nola1

My husband and I will be flying to Zurich then taking the train to Lauterbrunnen and exploring that region for 6 days in August. We are going to purchase an 8 day Swiss Pass for this part of our trip. We have just decided to extend our vacation and explore some of Italy while we are so close by. My question is what is the best way to get to Rome and then to Venice. Should we just purchase point-to-point tickets? If so from what point and where do we purchase the tickets as we will have the Swiss Pass covering us throughout Switzerland. Thanks for your help.

bob_brown

When I have had a Swiss Pass, I had to buy a ticket to the last station in Switzerland. For example, in going to Stuttgart, I could ride free as far as Schaffhausen.

Coming in, I paid from Basel Swiss station onward.

nola1

Also, is it worth it to get a first class Swiss Pass if we will be using it mostly in the BO region where most trains seem not to have first class?

mariebut

Hi nola, we are doing the very same thing in early October and I too have had difficulty working out the Swiss pass problem. The www.sbb.ch site has advised me to contact them to book the journey, as there are four of us, so I wanted to book beforehand. Other fodorites have advised buying from the station just inside the border to destination but because we are using the Cisalpino train which needs seat reservations, I thought that was complicated. So I think I will contact SBB. Mind you on their site at the moment the journey from Spiez to Venice which we are taking
is showing an offer of 128CH for all of us, so I may just book that and forgo the Swiss pass discount as that may be cheaper.Not sure If I've helped or not, hope you enjoy your trip.

bob_brown

I have never seen any reason to buy first class passes or tickets in Switzerland. Swiss trains on the national lines are very good in 2nd class.

I have ridden first class on Austrian trains, but I had a discount card for seniors that smoothed out the price differential. Besides, when I did that, the dollar had not yet gone on life support.

Even so there is not the dramatic difference on trains as there is on airlines, particularly the difference between trans Atlantic business class and cattle class.

In the Berner Oberland, the mountain trains often have only one class.

I never bought a first class ticket on any of them.

Also much of the mountain transportation is via a cable lift of some type. There is no such thing as first class, e.g. a first class gondola car does not exist.

The Luftseilbahn where you have one big cabin holding many people is just that: A big box hanging from a cable where the passengers for the greater majority stand during the ride.