the Fodor's posts about the Rail Saver website and investigated.
At first I thought it was great, letting me know when it was worthwhile to get a flexipass, when it was best to buy a ticket. I tried out the site with many different variations for our trip. That's when I realized that their calculations were not always correct. Sometimes it was clear that a Swiss Pass would be better value than their combinations. I noticed also that the Swiss Card was never suggested. Finally when I compared the individual ticket prices that they were quoting to the actual ticket prices on the SBB website I saw how off base they were. For example, a SF49 rail trip was quoted by Rail Saver as costing $28. It's been a long time, if ever, that the exchange rate was that good.
So I am posting this message to either find out if I didn't understand the rail saver website and I'm all wet or to caution others about the website.
At first I thought it was great, letting me know when it was worthwhile to get a flexipass, when it was best to buy a ticket. I tried out the site with many different variations for our trip. That's when I realized that their calculations were not always correct. Sometimes it was clear that a Swiss Pass would be better value than their combinations. I noticed also that the Swiss Card was never suggested. Finally when I compared the individual ticket prices that they were quoting to the actual ticket prices on the SBB website I saw how off base they were. For example, a SF49 rail trip was quoted by Rail Saver as costing $28. It's been a long time, if ever, that the exchange rate was that good.
So I am posting this message to either find out if I didn't understand the rail saver website and I'm all wet or to caution others about the website.
Dec 20th, 2004, 02:54 PM
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Don't know bout RailSaver but if buying a Swiss Pass they are much cheaper now for the exact same pass if bought in the US, due to decline of dollar and pass prices in US dollars being kept static for three years now. I've compared Swiss Card, Swiss Transfer and all Swiss Passes on www.sbb.ch Swiss Rail web site and you'll save lots by buying here through RailEurope or one of their agents, such as Budget Europe, friendly and expert folk i buy passes through (800-441-9413); ask for their free European rail guide giving prices for all Swiss Passes and containing a great chaper on Swiss train travel. Compare prices for yourself and see.
Dec 20th, 2004, 02:58 PM
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We've used Swiss passes a number of times, and won't thing RailSaver won't take into account is the number of times we just hop on a train last minute to go off somewhere in Switzerlnad, or hop onto one of the many free lake steamers. We always get our money's worth from them, but if trying to pre-plan with RailSaver, I wouldn't even know how to begin to enter all the stuff we use them for.
Dec 20th, 2004, 03:08 PM
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Patrick: You hit it on the head - comparing pt-pt with railpasses is OK for folks who are defintiely going between pt a and pt b. Period. But your last sentence is so true - i often stay in Interlaken and on a nice afternoon i just hop on the Lake Thun boats, bring my wine and picnic and lay back on the top deck and get drunk on the wonderland-type scenery of high Alps girdled by bucolic cow- and chalet-studded Alpine meadows that slopes up from the lake's shores. Or just hopping on the train to Lauterbrunnen and taking the funicular/train to Murren and calbe car and bus back to Lauterbrunnen. Things i didn't have to do and wouldn't have done by paying the steep fares. Even hopping trams or buses in virtually any city or regional of the country. These things RailSaver can't nearly take into account. The benefits of a railpass extend far beyond the few definite rail journeys you actually require.
Dec 21st, 2004, 04:38 AM
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I'm a passionate Swiss Pass fan, but on my last two trips I purchased it at the Zurich airport. PBob's comment about the exchange rate making it cheaper to purchase has caught my eye. I wonder how long it will be before the US vendor raises the price. J.
Dec 21st, 2004, 04:57 AM
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If you are trying to decide whether or not to buy a Swiss Pass in the US vs. when you arrive in Switzerland, what you should ALSO consider are the shipping and handling charges that often, but not always, come with buying rail products from agencies such as railsaver, Raileurope, etc. For Raileurope it is at least $15 per order.
In terms of convenience..for some of us it is worth the so-called extra cost of passes to not have to use ticket machines, wait in lines, etc. A few people who post on this board have difficulty understanding that..actually they simply REFUSE to even try to understand it; much less the people who haven't yet figured out that flying isn't the ONLY way to get from point A to point B.
In terms of convenience..for some of us it is worth the so-called extra cost of passes to not have to use ticket machines, wait in lines, etc. A few people who post on this board have difficulty understanding that..actually they simply REFUSE to even try to understand it; much less the people who haven't yet figured out that flying isn't the ONLY way to get from point A to point B.
Dec 21st, 2004, 07:54 AM
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Well currently savings on buying thru RailEurope are significant -
for exampel www.sbb.ch Swiss Rail web site has 2004 prices
4-day consecutive pass is 240 SF x .90 SF to $1= $216
RailEurope sells same pass for $170!
I've checked and savings correspond for all Swiss Passes, Swiss Cards and Swiss Transfer Tickets (Transfer Tickets sbb site says can't be bought at Swiss stations) other products can.
Thus even with RailEurope's $15 fee, savings are significant. And if you go thru a Raileurope agent like Budget Europe, you won't pay the $15 even! The price difference is due to the decline of the US dollar whereas Swiss Pass prices in dollars have remained the same for those sold here.
for exampel www.sbb.ch Swiss Rail web site has 2004 prices
4-day consecutive pass is 240 SF x .90 SF to $1= $216
RailEurope sells same pass for $170!
I've checked and savings correspond for all Swiss Passes, Swiss Cards and Swiss Transfer Tickets (Transfer Tickets sbb site says can't be bought at Swiss stations) other products can.
Thus even with RailEurope's $15 fee, savings are significant. And if you go thru a Raileurope agent like Budget Europe, you won't pay the $15 even! The price difference is due to the decline of the US dollar whereas Swiss Pass prices in dollars have remained the same for those sold here.
Dec 22nd, 2004, 05:52 AM
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I spoke with Budget Europe yesterday. They told me that the prices of Swiss Pass products are going up as of January 1, 2005. However if you buy one now, in 2004, it will be good for 6 months. So if anyone is planning a trip to Switzerland through the end of June 2005, now is the time to purchase your pass.
Dec 22nd, 2004, 06:50 AM
#9
Count me in as another fan of the Swiss Saver Pass. We've been buying them for years because they offer the flexibility we want, and like Lenore1, we tend to cover alot of ground. They're also easy - no pre-planning involved so we can be completely spontaneous.
I just compared the rates on Rail Europe to those on the site we use - www.railpass.com - assuming the site is up-to-date, railpass.com's prices are $10 less for the 4 day 2nd class pass and $20 less for the 15 day 2nd class pass. They're also offering free shipping, but only on orders of $500 or more. There was a time when railpass.com shipped our passes free via FedEx to an international location because we were frequent customers. On our last order however, they only gave us $12 off FedEx international shipping.
I just compared the rates on Rail Europe to those on the site we use - www.railpass.com - assuming the site is up-to-date, railpass.com's prices are $10 less for the 4 day 2nd class pass and $20 less for the 15 day 2nd class pass. They're also offering free shipping, but only on orders of $500 or more. There was a time when railpass.com shipped our passes free via FedEx to an international location because we were frequent customers. On our last order however, they only gave us $12 off FedEx international shipping.
Dec 22nd, 2004, 07:00 AM
#10
I just checked railpass.com again and their prices matched Rail Europe. I must have clicked on an old link or something - sorry for the bad info. The shipping policy does appear the same though.
