MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial Bernina Express day trip from Ascona?
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We are fortunate to be able to visit Switzerland due to a work meeting my husband is attending but have had little time to plan (arrive the end of July). We will be staying 3 nights in Ascona and then 2 nights in Wengen. We would love to do the Bernina Express somehow in the first part of our trip and are trying to figure out which trains/route to take to Wengen (probably via Lucerne). Would it be worthwhile for us to purchase the Swiss Travel pass or any other pass? Thanks for your help.
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Hello HECK and Welcome to MySwissAlps,
How are you arriving in Ascona? Ascona and Wengen are probably not the best fit for incorporating the Bernina Express (http://www.myswissalps.com/be rninaexpress) but it depends where you are arriving in Switzerland and how you plan to get to Ascona and also where you plan to depart from after Wengen. The actual BEX requires reservations (or you can follow the same route on regular trains).
To work out what pass is best you really need to map out an itinerary and then 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.
Thanks Rockoyster. A relative is picking me up in Zurich and taking me to Ascona which isn’t far from where my husband’s meeting will be. We were hoping to do a day trip up and back on Bernina if possible. After our 3 nights in Ascona we wanted to take the train from probably Lugano to Wengen. After 2 nights there our relative is picking us up and got a hotel near his place just outside of Zurich. He will get us to the airport the following morning. Hope that helps clarify. Any suggestions?
OK. I still think Ascona and the Bernina Express are problematic especially for a day trip. You need to check the the SBB Timetable (http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable) to figure out what would work for you. Also have a look at the BEX timetable at http://www.rhb.ch/en/panorami c-trains/bernina-express#info. If you get from Ascona to Lugano by 10:00 am you can get the BEX bus and train and be in St Moritz by 16:20. But to get back from there you would need to get a bus from Thusis and you wouldn’t get back to Ascona until well after 9.00pm. Not my idea of a fun day out. 😉
From Ascona I would go to Wengen via Locarno, Domodossola and Kandersteg. Or via Bellinzona, Göschenen (to follow Gotthard Panorama Express route rather than Gotthard Base tunnel), Luzern.
While in Ascona you will find plenty to do in the Ticino Region. If your hotel offers the Ticino Ticket that may cover most of your travel needs in that area.
Thanks. That clarifies my concern with timing for BEX. Do you recommend booking our travel to Wengen on the SBB app ahead of time? We don’t want to have any trouble day of travel.
Hi Heck9562,
Trips in Switzerland don’t require advance bookings, apart from a few tourist trains like the Bernina Express. To reach Wengen, you either buy a ticket (online or at a station) or if you have a Swiss Travel Pass there is nothing else you need.
I agree with the others that trying to incorporate the route of the Bernina Express (and it’s good to see the suggestion of following the same route on regular trains) into the time available is an endurance test.
Better to take in the very different “atmospheres” of Ascona and Wengen.
Check out the “personal timetable” section of the SBB website
You can prepare your own timetable that will give you different options for travelling from Ascona to Wengen. You’ll need to determine the closest bus stop to where you are stating at Ascona.
If you’re mature age you’ll possibly find a more relaxed itinerary is preferable. But you may adopt the “we’re here for one thing and one thing only” approach and push yourselves to and beyond the limits of your physical and emotional endurance. That approach works for some.
Whatever; enjoy your travels!
My thanks to each of you! Your insight and suggestions are invaluable. As mentioned previously, we normally would have been planning at least 6 months ahead but we’ll manage with just a matter of weeks. Our Ascona hotel includes the Ticino Ticket. Does it seem like the Swiss Half Fare card would be a benefit for us when traveling to Wengen and getting around and touring that area?
hi Rockoyster~ You seem to have a wealth of Swiss Rail travel knowledge so I want to pick your brain about a specific topic. My husband and I will be traveling exclusively with Swiss Rail and are staying 16 days in Switzerland. So we have settled on a 15 day Swiss Rail Pass as we love the flexibility of the pass for all modes of travel and museum entry. We are using Lucern , Lausanne & Geneva as our base and will do many day trips. We are interested in the Glacier & Bernia scenic routes and I have read these must be reserved. Do I need to have those dates locked down before buying the Swiss Rail Pass or can they be made as my plans firm up. How far in advance should i make these reservations? What are best origination cities for the scenic routes? Thanks for your insight
Dede
Hello Dede,
You will stand a better chance of getting your questions answered if you start a new thread, But briefly you can reserve the scenic trains up to 90-days out from travel. Don’t leave it too late especially in peak tourist season. You don’t need to have already purchased the Swiss Travel Pass before making reservations. None of your base locations are ideal for the Glacier and Bernina Express routes. See Glacier Express (http://www.myswissalps.com/gl acierexpress) and Bernina Express (http://www.myswissalps.com/be rninaexpress) and consider adding in Zermatt, Chur or St Moritz, and Lugano to your itinerary. You can cover a lot of territory in 16 days.
Happy travels.
Hi Heck9562,
I would think that the Swiss Half Fare Card would be a good idea to Wengen and travel around that area for a few days The more you use it the more savings you gain from the original purchase price. https://www.myswissalp s.com/swisshalffarecar d/price
If it is just the trip to Wengen and one mountain trip it may not be worth it. But add in one or two more trip and it almost certainly is.
If you’d like to do the math to compare and know for sure what will save you money, look here: https://www.myswissalp s.com/train/ticketspas ses/practical/choosera ilpass
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