the right rail pass

Hi,

Our family -2 adults and one youth- are travelling to Europe in July 2015.

Our plan is to travel London to Brussels by Eurostar on 9th July morning,spend the day in Brussels,travel Brussels to Amsterdom by late evening train,spend 2 nights in Ams,travel by train in the morning of 11th to Bremen,spend a day ,travel 12th morning Bremen to Frankfert/Mainz,stay for 2 days,travel 14th morning by train Frakfert to Zurich/Lucerne.Planned stay in Lucerene on 14,15 and 16th -wish to explore Lucerne local,Titlis,Pilatus and Rigi ?Travel to Interlaken on 16th afternoon ,stay there on 16th -wish to visit Jungfraugh -travel to Venice from Brig on 17th.Pl suggest -what is the best train pass to fit this schedule -the schedule is almost fixed,is point to point ticket a good option or a combination of point to point ticket/swiss/tell pass is a good option-pl advise.

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Thank you for joining us, pkharmony! I wouldn't pick the Tell Pass if I were you, since that doesn't include the trip to the Jungfraujoch and the (long) ride to the Swiss-Italian border. A 4 day Swiss Travel Pass is the most convenient option for your stay in Switzerland from July 14 to 17. All trips by regular trains are for free, including the Swiss legs of your inbound trip from Frankfurt and your outbound trip to Venice. The trip up to the Rigi is for free as well. Discounted traveling applies to Titlis, Pilatus and the Jungfraujoch. You'd need two for the adults and there's a discounted youth variant available for people up to and including 25 years old.

Does this seem to be a good option for your?

Thanks Annika for your quick response.

If I were to buy a siss pass -for the inrtnational legs -Frankfert to Swiss border and Italian border to Venice -how the ticketing is done-do I need to buy separate ticket -shall appreciate if you could explain how it works.

Hello pkharmony,

You do mean Frankfurt, right? In that case you would buy this:

1. Ticket Frankfurt - Basel (the border): raileurope.co.in/train /ice
2. Swiss Travel Pass: raileurope.co.in/pass/ swiss-pass
3. Ticket Domodossola (the border) - Milan: raileurope.co.in/train /italian-international-trains
4. Ticket Milan - Venice: raileurope.co.in/train /italian-international-trains

Further information and other ticket resellers can be found here:

• myswissalps.com/traint ickets/germany/price
• myswissalps.com/swisst ravelpass/price
• myswissalps.com/traint ickets/italy/price

Hi,

Thanks for your advice for the swiss pass and buying the international tickets.

I need help to effectively plan our days in Switzerland.

As I informed we plan to reach Zurich/Lucerne from Frankfurt on 14th morning- target to arrive Zurich/Lucrene by 11:30 AM-have booked hotel for 14th and 15th at Lucerne and for 16th at Interlaken.

We plan to leave Interlaken for Milan via Brig on 17th -can leave by 17th afternoon.

We wish to visit Mt.Rigi,Pilatus,Titlis and Jungfraue - besides visit Lucerne city.

Please advice how we should plan our days -we have planned to buy swiss pass for consecutive 4 days.

Hi pkharmony,

It's too much to visit Pilatus, Rigi and Titlis and the town of Lucerne itself, since you're only spending two days there. You could combine the town center and Lucerne on one day, and spend the other day on a boat / rail trip to Rigi. I would skip the Titlis if I were you, since this requires quite a long journey. The Jungfraujoch can be visited during your day in Interlaken. If you can still spend the morning of July 17th in the Interlaken area, you'd manage to visit a nearby viewing point like Schynige Platte or Harder Kulm, or make a short boat ride over Lake Thun or Lake Brienz, before heading for Milan.

Please follow the links I've inserted for detailed information on how to get to all places, and use the Swiss timetable. Do mind to plan some bad weather alternatives, since mountain top visits aren't a good pick if skies aren't clear.

Thanks Annika for your valuable advice.

I will definitely keep your words in mind -just for my understanding - normally how long each of the trip to Rigi,Titlis and Pilatus would take from Lucerne train station ?

How long will it be from Interlaken train station to Jungfrau and back ?

Hi pkharmoney,

A guideline is that these trips require a day if you take your time to enjoy the views, make some stops along the way, visit the various attractions, etc. If you plan a quick visit and depart early, it can be done in half a day. For example, it takes at least 1.5 hours to reach the peak of Mount Rigi from Lucerne. So you can do it in a morning if you just go up and down the mountain. But it's more fun if you add a boat trip, a short walk and a break to have a drink or lunch. That way you see much more, rather than 'rushing' to the next mountain. As for Lucerne: you can easily spend a day just in the Museum of Transport (really worth it!). But then there's also the other museums, and the town center with its bridges and churches.

Thanks Arno.

A few more questions -we are travelling by train from Frakfurt to Lucerne -as advised by you we are buying swiss pass for 4 days -we will be buying ticket from Frankfurt to Basel.

How does the swiss pass get activated /do we need to get down from train at Basel and get it validated at the station or we can continue in the same train and swiss pass can be activated on-board the train itself.

I find two stations for Basel - Basel bad hbf and Basel SBB -which stataion we need to buy ticket for ?

Similarly on our outward leg from Switzerland we are travelling from Interlaken to Venice -as advised by you we are buying ticket from Domodossala onwards to Venice -travelling on swiss pass upto Domodossala - here again do we need to get down and get our ticket validated - we will be buying a ticket with reservation for Italy leg.

Hi pkharmony,

The pass validation process depends on where you will purchase it. All options, plus their validation process, are listed on myswissalps.com/ swisstravelpass/price. In your case it makes sense to buy from raileurope.co.in/ pass/swiss-pass. In that case you can have your pass validated by the staff of the train to Basel. Ask them before you reach Basel. Don't get off the train to validate your pass, that's not necessary.

You need a ticket to 'Basel Bad Bf', but if the site (raileurope.co.in/ train/ice) does not offer such a ticket, 'Basel' or 'Basel SBB' (that's the same thing) is fine as well.

Regarding the outbound journey: a ticket does not need to be validated. Just purchase one via raileurope.co.in/ train/italian-international-trains, and that's all there is to it.

Be sure to get the discount on all of these travel products; please see raileurope.co.in/deals /article/exclusive-discount-off.

Hi, I am travelling from Interlaken to Milan in July.Travelling on a swiss travel pass for 4 days consecutive. Have booked ticket from Domodossala to Milan -travelling on my swiss travel pass from Interlaken to Domodossala.

1. Do I need reservation upto Domodossala while travelling on the swiss pass -I have already made reservation from Domodossala onwards to Milan.

2.I have booked online ticket with trenitalia for Domodossala to Milan with a seat reservation - as I understand the train comes from Brig - can I take the same train from Brig and continue from Domodossala onwards to Milan or I need to take a earlier train from Brig,get down at Domodossala and get my ticket validated at the station and board the train from there.

Thanks

Hi pkharmony,

1. No you don't.

2. You can take the same train. No need to get off in Domodossola. Make sure you have an actual ticket though, not just a confirmation or something like that.