[Removed user]

18 August 2019 at 23:51:54 #823464

Hi! I have been racking my brain for months over what to do with train passes. Me and my boyfriend are traveling to switzerland September 28 and then leave for Prague on Oct. 2nd. We will be staying in Zurich for 2 days then heading to Geneva and Lasuanne for 3 days. I think that I should just by a Swiss travel pass for both of us, but we will be doing an excursion in Zurich one day and one in Geneva one day. In Geneva I could walk to where the excursion pick up is, but for Zurich I would need to take train. Is it worth it to do the swiss travel pass if for 2 days all my train tickets and everything are included in the excursions I will be booking? I would most likely have to get a 4 day pass and then either take an uber to airport the last day or get a saver day pass on the last day. Sorry for long winded forum. Thanks!!!

Steph

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[rockoyster]

19 August 2019 at 2:55:55 #920412

Hello Steph,

You should have asked sooner and saved all those headache pills. 😉

You certainly don’t need a Swiss Travel Pass from what you describe. Although I’m not sure what you mean exactly by your excursions.

A Saver Day Pass (http://www.myswissalps.com/sa verdaypass and bit.ly/2rkekat) may be of benefit to get you from Zurich to Geneva but certainly not from the city to the airport which is a cheap train ride.

Use the timetable on the SBB website (bit.ly/2HH1U7B) or the highly-recommended SBB Mobile app (bit.ly/2ICIUHi) to plan your travel, find fares* and buy tickets if required. If you are not familiar with using the timetable it will pay to first read the instructions on this page – http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable. *SBB website shows half-fare prices by default, mobile app allows you to nominate full or half-fare and is also smart enough to offer you the Saver Day Pass (http://www.myswissalps.com/sa verdaypass) if that offers the best fare.

If you want to be sure you are getting the “best” pass then based on your personal itinerary you should read “How to choose the best travel pass” (http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass), download the handy spreadsheet calculator and do the math. The spreadsheet also includes links to the “Where it’s valid” page for all available passes. Be sure to check those pages for each pass you are considering. Study the map AND read all the text on those pages to fully understand what is covered by the respective pass. For two days travel that hardly seems worth the effort.

[Removed user]

19 August 2019 at 6:49:41 #920413

Hello Steph,

As I understand you’re mainly talking about the two excursion days in Zurich and Geneva, right?! Will these be the first and the last day of your stay, or somewhere in between? And you will be travelling by train the rest of the time, do I understand that correctly?!

So you’ll be using a Swiss Travel Pass on the other (non-excursion) days of your stay, right?!
– http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass

A Saver Day Pass, mentioned by Rockoyster, could be an option, the other option is simply buying regular tickets for those days, especially for the arrival to the Zurich excursion spot, but of course Uber will also work.
– http://www.myswissalps.com/tr aintickets/switzerland

Hope this helps, get back to us anytime for further input.

Best,
Steph

[Removed user]

19 August 2019 at 8:36:52 #920414

Hi Steph and Rockoyster.
We would get in to Zurich around on the 28th of September and our hotel is a bit of a hike from the train station. Our first excursion would be on sunday the 29th (Mt. Pilatus all day tour). Then we would travel to Geneva by train, check in and head out by train to Lasuanne later that day just for the evening. So our next excursion day would be October 1st. Then next day we would need to take a train from geneva to airport to head off to our next stop in Europe. I think that maybe just buying a saver day pass for 28th, 30th and october 2nd may be enough. If it is cheaper to just buy a regular train ticket from geneva to the airport maybe I would not need it on October 2nd.
In Geneva we can walk everywhere but in Zurich our hotel is a 26 minute walk from the main station. Also would the saver day pass get me from Zurich to Geneva to Lasuanne and back to Geneva again?

I’m sorry to ask so many questions…thank you very much!!!!!

Steph

[rockoyster]

19 August 2019 at 8:59:52 #920415

Hi Steph,

Also would the saver day pass get me from Zurich to Geneva to Lasuanne and back to Geneva again?

With a Saver Day Pass you can travel from one side of Switzerland to the other. So, yes.

Can you clarify what you mean by excursions. Do you mean you are going on organised tours which include transport?

[Removed user]

19 August 2019 at 10:12:08 #920416

Hi Rockoyster,

Yes I will be going on 2 organized tours that include transportation. The only transportation I would need those days is to get to from our hotel to the meeting point somehow. Thanks!

Steph

[Removed user]

20 August 2019 at 8:10:16 #920417

Hi Steph,

So to conclude:
28th, arrival and only local Zurich transport needed to get to hotel
29th, guided excursion and trip to Geneva + Lausanne
(just a quick input here, did you check your journey to Geneva/Lausanne already? Guided tours tend to finish around 7 pm in Zurich, those that I know and do, and the journey Zurich – Geneva takes around 2.5 hrs, so not much time left to explore)
30th, ticket needed for the Geneva area or an individual day excursion
1st, guided excursion from Geneva
2nd, ticket Geneva to Geneva Airport needed

Am I correct? If so I recommend
28th, local Zurich ticket, see:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/zurich-zvv-day-pass-1-2-zone
– http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/zurich-card-vs-zvv-day-pass-vs-zvv-9-oclock

29th, Saver Day Pass for the trip to Geneva and then Lausanne
– http://www.myswissalps.com/sa verdaypass

30th, depending on what you plan to do in the area either individual tickets for day trips or a Saver Day Pass. Local city transportation is normally included for free if you book at hotel in Geneva:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/tr aintickets/switzerland
– http://www.myswissalps.com/ge neva/travel

1st, the local city transportation will be enough I assume as you’re on a guided tour.

2nd, regular ticket Geneva – Geneva Airport.

Hope this is helpful.

Best,
Steph

[Removed user]

20 August 2019 at 9:34:29 #920418

Steph,

Hi sorry I did not clarify. Yes the 28th is just Zurich. The 29th is just a guided excursion. I meant to say on the 30th is when we leave Zurich to go to Geneva and then Lasuanne.

Everyone has been so helpful! Thank you very much Steph made you’ve made it so much easier with that timeline! Thank you so very much!!!

Again thank you everyone!!!!

Best regards,
Steph

[Removed user]

20 August 2019 at 10:03:33 #920419

You’re very welcome.

That’s actually what I hoped, that you are traveling to Geneva on the 30th, well done!

Happy to have helped.

Cheers,
Steph 🙂