Our Switzerland train adventure in January
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A big tranks to My swissalps for helping put together our recent trip to Switzerland.
My wife and I just return from 24 days Austria and Switzerland, we did lots of research prior to leaving and did all our travel by train, all the hotels were within easy walking distance from train station to accommodation (3 star plus), some just across the road. The only time we took taxi was in Zermatt when we arrived in middle of January snow storm. There are several types of train tickets in Switzerland, we first bought a Half Fare Card for 120 (all prices in this summary in Ch francs), then you can book 60 days in advance and get a Saver Day Pass for 29 (they get dearer as move closer within the 60 days advance purchase) but entitles you to 24 hour travel on any train in the area of validity which is 95% of all trains. There is also a Point to Point which is between two defined places and a Supersaver Ticket which is a defined train date and time.
We saved hundreds of francs and believe we did our trains cheapest way possible. When we had to change trains we waited no more than 15 minutes most times much less and just a few minutes to change platforms.
I thought the Austria rail system a bit better, more escalators better information at stations for travelers but overall Switzerland very efficient and never had a train delayed or late.
If anyone interested can send spreadsheet of our journey inc hotels we used etc.
Jan 25: Buchs to St Moritz train. We bought a Point to Point (PP) 22.40. compared to Saver Day Pass(SDP) at 29 SDP).
Jan 26: With half fare card no discounts from St Moritz to Piz Noir or Carvigilia cable cars so we took local free bus to Surlej and went up cable car to Corvatsch very nice views cost 30 with HFC normally 60.
Jan 27: Bernina Express to and from St Moritz toTirano, just travelled on normal train, much more room all the tourists up in more expensive Bernina Express cars with more glass windows that’s all, cost for bernina express cars is about 74 return inc 10 reservation fee we bought bought SDP 29 as compared with SST 30.40.
Jan 28. Glacier Express St Moritz to Zermatt, 8 hour trip. normally costs 30 for seat reservation then 150 for a ticket (2nd class), everyone pays for seat reservation of 30 then we bought a SDP for 29 which was a huge saving 59 against 180 (121sf saving !!!) and we travelled actually on the Glacier Express train, you can also do trip on same train route but requires 3-4 train changes. We sadly also booked a 4 course meal for 50 sf, meal was terrible worth about half that cost, (live and learn).
Jan 29: Snowed in at Zermatt all cable cars closed for the day.
Jan 30: Bought a Peak2peak ticket for half price of 70, this gave us tickets to cable cars, gondolas to both Klein Matterhorn and Gornergrat, very easy to do both in one day with plenty of free time.
Jan 31. Zermatt to Murren, this trop took 3 train changes and a cable car then cog railway to Murren, beautiful car free village on mountain ledge high above Lauterbrunnen,
Feb 1: We took the two gondolas from Murren up to Schilthorn using half fare card cost 43 against full price 86.
Feb 2: Murren to Lucerne, we bought PP ticket for 20.30 compared to SDP 29 and HFC 25.90.
Feb 3: From Lucerne we took 1 hour ferry to Vitznau then cog wheel railway to Mount Rigi then came back across mountain to Goldau by cog wheel then train back to Lucerne which went pass Lake Lucerne, very enjoyable day trip. With HFC cost 36pp.
Feb 4: last day train Lucerne to Zurich Flughaven (airport) we bought SST 7.60 as we had a set time to depart and arrive airport in time for flight check in. PP ticket was 15.
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