[Removed user]

5 January 2011 at 23:40:12 #804629

Hi,
I need your expert advice on the Swiss passes (really confused)
1. Swiss saver pass seems cheaper than Flexi pass, how can I purchase it, what is the cost, will it benefit me as I know the dates we will be traveling. (2 adults, 2 kids – 15 & 10)
2. Dates of travel are 31 March – 4th April, will 4 day pass be the right one as 4th we will be traveling to Salzburg in the morning, so is it better for me to use it from 31-3, 4 day pass and buy Lucerne – Zurich as super saver?
3. How can I purchase super saver, can it be done online and only 14 days in advance (cost is CHF 8 p.p.)
4. Swiss saver pass: Is it free mountain excursion for adults and only pay 50% for children or it means free land transport for all and 50% to be paid for adults only where children travel free as we would like to go to JUngfrau, pilatus & titlis, pls advice

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[Annika]

7 January 2011 at 7:50:23 #833952

Hello Woody, and welcome to this forum. As for the Swiss Saver Pass: this offers free travel on the regular train, bus and boat network throughout Switzerland. Many mountain excursions are discounted by 50% or in some cases (such as the Jungfraujoch) 25%. This applies to adults. For children up to and including 15 years old, such as yours, a free STS Family Card can be purchased along with the Swiss Saver Passes. This STS Family Card allows the children to travel along for free with their parents on all trips in Switzerland, whether it’s by regular train, bus and boat, or by mountain railway and cable car. Please take a look at the map we link to at the Swiss Pass page, under the header ‘Swiss Pass features’. This map indicates all routes on which free travel is allowed and all routes for which a 50% or 25% discount applies. The Swiss Saver Flexi Pass works the same way, the only difference being that free travel is allowed on a limited number of days. On all days in between these free travel days, discounts apply. Please refer to the Swiss Flexi Pass page for more information.

The Swiss Saver Pass can be ordered online. A price list is available through this page as well. A 4 day Swiss Saver Pass in 2nd class costs CHF 226.10 per person. Whether it’s best to use this pass either on the first four days of your stay or on the last for days, depends on your inbound and outbound journey. I assume that you’ll arrive in Zurich and will travel to Lucerne from there on the first day, and that you’ll be heading back from Lucerne to Salzburg by train on the last day? If so, it would be best to start the validity of your 4 day Swiss Saver Pass on April 1, as the trip from Zurich to Lucerne is rather short and inexpensive. The Swiss part of the train journey from Lucerne to Salzburg is more expensive, and therefore it’s better to have this trip covered by your Swiss Saver Pass (which is valid up to the Swiss-Austrian border).

As far as I know, the current super saver offers are only valid until February 2011. Please take a look at the SBB website as well.

I hope this helps you out! Kind regards,

[Removed user]

9 January 2011 at 1:39:15 #833953

Thank you so much Annika, you are a star
I have one more query:
1. On my Flexi saver pass (5-days) the 5th day I will be traveling from Lucerne – Salzburg (morning), how far (border of switzerland/ which city) will thee swiss pass be valid?
2. In your opinion should I buy an Austrian pass (72 hours) costing 18.5 Euro or go ahead to take point to point ticket (2 days in Salzburg, 1 night in Vienna)

Please advice
Thanks again for your help 🙂

[Annika]

9 January 2011 at 4:15:10 #833954

Hi Woody. The last border station, up to which a Swiss (Flexi) Pass is valid during your trip from Lucerne to Salzburg, is Buchs. Details on this journey can be found through the Swiss timetable.

A 3 day Eurail Austria Saver Pass in 2nd class costs EUR 100 per person. A regular ticket from Buchs to Salzburg costs EUR 49.50 per person, and from Salzburg to Vienna EUR 47.50 (prices can be found in the Austrian timetable). So if these are the only journeys you plan to make in Austria, there’s not much of a difference between using a Eurail Austria Pass or regular train tickets. If you do want to make use of the Eurail Austria Pass, this can be ordered along with your Swiss Saver (Flexi) Pass through either the Swiss Pass page or Swiss Flexi Pass page.

[Removed user]

9 January 2011 at 5:18:30 #833955

Many thanks Annika, you are a pro 🙂
Thank you for all the information. Do you provide hotel & tour package for Austria? If you do can you work out a package for my family
Persons: (2 adults, 2 children – 15 & 10 years old),
Date of Travel: April
Austria (3n/2d) Salzburg (2n), Vienna (1n)
Hotel: Salzburg (city centre), Vienna (airport hotel or near Vienna train station), 3 star only, B&B Tour: Salzburg Tour (Salt mine & Bavarian Mountains) & Vienna City tour
Pass: 3 days, as we will be traveling from Zurich – Salzburg – Vienna & within Salzburg city & Vienna city Please send us the quotation with & without Salzburg tour?

Woody

[Annika]

9 January 2011 at 13:30:15 #833956

Hello Woody. No, we don’t offer package deals, but I can provide some tips and links which may help you arrange for your holidays yourselves. Hotels can be found through the hotel page. Swiss hotels are listed here, but when entering the booking system you’ll find that many hotels in Salzburg and Vienna are available as well. The system allows you to look for hotels near railway and airport stations. Detailed descriptions, classifications, prices and other travelers’ reviews will help you make your decision. The tourist websites of Salzburg and Vienna provide valuable information on what to see and what to do. For you trips, you may either use regular train tickets or the Eurail Austria Pass I mentioned before. If you order the Eurail Austria Pass along with your Swiss Saver Pass or Swiss Saver Flexi Pass through RailEurope before March 30, you’ll get to profit from a 15% discount on normal Austria Pass prices.

[Removed user]

9 January 2011 at 23:24:13 #833957

Thank you for all the help and support Annika

[Removed user]

23 August 2011 at 10:45:36 #833958

hi ..

i am planning a trip to swiss during november end..
i have the following plan:
day1:zurich city tour(overnight saty at zurich)
day 2:jungfrau(overnight stay at interlaken)
day3:mt schiltron(overnight stay at interlaken)
day4:lucerne(evening from swiss to paris)
day5, 6 and 7 :paris
please suggest suitable swiss pass to be used for this journey.as per my understanding the swiss pass would cover the intercity transportation from zurich to interlaken and lucerne as well.what we are two adults(25 and 26 years).let me know if something can be added to make this tour more attractive and if possible the prices for the above

[Arno]

23 August 2011 at 11:38:39 #833959

Hello mansi812, and welcome to the forum!

A 4-day Swiss Saver Pass for the two of you would indeed cover city to city transportation, including Zurich public transport. Plus, you’ll get discounts on the mountain transportation. The Swiss Pass page includes all information about where it is valid and what discounts you get (refer to the map), prices and purchase/shipping options.

A Swiss Saver Pass allows you to travel unlimited, so you can adapt you plans to the weather or what you feel like doing. I would recommend to take the quickest route from Zurich to Interlaken on day 2, but make sure to travel from Interlaken to Lucerne via Meiringen on day 4, as this is a more attractive route. Also, I would recommend a boat trip on Lake Lucerne (free with your pass). Day 3 could be combined with a short hike.

Here are some links to more information:
Prices Jungfrau region
Zurich city tours
Lake Lucerne boats

Please open a new topic next time, as your queries are unrelated to Woody’s old post. This is in our forum rules as well.

Enjoy your stay!