1st class for my itinerary & Swiss scenic trains?

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    28 November 2018 at 11:07:05 #819048

    Hi,

    Eurorail is doing 20% off for 1st class as we are planning to stay in Swiss for 4 nights and getting 4 days Swiss travel pass for family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids) in middle of Feb. As I read about 1st and 2nd class in the forum here. 1st being less crowded and more quiet but since I am traveling in off peak season. I guess 2nd class would not be too crowded during that time. Does 1st class offer for most of the ride i am taking? Other concern is that we are family of 4 and 1st class seat configuration is 1 + 2 instead of 2 + 2 in 2nd class.

    Take TGV train from Paris to Lucern arrives in late evening.

    1 day in Lucern, 2 days in Interlaken and 1 day in Zermatt. we are trying to take as many Golden pass route and Glazier Express as possible for most scenic view.

    Day 1 morning – Lake Lucern boat tour from Lucern to Brunnen or Fluelen. Return to Lucern by train

    Day 1 afternoon – Train ride from Lucern to Interlaken (How do I check the train i am riding is Golden Pass route or all of them are Golden pass route? )

    Day 2 morning – Train ride from Interlaken to Grindelwald (Again, How do i check the train I am riding is Golden Pass route?). If weather is clear, buy ticket to Jungfrau

    Day 2 afternoon – Return back to hotel in Interlaken by train

    Day 3 morning – Train ride from Interlaken to Zermatt (Is there Golden Pass route or Glazier express available? Is Glacier express worth for this route as pay reservation is required)

    Day 4 morning – Train ride from Zermatt to Lausanne then return to Paris by TGV train

    Thanks.

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    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    28 November 2018 at 12:09:36 #899651

    Hi Us Matrix,

    Before answering your questions, which of the below promotions are you referring to? Or is it a different one?

    The reason I ask is because Eurorail is not a pass nor a pass retailer. Eurail is a pass but I am not aware of the discount you mentioned.

    Thanks!

    Removed user
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    29 November 2018 at 0:25:07 #899652

    Hi Arno,

    The first one 20% off for 1st class Swiss travel pass.

    Thanks.

    Removed user
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    29 November 2018 at 1:13:37 #899653

    Try not to get too hung up on the phrases ‘Golden Pass route’ and Glacier (not Glazier) Express. They are clever marketing tools for a few trains that run on otherwise normal railways – with plenty of other trains giving equally good views.

    Note the following:

    1)

    Luzern – Interlaken: ignore the phrase GoldenPass in this instance.

    The Luzern – Interlaken railway is actually the Brünig Pass (the true Goldenpass is just the MOB railway Zweisimmen – Montreux).

    The Luzern – Meiringen – Interlaken Brünig pass line operated by Zentralbahn (ZB), which dubs the regular trains “Luzern – Interlaken Express’.

    Just take one of these red and white trains. They run frequently and you don’t need a reservation

    2) Interlaken – Jungfrau is not Golden Pass either – it is Jungfraubahnen

    3) The Glacier Express is irrelevant to your itinerary

    4) Interlaken – Zermatt is best done as follows:

    Interlaken – Spiez any train); Spiez – Brig via Kandersteg on a Lötschberger train (green trains); Brig – Zermatt on any regional train (Matterhorn Gotthardbahn – MGB) railway – red and white narrow gauge trains

    Travelling regularly on Swiss railways for 58 years…

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    29 November 2018 at 9:56:23 #899654

    Hi Us Matrix,

    Thanks for that! The Swiss Travel Pass covers Switzerland, so you need tickets for your Paris to Lucerne and Lausanne to Paris journeys. Please find details here: http://www.myswissalps.com/tr aintickets/france.

    As for first versus second class: I think second class is perfectly fine in most cases. As you said, it won’t be super crowded, although that can vary from place to place. With children I would be tempted to travel second class to allow them to move around, talk, play (this is generalized of course, also depending on age). First class is often 3 seats across, but there are groups of 4: 2 + 2 facing each other, and 1 + 1 facing each other on the other side of the carriage. For more details, please see http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/practical/2nd1stcl ass. For pass purchase options, please see http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass/price.

    I’d certainly travel via Kandersteg as suggested by 1960man. That route is slower but much more scenic.

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    30 November 2018 at 1:06:08 #899655

    Thanks for your suggestion!

    We will travel to Zermatt via Kandersteg. At first, we were planning to take Glacier express in part of our itinerary but just learned that none if our routes. Here is my question, we want to get the best use of our 4 days Swiss pass. Can we find a Glacier express or other scenic route or activities that will fit into our itinerary and covered by the Swiss travel pass? Or that should be enough rides for us to do in the 4 days planning?

    Thanks.

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    30 November 2018 at 5:34:03 #899656

    There’s lots of scenery in your current plans, and no time for more traveling I’d say. On day 4 you can consider to travel via Spiez, Zweisimmen and Montreux for the scenic Golden Pass route, if time allows: http://www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass/gettingthere.

    Then come back for more scenic trains another time perhaps 😉

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    30 November 2018 at 10:33:26 #899657

    Thanks for your suggestion for Day 4!

    I checked the timetable. From Zermatt to Lausanne via Zweisimmen (5 hours 6 mins). Are all the trains going to be scenic golden pass route? Ideally, we would like to do this route but It will be quite a long ride for us and two teenagers as we also need to take TGV train back to Paris on Day 4.

    .Does Swiss Travel Pass 2nd class ever go on sale? Since we are not going to Swiss until Feb. We can wait until Feb to order Swiss travel e-ticket.

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    30 November 2018 at 16:23:23 #899658

    Yes indeed that is a long day of travel if you are continuing on to Paris. As long as your train runs to Montreux from Zweisimmen you will be on the Golden Pass route yes.

    There are promotions on the Swiss Travel Pass from time to time yes.You can check for any promotions for your country here: http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass/promotio ns and we would post any details on the rail forum: http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/rail

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    1 December 2018 at 0:35:04 #899659

    Re Day 4: I highly recommend you do not stretch your day too far; Zermatt – Paris is a long day of train travel, so it would be a big risk comfort-wise to cram in extra ‘scenic’ rides just for the sake of it.

    Nearly all Swiss railway rides are scenic in a variety of different ways. Your overall itinerary already has lots of Alpine scenery. I recommend you take the more relaxed normal route Zermatt – Visp – Martigny – Lausanne. There is plenty to see. Once in the Rhone valley on the main line train towards Lausanne you will see mountains rising up either side, the river Rhone, the geographically/geologically interesting 90 degree bend in the Rhone valley at Martigny, then sit on the left hand side for the run alongside Lake Geneva from Aigle to Lausanne

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    4 December 2018 at 9:08:11 #899660

    Hi,

    I just have a second thoughts of getting 4 days Swiss travel pass or I should just get single ticket each ride will save more money. We are family of 4 (2 adult and 2 children under 16). Is that children free for single ticket when they ride along with adult? I enter day 3 and 4 in timetable and the costs is $41.50 in day 3 and $32.40 in day 4 for each adult.

    Day 3 Interlaken to Zermat costs $41.50 per adult

    Day 4 Zermatt to Lausanne costs $32.40 per adult

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    4 December 2018 at 9:20:35 #899661

    Our spreadsheet here on how to choose the best rail pass will tell you for sure if a Swiss Travel Pass will save you money: http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass

    Children 6 to 15 are 1/2 price on regular tickets. But they are free on the Swiss Family Card which you can only get (and for free) if you buy the Swiss Travel Pass.

    It looks like you are getting prices for Swiss Half Fare Card users. Make sure you are calculating prices correctly (details shown on the timetable page: http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable)

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    4 December 2018 at 10:09:07 #899662

    Yes, you are right. It was half fare card price.. If that is the case. Swiss Travel Pass is best fit for us.

    Thanks.

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    5 December 2018 at 5:26:35 #899663

    Hi guys,

    I am planning to visit switzerland at the end of January and the plan is a trip from zurich to geneve where there are stops in between. As this is for my honeymoon do you have any recommendations where to go? Also, I am confusing if it is worth just to get Swiss pass or book separate tickets? I want to go up to jungraujoch, visit my pilatus, got to zermatt and hop on cable cars. Could you please help me find best solutions?

    Thank you.

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    5 December 2018 at 6:52:06 #899664

    Hi Samuel, welcome to MySwissAlps!

    This is the thread to discuss the plans of Us Matrix. Please post your question in a new thread here. Thanks!

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