Swiss Flexi Pass really worth the money???

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    11 April 2012 at 9:03:51 #805138

    I had the impression that Swiss Flexi Pass gives saving to tourists using the Swiss rail, but when I did the sums, the Swiss Flexi Pass is actually more expensive than the point-to-point tickets. Refer to the attachment on the breakdown calculation.

    I’m confuse.

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    11 April 2012 at 11:13:55 #835643

    We are two adults traveling to Switzerland for about two weeks, based on the itinerary need help on which travelpass would best serve our needs.

    Should I get a Swiss Flexi Pass or Point-to-Point tickets?

    Also any recommendations on hotels/b&b’s/Hostels and must see/must do in these cities would be super helpful too.
    After Switzerland, we intend to spend 1 week travelling in Italy covering Milan, Florence and Rome. When travelling from Lugano to Milano, should we get a point-to-point ticket or a Italy Pass?

    3 Sep – Arrive Geneva
    4 Sep – City Tour by Keytours.ch
    5 Sep – Mont Blanc tour by Viator.com
    6 Sep – Depart Geneva for Interlaken ( ** Swiss Flexi Pass?? **)
    7 Sep – City tour at Interlaken
    8 Sep – Interlaken to Grindelwald ( ** Swiss Flexi Pass??? **)
    8 Sep – Grindelwald to Junfrajoch (** 25% discount for Swiss Flexi Pass **)
    9 Sep – Depart Interlaken for Lucerne ( ** Swiss Flexi Pass?? **)
    10 Sep – City tour at Lucerne
    11 Sep – Mt Pilatus – Golden Round Trip (** 50% discount for Swiss Flexi Pass **)
    12 Sep – Depart Lucerne for Zurich ( ** Swiss Flexi Pass??? **)
    13 Sep – Zurich City Tour by Viator.com
    14 Sep – Visit Bahnhofstrasse and Altstadt
    15 Sep – Depart Zurich @6:37 for Bernina Express Train at Chur @ 9:31 ( ** Swiss Flexi Pass??? **)
    15 Sep – Arrive Tirano at 13:27, change to the Bernina Express bus to Lugano
    16 Sep – Depart Lugano for Milano (get a point-to-point ticket ??)

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    11 April 2012 at 13:28:52 #835644

    Hi billcoke. Great you made such detailed calculations. It’s hard for me to tell whether they’re correct, as I get different prices – even if converted into SGD – from the SBB timetable, which is the most trustworthy source for your Swiss rail calculations. I’d say a Swiss Saver Flexi Pass is better for several reasons. First of all, it allows you to be more flexible and adapt your plans, profiting from discounts or free traveling even if you travle more than you planned. Moreover, you didn’t include the discounted trip to Mt. Pilatus on Sept. 11 in your list plus all the discounts on urban transportation in Interlaken, Lucerne and Zurich.

    Furthermore, I don’t think you should take a 5 day Swiss Saver Flexi Pass. A free travel day on Sept. 8 isn’t really worth your money, as the pass grants free traveling up to Grindelwald only. From there, a 25% applies anyway, both on non-free and free travel days. I think you should look into the very economical 2 for 1 offer on the 4 day Swiss Saver Flexi Pass instead, valid for traveling in Fall 2012. You can order it through our partner STC/Swissrailways. (Other partners offer this too, but most of them only for April and May yet.) This will drastically lower the expenses of your pass (about SGD 200 per person) and thus change your calculations.

    Hotels and other information can be found at our Geneva Airport, Geneva, Interlaken, Lucerne, Zurich and Lugano pages.

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    12 April 2012 at 5:16:36 #835645

    Hi Annika,
    1. Many thanks for pointing out that the free travel day on Sept 8 to Grindelwald, isn’t worth the money. After included the 50% discount for Mt. Pilatus on Sept. 11, the best pass would be Swiss Flexi Pass Saver for 2 passengers (see attachment).
    Note: all pricing extracted from : http://www.raileurope.com.sg/ rail-products/rail-passes/article/swiss-pass

    2. As for the 2 for1 promotion, this website allows me to fill in Singapore address, does it mean that it can mail the Swiss Flexi Pass tickets to Singapore?
    http://www.swissrailwa ys.com/userdata.php?passid=2&affiliateid=2 3&system=CH&lang=en

    3. The website, after I filled in the number of adults, it ask for start date, is that referring to our first free travel date?

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    12 April 2012 at 10:12:00 #835646

    Hi Bill. Yes, shipping to Singapore is possible through the link you mentioned. The start date refers to the date at which the maximum 1 month validity of the Swiss Flexi Pass starts. It doesn’t have to be the seem as your first free travel day. The days of free travel days can be filled out on the spot (before boarding your first bus, boat or train that day).

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    12 April 2012 at 11:25:48 #835647

    Hi Annika,

    Many thanks again for your prompt response, else would have taken me weeks to dig up all these info. 🙂

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    17 April 2012 at 13:57:57 #835648

    Hi Annika,
    3 Sep – Arrive Geneva
    4 Sep – City Tour by Keytours.ch
    5 Sep – Mont Blanc tour by Viator.com
    6 Sep – Depart Geneva for Interlaken ( ** Swiss Flexi Pass?? **)
    7 Sep – City tour at Interlaken
    8 Sep – Interlaken to Grindelwald
    8 Sep – Grindelwald to Junfrajoch (** 25% discount for Swiss Flexi Pass **)
    9 Sep – Depart Interlaken for Lucerne ( ** Swiss Flexi Pass?? **)
    10 Sep – City tour at Lucerne
    11 Sep – Mt Pilatus – Golden Round Trip (** 50% discount for Swiss Flexi Pass **)
    12 Sep – Depart Lucerne for Zurich ( ** Swiss Flexi Pass??? **)
    13 Sep – Zurich City Tour by Viator.com
    14 Sep – Visit Bahnhofstrasse and Altstadt
    15 Sep – Depart Zurich @6:37 for Bernina Express Train at Chur @ 9:31 ( ** Swiss Flexi Pass??? **)
    15 Sep – Arrive Tirano at 13:27, change to the Bernina Express bus to Lugano
    16 Sep – Depart Lugano for Zermatt (** Swiss Flexi Pass??? **)
    17 Sep – Gornergrat Bahn (** 50% discount for Swiss Flexi Pass **)
    18 Sep – Zermatt to Milan

    I’m planning to add Zermatt to the itinerary on 16 Sep 2012, but have the following questions:

    1. The train ride from Lugano to Zermatt is around 6hr 45min, to shorten the travelling time, would it be better, instead of Geneva-Interlaken, that I stop over at Zermatt before continuing to Interlaken (ie. Geneva-Zermatt-Interlaken)?

    Notice that both SBB and RailEurope.com.sg gave inconsistent information.

    2. Given a fictitious travelling date on 18/05/2012 (the timetable for Sept/2012 is not available yet for RailEurope.com.sg website), both the SBB and RailEurope.com.sg gave different departure time and duration, 5:10 vs 5:30 and 6hr 42min vs 5hr 43min (see attached). Why the difference in timing?

    3. In SBB website, under the Online timetable, what does the “Walk” icon mean? I got a “error code F1” when click at the “Walk” icon (see attached)?

    4. When traveling from Lugano to Zermatt, both SBB and Raileurope.com.sg shows different transit stations??
    RailEurope.com.sg shows Lugano-Zurich HB-VISP-Zermatt
    SBB shows Lugano-Giubiasco-Gallarate-Brig-Brig Bahnhofplatz-Zermatt

    5. For Raileurope.com.sg, how to make a separate seat reservation for Train 650 and 812?

    6: Read one of your forum that there is a 50% discount for Gornergrat Bahn for Swiss Flexi Pass holder, but if I get a 5days Swiss Flexi Pass which the last free travel date is on 16 Sep, could I still get 50% discount for Gornergrat Bahn on 17 Sep??

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    17 April 2012 at 16:26:37 #835649

    Hi Bill,

    Please only use the official Swiss timetable. Other ones may not show you all the available trains. The Walk icon means that you need to walk that leg. Usually it’s just a couple of minutes, e.g. from the train platforms to the bus station.

    I’m not sure which trains are numbered 650 and 812. You normally don’t need to book seats, except for panoramic and international trains. The timetable will mark those trains as “reservation obligatory”. You can read about it here, and book from that page as well.

    The Swiss Flexi Pass is not valid after the last day of free traveling. Please read about all the details here.

    I hope this helps!

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    20 April 2012 at 7:59:35 #835650

    Many thanks Arno. 🙂

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    20 April 2012 at 8:17:36 #835651

    Hi Annika,

    We will be catching a early train from Zurich to Chur which the train will arrive Chur at 7:45. The Bernina Express train will depart from Chur at 8:32, but how many hours in advance we need to be at Chur Station to check-in for the Bernina Express train ride?

    Do we have sufficient time to check in for the Bernina Express train?

    Or should we catch the earlier train that departs Zurich @ 3:00 and arrive Chur @ 6:52, but the duration is 3:52hr and only run on Sat and Sun?

    Olga
    Participant
    346 posts
    20 April 2012 at 9:59:52 #835652

    Hello Bill,

    Reading your question I calculate 45 minutes to get off the train and into the Bernina Express. I think that even 7 minutes would be enough, no worries! 🙂

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    20 April 2012 at 11:13:27 #835653

    Many Thanks Olga. 🙂

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    20 April 2012 at 11:32:11 #835654

    If I’m travelling from Zermatt to Monte Carlo-Monaco and I wish to utilise my free travel day for my Swiss Flexi Pass, and since seat reservation from Zermatt to Geneva is not required, then I would only need to get a separate TGV train ticket from Geneva to Monte Carlo-Monaco, is that right?

    Wandermann
    Participant
    265 posts
    20 April 2012 at 11:58:22 #835655

    Hi Bill,

    You can order your tickets through the Swiss Timetable. Just make sure you select GA 1. cl. 1 year/GA subscription or GA 2. cl 1 year/GA subscription (depending on the class you have your Swiss Flexi Pass for), in step 2 Passengers, and Reduction for Switzerland.
    This way the discount for the Swiss leg of your journey will be active.
    Indeed, seat reservations are not required for the Swiss leg.

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    21 April 2012 at 0:19:13 #835656

    Many Thanks Wandermann.

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    21 April 2012 at 3:19:10 #835657

    I’m checking on the train schedule from Lugano to Andermatt, but the comment indicated that “Reservation Possible” instead of “Reservation Obligatory”. For “Reservation Possible”, does that mean 1st class carriages are open for reservation while 2nd class carriages are free seatings, just like the seats reservation arrangement for Bernina Express?

    We have two persons traveling together, not familiar with Switzerland, so prefer to be seated together.

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    21 April 2012 at 4:24:44 #835658

    Hi Bill,

    It means that you can book seats in any class, but you don’t have to. I wouldn’t do it to be more flexible. Sitting together is usually not a problem.

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    21 April 2012 at 8:49:43 #835659

    Many thanks Arno. 🙂

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