How to travel with a Swiss Travel Pass?

  • Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    30 March 2017 at 7:11:35 #811228

    Hi everyone,

    I have a couple of questions.

    Q1. the tickets for jungfraujoch from interlaken west station is around 216 CHF. My question is that with the swiss travel pass I will get a 25% discount on this fare (216 CHF) or I will get a discounted ticket from the point where it is not included in the swiss travel pass. For example grindelwald to jungfraujoch is 201 CHF so will I get a discount on this fare (201) or on the previous one?

    Q2. My next question is when I board a train with Swiss travel pass, how will I get the seat allotment. for say, I grabbed a seat and then someone who is travelling with a separate ticket comes and say this seat is allotted to me, what am I supposed to do. this might happen while travelling to zurich from interlaken.

    Q3. Are there any buses that run directly from interlaken to zurich?

    Q4. If I visit Oberhofen Castle, is it included in STP or a separate ticket is required over there?

    Thanks in advance,

    Mona

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    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    30 March 2017 at 9:44:20 #860689

    Hi Mona,

    Q1. You only need to buy a ticket for the part of the route which is not included in the Swiss Travel Pass. The pass includes free traveling until Wengen and Grindelwald, so in Interlaken West you can buy a ticket from one of those villages to Jungfraujoch and back. The price is CHF 183 and you will get a 25% discount on it. You’ll find details here:

    Q2. Swiss trains are like subways: you just board and find a seat. Hardly anyone reserves a seat, and for many trains this is not even possible. The only exceptions are a few panoramic trains. If a seat is booked you can see so on a display, so you simply find another seat, but this is very unusual.

    Q3. No, there are very few long distance buses. That’s what trains are used for.

    Q4. The bus or boat ride and entry to the castle are free with your Swiss Travel Pass.

    Have a wonderful trip!

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    30 March 2017 at 17:26:04 #860690

    Many thanks Arno! you are really a help!

    Arno which can be the best site where I can buy Swiss travel pass. I looked on raileurope.co.in for 3 adults and 1 youth, 2nd class 4 continuous days and it gives a total amount of INR 66770. I also checked on swisstours.com and there the total amount is INR 66118. any other sites which you can suggest? those which show prices in Indian currency.

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    30 March 2017 at 17:34:29 #860691

    Hi Mona,

    You’re very welcome! All the suggested websites to buy the pass are listed here: myswissalps.com/swisst ravelpass/price. Most people buy from the official shop at http://www.swissrailways.com/ en. They’re cheaper than the ones you quoted. Be sure to pay in CHF, not another currency as that’s usually more expensive. You can print the pass at home if you pick “Online Ticket” as the delivery option.

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    30 March 2017 at 18:07:49 #860692

    The problem is Arno that if I pay in CHF my credit card issuer will charge me the currency exchange fee. That is why I was looking for a website which shows prices in Indian rupees which is my currency.

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    30 March 2017 at 18:11:16 #860693

    What if I buy a TravelCard and load it with CHF or may be Euro and then use it to buy STP. Is it possible. Is a TravelCard acceptable in place of credit card

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    30 March 2017 at 18:34:54 #860694

    Hi Mona,

    Yes, the card issuer will charge a conversion fee, but from my experience that’s often cheaper than choosing payment in a different currency. Because if you do, the conversion risk is for the vendor, so they will charge a higher price. I don’t think there’s a way to prevent conversion fees altogether, there’s only the option to pick the cheapest offer.

    I am not familiar with the TravelCard. I don’t know of ways to buy a rail pass that way.

    You can pay in INR if you order through http://www.raileurope.co.in/p ass/swiss-travel-pass-82, but note that their pass prices are higher and they also charge a booking fee. I don’t think that option is cheaper in your case. I’d recommend to carefully compare with the prices at http://www.swissrailways.com/ en.

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    30 March 2017 at 19:03:26 #860695

    Ok, thank you!!

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    30 March 2017 at 20:33:53 #860696

    Hi Monamehta

    I have a Visa travelcard and have used it to make reservations on several panoramic trains and on SBB ticket shop. Works just like a credit card. My bank does not charge conversion fee unlike credit card. I can’t load up with CHF so just use AU$. If you use Euros you will be hit by two exchange rate variations.

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    30 March 2017 at 21:07:01 #860697

    See also my comment on 26 March on this thread http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/voralpen-express

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    31 March 2017 at 7:00:33 #860698

    i think the best way to go to Jungfrau is to take a train from interlaken ost station to Kleine Scheidegg via Lauterbrunnen with your swiss pass. from here you will have to pay approximately CHF 135 TO JUNG FRAU via mountain train. the rate is after Swiss pass discount. you anyways travel free to Kleine Scheidegg . this is to the best of my knowledge and this how i intend to travel to Jungfrau

    thanks

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    31 March 2017 at 7:14:24 #860699

    Thank you all for the suggestions!! Thanks for the help!

    Regards,

    Mona

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    31 March 2017 at 11:24:50 #860700

    If you plan to travel only to Switzerland from India, then Swiss Franc (CHF) travel card should be the best choice.ICICI bank, for example offers Visa CHF travelcard. If there are other countries on your itinerary then perhaps Euro currency Travel card will be better.

    Thanks,

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