Swiss Travel Pass Flex or SwissTravelPass +1/2card

  • shell
    Participant
    2 posts
    1 May 2017 at 12:32:28 #811631

    Hi, would love some input as I am going around in circles? We have a month of European travel with some time in Switzerland and can’t work out which travel pass is the best option. Planning on 2nd class travel.

    We will have 4-5 weeks in Lausanne with some local travel by trains/boats so thinking of getting a half fare card for this time?

    We then have 2 weeks in Italy before returning to Switzerland as follows and thinking of a swiss travel pass flex for 4 days and using it day 1, 2, 3 & 6 and maybe a half fare card for days 4 & 5?

    Day 1 Milan to Zermatt

    Day 2 Glacier Express Zermatt to St Moritz

    Day 3 St Moritz to Locarno (Bernina Express to Lugano then local/regional trains OR all regional trains for entire trip – trying to work out if the number of train changes are too difficult with 2nd option)

    Day 4 Local trips around Locarno using boats/trains

    Day 5 Local trips around Locarno on bus to Sonogno

    Day 6 Locarno to Zurich to fly out to Prague then travel onwards through to Krakow, Vienna, Budapest over the following 2 weeks.

    thanks for any advice as to swiss travel pass based on above plans.

    kind regards

    Michelle

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    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    1 May 2017 at 14:03:30 #862600

    Hi Michelle and welcome to MySwissAlps!

    So is that 4-5 weeks in Lausanne or days?

    Note that the Swiss Travel Pass Flex is expensive and buying an
    additional Swiss Half Fare Card usually requires a long holiday to make that
    combination worth it. In this case one 8-day Swiss Travel Pass would be
    cheaper and simpler. CHF 418 (Flex 4 days + SHFC) vs CHF 376 (STP 8
    days).

    Lucas

    shell
    Participant
    2 posts
    17 May 2017 at 11:17:31 #862601

    Hi Lucas,

    it is likely all of July and first week of August in Lausanne (my husband will be working there), then 2 weeks in Italy before returning to Switzerland; as follows

    Day 1 Milan to Zermatt

    Day 2 Glacier Express Zermatt to St Moritz

    Day 3 St Moritz to Locarno (Bernina Express to Lugano then local/regional trains OR all regional trains for entire trip – trying to work out if the number of train changes are too difficult with 2nd option)

    Day 4 Local trips around Locarno using boats/trains

    Day 5 Local trips around Locarno on bus to Sonogno

    Day 6 Locarno to Zurich to fly out to Prague then travel onwards through to Krakow, Vienna, Budapest over the following 2 weeks.

    . Hence thinking the Half Fare card for at least July but then possibly half fare card again as an 8 day pass would only be used for 6 days, the flex card seems too expensive. The other thought was 3 day Swiss Travel for days 1-3 and just pay full price for Locarno to Zurich & bus in Sonogno. I have discovered the boats on the lake at Locarno aren’t covered as they are mainly considered to be in Italy.

    any advice appreciated,

    thanks

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    17 May 2017 at 11:30:11 #862602

    Hi Michelle,

    I agree that the Swiss Half Fare Card seems to be a good option for the first month. You can buy an some additional 1-day travel passes if you think you will make some very long trips during that time.

    For the last 6 days you will have to do the math to be sure. The same approach may work, but using an 8-day Swiss Travel Pass for 6 days can still be economical. Many people do not use all days on the pass.

    I recommend the Bernina Express train and bus combination on day 3. Alternatively you can take a regional Italian train from Tirano to Milan/Monza and switch for Lugano there. But that’s another route (less scenic as far as I know), with one more train change, and it won’t be covered by any of the Swiss rail passes (apart from the last leg within Switzerland).

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