Do we really need a Swiss travel pass?

  • Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    11 January 2015 at 14:31:17 #806800

    Hi, for this itinerary, do we really need a Swiss Travel Pass or should we buy tickets as we go along? 2 to 3 days in St Moritz area. Then travel to Lucerne where spend another 2 days. Then travel to Bernese Oberland area where plan to spend 7 days, hopefully at one place. For the most part, we want to hike and observe different sceneries, so I imagine in addition to walking we’d be using to some extent local trains, buses, cable cars, boats etc. in order to explore these three areas. We may take a scenic train ride one way too, but for the most part plan to walk. From Interlaken, we will head to Rome, Italy to take our flight back (we will be spending first half of our vacation in Italy). We are a family of four–two adults, two kids (9 and 12 years). Thanks!

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    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    11 January 2015 at 15:17:11 #841520

    Another question. Do I have to buy Swiss Travel or Half Ticket Pass for our kids (they are 9 and 13 years old)? Seems we get family pass for free with purchase of these passes. If we need to buy just two adults Swiss Travel Passes and not for kids, then this pass seems to make sense. Would appreciate any suggestions…

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    12 January 2015 at 8:10:35 #841521

    Hi rashmirajat, welcome to MySwissAlps!

    You definitely need a rail pass to save money on regular tickets, and I think a Swiss Travel Pass makes sense. All in all you’ll be traveling quite a lot and that’s what this pass is for. Indeed you do not need a pass for the kids. You can order along a free Swiss Family Card and take them along for free everywhere, even in cable cars. Please see the Swiss Travel Pass page for details, prices, etc.

    The journey back to Rome is free until Domodossola, Italy. You need a point to point ticket from there to Rome. As you live in the US, you can get the pass and that ticket from raileurope.com/rail-tickets-passes/swiss-pass.

    You could reconsider the order of the towns you plan to visit. If you plan Interlaken as your second stop, you can travel from St. Moritz to Brig by the Glacier Express, which is really worth it. The Glacier Express is free with the Swiss Travel Pass as well, but you do need to get seat reservations for all travelers, as explained on the page I linked to. After Interlaken, take the Golden Pass line to Lucerne, and finally trains to Rome with a change in Milan (free until Chiasso with the Swiss Travel Pass).

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