Info / guidance needed – 1st time visitor

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    27 January 2011 at 23:48:58 #804182

    Hello – Me, my wife and daughter (43, 42 and 13 years) plan to visit Switzerland in mid-May / June. We will be flying from Mumbai (India). We will be 1st time visitors and are planning to cover Switzerland and Italy. Based upon the info that I collected over the internet, my plan is to visit the following places:
    – arrive in Zurich
    – visit Lucerne (Rigi, Titlis, Pilatus) – do I visit all or only 1/2 ?? need guidance here ..
    – from Lucerne travel to Interlaken (jungfraujoch, beatus caves)
    – from interlaken to zermatt (matterhorn)
    – from zermatt want to take the glacier express to st. moritz
    – any other tourist attractions at st moritz ??
    – from st moritz take the berlinga express to italy
    – in italy visit venice, florence and rome (how many days at each place ??)

    I was planning to cover the above in approx. 18 to 20 days, including travel from and to mumbai. Is it a good plan ? Or do I need more days.

    I was planning to have a swiss family saver pass in Swiss. Is there any such travel plan in Italy or do I buy point-to-point tickets ?

    Appreciate any help and guidance on places to cover in above regions at Swiss and Italy, clean but budget range hotels at both places and internal transport in both counttries.

    Thanks.
    Abhijit

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    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    28 January 2011 at 9:10:05 #832389

    Hi Abhijit. Welcome to this forum!

    You have made a great itinerary. Of course it’s always possible to extend your stay. You can easily stay a whole month in Switzerland and still not cover everything. But 20 days should be sufficient for the traveling you intend to do. I would suggest to take at least 10-12 days for the Swiss portion of your trip to actually have time to do your sightseeing a bit slow paced.

    A Swiss Saver Pass and a free Swiss Family Card would indeed be a good choice. I would suggest to consider to buy it online (click “India” on the Swiss Saver Pass page) as that’s cheaper than buying after arrival. For example: a 15-day Swiss Saver Pass costs CHF 790.50 in Switzerland, or INR 36,551.00(CHF 754.50) when purchased online from India. Buying online also allows you to purchase along your pass for Italy. I don’t know details about Italian rail passes, but I do know that you can choose from 3-10 days of consecutive or non-consecutive traveling.

    As for Rigi, Titlis and Pilatus: they’re all beautiful, but if I would have to pick two I would visit Rigi and Titlis and skip Pilatus. That’s because Rigi and Pilatus offer (partly) the same views, but Rigi allows you to do some easy hiking if you like. That’s not possible on the Pilatus and Titlis. Also, Rigi is free with a Swiss Saver Pass and the other two are discounted.

    I would suggest to include a boat trip on either Lake Lucerne or Lake Brienz/Lake Thun from Interlaken. It’s free with a Swiss Saver Pass.

    Please review these pages for further information:
    Swiss (Saver) Pass, including a link to a map with all services included
    Attractions around St. Moritz
    Timetable to check traveling times
    Hotels in Switzerland (but you can search for Italy as well)

    I hope this gets you started.

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    29 January 2011 at 23:20:27 #832390

    Thank You for athe info you provided below. It is indeed very helpful to a 1st time visitor like me.

    My tentative travel plan is:
    – arrive in Zurich
    – visit Lucerne (Rigi, Titlis, Pilatus) – do I visit all or only 1/2 ?? need guidance here ..
    – from Lucerne travel to Interlaken (jungfraujoch, beatus caves)
    – from interlaken to zermatt (matterhorn)
    – from zermatt want to take the glacier express to st. moritz
    – any other tourist attractions at st moritz ??
    – from st moritz take the berlinga express to italy

    Few more questions ……
    a) is the travel plan chalked out good enough or do I need to alter my the places of visits ?
    b) which places do I make a halt at to book hotels and how many days do you recommend at each place to cover the sightseeing places
    c) i was palnning on staying at B & B’s to cover on budget, is that a good option with family or do you recommend staying at hotels only ?
    d) If B & B, which ones do you recommend for booking ?

    Appreciate if you could help me on the above.

    Regards
    Abhijit

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    30 January 2011 at 2:52:39 #832391

    You’re welcome! I’m glad I can help. As for your questions:

    a) It’s a good plan. As I said before, you can always spend more time and visit more places, but that goes for any holiday destination. Your itinerary looks good enough to really experience Switzerland.
    b) Based on your plans I would say that this is the minimum number of days: Lucerne 2 days, Interlaken 2 days, Zermatt 1 day, St. Moritz 2 days. The one day for Zermatt is because it’s rather isolated and compact, but an extra day would be great.
    c) I don’t see a reason why not to do it. Lodging in Switzerland is mostly of good quality. Of course the quality goes up with the price.
    d) I can’t recommend specific B&B’s, but you may want to look at:
    – the hotel page I mentioned before (these are relatively cheap hotels at good locations)
    – the tips for cheap lodging and cheap towns
    – the other link pages such as this one

    Perhaps other forum visitors have specific B&B’s to share.

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    31 January 2011 at 1:56:39 #832392

    Hi Abhijit,

    Someone just recommended me the Rugenpark B&B in Interlaken, near the West station.

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    31 January 2011 at 2:28:18 #832393

    THX a lot again.
    As I said earlier, I was planning to take the Berlinga Express train from St Moritz to Tirano in Italy. Is my Swiss Family Saver Pass vaild throughout the journey till Tirano or is it valid only on the Swiss leg ? If valid only on Swiss leg, kindly suggest how to extend the pass till Tirano ?
    Actually, I am planning to visit Venice …. so is there a transport from St Moritz (my final destination in Swiss) to Venice directly rather than take the Berlinga Express ?
    Regards
    Abhijit

    Annika
    Moderator
    7094 posts
    1 February 2011 at 11:08:13 #832394

    Hello Abhijit. The Swiss Saver Pass is valid for the Bernina Express train ride up to Tirano. The map we link to at the Swiss Pass page shows all route on which free travelling is allowed. The timetable allows you to search for connections from St. Moritz to Venice. It’s a long trip (about 7 to 8 hours), and direct connections aren’t available. Options are:

    – via Thusis, Bellinzona and Milano;
    – via Chiavenna, Colico and Milano. The bus rides between Thusis and Bellinzona, and between St. Moritz and Chiavenna, are both nice trips.
    – the Bernina Express to Tirano, and then onto Venice by train via Milano. This will take about 9 hours, but the splendid train ride over the Bernina Pass is – in my opinion – worth the extra time.

    In each case, your Swiss Pass will be valid up to the Swiss or Italian station indicated on the map I just mentioned.

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    1 February 2011 at 19:48:17 #832395

    I am assuming that mid-May to 1st week of June would be a good time (weather wise and no rain) to visit Switzerland. I plan to book between these days.

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    2 February 2011 at 0:43:50 #832396

    Yes it is. But no guarantees. Anything can happen in the Alps: sunny days, but rain and snow as well.

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    3 March 2011 at 4:43:24 #832397

    Hello ,

    After 2 weeks of going thru the information available on the internet and Swiss sites, I have finally decided on my iterenary for Switzerland and need your help to update me on the questions asked below. The travel will start in month of June (approx. June 1st week).Day 1 – Travel by Bernina Express from Tirano to St Moritz, so as to reach St Moritz by late afternoon (around 430pm local time).
    Day 2 – Visit Upper Engadine lakes,do a short walk around Maloja / Silvaplana), visit Muothas Muragl later in the day.
    Day 3 – Catch Glacier Express to Zermatt
    Questions:
    a) I am planning to buy a Swiss Flexi Saver pass for me and my wife and a Family Card for my 14 year daughter. The first date of travel on the card will be Day 1 (when I first use it at boarding in Tirano). Am I correct in saying this ?
    b) Are there any reservations I need to make for the places intended to visit on Days 1,2 and 3 ? If yes, should I make it from India or when I arrive in St Moritz.
    c) Do I need to make advance reservations for the journey from Tirano to St Moritz ? Or Do I need to make reservations at all or simply hop on to a train.
    d) Do I need to make advance reservations for the journey from St Moritz to Zermatt ? Or Do I need to make reservations at all or simply hop on to a train.
    e) Is all of the above travel completely free along with my Swiss passes or should I be paying at some places, for travel (some discounted price) as well as for admission fees ?
    Day 4 – Visit Klien Matterhorn in morning, and travel to visit Glacier Altesch in afternoon from Moofluh or Eggishorn.
    Day 5 – Visit Gorneghat in morning and travel to. Interlaken
    Questions:
    f) Are there any reservations I need to make for the places intended to visit on Days 4 and 5 ? If yes, should I make it from India or when I arrive in Zermatt.
    g) Do I need to make advance reservations for the journey from Zermatt to Interlaken ? Or Do I need to make reservations at all or simply hop on to a train.
    h) Is all of the above travel completely free along with my Swiss passes or should I be paying at some places, for travel (some discounted price) as well as for admission fees ?
    Day 5 (late afternoon) – relax around the lakes in the evening with a small boat trip or leisurely walks
    Day 6 – Visit Schynige Platte as soon as I arrive in Interlaken, visit Beatus caves in afternoon
    Day 7 – Visit Jungfraujoch in early morning, make a cable-car and short walks trip to some nice small villages like Murren, Grimmelwald etc. and visit schilthorn in evening.
    Day 8 – Visit Lake Oeschinen (need help on how easy is to get there from Interlaken). Travel Interlaken to Lucerne.
    Questions:
    i) Are there any reservations I need to make for the places intended to visit on Days 5,6,7 and 8 ? If yes, should I make it from India or when I arrive in Zermatt.
    j) Do I need to make advance reservations for the journey from Interlaken to Lucerne ? Or Do I need to make reservations at all or simply hop on to a train.
    k) Is all of the above travel completely free along with my Swiss passes or should I be paying at some places, for travel (some discounted price) as well as for admission fees ?
    Day 8 (late afternoon) – take a cycling tour around to nearby places at Lucerne (Lucerne – Niklausen – Kastawiebaum – Tribschen – Lucerne)
    Day 9 – Early morning visit Mt Rigi and then visit Mt Titlis
    Day 10 – Early morning leave for Zurich
    ( I am still pondering whether I should visit one place between Gutsch or Dietschiberg, or give it a miss completely. Can you help me ?)
    Questions:
    l) Are there any reservations I need to make for the places intended to visit on Days 8, 9 and 10 ? If yes, should I make it from India or when I arrive in Zermatt.
    m) Do I need to make advance reservations for the journey from Lucerne to Zurich ? Or Do I need to make reservations at all or simply hop on to a train.
    n) Is all of the above travel completely free along with my Swiss passes or should I be paying at some places, for travel (some discounted price) as well as for admission fees ?
    Day 10 (In Zurich) – Viisit RheinFalls, Grossmunster, Fraumunster, take boat tour on lake in evening
    Day 11 – Travel back Zurich to Mumbai (India)
    ( I am still pondering whether I should visit Hollgrottes Caves at Baar, or give it a miss completely. Can you help me ?)
    Questions:
    o) Are there any reservations I need to make for the places intended to visit on Day 10 ? If yes, should I make it from India or when I arrive in Zurich.
    p) Do I need to make advance reservations for the journey for Rheinfalls ? Or Do I need to make reservations at all or simply hop on to a train.
    q) Is all of the above travel free along with my Swiss passes or should I be paying at some places, for travel as well as for admission fees ?
    In general, also need help on:
    r) is the above trip practical and makes sense for a family holiday or do you suggest any alterations to the schedule based on your expert advice ?
    s) is Swiss Flexi Saver pass the only option for the 10 day trip OR can I avail the Swiss Saver pass too for the 10 days ?
    t) how do I split the Swiss Flexi Saver pass for the best possible use of facilities available based on above iterenary ?
    I know its a long mail, but as said earlier being a 1st time traveller outside my country, I wanted to be as detailed as possible.
    Appreciate all the help you can provide.
    Regards
    Abhijit A.

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    3 March 2011 at 12:15:33 #832398

    Hi Abhijit,

    Please find my answers below.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: Hello ,

    After 2 weeks of going thru the information available on the internet and Swiss sites, I have finally decided on my iterenary for Switzerland and need your help to update me on the questions asked below. The travel will start in month of June (approx. June 1st week).Day 1 – Travel by Bernina Express from Tirano to St Moritz, so as to reach St Moritz by late afternoon (around 430pm local time).
    Day 2 – Visit Upper Engadine lakes,do a short walk around Maloja / Silvaplana), visit Muothas Muragl later in the day.
    Day 3 – Catch Glacier Express to Zermatt
    Questions:
    a) I am planning to buy a Swiss Flexi Saver pass for me and my wife and a Family Card for my 14 year daughter. The first date of travel on the card will be Day 1 (when I first use it at boarding in Tirano). Am I correct in saying this ?[/quote]Yes, you are.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: b) Are there any reservations I need to make for the places intended to visit on Days 1,2 and 3 ? If yes, should I make it from India or when I arrive in St Moritz.[/quote]No, that’s not necessary.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: c) Do I need to make advance reservations for the journey from Tirano to St Moritz ? Or Do I need to make reservations at all or simply hop on to a train.[/quote]You can just hop on 99% of the trains in Switzerland. A couple of panoramic and international trains require seat reservations. The timetable shows whether you need to book a particular train. In such a case, you can best book wel in advance (i.e. in India) instead of waiting until you are in Switzerland.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: d) Do I need to make advance reservations for the journey from St Moritz to Zermatt ? Or Do I need to make reservations at all or simply hop on to a train.[/quote]Please refer to my previous answer.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: e) Is all of the above travel completely free along with my Swiss passes or should I be paying at some places, for travel (some discounted price) as well as for admission fees ?[/quote]Please refer to the map we link to from the Swiss Flexi Pass page. It shows where you can travel for free or discounted.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: Day 4 – Visit Klien Matterhorn in morning, and travel to visit Glacier Altesch in afternoon from Moofluh or Eggishorn.
    Day 5 – Visit Gorneghat in morning and travel to. Interlaken
    Questions:
    f) Are there any reservations I need to make for the places intended to visit on Days 4 and 5 ? If yes, should I make it from India or when I arrive in Zermatt.[/quote]No, that’s not necessary.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: g) Do I need to make advance reservations for the journey from Zermatt to Interlaken ? Or Do I need to make reservations at all or simply hop on to a train.[/quote]Please refer to my previous answer.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: h) Is all of the above travel completely free along with my Swiss passes or should I be paying at some places, for travel (some discounted price) as well as for admission fees ?[/quote]Please refer to my previous answer.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: Day 5 (late afternoon) – relax around the lakes in the evening with a small boat trip or leisurely walks
    Day 6 – Visit Schynige Platte as soon as I arrive in Interlaken, visit Beatus caves in afternoon
    Day 7 – Visit Jungfraujoch in early morning, make a cable-car and short walks trip to some nice small villages like Murren, Grimmelwald etc. and visit schilthorn in evening.
    Day 8 – Visit Lake Oeschinen (need help on how easy is to get there from Interlaken). Travel Interlaken to Lucerne.[/quote]You can take the train to Spiez and then switch trains to Kandersteg. A chair lift takes you up to the lake. Fill out “Oeschinen” in the timetable for details.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: Questions:
    i) Are there any reservations I need to make for the places intended to visit on Days 5,6,7 and 8 ? If yes, should I make it from India or when I arrive in Zermatt.[/quote]No, that’s not necessary.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: j) Do I need to make advance reservations for the journey from Interlaken to Lucerne ? Or Do I need to make reservations at all or simply hop on to a train.[/quote]Please refer to my previous answer.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: k) Is all of the above travel completely free along with my Swiss passes or should I be paying at some places, for travel (some discounted price) as well as for admission fees ?[/quote]Please refer to my previous answer.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: Day 8 (late afternoon) – take a cycling tour around to nearby places at Lucerne (Lucerne – Niklausen – Kastawiebaum – Tribschen – Lucerne)
    Day 9 – Early morning visit Mt Rigi and then visit Mt Titlis
    Day 10 – Early morning leave for Zurich
    ( I am still pondering whether I should visit one place between Gutsch or Dietschiberg, or give it a miss completely. Can you help me ?)[/quote]I’m sorry, I don’t know. Perhaps someone else does.

    [quote]AbhijitA said:
    Questions:
    l) Are there any reservations I need to make for the places intended to visit on Days 8, 9 and 10 ? If yes, should I make it from India or when I arrive in Zermatt.[/quote]No, that’s not necessary. I’m just not sure about the cycling tour. That depends on whether it is guided and where you rent your bike.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: m) Do I need to make advance reservations for the journey from Lucerne to Zurich ? Or Do I need to make reservations at all or simply hop on to a train.[/quote]Please refer to my previous answer.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: n) Is all of the above travel completely free along with my Swiss passes or should I be paying at some places, for travel (some discounted price) as well as for admission fees ?[/quote]Please refer to my previous answer.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: Day 10 (In Zurich) – Viisit RheinFalls, Grossmunster, Fraumunster, take boat tour on lake in evening
    Day 11 – Travel back Zurich to Mumbai (India)
    ( I am still pondering whether I should visit Hollgrottes Caves at Baar, or give it a miss completely. Can you help me ?)[/quote]As you will also visit the Beatus caves, you might want to visit these only in case bad weather prevents you to do something outdoors. But it’s a matter of personal preference.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: Questions:
    o) Are there any reservations I need to make for the places intended to visit on Day 10 ? If yes, should I make it from India or when I arrive in Zurich.[/quote]No, that’s not necessary.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: p) Do I need to make advance reservations for the journey for Rheinfalls ? Or Do I need to make reservations at all or simply hop on to a train.[/quote]Please refer to my previous answer.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: q) Is all of the above travel free along with my Swiss passes or should I be paying at some places, for travel as well as for admission fees ?[/quote]Please refer to my previous answer.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: In general, also need help on:
    r) is the above trip practical and makes sense for a family holiday or do you suggest any alterations to the schedule based on your expert advice ?[/quote]I think you did a good job. It’s a lot of travelling, but I can imagine that you want to see as much as possible.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: s) is Swiss Flexi Saver pass the only option for the 10 day trip OR can I avail the Swiss Saver pass too for the 10 days ?[/quote]Both can be used. The Swiss Saver Pass is more convenient as it doesn’t require you to plan free travel days. You can just board trains, boats etc. on all days without purchasing a ticket. Please refer to this FAQ to find which one is most economical.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: t) how do I split the Swiss Flexi Saver pass for the best possible use of facilities available based on above iterenary ?[/quote]There are two things to keep in mind:
    1) It’s validity ends after the last day of free traveling. So day 10 should be the last day. If you need to travel to the airport on day 11, you can just pay the full price for that short distance, or book an hotel close to the airport instead.
    2) The other travel days should be used on the days that would be most expensive. The FAQ I referred to helps to figure that out. You don’t have to decide on which days you pick when you purchase your pass. You can do that before boarding the first train of the day.

    [quote]AbhijitA said: I know its a long mail, but as said earlier being a 1st time traveller outside my country, I wanted to be as detailed as possible.
    Appreciate all the help you can provide.
    Regards
    Abhijit A.[/quote]It is 🙂 No problem! It’s good to see that you want to prepare the best possible trip for your family. I hope my answers help to finish up your preparation.

    You need to book hotels as well. A good selection can be found here, including links to many more hotels.

    Enjoy your stay!

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    3 March 2011 at 20:36:58 #832399

    Hello, On your response to the below question:

    s) is Swiss Flexi Saver pass the only option for the 10 day trip OR can I avail the Swiss Saver pass too for the 10 days ?

    (Your response was)
    Both can be used. The Swiss Saver Pass is more convenient as it doesn’t require you to plan free travel days. You can just board trains, boats etc. on all days without purchasing a ticket. Please refer to this FAQ to find which one is most economical.

    WHile I agree that the Swiss Saver Pass is more convinient as I dont need to plan for free travel days, I am a bit confused here on how does the Swiss Saver pass become eligible for my trip of 11 days (including airport). I thought it comes only for validity of 8 days or 15 days. Pls advice if I can buy a Swiss Saver Pass for 11 days also and how do I do that.

    ALso do both these type of passes give me discounts on the admission fees to certain attractions or just the travel portion ?

    Regards
    Abhijit

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    4 March 2011 at 1:28:14 #832400

    Hi Abhijit,

    The Swiss Saver Pass can indeed be purchased for 4, 8, 15, 22 days or 1 month only. You would need a 15-day pass and not use the last days. A 15-day pass is just a bit more expensive than an 8-day pass. In fact, it’s similar to a Swiss Saver Flexi Pass that can be valid for 1 month, but you would also not fully use it. Both passes provide the similar advantages such as discounts on mountain transportation and free entrance to many museums (only on free travel days with the Swiss Flexi Pass!). Details are listed on the Swiss Pass page and Swiss Flexi Pass page.

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    20 March 2011 at 5:09:08 #832401

    Hello,
    I need to book budget accomodation (B&B preferred or hotel) at St Moritz on June 8th to June 10th (2nights, 1 room, 3 adults). When I searched some sites, the rooms looked really expensive while I was looking at something simple but clean and budget.
    On 10th June, I am catching the Glacier Express to Zermatt, so close proximity to railway station in St Moritz would help.
    Pls advice.

    Regards
    Abhijit

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    20 March 2011 at 5:19:30 #832402

    Hello Abhijit,

    St. Moritz is indeed quite expensive. What budget do you have in mind?

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    20 March 2011 at 5:31:56 #832403

    Hello,
    1st of all, thank you for the quick reply.
    I did understand that St Moritz was expensive looking at the various hotel sites and rates.
    The budget I had in mind was around Euro 100 per room / night or around that range. WHich is why I said that family run B&B’s would have 1st preferrence.
    As per my travel plan below, appreciate if you can guide to accomodations in Zermatt / Lucerne too…but St Moritz is the 1st stop and top priority as of now.
    Regards
    Abhijit

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    20 March 2011 at 7:11:28 #832404

    Hi Abhijit,

    Both St. Moritz and Zermatt are very popular. Unfortunately, that means accommodation is quite expensive. I personally don’t know B&B’s or hotels close to the St. Moritz station for that price. Hotel Bellaval is a middle class hotel and extremely close to the station (you’ll be on the platform in 60 seconds), but it does not fit your budget. Even a family room in the local youth hostel is more expensive, but it includes dinner as well, so it may still fit your needs. The cheapest hotel I know is hotel Sonne, which is listed on the hotel page, so you may have already seen that. It’s not close to the station though, but you can take a bus.

    You will find more or less the same prices for Zermatt, but Hotel Bahnhof is a good exception right across the rail station. Some others can be found through booking.com and the hotel page I mentioned above.

    Lucerne can be a bit cheaper. Click the link “booking system” on the hotel page to search for hotels in Lucerne or any other town. For example, the Hotel Etap Luzern City is about 10 minutes from the rail station and relatively cheap.

    I hope this helps!

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    22 March 2011 at 6:46:38 #832405

    Hello,
    One more step thru …. did manage to book hotels at St Moritz & Zermatt. Thanks for all the help provided there.
    Now oOn the rail pass.
    I plan to buy a Swiss Half Fare Card for 1 month (for myself & wife). I have a 14 year daughter for whom we plan to get the Family Card.
    I will be travelling from Tirano to St Moritz on Bernina Express.

    Where do I buy the half fare card’s for both self and wife ? and how do I do the seat reservations on Bernina without the half fare card with me ?
    Where do I get the Family Card for my daughter ?

    Request advice pls.

    Regards
    Abhijit

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    22 March 2011 at 7:07:25 #832406

    Hello – One correction on my earlier mail –

    ” Please respond to my 3 questions below keeping in mind that instead of a half fare card, if I have to buy the Flexi Saver / Saver pass then where to I buy them ?”

    One more step thru …. did manage to book hotels at St Moritz & Zermatt. Thanks for all the help provided there.
    Now oOn the rail pass.
    I plan to buy a Swiss Half Fare Card for 1 month (for myself & wife). I have a 14 year daughter for whom we plan to get the Family Card.
    I will be travelling from Tirano to St Moritz on Bernina Express.

    Where do I buy the half fare card’s for both self and wife ? and how do I do the seat reservations on Bernina without the half fare card with me ?
    Where do I get the Family Card for my daughter ?

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    22 March 2011 at 14:45:12 #832407

    Hello Abhijit,

    I’m glad I could help! Purchase options (online or in Switzerland) are listed on the pages of the Swiss Half Fare Card and Swiss Flexi Pass. Seat reservations can be arranged for completely separately from any pass or ticket you may use. As long as you have all valid travel documents at hand when boarding the train, all is fine. Please review the seat reservation page for details.

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    23 March 2011 at 6:55:34 #832408

    Hello –
    Sorry for bothering you again …. but I did the Swiss Pass purchase details and all it said was how to order the pass from your country. That did not help me. I am interested in knowing if:
    a) are these passes available at Tirano station when I am on-borading the Bernina Express ?
    b) can I order these online and get a copy immediately that can be validated when I first on-board a train in Swizterland ?
    Regards
    Abhijit

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