Swiss Rail Pass
 

We will be visiting Switzerland in August and I plan to purchase the 15 day SwissPass. Is the fare from Interlaken to Wengen covered by the pass? Same for <BR>Interlaken to Grindelwald, and between Wengen and Grindelwald. If not, how <BR>much are these fares with the Swiss Pass? I ask this because we will be staying for 5 days in Wengen or Grindelwald (any recommendations on the preferred base?) and plan to travel by train to the surrounding area. <BR> <BR>We also plan to take the Palm Express, but only from St. Moritz to Lugano. Does the route cross the Italian border? <BR> <BR>Thanks <BR>

We were in Switzerland last September and used a Swiss Pass. We stayed in Wengen and the pass did cover the trip from Interlaken. In fact, the Swiss pass covers just about everything. We used it for trains, buses, and boats. It made traveling a breeze.

We were in Switzerland for two weeks last year. We opted for the Swiss card because it gave larger discounts on the various mountain train systems and gondolas. The Swiss card, for example, gave half off the fare for the Jungfraujoch and 50 to 25% off on the various Lufseilbahnen, Gondalbahnen, Drahtseilbahnen, etc. I think the Swiss must have more names for those cable lifts than anybody. The Swiss card also included a train ride from Zurich to our distination (Lauterbrunnen) and back. <BR>I cannot find my calculations,but given the higher discounts on the mountain rail and cable systems, it was for us the more economical choice. <BR>The pass is good as far as Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen. After that, the discount varies. <BR>As for the preferred base, remember that Grindelwald is more easily reached by train. Wengen is perched up on the mountain side. Great views, but not as easy to take a run over to Luzern for example.

We had a 15 day Swiss Pass on our trip last October. All of the fares you inquired about are covered. We really liked the freedom it gave us to just hop on a train and not have to worry about a ticket. The pass also cover the gondola rides on the opposite side of the Lauterbrunnen valley as far as Murren.

Thank you all for the responses. This forum has been invaluable in planning my trip. I will go with the Swiss Pass because of its convenience (no need to stand in line to buy tickets) and because we plan to visit many other cities (Montreux, St. Moritz, Zermatt and Lugano). Question: if you have travelled on the Palm Express from St. Moritz to Lugano, does it cross the Italian border (in which case I will need a visa). Thanks.

Good afternoon, Rajesh <BR>In answer to your question on the Palm <BR>Express, its route from St. Moritz, theu <BR>the Bregalia (CH) to Chiavenna (IT) down <BR>to Menaggio (IT) and to Lugano (CH) <BR>This is from URL (www.poste,ch) Time of trip is not mentioned. <BR>However on (www.sbb.ch) Starting with <BR>a departure from St. Moritz with destination of Lugano, a combination <BR>of rail-bus-rail, St. Moritz to Thusis, <BR>Thusis to Bellinzona, and Bellinzona to <BR>Lugano with a time of 4:00 hrs appears <BR>not to go thru Italy at all.. Note that in some places RR reservations are required. <BR>As Barbara mentioned the Swiss Pass is <BR>good from Interlaken to Wengen, but up <BR>to Kleine Schedigg may be not, definately the Jungfrau Bahn is not as <BR>well as the bahn from Kl. Schedigg to <BR>Grindelwald. <BR>Check out if the Palm Express goes beyound Lugano, something is sticking <BR>in the back of my mind. <BR>Good surfing, Richard of Hickory Hills. <BR>IL.... <BR>www.switzerlandtourism.ch/ <BR>www.netguide.ch/ (CH search machine) <BR>

I would not let the lines to buy tickets be the determining factor. We never stood in line for more than 4 or 5 minutes and that was in Lauterbrunnen during peak tourist flow. The Swiss Card darn near paid for itself on the Jungfraujoch trip. 50% off "rack rate". <BR> <BR>There is no cheaper ticket, unless you know the owners of the railroad. <BR> <BR>

A couple of quick comments from when I was in Switzerland and the Swiss Rail Pass I had. My recollection is that Kleine Scheidegg is the cutoff of what is covered. I remember you need to switch trains there, and that's what the difference is. <BR> <BR>A suggestion to the original question - you might find a combination of the Swiss Card and the Swiss Rail Pass is cheapest. If as stated before, you are going up the mountains, those rides are extra expensive and the Swiss Card is king. But for the long ride you're going for the Palm Express, you need the Rail Pass to satisfy that. The absolute best might be to get a Flexi-Pass and Swiss Card combo. The Flexi-Pass gives you a lower cost in return for not traveling on it every day. (like when you spend 2 or 3 nigths in Lugano or St. Moritz *or* if you are going up the mountains and using the Swiss Card) It may also not be so close, so do the math. <BR> <BR>Another piece of the puzzle is that yes the train you're going on does go to Italy. However, all the EC borders are gone, you don't need any visa. <BR> <BR>

Do you also get the same discount with the EurailPass as with the SwissPass ?

Yes. Swiss Pass covers almost everything but mountain excursions. In the Jungfrau region Wengen, Muerren, Grindelwald and Gimmelwald are included in the full coverage. Beyond that normally a 25% discount. <BR> <BR>Wengen to Grindelwald is covered if you go via Lauterbrunnen/Zweiluetschinen, but the more direct route over the Kleine Scheidegg is not ... you'll get a 25% discount on that. <BR> <BR>Wengen, by the way, is just as close by train to Luzern (give or take 5 minutes) as Grindelwald, and far more scenic and less crowded. <BR> <BR>Extensive info on the area at http://twenj.com/bovisit.htm <BR> <BR>Ed