Swiss rail pass for travel over Easter

  • Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    18 April 2011 at 18:50:13 #804225

    Hello!

    We are two people traveling this Friday through next Tuesday for the first time in Switzerland and need advice on the best options for rail passes. We plan to travel as follows:

    Day 1 (Fri.) AM: Geneva to Lucerne
    Day 2 midday: Lucerne to Interlaken (via part of the GoldenPass trip)
    Day 2-3: From the Interlaken area, we plan to do some easy/moderate hiking on the first afternoon (for example the Lauterbrunnen-Stechelberg hike mentioned on this website), and then go up to Jungfraujoch the next AM followed by more hiking or other activities.
    Day 4 (Mon.) AM or Midday: Interlaken to Zermatt. Visit one of the viewing points and some hiking.
    Day 5 AM or Midday: Zermatt back to Geneva, stopping by either Montreux or Lausanne

    We were thinking about just getting the one-month half-fare cards for both of us, but would the Swiss Flexi Pass be a better deal? And if so, when should we use the free-travel days? For example, in the Bernese Oberland, not all the transportation will be free even if we are using the free-travel days. Another possibility, is to have one of our friends who has a half-fare card buy a pack of 6 (or individual) 1-day travelpasses.

    Furthermore, what will be closed because of the Easter holiday (most places will be closed Fri., Sun., and Mon., right?)? Will we be able to find restaurants (or grocery stores) open in any of the (touristy) areas we are traveling? What about places like bike and boat rentals?

    We would also greatly appreciate any comments/tips on our itinerary! Are we choosing the right places to visit? Should we try to go up both Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn? We are unlikely to travel again in Switzerland for a very long time so would love to experience it to the fullest!

    Thank you!

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    Annika
    Moderator
    7103 posts
    19 April 2011 at 15:00:27 #832594

    Hi anniemal. Since you’ve planned some longer trips, I would personally prefer a 3 or 4 day Swiss Saver Flexi Pass over a Swiss Half Fare Card. You should use your free travel days for the longest and most expensive trips, being Geneva-Lucerne, (Lucerne-Interlaken,) Interlaken-Zermatt and Zermatt-Geneva. On all days in between, you can profit from a 50% discount for the shorter regional trips. Using the 1-day travelpasses seems to be possible as well. Only an exact price comparison can proove which option is best for your travel plans.

    I think you’ll be able to find restaurants that are open. Some major viewing points are open as well. The timetable shows whether certain connections are possible. If you want to know for sure if a specific cable car or mountain train is open during Easter, just check with the railway company listed at our Bernese Oberland and Wallis link page. Most grocery stores are closed next Friday and Monday.

    Your itinerary looks fine. The Lucerne, Interlaken and Zermatt regions are beautiful. You could try to visit both Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn, especially if it’s sunny and if skies are clear. In my view, they offer different views and experiences.

    Have a wonderful weekend!

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