SWITZERLAND - Where to buy a Swiss Rail Pass?
 

I live in Canada, and I need to purchase a Swiss Rail Pass before I leave Canada. Which webiste should I use? I have checked the SBB website and I couldn't find information about passes, besides the GP pass. I am looking for a regualar Swiss Rail Pass.

Also, with a Swiss Rail Pass is it necessary to make reservations in advance?

Any tips on how to get/use the pass will be appreciated, I have travelled by train on point to point tickets, but I've never bought/used a rail pass before.

Thanks in advance.

Railpasses for tourists usually have to be bought outside the country, such as Eurailpass. I haven't bought one, but assume a Swiss Railpass is the same thing, so you buy one from various travel agents, online or not. www.raileurope.com is one such place for North America, and I think you can get one from Rick Steves' travel website, and I'm sure other places. Prices are usually the same on all those, but delivery fees may vary. I don't know about where you live, but in the US, the automobile club sells them also, I believe, in person. I think Rick Steves gives you a free book or something with some of those.

Switzerland has a consecutive pass and a flexi pass. I recommend that you call Budget Europe in Ann Arbor at 800-441-2387. I have bought Eurail and Britrail passes from them. You won't find more helpful people or better service anywhere.

I ssually recommend buying them from Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com), but that doesn't work quite as well for Canadians, because of possible delays at the border in shipping the pass. So for you, I suggest you also check Budget European Travel:

http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id26.html

Click on the "buy a pass" link, and it will take you to the RailEurope site. You can change it to Canada with the little flag on the upper right, or maybe it will come up that way if you log on from Canada. They will tack on a $23 CDN shipping fee to the pass.

Are you sure you need a pass? How much travel will you be doing in Switzerland?

You might read up about the vaious Swiss passes and what they cover on the Rick Steves site:

http://www.ricksteves.com/rail/ausswitz.htm

There is a map for comparing (approximate) point to point ticket prices.

We were all posting at the same time!

The "Budget Eutopean Travel" I suggested is the same as the one recommended by spaarne. They are very helpful in answering questions over the phone.

Hi SWilliams,

Another site that sells passes is

www.swisstravelsystem.com

Also, know that you CAN buy every pass (except one) in Switzerland. In fact, every time I'm in line at the travel center/ticket counters, there is at least one traveller getting the good advice of the agents and buying their passes.

Have fun!

s

You can buy everything except the Swiss Transfer Ticket in Switzerland from any rail counter. Just have your passport ready to show that you are not a resident.

Once you have the pass you just take any train or bus as you wish (with a very few exceptions easily counted on the fingers of one hand such as the Glacier and Bernina Express)

Will you recieve the 15% discount (for 2 or more passes) if you buy the pass in Switzerland at the counter?