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Hello there, looks like my plan has changed. The original itinerary did not include Lake Coma, but we thought that traveling from Australia to Europe is a long way, so we have decided to add Lake Coma into the itinerary. We were planning on getting the Bernese Oberland pass 220 CHF + Half Fare card 120 CHF= 340 CHF. But now Day 12 has changed from Zurich airport to London to Varenna , Lake Como instead.Any suggestion welcome. Thank you in advance.
My questions are:1: how to travel from whether it be Luzern to Varenna or Zurich to Varenna?
2: how much would it cost from Luzern or Zurich to Varenna with half fare card?
3: Is it still worth getting a 6 Day Bernese Oberland pass + half fare card? Activate the pass on Day 4
4: Is it better to get a 8 Day + 2 free days Swiss Travel pass and foreget about Bernese Oberland pass + half fare card?
Day 1: arrive Geneva airport and go to Montreux
Day 2: Montreux – Explore Montreux ie: Chillon Castle
Day 3: Montreux – Explore Geneva or maybe other options around the area
Day 4: Montreux to Wengen..I’d like to take the Golden Pass route to Wengen. (5 nights in Wengen)
Day 5: Wengen; cable car from Wengen to the top of Mannlichen. Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg . Then go to Jungfraujoch . Back to Wengen.
Day 6: Wengen; Interlaken Ost, Harder Kulm, boat trip on Lake Brienz. Return to Wengen.
Day 7: Wengen; Lauterbrunnen,cable car to Murren, Schilthorn. Return to Wengen.
Day 8: Wengen; Grindelwald First, Grindelwald. Return to Wengen.
Day 9: Luzern; travel from Wengen to Luzern today. Hoping to get the train on the Golden pass route from Interlaken to Luzern.
Day 10: Luzern:
Day 11: Zurich: Explore Zurich old city
Day 12: Zurich- Varenna Italy ( is it easier to leave from Luzern instead of Zurich?)
Day 13: Varenna – day trip to Bellagio and Menaggio
Day 14: Varenna – not sure what to do yet
Day 15: Varenna – flight from Milan Linate Airport to London
Regards
Sabby
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Hi Sabby,
Thanks for sharing your revised itinerary. I think getting the 6-day Bernese Oberland Pass + Swiss Half Fare Card is still a sensible option for your trip. It would be more practical to travel to Varenna from Lucerne instead of Zurich. Perhaps just do a day trip to Zurich instead of staying overnight. For the train journey from Lucerne to Varenna, I would consider getting a point-to-point ticket and use the Swiss Half Fare Card to get some discounts. You can find information about travel and ticket to Italy here: http://www.myswissalps.com/traintickets/italy
Regards,
Anna
You could easily leave Zurich out of your itinerary. Travel Luzern – Varenna (via Monza or via bus from Lugano to Menaggio and boat
Note that Interlaken – Luzern isn’t the true Golden pass. It is the Brunig pass line traversed by hourly Luzern – Interlaken Express
Thanks Anna and 1960man for the response.
You said that I could get some discounts using the Swiss Half Fare Card on point-to-point tickets. I went on the link you posted and tested some out, but I can’t see where to enter the Swiss Half Fare Card. Please see two sample screenshots. I just put in any dates as we are not travelling till September. On the Omio site, I selected green button for discount, but it didn’t work. Also, the earliest departure time is 12.15 pm. I’d prefer leaving earlier. On the other “Trainline” website I couldn’t find option to add the half fare card either. The prices on this site are very expensive. Do you know of any other sites where I can use the half fare card?
Thank you
Sabby
Hi Sabby,
On Omio, there is an option to add a discount card when you search for a ticket. Click the button and select SBB – Halbtax Abo from the various discount cards listed.
A similar option is also available on the Trainline site. Add a railcard, scroll down to CFF and choose Demi-tariff.
Let us know if you need further info.
Regards,
Anna
Hi Anna,
I tried both on Omio and the Trainline site, but I’m unable to see the selected options you mentioned. On the Omio site I could see “add discount card”. I tapped it to green, but there’s no discount cards listed. Please see screenshot. On the Trainline site, I clicked on “Add railcards” and all I could see on the drop-down menu was Youth, Adult and Senior. Please see screenshot.
Regards
Sabby
Hi Sabby,
On the Omio site:
- Select route
- Enter no of passenger
- Add discount card (click on the add card icon) – see screenshot
- Choose Halb-Tax Abo from the list
On the Trainline site:
- Select route
- Enter no of passenger
- Add loyalty card (next to no of passenger)
- Choose Demi Tariff – see screenshot
Regards,
Anna
Hi Anna, I sincerely appreciate your help. I finally found where to select with your help. However, the Omio site only has a limited timetable and only after midday. With the Trainline site, I selected the half fare card but it didn’t change the fare. I tried a few different ways and still didn’t change the fares. Is there anything you could suggest?
Regards
Sabby
Hi again Anna,
I checked the Omio site again as I didn’t test it earlier by selecting the discount would change the price or not. So now both Omio and Trainline don’t update the price. Attached screenshots show one without selecting the discount and one selected SBB – Halbtax Abo. The price did not change.
Hello Sabby,
Sorry to hear you are not able to view the correct pricing on Omio and Trainline.
I have tried several times too and indeed the discounted fares are not reflected when inserting the relevant discount cards. Very frustrating.
We will pass this on to the Omio and Trainline. In the meantime if you are wanting to book tickets, perhaps use the SBB website.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
Ahhh.😆 .thank you Yolanda. I thought I might have missed something. It was doing my head in. I tried so many times on my iPad and on mobile phone at different times and choosing different dates. Thank you so much for trying it out. 🙏🙏
Regards
Sabby
Hello again Yolanda,
Just following up on the discounted fares on Omio and Trainline. Just wondering if you have heard from them? The sites are still not working properly when selecting the half fare card.
kind regards
Sabby
Hi Sabby,
Sorry, still no news back from them, they must be still working on it. I did a quick search just now, what prices were being displayed for you. I had 38 Euro for a one way from Lucerne – Varenna on the 17th May.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
Hi Yolanda,
I just tried on 17 May and I got 38 Euro with and without the half fare card. It still doesn’t change the price.
regards
Sabby
Hi Sabby,
It’s most frustrating especially as you are trying to secure a ticket.
I hope it rectifies soon. I’ll keep tabs on it too.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
Hi Sabby,
We did hear back from Omio and know that they’re working on it. There could be a problem with the SBB data feed, that websites like Omio and Trainline need to correctly display connections and prices. It will surely be sorted, but it may take a while. You can use the domestic SBB website if you don’t want to wait.
Thanks Arno, just as well I won’t be there till September 😁. Just planning ahead of time now.
Regards
Sabby
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