Advice for train travelling Paris to Grindelwald
A traveler named Santhosh is planning a trip from Paris to Interlaken in May, with Grindelwald as their base for six days. He seeks advice on train booking options, the need for a ticket for his 3-year-old son, and whether to purchase a Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Half Fare Card for local travels.
- Use websites like sbb.ch or raileurope.com to find train routes and prices that fit your needs.
- For children under 5 traveling in Switzerland, no ticket is needed, but a seat reservation may be required for international trips.
- The Swiss Half Fare Card offers discounts on many excursions and is valid for one month, making it a great choice for local travel.
AI-generated summary-
Hello..
I needed some advice for travelling in train.
I am travelling to Interlaken from Paris (in May) and then travel to Grindalwald(This is my base for 6 days, I plan to visit different places from here). I was looking for booking train. There are multiple online options for booking like, http://www.raileurope.com, sbb.ch, http://www.happyrail.com. I see some price, travel time and route difference in these.
Any advice for booking the train?
And my son is 3 year 11 months at that time, should I buy ticket for him?
And the Golden pass train for Zweisimmen to Montreux seems to be not running in May-2018 as mentioned in happyrail.com.
Let me know if it is recommended to buy travel pass, Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Half Fare Card. (I plan to visit different places by train) What is the duration of half fare card? is there any multiple options like week or a month.
I did some research for booking train but not able to decide, It will be helpful if you can recommend.
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Hi bnsanthosh and welcome to MySwissAlps!
- All those rail companies are fine to book with. Find the route and price you want to pay and take it. If you are buying a Swiss Travel Pass you only need to buy a ticket to the Swiss border (Basel).
- For international trains you’ll need to reserve a seat for him unless you are ok with him on your lap. No tickets or reservations required within Switzerland
- The Golden Pass is running but reservations are not possible due to construction on the line – see here for more details.
- To know which pass is the best for your specific itinerary you need to plan out all trips you will make (train, bus, boat, cable car) and compare the prices for regular tickets to the rail pass price (and which routes/mountains are free or discounted). Once you have that information you can read our page here on how to choose the best rail pass. There is a spreadsheet there to help with the math. 🙂
Thanks Lucas.
I understand that correct pass could be chosen based on itinerary.
One question I have is, duration of half fare card, is it one month?
I see that Swiss Travel Pass has options like 3 or 4 days and many more options.
Yes, one month. 🙂 We have details on the Swiss Half Fare Card here, and all other rail passes here: https://www.myswissalp s.com/train/ticketspas ses
Thanks Lucas..
I plan to buy Swiss Half Fare Card.
Take a train from Paris to Basel (half fare card doesn’t work for this) and then train from Basel to Interlaken (50% discount). And will not buy any ticket from child. Hope this should be fine.
Since half fare card can be used for other local train travel like from Interlaken to Bern, Lucerne, Grindelwald etc. Looks like buying a half fare card will work out for me.
Sounds good bnsanthosh – happy travels!
Hi Lucas,
As I mentioned before, I plan to book train tickets separately : One from Paris to Basel(Swiss) and another from Basel to Interlaken. Should I buy train ticket for my child, he is 3 years & 11 months.
I read that children travel for free in trains.
In happyrail.com if I add a ticket for a child of age 3 years overall ticket cost is more.
Please refer the attached images.
On the train to Basel you’ll want a ticket for the child so they have a seat reservation.
You don’t need a ticket for the 3 year old in Switzerland. Children under 5 travel free.
Thanks Lucas,
1) What is the meaning of free seating? Mentioned for Basel-Interlaken train. (in happyrail.com)
2) If I don’t buy ticket for my child, will he get seat to sit ? Seems Basel-Interlaken train will have only ticket purchase not seat reservation.
3) Free seating is for all Switzerland local trains ?
Sorry for taking your time for all these minute things.
~Santhosh
Hi Santhosh,
If your child is not 4 yet during the Paris to Basel trip, there is a cheaper option if you book through https://www.trainline. eu/search or en.oui.sncf/en/tgv-lyria (French railways). You can choose between a seat reservation for the child for a small fee, or no seat for free. I did not find that option through Happyrail. I’ll check with them about that.
Regarding your other questions:
1) That means you don’t have a seat reservation so you can sit wherever you like. This is the standard way to travel in Switzerland.
2) See 1) A seat is never guaranteed but in reality it is rarely an issue. It’s a flexible transportation system that you use as needed without booking seats in advance.
3) Here’s more about this topic: http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/reservations
Hi Arno,
Thank you
1) Great help if you can clarify from happyrail for child’s ticket/reservation. Yes other like trianiline and tgv-lyria allow to reserve a seat for child < 4 years for very small fee.I plan to book all train tickets in happyrail if they clear this problem.
2)And I am not able to book the train Basel to Interlaken now, I am travelling on May 25th. Some online websites mention that it is not booking window. Can book only one month in advance for Switzerland local trains ?
~Santhosh
You wouldn’t need (nor can) book most trains in Switzerland. You just board the train and find a seat for the trip. Very rarely is this ever a problem but sometimes at rush hour between main cities you must stand, but then it is rarely long until someone gets off the train at their stop and you can sit.
Hi Santhosh,
Happyrail is currently looking into this, but I don’t know if and when they will make changes. In case of more information I will post back here.
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