Questions for a summer stay

  • Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    12 May 2010 at 10:43:55 #803818

    I am a college student who will be spending about three months doing research at the University of Freiburg. I will probably fly into Geneva or Zurich (depending on cost of flight) then take the train to Freiburg. Over the summer I hope to travel on the weekends to see as much as I can of the country and will probably need to take city trams during the week. Which pass is the most economical for me? Can I purchase it from the train station in Geneva or Zurich? Are there connections between the airport and the train station in each city?

    Also I am looking for a student dorm or room to rent for the summer preferably with a meal plan. I am trying to make my stay as economical as possible as you can imagine.

    Any suggestions are welcome.

    Thank you.
    Santa Barbara, CA, USA

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    Annika
    Moderator
    7094 posts
    12 May 2010 at 14:12:19 #831253

    Hello Lasemeuse, and welcome to the forum! My first guess is that a Half-Fare Travelcard, offered by the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), might come in handy for you. It’s actually the same as the Swiss Half Fare Card, which is actually a tourist version. But whereas the Swiss Half Fare Card is valid for one month only, the Half-Fare Travelcard is valid during one year. It costs CHF 150.00 and offers a 50% discount on many trips in Switzerland, including public transportation in Freiburg. If you’re under 25, you can add a ‘Track 7’ to your Half-Fare Travelcard, which entitles you to free traveling in the evenings. Several other add-ons are available as well. For example, you can buy a 1 day travelpass which allows you to travel for free an entire day. This is even possible for a whole month, but if you won’t be traveling intensively during this month, this would probably too expensive. The Half-Fare Travelcard could cover some of your shorter weekend trips, and 1 day travelpasses would be cost effective if you plan longer trips. To find the regular costs of your trips, you can enter your arrival and departure station in the online timetable, click a connection and choose ‘Fare/Buy’. You can order the Half-Fare Travelcard and add-ons online through the SBB website, but I’m pretty sure it’s also possible to purchase them at larger Swiss railway stations, such as Geneva or Zurich.

    For your daily local trips in Freiburg a card may be available as well. Please take a look at the TPF website for more information.

    Yes, all airports have their own train station. More information on this can be found on the airport hotel pages of Geneva and Zurich.

    I’m not really into students dorms or rooms. You could take a look at the Freibourg University Website (only available in German and French). They offer information on student accommodation. Tips for a cheap stay in Switzerland are available as well!

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