Eurail pass (10 days) vs Swiss Travel Pass 15 days

  • Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    23 December 2017 at 7:55:48 #813861

    Dear all

    I would like to thank you guys for your great website, as it really makes easier planning one’s trip to Switzerland.

    I wanted to know which pass will suit me the best. This is my second time in Switzerland (last time in April 2017) and I have already done the Bernina express tour, lived in Lauterbrunnen; done with the Jungraujoch tour and some hiking in Wengen and Kleine Scheidegg.

    This time I would like if I can fit the Glacier Express tour in my itinerary? I wanted to explore more of the east and the south of Switzerland also cutting some costs. My current plan:

    (a bit flexible and please suggest if I have some other options also)

    • Jan 5: Arrive in Geneva, take train to Bern (spend the night)
    • Jan 6: Travel to St. Gallen (explore and then spend one night there) (library and museum visit)
    • Jan 7: Go to Appenzell, explore and spend the night back in St.Gallen or Appenzell
    • Jan 8: Back to Bern and explore the city or some other alternate plan you might suggest??
    • Jan 9-12: Rest and explore the city (are there any day trips from Bern and back??)
    • Jan 13: Go to some town near Zermatt (Ernin or St.Niklaus?) explore it
    • Jan 14: Explore Zermatt in the day and back to Bern by night (~2hour journey)
    • Jan 15: Work trip to Lausanne and back to Bern
    • Jan 16-Jan19: staying in Lausanne for work (just some city travel)
    • Jan 19: Train back to Geneva and fly back to Singapore

    As I understand most of my travel is covered by the 10 days Euro-rail 2 country pass?? And which is around 150CHF cheaper than the Swiss travel pass 15 days. Also I am assuming the train to Appenzell is covered by the EU rail pass. The only thing not covered is the city travel (will it be more than 50 for my plans??)

    Kind regards

  • Effortlessly learn from the questions and answers in the forum. Receive a daily e-mail with new discussions.

    Peterli
    Participant
    1206 posts
    23 December 2017 at 17:42:40 #873167

    Hi,

    Hmm. I will be interested to see what the railway pass experts answer to your query concerning Eurail and Swiss Rail Passes.

    Are you planning on staying in Berne for the nights of January 8 through 12 ?

    I am also thinking that it might be simpler for you to stay somewhere near Lausanne for the nights of January 14 through 18. You say you are working in Lausanne January 16, 17, 18, and also part of the 19th ? If so, then you are probably not looking for suggestions of what to do during these days.

    Keep in mind that this time of the year can be pretty dreary in the non-mountainous parts of Switzerland.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    23 December 2017 at 17:51:47 #873168

    Hi minhenz,

    Yes, those trips would be covered the the Eurail Select Pass between the cities. Where it gets more complicated is any trips into the mountains, where the Swiss Travel Pass offers better coverage/discounts.

    Click on these links to reviews maps for each rail passes coverage areas

    Eurail Select Pass & Swiss Travel Pass

    The Glacier Express would work well if you can fit it in after your trip around Appenzell as it leaves from nearby Chur to on to Zermatt which you want to visit.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    24 December 2017 at 22:36:23 #873169

    Thanks a lot guys.

    @Peterli, I will most probably stay in Bern from 8th night -13th and maybe go to Neuschatel on a day and back but still looking for some day trips for 10th-12th. For the accommodation I have already booked in Lausanne from 16th-19th.

    Now we have a slight change in plan to accommodate the glacier express.

    So we plan to travel directly from Appenzell to Davos & stay in a nice place in the mountains near Wiesen on 7th. On 8th morning we take the glacier express and then take the train back to Bern from Brig as we have to be there on 8th night. It might get a bit hectic I know but then I don’t come to Switzerland that often.

    And for Zermatt we plan to spend the night of 13th in St. Niklaus, then take the early morning train to Zermatt and then do the hike up to Gronergrat (still have to confirm if its possible in winters?) and then take the cogwheel back on the return journey and then back to Bern on 14th.

    Since I will have to take the cogwheel train to Gronergrat, I think it will be better to take the 15 day swiss pass. I know my plans are a bit complicated (my gf has to work on some days) that’s why I am still confused between the EU and the swiss pass.

    Merry Christmas 🙂

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    25 December 2017 at 9:28:14 #873170

    If you aren’t travling in another country at all I would lean towards the Swiss Travel Pass – better discounts as I noted for mountain trips like Gornergrat etc. You can buy the Swiss Travel Pass online here and have it emailed to you for printing at home (and this gives you an electronic backup as well).

    As for hiking up Gornergrat in the winter I am not sure about that – do check out this website for winter hiking options around Zermatt: https://www.zermatt.ch /en/winter-hiking-snowshoeing/Winter-hiking-trails

  • The thread ‘Eurail pass (10 days) vs Swiss Travel Pass 15 days’ is closed to new replies.

About MySwissAlps

We’re passionate tourists and locals. We share tips about how to plan a trip to Switzerland. MySwissAlps was founded in 2002.

Get a free account for a worry-free trip

  • Join our 10730 members and ask us questions in the forum
  • Access to member-only promotions
  • Detailed maps and weather forecasts

Planning your first Switzerland adventure?

Get a jump-start with Annika’s 20-minute e-mail course, “Switzerland for beginners”. Subscribe to our newsletter to unlock the course.