Guidance for trains to/from Switzerland & Austria
A couple is planning their honeymoon in the Alps and has questions about using the Swiss Travel Pass for their train travel from Zurich to Mieming, Austria, and back to Interlaken. They've figured out that a 15-day pass will likely save them money but feel overwhelmed by the train routes and options available.
The Swiss Travel Pass covers most train travel within Switzerland, but not for journeys in Austria. Buy tickets separately for the Swiss-Austrian border and plan your trips using online timetable tools. Consider only purchasing the Swiss Travel Pass for the days you are in Switzerland to save money.
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Greetings,
My husband and I are sorting out the final details on our upcoming honeymoon in the Alps, and have run into the biggest challenge yet… figuring out the trains! It seems the lovely Swiss rail pass has us covered for most of our travel, but I am struggling to understand how that works when traveling into Austria (Mieming) then back again (to Interlaken).
Here are our current plans:
- Arrive in Zurich Friday morning then travel to Mieming, Austria on Sunday.
- Traveling by motorcycle Monday – Friday.
- Leaving Mieming, Austria and traveling to Interlaken Ost on Sat.
- Return to Zurich on Friday
Based on the prices, I understand buying the 15 day pass will be our best bet. I
have checked a couple of sites offering train tickets throughout Europe to research the to/from Austria options, but unsure if this is a reliable method and how to then utilize the Swiss Pass.
Through those sites I have also learned there are MANY options on how to get from each destination, and prices that differ as well. So I am hopeful we can also find a scenic route, but timed so that it is one of the more affordable options as well.
This process has become a bit overwhelming for me (our first trip to Europe is turning out to be a bit advanced) and I appreciate any and all guidance!
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Hi Bethanyperry and welcome to MySwissAlps!
Which 15 day pass are you speaking of? A Swiss Travel Pass or a Eurail Pass?
Are you renting a motorcycle for the week in Austria? Very nice!
If you were to buy a Swiss Travel Pass and it was active on the days you entered and left Switzerland then you would only need to buy a ticket to/from the Swiss-Austrain border (Buchs SG) to Mieming. Then let the Swiss Travel pass cover the Swiss portion of the trip.
You can find ticket prices to Austria here: http://www.myswissalps.com/tr aintickets/austria
As for the best route. You can search for the route on Swiss railways timetable here: http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
It does always give you the most direct options available so they will all be similar.There shouldn’t be too many options to get from Mieming to Zurich though – assuming you want a direct route and aren’t looking to stop at any specific town or sightseeing attraction? It is mostly a question of how many connections your trip must make. Some may have just 1 or 2 and some may have 5 but the overall route is the same or very similar.
Let us know if that makes sense or you have more questions about the trip or rail passes.
In the end, to know which rail 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 (including 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. 🙂 http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass
Hi Bethany-
Not sure if I am misunderstanding you, but the SwissTravel Pass does not work in Austria, where it seems that you may be spending a lot of time.
You might be better off with a travel pass that only covers your time after you return to Switzerland, and not use a pass for your first three days.
Or, buy a pass for the 3 days at the beginning, and a second pass for when you return to Switzerland
That would be about 1 week, not 15 days.
Maybe a Flex Pass would be a better deal….but I don’t know much about passes.
http://www.myswissalps.com/sw issrailpasses
Also, maybe a Eurail pass for the whole time, but it does not cover as much as Swiss passes.
Slowpoke
Hi Bethany –
<<“Arrive in Zurich Friday morning then travel to Mieming, Austria on Sunday. Traveling by motorcycle Monday – Friday.”>>
Don’t know where you are coming from, but when I come from the USA, I do my very best not to drive for the first two days. In your case, Friday and Saturday are the first two days. Jet lag affects my ability to think quickly and flexibly and make quick decisions.
If you have traveled from the USA to Europe before, perhaps you have had the same reactions. If you are not coming from the USA, then, forgive my presumptuousness, please.
I still prefer not to drive on the third day, but do it with care, on routes that are not in cities, and that I know well.. By the fourth day, assuming I have gotten on the clock and learned to sleep through the night, I’m about as ready as I’ll ever be to drive in a strange country. It helps that I can read and understand a bit of German.
So your timing for the motorcycle seems like a very good idea to me. Of course, the vehicles that I drive have a special feature lacking in motorcycles. They do not fall over if you stop moving. So, I guess you know how to deal with that. 😉
Slowpoke
Many thanks for the advice!
First, I was referring to the Swiss Travel Pass. We will need it for the first 3 days of the trip, then the last 8. After doing the math, the 15 day pass seemed to be the best option. Plus, I know we will be able to use all of the other transportation methods anytime – so we can add on things we might not know to plan for now. Since we only need to go from the border to Mieming (and back) it seems all I will need to do is get the tickets for that portion of the trip.
I very much appreciate the details on the routes and times for the trains – it really helped clarify things. And thanks as well for the tools and additional sites!
With regard to the motorcycle time. We are renting a bike through Edelweiss touring company, which supplies the motorcycle, along with a specific route (GPS included), and with hotel accommodations and stops planned along the way. We will start in Austria, then head through Germany, Switzerland, Austria again, then Northern Italy. We have thought about ensuring we have plenty of time to adjust, and are familiar with mountain riding, so I am confident we will be in good shape. Or I should say, he will be in good shape to drive, and I will be in good shape to hold on 🙂
We started planning this dream two years ago and with only 13 days to go, I am now quite a mix of excited and nervous about my first trip to Europe. The support and incredibly valuable advice from this site and experts has been a tremendous help – thank you all!!
Depending on your plans for the first 3 days in Zurich the Swiss Travel Pass may be overkill. Perhaps just get the 8 day for the end of your trip? Assuming you are travling around Switzerland a fair but on those 8 days at least!
Again depends on your plans after you arrive in Zurich of course. The more more you use it/ farther out you go, the more sense it makes to have it.
When you are ready to buy the Swiss Travel Pass you can do so online here: http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass/price. They can email it to you within 30 minutes generally and you can print at home so no time wasted when you land at the office.
Sounds like a great trip! Happy Travels!
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