Bunch of questions related to Swiss Pass

Hello everyone,

I will visit Switzerland in July and plan to buy a Swiss Pass for 15 days.
However, I have some questions that I would be happy to clarify:

1. Does Swiss Pass work in other countries, for example, in Italy for railways? Can I use Swiss Pass to get from Milan to Interlaken? If yes, can I activate Swiss Pass in Milan?
2. What would be the shortest and cheapest way from Milan to Interlaken (if Swiss Pass does not work in Italy)?
3. If I book Swiss Pass online, can I print it out or I will recieve it through the mail? If it's through mail, how much it costs to send it? And does the postage cost is depending on the number of bought Swiss Passes?
4. How much time does it take to activate Swiss Pass if I have ordered it online beforehand? Is it difficult?
5. Does the railway system in Switzerland in divided in railways and express train?

I would be really thankful to recieve any information regarding just mentioned questions.

I am sorry if any of these topics are already covered previously, I did not find them.

Thank you! :-)

Hello dee22, and welcome! Below you'll find some answers to your questions:

1) The Swiss Pass is valid for Switzerland only. Parts of some routes that cross the border are still covered. For example: if you travel from Milan to Switzerland, your Swiss Pass will be valid from either Domodossola in Italy or Chiasso in Switzerland. So you should buy a regular ticket from Milan to Domodossola or Chiasso (depending on the connection you prefer), and start using your Swiss Pass from therer onwards. A map showing the area of validity can be found on the Swiss Pass page. As for activating/validating your pass, see #4;

2) The cheapest way to travel from Milan to Interlaken would be to purchase a regular ticket from Milan to Domodossola or Chiasso and use your Swiss Pass from there. The section Domodossola/Chiasso - Interlaken will then be for free. As Chiasso is closer to Milan, that would be the cheaper option. The shortest route is through Domodossola though;

3) If you order your Swiss Pass online, you'll receive the pass at home by regular post. Shipping rates don't depend on the number of passes you buy, but they do depend on your country of residence. You can select your country in the order options list on the Swiss Pass page. An indication of shipping rates is mentioned here with each country. If you follow the order procedure, you'll find out what the exact shipping rates are.

4) Activating your Swiss Pass can be done in a minute. All you have to do is fill out the date on which the validity has to start, according to the enclosed instructions. From then on, your Swiss Pass will be valid for the following 15 days. You have fo fill out the date before you start using your Swiss Pass. So in your case, you should write down the date before you start using your pass during your trip from Domodossola/Chiasso to Interlaken.

5) I'm not sure if I understand your last question correctly. Could you clarify this? There's a number of different kinds of trains in Switzerland. Some are highspeed connections with little stops on the way, others are regional trains (often called 'Interregio' or 'Regio Express') with many stops. You can find more information on the trips you want to make by entering your departure and arrival station in the online timetable. The timetable will show all connections possible and give more information per connection. It's also possible to see all intermediate stops. Is this what you mean?

Please feel free to come up with other questions as well!

Dear Annika,

Thank you very much for the reply!

So, I do not have to activate Swiss Pass by some employees of Swiss Pass system in certain place, say in a railway station? I just have to fill out the starting date in a Swiss Pass?
About the 5th question, does the Swiss Pass work for any kind of railways, i.e., they all are for free?

The thing is that my grandparents are going on their own to Switzerland and their English knowledge are not very good, therefore I have to clarify the smallest details, so that they know everything in advance, and therefore maybe some of my questions might seem weird.

Best regards,
Dee

Hi Dee, as far as I know, all you have to do is write down this date on your pass. So your grandparents don't have to get out at a railway station or ask employees to validate the pass. Along with your pass you'll find detailed instructions on this. Please read these carefully, so that you're absolutely sure. Of course the Swiss railway personell will help your grandparents, should they still doubt.

The Swiss pass offers free traveling on almost the entire national regular train network, and discounts on many cable cars and mountain trains. The map I mentioned before shows this well. All red, black and yellow lines are covered by the Swiss Pass. The normal lines indicate free traveling and the dotted lines show that a discount applies. Does this answer your question?

I hope your grandparents will have a wonderful journey!

Dear Annika,

Which is the best website to buy SwissPass?

Best,
Dee

Hi Dee, you can buy it on the Swiss Pass page. Click your country under "Order your Swiss Pass here".

Hi Annika,

I have received the Swiss Passes now, and wonder where I can find the list of the activities (included in the Swiss Pass) that has to be booked before (for example, cable railway);
and what is the shortest time before the reservation hs to be made (for instance, two days before going to some place)?
Also, about Swiss Passes themselves - there are two cards (for 2 persons) and on each card there is a part that can be teared off (in a size of a credit card); why is that for? should they be teared off when departing? Is there any site where the exact usage of the cards themselves is explained?
And I also could not find the list of the free museums provided by the Swiss Pass.

Thank you very much in advance!

Dee

Hello Dee! You've probably received a map along with your Swiss Passes, indicating all routes on which the Swiss Pass is valid. If not, the map can be found on the Swiss Pass page. A list of activities that have to be booked for isn't included, as most trips don't require booking in advance. Only special panoramic train routes, such as the Glacier Express and Bernina Expess, require booking in advance. More information on this is available at the seat reservation page. Regular trains, mountain trains and cable cars don't require booking. Your grandparents can simply hop on and off trains, buses and boats which are for free, and buy discounted tickets for mountain railways and cable cars at the spot, right before boarding.

You should leave the part of your Swiss Pass which can be teared off right where it is. It probably has travel dates and other importation information printed on it, so don't tear it off. You may have to fill out names and passport numbers here and your grandparents should show the entire card, including this smaller part, to train conductors. Instructions on the use of your Swiss Pass should be included in the post you received (they can be printed on the back of the synoptic map as well), and it's important to follow these instructions.

An overview of all museums included in the Swiss Pass is available through the link 'Swiss Museum Pass', under the header 'Swiss Pass features', at the Swiss Pass page.

Does this answer your questions?

Thank you for the answers!

Some new questions have appeared. 1) Does one have to pay in trains for the baggage seperately (when having Swiss Pass)? If yes, are there some certain sizes of weights starting from which one has to pay for the baggage and where can I find how much? 2) In regular trains how the Swiss Pass work as the ticket? Is it needed to show Swiss Pass to driver to receive a train ticket before starting to drive or one just can show Swiss Pass to conductor and it's enough? In other words how is the Swiss Pass registered in trains? 3) If I buy a train ticket from Milan to Domodossola in internet, is it for a certain time in one day or I can use it at whatever time during the specific day?

Best,
Dee

Hello Dee,

If you are meaning suitcases and/or backpacks, you will find no trouble taking them with you on Swiss Trains. There's mostly room enough between two seat rows, above the seats and there will be space at the entrance of the trains too. You don't have to pay extra.

When travelling with a Swiss Pass on regular trains you just have to show it to the Railway Personnel when they ask you for it (and they will… ;-)). As long as your Pass is validated, and I read in this topic you know how to do that, there will be no problem, you will just get a friendly "Thank you" or "Danke!". For regular trains it will not be necessary to buy extra tickets, your Swiss Pass IS your ticket. When travelling by trains like the Glacier Express or the Bernina Express (just examples) you will have to buy reservations. For mountain transportation you will have to buy discounted tickets. Just always take your Swiss Pass as well.

Buying a ticket from Milano to Domodossola: you could try to use the SBB Ticket Shop and fill out the blanks, just see what happens, and you will be able to choose different times of departure and arrival. As you go on you will find if reservations are necessary. If so, your ticket will be valid for that particular train and that particular time only. If reservations are not necessary, you can use the ticket during the whole day.

I hope this answers your questions, and I wish you a very pleasant stay in Switzerland!

Olga

Yes it does, thanks a lot!

Regarding regular train tickets, for example from Milan to Domodossola, if I buy them in internet how I validate them in train? Or it is enough to just have printed out ticket?

I know this forum is about Switzerland, but maybe you know how it is in Milan - if I arrive in Milan Central Station, could I find the right platform in 25 minutes? Just I need to know what tickets to buy..

Hello Dee,

If you are in doubt about how to proceed when you buy a ticket, e.g. Milano-Domodossola, you could ask the SBB online. The Timetable Switzerland page offers the posibility (after you have searched for a connection from A to B) to contact them. There's an option "Contact".

I'm sorry, I can't help you with your second question. Hopefully you will find someone who does.

I wish you a pleasant journey!

Hello Dee! Unfortunately, I can't help you out with your question on the Milan railway station. But the Italian Railways may be able to provide the information you're looking for. I'd say that 25 minutes should suffice to find the right platform.

As far as I know, tickets purchased online don't require further validating, as they have a date printed on them already. But to be sure, you could indeed ask the SBB as Wandermann already suggested.

Good luck and have a great trip!

Ok, then one last question: I bought a ticket from Milan to Domodossola in 1st class because there were no more 2nd class tickets left, but my swiss pass ticket is 2nd class. So, in Domodossola, where my Swiss Pass starts to work as a train ticket, I need to go to the 2nd class vagon? Also, if there were no 2nd class tickets to buy from Milan to Domodossola, does it means that there will be no seats when I change to 2nd class vagon in Domodossola?

Thank you in advance!

Hi Dee. Yes, in Domodossola you should switch to a 2nd class section, as your 2nd class Swiss Pass won't entitle you to a seat in 1st class. That 2nd class tickets were sold out for the Milan-Domodossola part, doesn't mean that there aren't any 2nd class seats left for the remaining part of the trip. You had to make seat reservations for the specific section from Milan to Domodossola and this doesn't have to be an indication for the part from Domodossola on. For many trains between Domossola and Brig, seat reservation isn't even possible, so I don't think it will cause you any problems. In general, trains within Switzerland don't require seat reservation and offer enough seats for all passengers.

Hello,

Pass-ID/Nr on Swiss Pass itself means person's id number or passport's number (the one for passport itself)?

Thanks :-)

Hi Dee, it should be the unique passport number of the passport you take along while traveling.

Hello!

I'm going to Switzerland soon, but i have a question in which i hope you can help me :-)

The hotel where i'm going to be hosted, will give us (we are 2) a pass for the public transports. My question is: this pass does it give us free acess to the museums? And if it doesn't, is there a pass only for the museums?

Thanks**
sara

Hi Sara, and welcome to our website!

Passes issues by hotels are usually for traveling in the immediate surroundings of that town only. If you travel any further, you need to buy tickets or a pass. I don't know whether the hotel pass includes museums. It probably provides discounts to some local museums. The Swiss Pass includes free entrance to many museums. You can purchase a Swiss Museum Pass separately as well.

Please keep in mind that we don't allow to post the same question in multiple topics. I removed the other identical one you posted. Also, feel free to open a new topic for your questions rather than posting in an existing old topic. More people will see your question that way. It's in our guidelines. Thanks!