Rail pass options

  • Removed user
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    6 July 2010 at 7:56:23 #803904

    Thank you for this great website. I have traveled to Switzerland six times and did not know about it. My question concerns the best option for rail/bus/etc. passes. The past several times I have used the Swisspass, which was great, although sometimes the supplements were expensive.

    My 13 year old son and I will be in Switzerland July 21-July 31. We will fly in/out of ZRH. We will go from Zurich to Lucerne July 21, staying with friends just outside of Lucerne until the 23rd. We will be taking local buses when we are in the Lucerne area. On July 23, we will go to Muerren, doing many day trips from there. We depart Muerren July 30 for Zurich, where we will stay in a hotel with an airport shuttle for early departure on the 31st.

    The options I have looked at are the 8 day (2nd class) Swisspass (my son is free) which I would activate when I leave Lucerne on July 23. In this scenario, I would pay for transportation for both of us from ZRH to Lucerne, and local buses around Lucerne. With the 15 day Swisspass, I could activate it upon arrival in ZRH and use it the whole time. I also looked at the Berner Oberland pass, which I think would not be the best option. I am also considering the 1/2 price farecard available for $99. I would like flexibility and yet be economic!

    I am getting very confused! Any assistance or ideas you could give me would be wonderful.

    Thank you so much!

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    Removed user
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    6 July 2010 at 20:40:03 #831529

    It’s me, elizabeach again. I have been exploring this forum and just read about the Swiss Card. How would that work for us?

    Thank you very much:-)

    Olga
    Participant
    346 posts
    7 July 2010 at 3:20:00 #831530

    Hello Elizabeth,

    It’s never too late to find a good website :-)!

    I did some calculating for you and found the following prices (single tickets, second class and per person):
    Zürich Airport – Lucerne: CHF 27
    Lucerne – Mürren: CHF 47,20
    Mürren – Zürich Airport: CHF 84,20
    Total: CHF 158,40

    It’s hard for me to calculate your expenses on local buses in the Lucerne Area, and this also goes for the trips you want to make from Mürren, because you don’t specify which trips.

    There are some options you might consider: the Berner Oberland Pass because of the trips you are planning.
    Then there’s the Swiss Pass you already mentioned.
    The Swiss Half Fare Card is also a possibility, and you also asked for information about the Swiss Card.

    You will find there’s quite some information on the links given.

    With this information you can do some calculating yourself, although I’m always here to help you! But again, I don’t know all your plans so it’s hard for me to give you the whole price overview.

    Nevertheless, I hope I have helped you a little and I sincerely hope you will get back to me if something is not clear.

    I wish you a very pleasant stay in Switzerland!

    Olga

    Removed user
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    12 July 2010 at 9:32:22 #831531

    Thank you. I ended up purchasing the 15 day Swisspass for flexibility. Thanks again and for your wonderful website. I found some great hiking ideas I did not know about.

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