Swiss pass validation

  • Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    5 June 2011 at 22:57:06 #804376

    Hello,

    We ,a family of 4 ,2 adults and 2 children aged 11 and 5 wil be in Switzerland for 7 days including the day of arrival and departure.We will be arriving in Bern railway station from Milan Italy.Is it better to buy the Swiss passes from the bern railway station or should we buy before hand from a reseller in our country.If we wish to use the tram in Bern right after our arrival to reach the hotel wil the Swiss pass be valid and can we activate it then and there itself.how do we activate it?
    Also does the Swiss saver pass for 8 days work better for us than the Swiss flexi saver pass for 6 days work better.( we intend to use the transport system intensively everyday)

    Thanks very much

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    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    6 June 2011 at 15:23:56 #833104

    Hi sarah23, and welcome! All purchase options for the Swiss Pass can be found in the upper right corner of the Swiss Pass page. Just fill out your travel data (country of residence, the preferred pass type and the number of travelers) to find out about prices, shipping options and ways of validating. Be sure to click ‘Show more information’ and the questions marks for detailed information. As for validation: as mentioned on the Swiss Pass page, some resellers – such as RailEurope – require you to validate the pass yourself before boarding the first train, bus, tram or boat. This means that you have to get your pass stamped by a railway employee at a station desk. You can start using your pass immediately after validating, for example for the tram in Bern. Other resellers – such as STC – allow you to validate the pass yourself by writing down the date of your first travel day.

    By the way, do you plan to enter Switzerland by train from Milan? If so, you can start using your Swiss Pass as soon as you arrive in the area of the Swiss Pass’s validity. Depending on your train connection, this means that you can use your Swiss Pass (and thus travel to Bern for free) from either Domodossola or Chiasso. In that case, you can ask railway employees in the train to validate your pass before you cross the Italian-Swiss border. The Swiss timetable will help you to pick the right connection.

    As for the Swiss Pass/Swiss Flexi Pass question: if you plan on using public transport intensively each day of your stay, the 8 day Swiss Pass is the better option. The 6 day Swiss Flexi Pass may be an alternative if there are 1 or 2 days on which you to plan to make no trips, or short local trips.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    7 June 2011 at 6:16:17 #833105

    Thank you so much Annika.That tip about validating the Pass from the Swiss border is fantastic.Thanks again.We were going to book a direct Milan to Bern train.In that case how will I validate it.do i have to change the route then?

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    7 June 2011 at 13:12:10 #833106

    Hi sarah23,

    You can just ask the conductor of the train to validate the pass. Please do so before you reach the Swiss border (Domodossola or Chiasso).

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    9 June 2011 at 0:34:28 #833107

    Thank you Arno.

    Another doubt regarding a lake cruise.We are planning to go to biel and visit the Omega watch museum there.I read about boat cruises along the lake.After the Museum visit ,is it possible to walk over to the port and board one of the boat cruises.Wil the swiss pass be valid on them?

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    9 June 2011 at 8:54:30 #833108

    Hi sarah23,

    Yes, the boat is included in the Swiss Pass. The museum and the port are about 2km apart.

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