First time in switzerland

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    25 March 2011 at 4:14:06 #804207

    Hello

    I am going to switzerland with my 12 years old daughter next april 18tt until 25th . I am very confused about many things, for example I intend to buy a flexi pass for 6 days so my kid will travel free. Can I buy the card in the train station at Zurich airport ? Is it easy and fast to get the card and can I use it as soon as I purchase it to go to Bern from Zurich airport? We will arrive in Zurich around 8 pm , how much time do you think I need to get the card and pick up the train to Bern?
    This is what we think to do:

    monday 18th – arrive to Zurich and go to Bern
    tuesday 19th- visit Bern
    wednesday20th- Bern- lausanne(by train) – montreux( take a boat from lausanne to montreux)
    thursday- 21th – Bern interlaken(train) – we want to experience a mountain train , please recommend wchich one would be better for us). We can spend the night here , if posible tell us the best option to stay.
    friday 22th- Interlaken -Zurich (train)- early in the morning so we can enjoy visiting Zurich during the day
    Saturday 23th- Zurich – Lucern – enjoying Lucern and go back to Zurich at night
    Sunday- 24th – Zurich
    Monday 25th- back to spain

    Please, give me some advise about this intinerary.

    thanks

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    Annika
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    7104 posts
    26 March 2011 at 5:31:07 #832536

    Hello sapevi, and welcome! You can purchase your 6 day Swiss Flexi Pass either online or at the Zurich railway station. Although I can’t predict how long exactly purchasing your pass in Zurich will take, you will be able to do so and move on to Bern the same evening. Travelling times can be found in the timetable. If you order your pass online, you can get on board of the train to Bern rightaway.

    You’ve selected a beautiful itinerary. Personally I’d rather spend a bit more time around Interlaken and/or Lucerne, and spend one day only on Zurich. This is a matter of personal preference of course. Zurich is great as well and there are lots of things to see and do, but the scenery around Lucerne and Interlaken is more impressive. As for mountain trains in the Interlaken region: there are quite some options. The cog railway up to the Brienzer Rothorn is beautiful and may be combined with a boat ride on lake Brienz. Very close to Interlaken, from Wilderswil, a cog train leaves for Schynige Platte, where several hikes can be made. The most famous one is the train all the way up to the Jungfraujoch, but you should do this only if weather is fine, as it’s an expensive ride. Taking only part of this line, getting up to Kleine Scheidegg via Grindelwald or Wengen, is great as well. Hotels are avaialble at most of the viewing points I just mentioned. They’re expensive though, but on the other hand it’s a great experience to spend the night at such altitude. Other hotels can be found through our hotel page.

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    26 March 2011 at 11:11:46 #832537

    Hi Annika, thank you so much for your reply , it helped me a lot. I decided to buy the pass online but i need just one pass since my daughter will travel for free and when I try to purchase one only pass , there s no option for just one! what can i do?
    I also will accept your advise to stay more time in interlaken – Lucern, You re right, they had more impressive view than zurich.

    sapevi

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    26 March 2011 at 11:47:24 #832538

    Hi sapevi! I’m glad I could help. As for ordering: you’ve probably selected the Swiss Saver Flexi Pass instead of the regular Swiss Flexi Pass. The Swiss Saver Flexi Pass is for 2 or more adults travelling together, so that’s why you can’t select it for 1 person only. If you pick ‘Swiss Flexi Pass 6 days’ from the drop-downlist, it should work. More information on how to order can be found in this topic.

    Removed user
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    30 March 2011 at 10:39:58 #832539

    IHi Annika, you were right, I already asked for my swiss flexi card, thanks.
    Just one more question, should I determine the days i will use the card, how does it work? I will stay in Switzerland from 18th april until 25th april, arriving at night and starting using the card rightaway to go to Bern from zurich airport. The next day i intend to be in Bern so maybe I won t need the card. So I think i dont need to use the card the second and last day (25th april).Please , can you clear up that to me?
    thanks

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    30 March 2011 at 14:35:29 #832540

    Hi sapevi! You don’t have to specify the dates on which you want to use your Swiss Flexi Pass in advance. You do have to mention the start date (April 18) in most cases when ordering, but that’s all. From April 18, your Swiss Flexi Pass is valid up to and including your last fee travel day, which in that case would be April 24. You can decide for yourself which day is your last free travel day, as long as it’s within one month from the start date.

    In between the first (April 18) and last (April 24) free travel day, you can choose 4 other days (assuming you’ve ordered a 6 day pass) to count as free travel days. According to your itinerary these days would be April 20, 21, 22 and 23. You don’t have to fill out these dates in advance: you can do so on each free travel day before boarding your first train/bus/boat of that day. Depending on the reseller, you can either write down the date yourself or have it stamped by a railway official, but you’ll receive instructions on this along with your pass.

    On all remaining days of the Swiss Flexi Pass validity (which in this case is April 19 only), a 50% discount applies, and for this discount nothing has to be written down or stamped. It’s no problem if you don’t use your pass at all this day.

    Does this answer your questions?

    Removed user
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    31 March 2011 at 9:08:59 #832541

    Hi annika

    thanks, you really helped me a lot so far, and I can hardly wait to be in Switzerland to enjoy as much as i can even knowing I will have to plan many other trips to see everything I want.
    By the way i already received the cards(in only two days ).

    sapevi

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    31 March 2011 at 15:00:32 #832542

    Hi sapevi. I’m glad I could help. Have fun with your further preparations and have a great stay in Switzerland!

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    13 April 2011 at 4:36:05 #832543

    HI again, one more doubt. I am arriving at zurich airport and I have to take the train to Bern. I know there s a train station at the airport but as I search in google maps the route from the airport terminal to the train station it seems far away and a little bit complicated. then I figured out that there s also a S bahn station under terminal 2. Would it be better taking the S bahn to Zurich HB and from there the train to Bern? Thanks .

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    13 April 2011 at 7:10:31 #832544

    Hi sapevi, you can get a through train from the airport to Bern. Search the sbb timetable entering Zurich Flughafen as your departure station and Bern as your destination. It is easy to find the trains – when you leave the airport terminal follow the signs for bahnhof with picture of train. It’s not very far to walk. most trains for Bern leave from platform 3 or 4. It takes about an hour and a quarter on through train, a bit longer if you have to change in Zurich main station. We do this trip regularly and found it easy even the first time we did it so don’t worry. Maggie PS there is a train at 9.13 p.m. from platform 3 arriving in Bern at 10.28 and another at 9.40 p.m. from platform 4. you should have plenty of time to get the 9.13 providing your flight is on time. hope this helps.

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    13 April 2011 at 9:01:26 #832545

    Hi, Maggie, thanks so much, I was a little bit worried cause I am going with my 12 years old daughter and you know how things are with kids.

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