Cost of rail passes

Hello Arno and Annika.
I am already starting to plan our next trip in summer next year. We haven't fixed our dates yet but it will be July/August as usual. I noticed that the current price for the Swiss saver Pass is less than I paid earlier this year. How early can I purchase next year's Pass (once dates are fixed of course) and are they likely to go up of I leave it till next year to purchase? Do you know when the retailers usually revise their prices for the coming year? I am hoping to sort everything out as early as possible because the earlier I book my flights, the cheaper they are and I was wondering if I should take the same approach to purchasing the Pass instead of leaving it till nearer the time of travel as I did this year.
I realise you may not have this information but I thought it was worth asking in case you do!
Best Wishes Maggie

Hello Maggie,

The offcial prices of the Swiss Saver Pass and other passes of the Swiss Travel System are usually changed once a year on January 1. Retailers may adjust their prices more frequently due to exchange rates and promotions. Prices will go up by 2.5% on average by January 1, 2013. Most retailers will adjust their prices accordingly on or shortly after January 1. From the UK, you can already order passes for next summer through swissrailways.com. You'll pay the current price for them. I don't know what the prices of retailers will be after January 1. They'll probably follow that 2.5% increase, but it depends on multiple factors including exchange rates, shipping rates, promotions, etc.

I hope this helps you decide!

Thank you Arno - that does help.

So if I can get my dates confirmed soon I will order our Pass before January before the prices go up. I will also purchase my flights early for the same reason! We are considering going for a month next year so the money I save by being early with everything will help pay for the extra week. We are hoping to persuade our daughter to come and join us for a week as she enjoyed it so much this year and if our son could also get time off to come (at a different time as it is a 3-person apartment) the extra week gives them more flexibilty with dates. We will both be celebrating our 70th birthdays during 2013 and the extra week is also a joint birthday present to ourselves!!
Just wish we had discovered Switzerland's delights earlier when we were fit enough to take on the more challenging hikes. However there are still plenty of walks suitable for our level of fitness and plenty of places on my extensively - researched "wish-list" to visit. I have folders full of print-outs and timetable information, almost enough to set up as a travel agent!
Thank you again for your help.
Best wishes Maggie