[Anonymous]

6 August 2018 at 9:40:28 #817703

Hello,

We are traveling from Aug.14 to Aug.19.

We are landing in Zurich at 2:30 pm on Aug.14. We depart from Zurich on Aug. 19 at 10:00 am to Paris.

Few questions:

1. Swiss family card only has option for 4 day or 8 day. However, we are their for 6 days. What is our best option with travel pass.

2. We have 17 year old son with a disability of Autism, he is mobile/able to walk. Do we get discount on travel pass for kids with disability like Autism spectrum and any other accommodation.

3. Should we buy swiss travel pass before we reach Zurich or we can buy it at the airport.

If we buy the pass in Zurich , will be able to book reservations for the routes that need reservations.

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[User]

Reply 1 of 8 • 6 August 2018 at 19:09:39 #893425

Hi Mitalfamily1 and welcome to MySwissAlps!

1. The Swiss Family Card (https://www.myswissalp s.com/swissfamilycard) is valid for however long your Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Half Fare Card is valid for. The Swiss Travel Pass is valid for 4 or 8 days. The Swiss Family Card is valid for children 6-15 only though.
   1. The best rail pass (and length of rail pass) will depend on where you are traveling once in Switzerland. There are country-wide passes, like the Swiss Travel Pass (https://www.myswissalp s.com/swisstravelpass) and there are also regional passes (https://www.myswissalp s.com/regionalpasses)
2. Any discounts for disabilities that might be available on Swiss railways, are unfortunately limited to Swiss residents and not available to tourists. It does seem to be available only to those with reduced mobility in any case: https://www.sbb.ch/en/ station-services/passengers-with-reduced-mobility.html
3. You can buy the Swiss Travel Pass online here: https://www.myswissalp s.com/swisstravelpass/ price and also at the airport – but It would be more convenient to buy it online. It can be emailed to you and printed at home (saving you time at the airport train station and giving you a copy to print out again in case you lose your pass). Your son qualifies for the cheaper Youth version of the pass.

[User]

Reply 2 of 8 • 7 August 2018 at 4:13:32 #893426

Thanks!

I am not sure about Bernian express train/bus from St. Mortiz to Triano and back if it is included in the swiss pass.

Question:

Is bernine express included in the swiss pass.

Do I have to pay extra for the seat reservation.

How much in advance do I have to do the booking .

[User]

Reply 3 of 8 • 7 August 2018 at 4:34:42 #893427

Here is my Itinerary for the vacation: for 2 adults , 17 year old and 14 year old.

Aug.14 reach Zurich airport at 2:30. Take the rental car and reach the hotel in Orliekan. In the evening around 6 drive to Rhine falls enjoy the night view of the falls and come back to the hotel.

Aug. 15: buy the 4 day swiss travel pass. Spend 2-3 hours in Zurich. Take train to Lucern and check in our hotel/airbnb in unesco biosphere , lucerne area by 2:00. Do mt. Pilatius and

lake lucerne IF TIME PERMITS.

Aug. 16 : Do Mt. Titlus and Golden pass express train. Lucern-interlaken-Monterux . Do we need to do reservation a lot in advance. Can I do the reservation on Aug.15 when I buy the pass FOR THIS TRAIN ROUTE.

After golden express route will I have time to do Lake Thun and Beniz.

Aug. 17 : Do Bernine express Mt. Mortiz/Chur to Milan and back ( if included in the pass ).Please advice how much is cost if not included . Please advice what is the best way way to do this route and how much time is needed

Aug. 18 : Enjoy interlaken and Lucerne town

Aug. 19 : take train from Lucerne to Zurich . From Zurich take train to Paris. ( tickets are booked ). Aug.19 will be our 5th day and swiss pass won’t be valid. What is the best way to reach Zurich train station from unesco -lucerne.

Looking forward for your expert advice for the above plans and make this a memorable vacation for our awesome family .

[User]

Reply 4 of 8 • 7 August 2018 at 8:26:10 #893428

Hi Mitalfamily1,

Yes, the Swiss Travel Pass covers the Bernina Express bus and train – see here for a PDF map: https://www.myswissalp s.com/swisstravelpass/ validity

but reservations are extra and mandatory: https://www.myswissalp s.com/berninaexpress/p ackages

Book as far in advance as possible as the trains can be sold out.

Aug 14: Are you renting a car just for a few hours? Why not take a train to the Rheinfalls? https://www.myswissalp s.com/rhinefalls/gettin gthere

Aug 16: You don’t need to buy a pass for the Golden Pass train route if you have the Swiss Travel Pass. Reservations are a good idea between Zweisimmen and Montreux: https://www.myswissalp s.com/goldenpass/packa ges

You won’t have time to do the Golden Pass route to Montreux and then train back to Thun or Brienz for those lake trips no. Unless you start very early in the morning and want to take a night cruise.

Aug 17: Use the Swiss railways timetable to plan the trips: https://www.myswissalp s.com/timetable
The Bernina Express train goes to Tirano, not Milan and you won’t have time to go all the way to Milan and back in one day anyway. https://www.myswissalp s.com/berninaexpress/g ettingthere

[User]

Reply 5 of 8 • 7 August 2018 at 18:58:46 #893429

We have the car booking from Zurich from Aug. 14 to Aug.16 for 300 dollars. We booked the car as 5 day pass was not available and thought car renting as best. We plan to do Zurich city and Rhine fall in car and drive to Lucerne in car to reach our base for swiss sight seeing. Is renting car better or buy point to point tickets more reasonable.

We plan to Buy three day pass. In which we will cover One day Golden express route, second day bernina express and third day lucerne , interlaken lakes. What would you suggest.

This way we we could by pass for 3 days ( Aug. 16, 17,18 ). Aug. 19 we leave for Paris from ZURICH at 10:00 am. Will our swiss pass work on 19th morning to go to Zurich station. If not how much train ticket cost from lucerne to zurich

Lastly, which is a good place to buy tandem paragliding tickets. Do we get any discount with swiss pass. Expedia had discounted price of 125 dollars can we book it from them or it is best to book when in interlaken.

Please advice.

[User]

Reply 6 of 8 • 8 August 2018 at 8:05:58 #893430

If you’ve already rented a car for your trip, I’d only look at buying a Swiss Half Fare Card, to get 50% off any trips you do take by train, cable car or boat. https://www.myswissalp s.com/swisshalffarecar d

If it were me, I’d get a Swiss Travel Pass for 4 days, buy point to point tickets on day 1 or 5 (whichever is cheaper) and not rent a car. But sometimes a car rental is best for families. But you can’t use the car at all when traveling on the Bernina Express or Golden Pass route or on the lakes so it will just sit at your hotel.

For paragliding, a rail pass won’t offer you any discount no.
We do have 2 paragliding options noted on our Jungfrau region activity page that you can look into here: https://www.myswissalp s.com/jungfrauregion/a ctivities

[User]

Reply 7 of 8 • 8 August 2018 at 10:34:11 #893431

Is it easy to travel in train and bus with luggage when going from Zurich to our hotel in orlekan and from Zurich to Lucerne.

Thanks ! For all your inputs.

[User]

Reply 8 of 8 • 8 August 2018 at 14:09:48 #893432

Do you mean Oerlikon in Zurich?

Yes, luggage shouldn’t be a problem in trains or buses. Sometimes it can be a bit of a struggle during rush hour when buses are very full but otherwise it should be fine.There are many hotels very close to Oerlikon train station so you may only need to walk there after the train from airport.