3 day trip with Lucerne as base

Hi everybody ,

We are family of 5 , 3 kids ,ages 5,7 and 11 yrs visiting switzerland from 10-13 Oct ,2015

I will reach Zurich by train from Paris on 10 oct ,10 am . From the station we go to Lucerne and stay there till 13 oct , when we leave by 4 pm for basel europort to take a flight out .

I plan to buy a 4 days continous swiss travel pass ( with family card ) .

Q1.

If I start to use the pass from opct 10 ,11 am can I use it till Oct 13 , 6 pm .

Q2.

Can I keep my luggage in Zurich rail station , and make a 3-4 hrs city trip to see Zurich before heading to Lucerne .

or should I staright away head to Lucerne .

Q3.

While in Lucerne ,which panoramic trains should I focus on ?Since I have only 2 full days in Lucerne

Q4

I want to visit one mountain railway - Pilatus /Titlis or Rigi ?

sine I travel with kids I would like to keep my trips short .

Q5.

Since I plan to stay only in Lucerne , is it better I buy a 2 day Tell Pass ?

Thanks .

Welcome to MySwissAlps reader1972!

Q1: Yes, you can use the pass for the entire day on October 13. Please see here for how it works.

Q2: Well, Zurich isn't part of the Basel to Lucerne route. If you want to go to Lucerne, then change trains in Basel and go straight to Lucerne rather than the detour. If you're interested in seeing Zurich, then stay seated until Zurich. You can certainly store your luggage in lockers, see the city, and take a train to Lucerne later.

Q3/4: There are various suggestions on the Lucerne page. If you like scenic train trips I would certainly include Mount Rigi. The kids may find Mount Pilatus more exciting. You can check the linked pages for details.

Q5: The Tell-Pass might work out cheaper than the Swiss Travel Pass, but does not include the trip to/from Basel. Your 5-year old travels for free everywhere, but the other two would need 50% discounted tickets for this trip, since the Tell-Pass does not include a Swiss Family Card. You'd have to do the math to see which option is cheaper.

Does this help you out?

Thank you !

That raises a doubt ,

Q1. Even after I buy a fixed price ticket for kids (@30 CHF each ) i STILL HAVE TO PAY

50% TICKET FOR ANY TRIP TAKE IN LUCERNE REGION ?

Q2 .Which Panoramic trains are covered inthe Tell Pass and do they need prior booking ?

Q3 . I want to take the Golden Tour Pilatus , does it need prior booking and is it full covered by Tell Pass .

Q4 .Should I buy the Tell Pass at Zurich HBf and will it be of any help rather than buying it on reaching Lucerne ?

I did the math , I think the 4 day Tell pass is almostthe same price asthe 4 day swiss pass , but gives me added convenience of ticket less travel in the Lucerne region .

Hi reader1972,

Q1. No, the children travel for free after paying that fixed price.

Q2/3. Please see myswissalps.com/ tellpass/ validity. You don't need to book in advance.

Q4. Buying online is the easiest option (myswissalps.com/ tellpass/ price), as you don't have to spend time on it in Switzerland. You can also buy it in Zurich or Lucerne, although Lucerne would not make sense because part of the trip Zurich - Lucerne is covered by the pass: Baar to Lucerne is free. So with a Tell-Pass in hand you only need to buy a ticket from Zurich to Baar, which is available from the machines (usually no waiting time).

With a Swiss Travel Pass, all is free from Basel, even boats, buses and the cogwheel trains and cable cars to Mount Rigi. All you need in this case is discounted tickets for remaining mountain transport, if any. So essentially this is ticketless traveling too, perhaps even more so. Boats, trams, etc. in Zurich are included too, should you need them. Prices can be found here.

Thank you for your help ,

When I checked for prices for swiss travel pass on the following link :I found 4 day continous "" WITH EXTENDED VALIDITY" when I tick the the following option( I plan to travel between 22/09/2015 and 02/11/2016 )

It costs 408 Euros (@print at home option ) and should cover my travel dates from 10/10/2015 till 13/10/2015.

www.raileurope-gcc.com/pass/swiss-travel-pass-82

Q1. What is the "extended validity clause..." ?

Q2. As I travel from Paris by TGV LYRIA (ticket taken upto Zurich ) by 7 am morning departure from Paris .Is it better I get off at Basel ( rather than Zurich ) then travel straight to Lucerne rather than reach Zurich? How much time do I save ?

Q3. On second thoughts if I buy the Swiss Pass, I may as well arrive in Zurich by 10 am, spend the first day ( about 6-8 hrs in Zurich ) before proceeding to Lucerne .In that case I will have to keep luggage at Zurich HBF .What are the Locker charges for 2 large suitcases .If so what can I see in Zurich day visit, any special attractions for kids , can I make a visit to Rhine Falls?

Q4. I was considering the Tell Pass because, if weather permits, I wanted to visit the Mount Pilatus and Titlis, which i found are the costliest trips, and covered fully by Tell Pass.

I hope that with your valuable inputs I will take a final call on which pass to buy and look forward to a pleasant trip.

Thank you so much !

Regards

Hi reader1972,

Q1. I haven't seen that before on their website. I just contacted them and it seems that they're working on a new promotion. But it does not work yet due to a technical problem. I suppose they'll fix that soon. Once this promo is fully available we'll add to the Discounts section of our Swiss Travel Pass page: myswissalps.com/ swisstravelpass/ promotions.

Q2. It's up to you if you want to see Zurich (see Annika's answer). The fastest direct trains from Basel to Lucern takes one hour. Via Zurich it's two hours.

Q3. A large locker (44 x 61 x 88 cm) costs CHF 9 per 24 hours. The Zurich page and Rhine Fall page provide more tips for activities.

Q4. I see what you mean. Well, the only way to know which pass is cheaper is to do the math like Annika suggested. You first need a final itinerary, then do the math. The trip to the Rhine Falls is included in the Swiss Travel Pass too, for example, and not in the Tell-Pass. Details like that make a difference.

I hope this helps!

Update: "extended availability" is a new promotion. You can now buy a pass which can be used until November 2 of next year. Since pass prices are pretty low this year, this is interesting for anyone traveling next year. It does not make a difference for you though. We have added the promotion to the page I mentioned in my previous post.

They're also working on another Swiss Travel Pass promotion: it offers 70% off mountain trips instead of 50%. I'll add that to the page as soon as it's available.

Oh ! I wonder if the 70% off mountain trips promo would be available before leave for Switzerland i.e.10 october ?

Thanks !

You have been a great help !

Hi reader1972,

The new promotion is available now, please see my new post. In your case you can buy the Swiss Travel Pass from www.raileurope-gcc.com/pass/swiss-travel-pass-82, and the discounted cable car/cogwheel train tickets from www.raileurope-gcc.com/pass/swiss-peak-promo-7406 (the tickets with the extra discount need to be purchased in advance).

Delivery to Saudi Arabia takes 2 to 5 days, so don't wait too long if you want to take advantage of this.

Good luck making your decision!

Thank you for this piece of useful information .

When I checked the link it does not show option for children , only adults as follow s: pilatus : 28 Euros , Titlis : 46 Euros .

What is the fare for children -I have 3 kids ages 5 yrs , 8 and 11 yrs .Do I have to purchase separate tickets for mountain trips for them ?

Also do the mountain promos have a print at home option like the swiss pass does when booked through www.raileurope-gcc.com/pass/swiss-travel-pass-82

Waiting for your reply .

Regards .

Hi again!

You don't need tickets for the children. As a Swiss Travel Pass holder, you will get a free Swiss Family Card (see the start of this thread). That allows them to travel along for free everywhere. So you just need discounted tickets for the adults.

There's no print at home option, so you need to take the shipping time I mentioned into account. Details are on their site when ordering.

Dear Arno ,

Thank s ton for the info.

I know I am now testing your patience , but kindly bear with me .

One last question about the mountain promo -before I hit the" BUY " button .

Mount Pilatus and especially Mount Titlis trips are subject to weather /visibility . So if I buy the mountain promos now , but unable to go then I will waste the tickets !

On the other hand , can I buy these promos on the day of travel to Titlis /Pilatus while I am in Lucerne ??

Anyway I will buy the $ days continuous Swiss Pass .

Thanks again !

I bear with you, no worries! The promo mountain trip tickets are not refundable, but they are flexible, so you can use them on any day you want, depending on the weather. The fine print can be found on www.raileurope-gcc.com/pass/swiss-peak-promo-7406. You can't buy the promo tickets (70% off) in Switzerland, but you can buy the regular discounted tickets (50% off) in Switzerland. Please see the post for all the details.

Thanks a lot ,

I bought the swiss pass and the peak promo , should have it delivered to me in 2 days( i chose express delivery ) , no time for standard 5 day delivery.

As I travel from Paris by TGV Lyria , on 10 oct morning 7 am , I will get off at Basel , and head straight to Lucerne with my Swiss Pass.That should save me time instead of going to Zurich .

You have been of great help .

Keep up the good work !!

Bye for now , but waiting for further tips as how best to use my time in your beautiful country !

Hi ,

Can i hire / rent winter/snow clothing for self and children in Titlis ?

Thanks

Glad to help! To rent gear, please see www.titlis.ch/en/activ ities/winter-activities/gear-rentals.

Hi ,

I will be based in Lucerne for 3 nights , if I were to take ONE PANORAMIC TRAIN TRIP , lasting 4-5 hrs round trip from Lucerne , which one would you suggest .

Does it need reservation . I hold a Swiss Pass .

Thanks !

Within that time frame I would do a trip with the cogwheel train to Mount Rigi. It's a varying trip with great views, and you can combine it with a short hike, and a boat/bus/cable car trip. If you prefer a "real" train (not narrow gauge cogwheel), you can consider a trip Lucerne - Schüpfheim - Bern - Interlaken - Meiringen - Lucerne. You'll see part of the Golden Pass route and the Emmen valley.

Both options are free with a Swiss Travel Pass.

Dear Arno ,

I received my swiss pass ( it includes museum pass ) , family travle pass and peak promo passes - pilatus and titlis. through gcc-eurail

Q1. Do I have to stamp it at Basel Station before boarding train for Lucerene.

Q2. On day 1 : I reach Luceren by 12 noon and plan to do the round trip Rigi through Weggis , starting at 2 pm by boat from Lucerne-Vitzanau-Rigi-Weggis - Lucerne . Is it doable ?

day 2 : I plant to go to Titlis

day 3 : pont Pilatus

day 4: head to Basel Europort .Does the swiss pass cover my trip upto Basel Europort .

I will visit the other main touris attractions in Luceren - Transport museum , Luceren Autumn Fair etc.

Kindly suggest an economical place for eating in Lucerne , good for family . prefer veg .

Thanks ,

Hi reader1972,

You mentioned Swiss Pass and Eurail so I'm slightly confused. I assume you mean you purchased the Swiss Travel Pass from Rail Europe, right? If so, you need a stamp, but you don't need to spend time on that in Basel. Just ask the staff on the train from Paris to Basel, so your pass is validated when you reach Basel and you can go straight to your next train.

You'd better check the timetable for details on the Rigi trip. I think it should be doable, but you won't have much time left for a walk, for example.

Nearly all restaurants serve vegetarian food. The menu can be checked near the entrance.