3 weeks Switzerland in Dec: train routes and pass
A traveler is visiting Switzerland for the first time from December 28th for three weeks and needs advice on train routes and the best Travel Pass for their itinerary. They plan to visit Geneva, Bern, Zermatt, Interlaken, Lucerne, and Zurich, and are looking for comfortable travel options since they are six months pregnant.
- Use the Swiss Travel Pass Flex for flexibility, as it covers trains, buses, and discounted mountain transport on certain days.
- For scenic travel, consider the longer route from Bern to Zermatt via Kandersteg, or take the Regio Lotschberger.
- Geneva, Bern, and Lucerne offer free local passes with hotel stays, which can be a cost-saver instead of using the Swiss Travel Pass for those days.
AI-generated summary-
Thank you in advance for any help with my below questions + travel needs:
We are traveling to Switzerland for the first time, arriving Dec 28th and staying for 3 weeks! I’m a bit confused about some of the train routes to a few locations and am also hoping to understand which TravelPass would be best for our needs. I will also be 6 months pregnant and hoping for some comfort during travel! Below is our itinerary:
- Geneva: Dec 28 – Jan 1
- Bern: Jan 1 – Jan 3
- Zermatt: Jan 3 – Jan 5
- Interlaken: Jan 5 – Jan 8
- Lucerne: Jan 8 – Jan 11
- Zurich: Jan 11 – Jan 15
I understand that it’s easy to get from Geneva to Bern, Interlaken to Lucerne (via the Luzerne-Interlaken Express Train), and then from Lucerne to Zurich. I am, however, confused on the best ways to get from Bern to Zermatt via train, and Zermatt to Interlaken.
Train Route Questions:
- What is the best/easiest scenic route from Bern to Zermatt?
- What is the best/easiest scenic route from Zermatt to Interlaken?
Travel Pass Questions:
- I’ve read that Geneva, Bern & Lucerne all have free transportation passes with our hotel reservations, plus, we can get from the Geneva airport to our hotel with the 80 minute transport ticket received at the airport. Would I still need a Swiss TravelPass for our time here, other than the trains exiting those locations to our next destination?
- Does the Swiss TravelPass cover the majority of transportation options (rails, lifts, cable cars, etc) in Zermatt and Interlaken?
- Would it be best to purchase the Flex Swiss TravelPass vs the full one based on our itinerary and the available free transportation passes? Would an 8-day or 15-day pass be best?
Thank you again for the help!
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Hi ERice,
Welcome to MySwissAlps.
I agree with you, the Swiss Travel Pass Flex might be a good option based on your travel plans. Similar to the regular Swiss Travel Pass, the Swiss Travel Pass Fleyx provides free travelling on Swiss public transport (trains, boats, trams and bus) and discounted travelling on mountain transportation (cogwheel train, cable cars, funiculars, gondolas) on selected free travel days. You can find more details about the Swiss Travel Pass Flex here: http://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpassflex. Please click on the Price tab to find options to purchase online.
You can find useful tips on how to choose the best railpass here: http://www.myswissalps.com/train/ticketspasses/practical/chooserailpass. For accurate comparison, you should have detailed itinerary in place.
Regarding train routes from Zermatt to Bern, you can either take the fast connection which goes through the tunnel or take the longer but scenic route via Kandersteg. The longer route involves taking the Regio Lotschberger via Brig, and is explained in detail here: http://www.myswissalps.com/lotschberger. You can take the same train to Interlaken but instead of going to Bern, you need to change in Spiez and continue with a local train to Interlaken. You can check train schedules using the SBB timetable: http://www.myswissalps.com/timetable
Let us know if you need more clarification.
Regards,
Anna
Regarding the free transportation ticket from the Geneva Airport to your hotel… It is no longer available at the airport. You can still get the ticket as described here. http://www.geneve.com/en/already-here/geneva-transport-card-for-guests. I personally prefer to stay in someplace like Montreux or Vevey over Geneva. Geneva is very international and does not seem very Swiss to me. Have a great trip.
Believe me, Geneva is Swiss! I and going there next week following the death of my last family member living in the area and I can’t wait!
From my house in an ordinary suburb of London, England I cannot see: a large Swiss lake, a huge fountain, Swiss mountains, Swiss trams and trains, Swiss products in the shops etc
Hi ERice!
Yes, hotel guests in Interlaken, Lucerne and Geneva get passes for local traveling.
- https://www.myswissalps.com/geneva/hotels
- https://www.myswissalps.com/interlaken/hotels
- https://www.myswissalps.com/lucerne/hotels
There is indeed a cheap ticket from Geneva Airport to the Geneva main train station: https://www.myswissalps.com/airports/geneva.
You won’t need such local passes/tickets if you have a valid Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Travel Pass Flex for your days of traveling though. These passes already include all regular train routes in Switzerland and urban transportation in all larger towns. You can check validity here:
Thank you for the links to other forum chats + info. I think I’ll stick to getting the free passes in those cities as it would save me money from having to buy the Swiss TravelPass for those days – especially since I’m in Switzerland for longer than 15 days (the longest consecutive time for the pass).
Thank you for that link – I’ll make sure to look into it. I also appreciate the other cities you mentioned. While I do believe Geneva is a great place in Switzerland to visit, especially for a first timer, I’ll look into day trips to the others as well.
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