train tickets for switzerland and italy trip!
 

Hi I am looking to purchase train tickets for my trip to switzerland and italy in late may, early june. It seems that it is still too early to purchase most of the dates. One wednesday shows only one train at 5pm from zurich to lugano, but a month earlier shows a 1pm train from zurich to lugano which would be much more preferrable to us. Do the train schedules open up more trains as we get closer to may?

Also, when are you able to purchase train tix through early june.I would like to book them and have them mailed. Thanks!

Hi girlonthego,

Goodness, which rail site are you using?

The Swiss rail site shows many trains between Zürich and Lugano -- leaving at 08.09, 08.31, 09.01, 09.09, 10.09, 11.01, 11.09 . .. etc.

All of those departures are direct (0 changes) except the one at 10.09, and all take about 2h30 to 3h.

You can see the exact schedules at the Swiss rail site at

www.sbb.ch

No need to buy in advance as the prices won't change (there is a chance to buy SuperSaver tickets, but if you don't snag one of those, then the price will be the same).

Have fun as you plan!

s

swandav, Thanks! I was on rail europe and they only show two late night trains. Also, I did go to sbb.ch and saw the other trains, but I guess I was thinking I had to buy all of my train tickets together?

We are traveling to lugano and then onto italy and finally back to zurich. The europass does not really cover those two countries as a two country package. So, I guess i buy individual tickets for each destination from the best website? sbb and maybe italy's train website, trentailia?

Should i buy the train tickets online in advance for all of our destinations or can you wait on the local trains and only buy the inter country ones?
Thanks, novice at trains in europe

Hi again,

Oh, did you want late night trains? Just use the Swiss rail site to find them; Raileuorpe doesn't always show all of the trains, and they often show higher prices for the point-point tickets.

No reason to buy your train tickets together, unless it's just more convenient for you.

For your destinations within Switzerland, there is no advantage to buying in advance -- except for the occasional Super Saver Ticket. Those go on sale about two weeks early, so you can look for them. Otherwise, just buy a ticket and board your train.

Many people do have some kind of pass or discount card to make the tickets cheaper; I always get the Half Fare Card, which costs 120 chf and gives you half off practically everything that moves in the country for one month.

Sorry, I haven't travelled to Italy in a few decades and don't know about using the trains there.

Have fun as you plan!

s

No we didn't want late night trains. We will be arriving in zurich early in the morning and figured we would eat something and head straight to lugano. We will be exhausted so a good traveling day. Thanks for the info! I appreciate it!