A site I found very helpful in comparing the various Swiss train passes is: http://www.myswissalps.com/swissrailpasses.asp

Susan,

You're lucky to be staying in Lugano. It's a wonderful place.

In Lugano, the train station is located on a gentle hillside about a mile above the city center and lake. Directly underneath the train station is a funicular (hillside train) that takes you from the train station down to the town center. No cars necessary.

Lugano is quite photogenic, with a beautiful lakeside promenade reminiscent of Montreux. The steamships that ply the lake will take you over to Morcote. There you will find interesting walking trails that wind way above the lake to a beautiful church in the forest that is being restored by helicopter crews. Fantastic views of Lake Lugano in all directions.

For a real adventure, you can sign up for the Palm Express. This is a Swiss bus that leaves the train station on a three-hour (nonstop) trip to the east over to Lake Como and skirts the northern shore. It connects you at the train station in Tirano with the Bernina Express trains that go up through the gorgeous Val Poschiavo and over the Alps towards St. Moritz and Chur. Go all the way to Chur if you can. I believe this trip to be the most scenic in Europe.

folks -- Susan posted her questions more than a year ago and has not been back since then.

Not that your info won't be useful for others - but it is a good idea to look at the dates before answering an old thread.