MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial Lucerne to Como with Swiss Travel Pass
-
Hi, we are a family of 6, (2 parents, 2 17 year-olds, 2 13 year-olds) that will be landing In Zurich from the U.S. in June 2018. We will take train from airport to Lucerne for 3 nights and see Mt Pilatus while there. On day 4 we will travel to Lake Como. We will return to Zurich from Salzburg at the end of the trip to fly home. My question is this…
If I purchase the Swiss Travel Pass for the 4 adults and use the junior card for the 2 youngest, will I receive any discount on our tickets from Lucerne to Como, and then again for the Salzburg to Zurich ticket? I do not want to buy a ticket that brings us to the border and then another ticket for the Italian portion because I would like a direct train that we don’t need to change until Milan for the last leg to Como.
My research so far tells me that the Swiss travel pass is probably not worth it for the few times we would need it. But if that is the only way that the 13 year olds are free and if it offers a discount for the package golden trip Pilatus ticket, maybe it is worth it. (I would like to get the Golden Pilatus ticket that includes the boat portion but I can’t tell if there is a discount offered for the golden trip, maybe only a discount on the cablecar up the mountain?)
The only other time we would use the pass would be our last 2 days before we fly out of Zurich, as we plan to see the sights there and will use the tram as much as possible.
Sorry for the lengthy question and thanks so much for all of this amazing information on your website! I was thrilled when I found you!
Melissa
-
Hi Melissa, and welcome to MySwissAlps!
>> If I purchase the Swiss Travel Pass for the 4 adults and use the junior card for the 2 youngest, will I receive any discount on our tickets from Lucerne to Como, and then again for the Salzburg to Zurich ticket?
You would buy a Swiss Travel Pass each for yourself and your husband, a (cheaper) Swiss Travel Pass Youth for each of the 17-year-olds, and order a free Swiss Family Card as well, which will provide free travel for both your 13-year-olds.
They will cover you as far as the border, so from Buchs SG to Zürich on your trip from Salzburg, and as far as Chiasso on your way to Como by train.
There’s also a PostBus route from Lugano to Menaggio on Lake Como, which is covered fully by the Swiss Travel Pass should that route suit your plans.
>> I do not want to buy a ticket that brings us to the border and then another ticket for the Italian portion because I would like a direct train that we don’t need to change until Milan for the last leg to Como.
Having a pass that covers you to the border, then a separate ticket for the trip from the border to your destination in Italy doesn’t mean changing trains if you have selected a direct connection. When the conductor asks to see your ticket, you just show the Swiss Travel Pass etc while you are still in Switzerland, and then your ticket for the Italian sector of the journey once you are in Italy.
>> My research so far tells me that the Swiss travel pass is probably not worth it for the few times we would need it. But if that is the only way that the 13 year olds are free
You can also get a free Swiss Family Card if you buy a Swiss Half Fare Card.
If you are using point-to-point tickets, you could buy a Junior travel card each for the two younger children to cover travel within Switzerland:
>> if it offers a discount for the package golden trip Pilatus ticket, maybe it is worth it. (I would like to get the Golden Pilatus ticket that includes the boat portion but I can’t tell if there is a discount offered for the golden trip, maybe only a discount on the cablecar up the mountain?)
The Golden Round trip route is: boat Luzern to Alpnachstad > cogwheel to Pilatus > cable car and gondola to Kriens > bus to Luzern (or vice versa)
The Swiss Travel Passes plus Swiss Family Card will provide
- Free travel by boat to Alpnachstad for all
- 50% discount on the cogwheel and cableway for both adults and the two older children. I think the two younger children would travel free, but I’m not sure, as the validity of the Swiss Family Card for Pilatus is not specifically mentioned anywhere I can find.
- Free travel for all on the bus from Kriens to Luzern.
The price list for Pilatus is here:
http://www.pilatus.ch/fileadm in/files/informieren/f ahrplan/Preisliste_201 8.pdf
>> The only other time we would use the pass would be our last 2 days before we fly out of Zurich, as we plan to see the sights there and will use the tram as much as possible.
Most of the sights in Zürich are within walking distance of each other, but if you plan to take at least 2 tram trips in one day, a 24-hour pass might be worth it. A 24-hour pass costs the same as 2 single tickets.
http://www.zvv.ch/zvv/en/trav elcards-and-tickets/tickets.html
Another option to consider would be a ZürichCARD
http://www.zvv.ch/zvv/en/trav elcards-and-tickets/tickets/other-tickets/zuerichcard.ht ml
Using a Swiss Travel Pass for trams in Zürich would be a waste of money if you were not also doing day trips out of Zürich on the same day.
Next time you post, if you could break the text up into paragraphs, that would make it much less daunting to read 🙂
Alpenrose
Hi mbakerc,
Alpenrose has given you all the info you need.
I’d just like to add that depending on which part of Lake Como you are heading for and time permitting you might consider taking the Gotthard Panorama Express from Lucerne to Lugano. See http://www.myswissalps.com/go tthardpanoramaexpress
You can skip the ferry segment and take the same route using regular trains by entering via Göschenen in the timetable search. This is a slower but more scenic route than via the Gotthard Base Tunnel on which you spend 57Km underground.
Thank you both so much for that useful info.
Here’s another question,
I am now trying to do the math again for the several different scenarios ( Swiss travel pass, flex pass, half fare card, etc) and have come across the Junior Travel card promotion running until Jan 31, 2018 for 50% off . That means the card would be only around $16 and that sounds like a great deal. The problem is when I go to the SBB site and bring it up there is no promotion listed. Also, I don’t see an option to buy and print at home. Obviously, I only have a couple of weeks to purchase this before the promotion ends so would not be able to purchase in person in June. Do you have any idea where I can go online to purchase for the promotional price?
Thanks, Melissa
Hi Melissa,
From SBB website . . . . “You can obtain the Junior travelcard at any railway station. . . . . When purchasing a travelcard, please bring a passport or another form of official identification with you that shows the child’s date of birth.”
You don’t need to buy a Junior Travelcard. You can get a Swiss Family Card for free, if you have a Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Half-fare Card, for your 2 x 13 year olds? See http://www.myswissalps.com/sw issfamilycard
Sorry, I should have been more clear! I am thinking the math may work out to skip the pass idea and buy point to point tickets. But the Junior Card can be used with any adult ticket so if we don’t buy adult passes of any sort the Junior Travelcard sounds like a good choice.
I see.
Yes, if you buy point to point tickets then the Junior Travelcard (one per 13 year old) makes sense but you won’t be able to get it half-price on the current promotion as you have to buy it at a station.
Seeing you are visiting Italy and Austria have you looked at a Eurail Select Pass? http://www.myswissalps.com/eu railselectpass
- The thread ‘Lucerne to Como with Swiss Travel Pass’ is closed to new replies.
