Which pass to choose
A traveler has booked a 14-day tour in Switzerland and surrounding countries, looking for the best travel pass for their itinerary. Specifically, they want to know if the Eurail Select Pass covers urban transport and mountain lifts in Switzerland for their detailed plans. They are seeking advice on whether to choose the Swiss Pass instead for more economical options.
- Opt for the Swiss Travel Pass to cover most urban transportation and mountain lifts you plan to use during your stay.
- Consider a 15-day Swiss Travel Pass for comprehensive travel options rather than the Eurail Select Pass, which offers fewer benefits for your itinerary.
- Reserve seats in advance for post bus tours, especially during high season, to ensure availability.
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Hello, I just booked my tour to Switzerland. France, Italy and Germany will be on our program as well. I’m trying to find out which pass is most economical for me. The Eurail Select Pass for 4 countries would cover most train travelling in Switzerland, am I correct? We will be staying there for 14 days though and we want to explore lots of the country. We would need urban transportation and many mountain lifts (for example: Weisshorn at Arosa, Piz Nair at St. Moritz, Jungfraujoch, Schilthorn and Pilatus). Are they included in the Eurail Pass (the Swiss Pass does seem to cover most of these trips)? We also plan a post bus tour over 4 mountain passes from Meiringen. So which pass should I choose?
Thank you for any help you may offer.
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Confusing to pick the right one, isn’t is? My first guess would be that you would need a Swiss Pass for the Swiss part of you trip, it seems to cover more than the Eurail Select Pass. You could buy a 3 day select pass for the remaing countries. Am I right?
Hello Edna, welcome to our forum. I would agree with Jules, as the Swiss Pass offers more free travelling and/or discounts for the trips you mention than the Eurail Select Pass. For example, urban transportation in many cities is included in the Swiss Pass, but it is not in the Eurail Select Pass. There are more discounts for the mountain transportation trips you mention with a Swiss Pass (for example, the Schilthorn isn’t included in the Eurail Select Pass at all). Bus transportation isn’t covered by the Eurail Select Pass, but is by the Swiss Pass. (Please note though that you should pay a reservation fee for such a post bus tour, the so-called ‘Alpine Ticket’. More information, including online reservation options, is available at http://www.postauto.ch.) Over all, the Eurail Select Pass is suited for a rather superficial exploration of the country, but as you have detailed travel plans I would recommend that you consider a 15 day Swiss Pass.
Thank you for all this. I didn’t know about that Alpine Ticket, it seems wise to reserve seats in advance, is that correct?
This depends on the season of your travel. In high season post bus trips may be a bit crowded, but in general there are enough seats left if you book a few days in advance (please visit a local railway station for more information.) If you want to be absolutely sure though, booking well in advance is a good option.
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