[Removed user]

27 January 2018 at 23:57:35 #814175

Hi,

My wife and I (Age 50 & 46) are travelling to Zurich from Australia in April and will spend a few days in Zurich. We will then travel out of Zurich, and would like advice on the best Rail or Travel pass to buy to travel by train for the following itinerary:-

Day 1 – Zurich to Geneva

Day 2 – Geneva to Zermatt

Day 3 – (Zermatt) – Mattahorn Cable Car (Glacier Palace etc…)

Day 4 – Zermatt to St. Moritz (Glacier Express)

Day 5 – St Moritz to Paris (via Zurich)

Many Thanks,

John…

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[rockoyster]

28 January 2018 at 2:07:21 #875288

G’day John and Welcome to MySwissAlps,

I’d say a 4-day Swiss Travel Pass would do you nicely.

Zurich to Geneva you will go via Lucerne and Golden Pass Line (http://www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass) to Montreux, yes? If so consider Montreux as a stop off instead of Geneva.

Before you can know for sure which pass suits your travel plans you need to do the sums based on the cost of all your planned trips on trains, boats, cable cars etc.

You can use the Swiss Train Timetable (http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable) to work out the fares for any trip. When you go to buy a ticket the fare you see on the right hand side of the page will normally be the half-fare price. Double it to get full fare. With A Swiss Travel Pass it is free provided it is shown as free on the Area of Validity map ( PDF downloadable from http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass/validity).

You should read “How to choose the best travel pass” (http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass).

[Removed user]

29 January 2018 at 13:18:24 #875289

Thanks for your advice..

We are visiting CERN in Geneva, so hence the stop off there.

Just doing some quick sums at full price, I see the following (per person each):-

Day 1 – Zurich to Geneva – 44 CHF

Day 2 – Geneva to Zermatt – 49 CHF

Day 3 – (Zermatt) – Mattahorn Cable Car (Glacier Palace etc…) 136 CHF

Day 4 – Zermatt to St. Moritz (Glacier Express) 153 CHF

Day 5 – St Moritz to Paris (via Zurich) 281 CHF

The 2nd Class half fare pass is 119 CHF (plus half the above 332 CHF) = 451 CHF total

The 2nd Class 4 day Swiss Travel Pass Flex is 309 CHF (plus 68 CHF for Mattahorn Cable Car) = 377 CHF total, so seems much better value.

Even though actual train travel will only be on day 1,2, 4 & 5 (4 days), can the 2nd Class 4 day Swiss Travel Pass Flex be used on day 3 for the Mattahorn Cable Car (or would this be counted as a 5th day)?

Also , can the 2nd Class 4 day Swiss Travel Pass Flex be used to travel to Paris (or is there an additional cost from Zurich to Paris as this is outside Switzerland)? If so, is there a more economical travel pass to suit this travel schedule?

Regards,

John…

[Removed user]

29 January 2018 at 18:03:59 #875290

Hi John,

Please pay attention when you look at the prices. The fare you see on the right hand side of the page will normally be the half-fare price. You will have to double it to get full fare. Your Zurich to Geneva trip is actually CHF 89,-. So the Swiss Travel Pass Flex is even a better value than you originally calculated.

It won’t cover the part of your trip in France. I’m assuming that you’re crossing the boarder in Basel. A ticket from Basel to Paris is needed which is around CHF 159,-. Maybe you could combine the Swiss Travel Pass Flex with the Euro Select Pass. Have a look at the validity of the pass as well and see if it will bring you any savings.

If you use the pass on day 3, it will be counted as a travel day. If the Euro Select Pass is an option, you can play around with your days and cover day 3 as well.

[Removed user]

29 January 2018 at 20:12:48 #875291

Hi Chantel,

Thanks for your reply. My appologies, you are correct. My first two journeys had the incorrect price. The correct figures should be:-

Day 1 – Zurich to Geneva – 89 CHF

Day 2 – Geneva to Zermatt – 98 CHF

Day 3 – (Zermatt) – Mattahorn Cable Car (Glacier Palace etc…) 136 CHF

Day 4 – Zermatt to St. Moritz (Glacier Express) 153 CHF

Day 5 – St Moritz to Paris (via Zurich) 281 CHF

The 2nd Class half fare pass is 119 CHF (plus half the above 379 CHF) = 498 CHF total

The 2nd Class 4 day Swiss Travel Pass Flex is 309 CHF (plus 68 CHF for Mattahorn Cable Car) = 377 CHF total

If I purchase the 2nd Class 5 day 2 Country Euro Select Pass instead – 308 CHF each per person (2 audult travellers together), can I use this for all the travel schedule above (including the Mattahorn Cable Car and travel to Paris)? If so, this would seem the best value?

The only other cost would be seat reservation on the Glacier Express and Zurich to Paris trains.

Regards,

John…

[rockoyster]

29 January 2018 at 20:32:06 #875292

Eurail Select will get you to Zermatt but won’t cover trains or cable cars there. See http://www.myswissalps.com/eu railselectpass/validit y.

[Removed user]

30 January 2018 at 17:21:12 #875293

Hi John,

My thinking was actually the following:

• 4 day Eurail Select Pass for 2 countries which you use on day 1 and 5 (CHF 255,-) as it looks like you’re only training these two days and don’t do any mountain visits or other activities.
• 3 day consecutive Swiss Travel Pass which you use on day 2, 3 and 4 which will give you the 50% discount on the cable car and will cover the train there. (CHF 233,- for the STP + cable car ticket which would be CHF 50 for Klein Matterhorn – Glacier Paradise. – closed from 30 April to 11 May 2018).

I’m not sure if you’ve downloaded the Excel spreadsheet which will help you to select the best rail pass?

[Removed user]

3 February 2018 at 1:52:25 #875294

Hi Chantel & Rockoyster,

Thanks again for your reply and thanks for the advice. Looking at the numbers, it seems the 2nd Class 4 day 2 Country Euro Select Pass (274 CHF) is the best value (use on day 1,2,4 &5), and purchase the Matterhorn Cable Car separately (136 CHF) – Total 410 CHF.

If I do this option, do you know if there is any other Pass, Offer or any other way to buy the Matterhorn Cable Car and Glacier Palace at a reduced price?

[Removed user]

3 February 2018 at 7:59:29 #875295

There is the Peak Pass in Zermatt that incorporates several mountain peaks and gives you unlimited access but wouldn’t work if the Klein Matterhorn is your only trip there?

I’m guessing you’ve also looked into the Swiss Half Fare Card on your calculations as well? That gives you 50% off all train/gondola/boat tickets bought in Switzerland but at 120chf you have to use it several times to get your money worth – and if you have the Eurail Select Pass I doubt you need both unless you have more mountain excursions planned.

[Removed user]

3 February 2018 at 21:33:07 #875296

Thanks All,

Appreciate your advice. Looking forward to visiting Switzerland..!!

Regards,

John