Geneva to Interlaken-travel options with SwissPass

Hello, I'm starting a new thread on this. I want to know if I can do the following - Take a train from Paris to Geneva. Will I get Swiss Pass discount on this train ticket? If yes, then how do I get this discount? Do I need to purchase swiss pass first (online) and then book this ticket? Thereafter from Geneva I would want to go to Interlaken. Can I take the Goldenpass train? I understand it leaves from Geneva train station and goes to Montreux and towards Interlaken. Is the train station in Geneva the same (i.e. where I will get off from my Paris - Geneva train) from where I can take the Golden Pass Line or do I have to go to another station to take the golden pass? Secondly, would this Golden Pass trip from Geneva to Interlaken be covered in the Swiss Rail Pass? If not, are there any other trains from Geneva to Interlaken which are covered in the Swiss Rail Pass? In short - how to get from Geneva to Interlaken using the Swiss Pass!Thank you so much!

<<"Take a train from Paris to Geneva. Will I get Swiss Pass discount on this train ticket? If yes, then how do I get this discount? Do I need to purchase swiss pass first (online) and then book this ticket?">>

If it is inside Switzerland, it is covered. if it is outside Switzerland, with rare exceptions such as the Centovalli line, it is not covered.

The correct name is Swiss Travel Pass.

<<"Thereafter from Geneva I would want to go to Interlaken. Can I take the Goldenpass train? I understand it leaves from Geneva train station and goes to Montreux and towards Interlaken. Is the train station in Geneva the same (i.e. where I will get off from my Paris - Geneva train) from where I can take the Golden Pass Line or do I have to go to another station to take the golden pass?">>

From Paris, there is only one station in Geneva, and that is the same station from which you can leave for Montreux.

Slowpoke

Paris to Geneva is not covered nor discounted as Geneva is on the French border. The Golden Pass line is fully covered. All details are here:

• myswissalps.com/ swisstravelpass/ validity
• myswissalps.com/ goldenpass

Thank you guys for your response. I have a general question for using Swiss Travel Pass - Can i just hop on and hop off from trains (including Golden Pass) covered in Swiss Travel Pass? or do I need to reserve a seat and pay a fees (specially for panoramic trains on Golden Pass)?

Q1. Take a train from Paris to Geneva. Will I get Swiss Pass discount on this train ticket?

A1. No you won't as Paris is outside Swiss border. Your Swiss Travel Pass only covers within Swiss territory. You have to book full priced tickets from TGV Lyria website: www.tgv-lyria.com/en/booking/b ook-a-train/train-ticket-booking

Q2. Do I need to purchase swiss pass first (online) and then book this ticket?

A2. As mentioned above, both are independent on each other so you are better off buying your Paris-Genevé ticket first to get a cheaper price and then book your Swiss Travel Pass. STP prices are fixed till end of year so you can buy them a week before your travel as well (www.swissrailways.com/ en/products/swisspass)

The Swiss Travel Pass is a "Print@Home" pass. Once you buy, you can print your passes at home and carry the same. They don't require any validation or stamping by ticket officer. Simply show it to them when asked for.

Q3. Thereafter from Geneva I would want to go to Interlaken. Can I take the Goldenpass train?

A3. Yes you can.

Q4. I understand it leaves from Geneva train station and goes to Montreux and towards Interlaken. Is the train station in Geneva the same (i.e. where I will get off from my Paris - Geneva train) from where I can take the Golden Pass Line or do I have to go to another station to take the golden pass?

A4. It's the same station but a different platform / track ('Gleis' in German)

Q5. Secondly, would this Golden Pass trip from Geneva to Interlaken be covered in the Swiss Rail Pass?

A5. Yes it is covered. I answered that in your other thread in details.

Q6. If not, are there any other trains from Geneva to Interlaken which are covered in the Swiss Rail Pass?

A6. All trains (except few) are covered in the Swiss Travel Pass. The shortest route from Genevé to Interlaken would be via Bern (1 change & 3 hours)

Thanks so much SS! Very helpful.

You're welcome Megha. Feel free to ask anything else.

Hi MeghaSwiss -

In addition to sskundu's thorough answer, I can add that, as you note, there are special seats which require reservations at extra cost on certain selected trains on the Golden Pass Route. If I recall correctly, they are only available on the especially scenic part from Montreux to Zweisimmen.

"Golden Pass" describes a set of tracks, actually, which has trains run by different rail companies along the route.

it is a little confusing. This link which Arno provided may help:

www.myswissalps.com/ goldenpass

In the timetable, once you have selected a particular journey from Montreux to Interlaken via Zweisimmen, and clicked on the plus sign to the left of the train selected, more information will appear. On the right of the page, descriptions/symbols for various services appear. Words such as "Golden Pass Classic" or "Panoramic," etc. are included if a special type of car is included in the train set. From Luzern to/from Interlaken, the train is called the "Luzern-Interlaken Express" in the time table.

If you do not chose Zweisimmen or some other intermediate stop in the "via" or connections box, the timetable will default to the fastest route....which is the route through Bern mentioned by sskundu.

Also, although you can indeed print a Swiss Travel Pass at home, you can also buy it other ways, such as at manned stations in Switzerland.

Lots of details at :

www.myswissalps.com/ swissrailpasses

Slowpoke

Buying online and printing @ home can be a time saviour and peace-of-mind thing as you have it handy before travel...

To expand on Slowpoke's explanation here is an attachment of what he means.