Travelnut

I'm thinking of going to Switzerland in 2005... would like to gain an understanding about the Post Bus system. Does a rail pass cover/include it? Otherwise, where do you buy tickets? Where do you find schedules and routes (online)? Do they depart/arrive at train stations, or do they have their own stations? Please, just tell me all about it... thank you!

Eloise

I can't tell you anything about it myself, but I think if you look at the following Web site and its various links, it will answer many of your questions:

http://www.postbus.ch/SiteOnLine/EN/...84-877,00.html

swandav2000

Hi Travelnut,

Here's a link to a similar thread that may answer your questions -- if not, top with your further questions.

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34510995

s

clevelandbrown

We had Swiss passes, which covered trains, post busses, and boats.

When I went to the train station, or the web-site, they treated the post busses just like another train. So when I asked for a routing to Oberhofen, they suggested a train to Thun, then a post bus to Oberhofen, from the stop across the street from the train station. The busses were as clean and prompt as the trains.

Patrick

Yes, at least the Swiss Pass covers Post busses, and I think they are often overlooked. We discovered that for some destinations they are actually better than taking a train between two points. And of course, in many cases where no trains exist, the post bus is the perfect alternative.

Travelnut

I'm collecting your information... thank you very much.

bob_brown

Usually, the post buses supplement the train system. They go where trains don't or cannot go because of the steepness of the mountains and/or the cost of building and maintaining a mountain train system.

Therefore you will normally find Post Bus terminals near or next to train stations. Once the bus leaves the station, it makes stops at marked places called a Haltestelle in German.
A schedule is usually posted on the Haltestelle marker.

The best way to find the schedule details is to look up a destination on www.sbb.ch.
(Click on the English term to get English captions.) For example, try Interlaken Ost to Stechelberg.
You can drill down and see the exact stops with timings.
You start on the train from Interlaken Ost, ride to Lauterbrunnen, and then take the bus the rest of the way.

If you are wanting a longer ride, try Brig to Saas Fee. Every stop is listed.

I don't usually ride Post Buses, but locally, schedules are readily available.

Often the bus is timed to run in concert with other means of transportation. For example, the Post Bus from Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg is timed to meet the Schilthorn Luftseilbahn schedule.

The Swiss rail scheduler will tell you precisely when a bus is required to complete your journey to a given destination.

jmw44

If you are going to be daytripping from one location for awhile, look in the train station for the display of help-yourself bus schedule pamphlets (there are train schedule pamphlets as well). Handy to keep track of you options during the day. J.