pedelle

hello- could someone please let me know the best (most direct/shortest) way to travel by train from geneva to munich next february? i seem to have found geneva to zurich via IC515 and then zurich to munchen, via EC193 (7:14 hours duration) to be the best so far.would that be the best option? there is a 20 min. transfer time in zurich, which appears adequate.
any better suggestions?
thank you in advance!!!

PalenQ

that's it the fastest way - 20 min should be OK in Switzerland. Most tickets in Switzerland are full-fare tickets that can be used on any train - but you can perhaps get discounted fares from www.bahn.de/en - the German Railways site for the Zurich to Munich portion but in that case those tickets are in effect non-changeable and non-refundable so take an earlier train to Zurich to be save - or buy a full-fare ticket.

for lots of great info on European trains check these superb sites: www.seat61.com - great info on discounted fares - www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com. You can always buy regular fare tickets up until the time of the train IME so the only reason to buy in advance is if you want a discounted ducat.

You may want to look into flights - the train fare could be high if you do not get a discounted fare.

PalenQ

You could leve Geneva 45 minutes before the train you have pegged and have nearly an hour in between trains at Zurich Hbd- which is a huge station with many many tracks and may not be so easy to figure out though everything is well-marked but the problem with a slightly late arriving train say it only gives you a few minutes to change results in a hectic worrisome feeling until arrival - just leave Geneva on the next earlier train for Zurich Hbf (Hauptbahnhof or main station).

neckervd

There are the following train connections between Geneva and Munich:
Geneva dp 6.14 - Winterthur (track 4) ar 9.35, change train, Winterthur (track 4) dp 9.42 - Munich ar 13.28; dining cars in both trains.
Geneva dp 10.18 - Winterthur (track 4) ar 13.35, change train, Winterthur (track 4) dp 13.42 - Munich ar 17.28; dining cars in both trains.
Geneva dp 15.18 - Biel/Bienne (track 2 ar 16.41, change trains, Biel/Bienne (track 3, same platform) dp 16.46 - Winterthur (track 4) ar 18.35, change train, Winterthur (track 4) dp 18.42 - Munich ar 22.45; dining cars in all 3 trains.

The train from Geneva runs up to St. Gallen, between Zurich and St. Gallen always 6 min before the Zurich - Munich train. You may also change between these to trtains at Zurich (may be better, if you have no seat reservation), but you will have to change the platform.

Trains between Geneva and Zurich at least every 30 min (most of them direct). Buses from Zurich to Munich (cheaper and faster) about every hr.

PalenQ

neckervd - where would one find the bus info - any sites? Thanks.

PalenQ

Yes you may if sansa a seat reservation begin the Zurich to Munich train at Zurich where the train I believe originates or at least most people get on - there will be plenty of vacant unreserved seats - 1st class you can always find empty seats IME - but 2nd class by the time at Winterthru it could be quiet full - reserve a seat if doing that for a few Swiss francs extra - no reservations are needed Geneva to Zurich or Winterthur.

Man_in_seat_61

If you use www.bahn.de/en to book Geneva to Munich it'll book the whole trip from just €39.

That's cheaper than buying a separate ticket from Geneva to Zurich.

Just avoid any option shown in the results with 'BUS' as this is a downmarket bus not a proper EC (EuroCity) train with dining car, multiple toilets, space to move, and so on.

PalenQ

Note that those 39 euro tickets or 'from 39' are often sold in very limited numbers so book as early as possible and booking are not changeable non refundable I believe - so build in more than a 20-minute change time in Zurich.

neckervd

http://meinfernbus.de offers actually 5-10 daily departures fron Zurich. OW fares start at 11 EUR
https://www.flixbus.de/ offers 1-3 daily departures for the same fare
The flixbus tickets are also sold by http://www.allgaeu-airport-express.d...28.02.2015.pdf
The 4 IC buses of DB are a little faster, but more expensive: 19 EUR
Swiss Pass holders can save some money by boarding their fernbus at Konstanz. They may also board it at Friedrichshafen where they can choose between 19 daily departures.

There are also 2 daily fernbus from Milan via Lugano - Bellinzona - Chur - Bregenz to Munich.

Flights from Berne to Munich are sold for 80 EUR

PalenQ

The neat thing about the bus vs the discounted tickets Man in Seat 61 always touts is that the walk-up fare is as cheap as if bought in advance - a huge plus IMO over having to buy in stone weeks/months in advance.