Travel in Switzerland & Germany
 

Hey all,

Thank you for your help to date. I have a few specific travel-related questions for Switerland, hoping you can help!

1. Should I purchase the Swiss Travel Pass (8 days) to cover travel between (in no particular order: Zurich Airport > Lucerne, Lucerne > Ennetburgen, Pilatus Round Trip, Lucerne > Lauterbrunnen, Lauterbrunnen > Munich, plus day trips in the Bernese Oberland?
If no, what is your recommendation on how to purchase tickets to these places?
2. If yes, should I purchase this ticket ahead of time (i.e. now) for my selected upcoming dates, or wait until I get to Switzerland?
3. Is there much difference between 1st and 2nd class?

Thank you as always in advance!
Aleksandra.

Compare Swiss Travel Pass to Berner Oberland Pass, valid in Lucerne and Interlaken/Jungfrau regions and covers more in full than Swiss Pass - Zurich outside it buttha's a cheap ticket to Lucerne.

Berner Oberland Pass should be bought once there at any station - no need or reason to buy online as if plans change refund penalty probably. Can buy Swiss Travel Pass too at any station but check prices in U.S. - often has been cheaper for same pass for some reason but check on mailing fees, etc. also check sites I give here for specials on Swiss Travel Passes that pop up periodically and are a reason to buy early perhaps.

Lots of answers to your questions (like 1st v 2nd cl) found in: www.sbb.ch; www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.ricksteves.com; BETS-European Rail Experts.

I thought 2nd class met my needs perfectly well.

I used the Swiss flex pass for my son and myself. We purchased first class, but others mention that second seemed to be fine. We were always able to find an available seats, and luggage space. We like to be near our luggage. We were in Switzerland in July of 17, and never noticed any crowds on our trains.. I think it might be quieter in first class. With the flex pass we used it only on the days of travel and for mtn lifts. I think it depends on your budget and perhaps the time of travel as far a class on the train. Sue

3. Is there much difference between 1st and 2nd class?

My experience is limited and in the Geneva area, but my friend who live there advised me to purchase 1st class if it was during commuter 'rush hour' just because the cars were not as crazy crowded.

As mentioned above, finding space near your luggage on a crowded train is sometimes easier in first class because it tends to be less crowded. The other benefit is that if you are using the pass on a boat, the view in first class from the upper deck is better (and again, less crowded).

There is no first class on most of the high mountain trains, so keep that in mind. If you are budget conscious, it's definitely something you can do without, but it's not a frivolous waste of money for everyone.

twk sums it up best about first v 2nd class. 2nd perfectly OK but definite advantages to 1st cl - especially during rush hours when both classes could be crowded but 2nd class especially so - in mounatinous areas yes those trains have little or no first class.

One advantage to lake boats however is that first class lets you ride on open-air front decks - best seats in house.

And you can always upgrade on any transport by paying difference between 1st and 2nd class fares - like on boats.

https://www.google.com/search?q=swis...w=1280&bih=633

Pictures of Swiss trains - intercity trains not mountain trains - note big difference between classes IMO - those isolated seats with just one in a row - both a window and aisle seat together - two can face each other with a table in between - I love those seats with no hassling others to get in or out and privacy - also easier to put small bags on floor without bothering other person.

In over a dozen trips to Switzerland, I've never found the need for 1st class train tickets, or had an issue finding a seat or a place for my luggage, but to each their own.

You can check to see how busy a particular train is ahead of time by looking at the SBB site.

Regarding your original post, please note that a Swiss Pass will not get you to Munich.

You will need to crunch the numbers to see if an 8 day Swiss Pass is more economical than buying point to point tickets. They're certainly more convenient, but not always less expensive.

No need to purchase any pass in advance, just buy when you arrive in Switzerland.

No need to purchase any pass until Switzerland is true but IME check prices for the same passes in the U.S. thru RailEurope (25% owned by Swiss Railways) and RE agents as over the past several years there have been times - quite a few really when same exact pass bought here was cheaper than in Switzerland (plus paying in $s means for foreign transactions fees on c.c.) and there are specials - often offered in slack seasons - on passes. Have not checked prices recently but anyone buying a pass should as savings in past at time have been significant - this is partly due to exchange flucuations between Swiss franc and U S/Can $ - prices here change constantly and sometime there is a lag in adjustments- good and bad for consumer.

That said, if prices are about the same then by all means buy there as buying here, if plans change there is a 15 or 20% cancellation/change fee.

And again check out the Berner Oberland Pass mentioned above -could be better deal than Swiss Travel Pass and this one definitely buy once there at any station.

Be careful with the Bernese Oberland Pass if you want to do sidetrips in the Lucerne area: this trips wouldn't be covered by the pass, neither the train ticket Zurich airport - Lucerne.
The Bernese Oberland Pass is valid between Lucerne - Interlaken - Berne. May be it could make sense if you reach Munich from Berne by bus (6 hrs, 19 EUR) or by plane (3 hr from city center to city center, fares start at 80 EUR).
Check the Swiss Half Fare Caard too: https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-ch/...om-abroad.html

OTOH If just want the easiest pass or ticketing the Swiss Travel Pass would be great -covers everything normal everywhere. But yes Berner Oberland Pass depends on whether you will be day tripping out of coverage area or not. Get discounted Bern-Munich train tickets at www.bahn.de/en for as cheap almost as bus.

Hi again all,

Thank you so much for all of your help to date, it's so much appreciated. I'm hoping to ask a few more questions.

Travel from:

Zurich airport > Lucerne
Lucerne > Mt Pilatus (Golden Round Trip)
Lucerne > Stans > (then bus to) Ennetburgen (return, will be making this trip at least 4x)
Lucerne > Lauterbrunnen
Travel around Bernese Oberland (not Jungfrau) for 3 days e.g. Lauterbrunnen to Wengen, Murren, Gimmelwald, Grindelwald etc).
Lauterbrunnen > Munich

From the above and my research, the 8 day Swiss Travel Pass will cover all of the above (except Pilatus - I'll get 50% off). However, for my trip to Munich:
- Do I have to book ahead (I have read that these trips need to be pre-booked)?
- If so, how do I do this, could I do it the day before (I want to keep my plans flexible), and can I use my Swiss Travel Pass to get to the border?
- Where on SBB can I calculate costs of the above and see if the STP is worth it? On the Rail Europe Australia site, it will be around $680 for a 2nd class ticket for 8 days).

Thank you again!!!!

Berner Oberland Pass may be a better deal - covers everything in Lucerne-Interlaken-Jungfrau areas - more than Swiss Travel Pass I believe- buy locally.

None of those trips need be pre-booked and many cannot be. Just show up.

Book Lauterbrunnen-Munich trains at www.bahn.de/en - German Railways site - can get seriously discounted fares negating any need for use of Swiss Travel Pass.

www.sbb.ch should have fares folks say but I am not familiar with it - some kind of pass would be warranted but again I'd check Berner Oberland Pass.

LAUTERBRUNNEN - MUNICH BY TRAIN
The Swiss Travel Pass is valid up to the border staitn of St. Margrethen.
For fares (full and reduced) you may have a look at https://www.sbb.ch/en/ for the full itinerary and at https://www.bahn.com/en/view/index.shtml resp. ÖBB - Home for the leg from St. Margrethen to Munich

LAUTERBRUNNEN - MUNICH BY TRAIN AND BUS
It might be cheaper to travel with your Swiss Travel Pass up to Konstanz or St. Gallen and to go on from there by https://www.flixbus.com/

ALL SWISS TRAVEL PASSES
https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-ch/...om-abroad.html

www.bahn.de/en shows 39 euros fares Lauterbrunnen to Munich via Zurich and bus to Munich - better than using pass that day (no pass use involved).

alexandra -

We recently traveled from Chur, Switzerland to Munich via bus - we compared prices on the SBB site (Swiss) applying our Swiss Half Fare Card for both train and bus travel, but found it was less expensive to just book on the DB (German) site and take the bus. This also prevented the need to change trains several times. It was a great experience and something I'd definitely consider in the future. I've not done this from Lauterbrunnen to Munich, but knowing what I know now, I'd certainly look into it.

Lauterbrunnen to Zurich is by train the bus (though there is possible to be some bus from Interlaken area to some nebulous place in Germany perhaps this summer.

There are direct and cheap Flixbuses from Lugano, Bellinzona, Chur, St. Gallen, Konstanz, Zurich, Bern to Munich. You cannot find them on the DB site, of course!