[kperigo]

12 May 2018 at 20:02:18 #815914

Hello again,

Today I bought tickets for Paris to Basel. I used Trainline and today is first date I could buy tickets. We are travelling from Paris to Basel on September 12. Cost for 2nd class seats is euro 58.00 for 2 adults. TGV Lyria 9211 departing 10:23, arriving Basel 13:26. Tickets were emailed to me for printing. I also added trip to Trainline app so have e-ticket I can show on train as well. Easy, peasy.

Not so easy is deciding what train passes to buy. No surprise, right. I think 90% of posts are about what pass to buy.

I have labored over the spreadsheet for hours and hours. We are not “let’s plan every minute” kind of people. I have lots of thing on my to see/do list. What we will ultimately end up doing , who knows. I don’t Pretty sure we will not go up to Junfraujoch. So, I decided we will go with the Berner Oberland pass along with a half fare card.

This sums up the travel between moves we will be doing:

1. Buy ticket Basel – Wengen

2. BO pass for 10 days

3. Buy ticket Brig – Zermatt

4. Buy ticket Zermatt – St. Moritz on Glacier Express

5. Upper Engidine 4 days using free local pass from hotel.

6. Going to Lugano on Bernina Express. I think some part of this may be covered on local pass. Not sure, but will have to purchase ticket. We are 4 nights in Sils Maria.

7. Buy Lugano – Luzern on GPEX.

8. 3 nights in Luzern. Have not researched this part much. Not sure there is a local free pass. Will use half fare card here.

9. Buy ticket Luzern – Basel and onward back to Paris.

We are 21 in Switzerland. Next time I will be pay attention to rail passes and plan trip around the duration of those.

Kay

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[Removed user]

13 May 2018 at 16:16:56 #884981

Hi Kay,

Looks nice. I’m sure you’ve figured out the rail passes just fine.

I can’t tell on your itinerary how long you are in the Bernese Oberland area but I guess around 10 days if that is the pass you are buying?

Are you buying our Bernese Oberland Pass after arrival in Wengen then?

[kperigo]

13 May 2018 at 16:34:27 #884982

Hi Lucas,

We are in Wengen for 6 days and Kandersteg for 4 days. Thus the 10 day BO pass. I plan to buy the pass in Wengen. Should I buy the half fare card in advance or on arrival in Basel?

Looking at the boundary map for the pass I believe it can be used from Kandersteg to Brig. And at Brig will need to purchase ticket to Zermatt. Am I interpreting this correctly?

Kay

[Removed user]

13 May 2018 at 20:25:48 #884983

Hi Kay,

I’d buy the Swiss Half Fare Card online – then you have it with you as well as an electronic back up and you can get the purchase discount when buying the Regional Pass Bernese Oberland.

Yes, you are correct on the Regional Pass Bernese Oberland map.

[Removed user]

14 May 2018 at 7:06:46 #884984

Hi Kay,

>> 6. Going to Lugano on Bernina Express. I think some part of this may be covered on local pass.

First of all, confirm that your pass includes free public transport as well as mountain transport (some are only for mountain transport), and check whether it is also valid on your day of departure. If so, it will cover you as far as Alp Grüm. You are probably already aware that reservations are compulsory for the Bernina Express.

When booking your reservation, book train and bus separately for the best results.

Alpenrose

[kperigo]

15 May 2018 at 21:13:30 #884985

Alpenrose,

Thanks for the reply. We are staying at the Hotel Privata. Their website states “All hotel guests who stay for two nights or more have free use of public transportation in the Upper Engadine.” We will be staying 4 nights. I will inquire if pass is good on day of departure.

Kay

[Removed user]

16 May 2018 at 0:19:25 #884986

If you have the time in Basel, you can buy the half fare card at the travel centre. It is quite efficient.

Be careful on the Lotschberg route. You must get the local train over the mountain route to (a) get to Kandersteg and (b) stay valid with your BO pass (which is not valid on trains through the base tunnel)

[Removed user]

16 May 2018 at 1:02:21 #884987

>> All hotel guests who stay for two nights or more have free use of public transportation in the Upper Engadine.

There is more information about the Mountain Railways Included card on the following site:

http://www.engadin.stmoritz.c h/sommer/en/bergbahnen -inclusive/

(Expand the heading Valid for Engadin St. Moritz Mountain Railways and Cable Cars for a list of included mountain transport)

According to the Participating Hotels list, your hotel participates in the following aspects of the offer:

• Mountain railways

• Public transport in the Upper Engadin

• PostAuto buses (excl. Palm Express) on the routes Maloja–Promontogno–Castasegna–Chiavenna and Promontogno–Soglio

if you have enough time to go to Soglio, I can highly recommend it. If interested, you can read my trip report and see some photos here:

http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/trip-report-bregaglia-valley-soglio

Alpenrose

[kperigo]

16 May 2018 at 1:24:38 #884988

Hi 1960man,

Thanks for the heads up on this route. No tunnel for me.

Kay

[kperigo]

16 May 2018 at 1:27:47 #884989

Hi Alpenrose,

I believe it was Rockoyster who gave me this link based on your information earlier this year when I started planning. You are a wonderful resource.

Kay