Which train pass for Austria and Switzerland?

I am arriving to Vienna on 11th May, 2016. Would like to take night train to Lucerne.

12th-Visit Mt Titlis

Evening train from Lucerne to Interlaken(golden pass train)

Stay at Interlaken.

13th- Interlaken city

13th night Interlaken to Zermatt, stay there.

14th- Matterhorn

stay at Zermatt

15th Zermatt to Chur(Glacier express)

Chur to Salzburg-OBB trains-Austrian

Stay at Salzburg

16th-Salzburg city

Stay at Salzburg.

17th - Salzburg to Hallstatt

Visit Hallstatt

Hallstatt to Vienna

18th Visit Vienna city

We are a family of 4, 2 adults, 2 children aged 6 and 7 years.

Pls suggest a good train pass (swiss pass/family card/half rate card) for both the countries.

Regards.

Hello drnisarga, welcome to MySwissAlps!

In your case the Eurail Select Pass may work. Alternatively, you may also want to look into the combination of a 4-day Swiss Travel Pass for Switzerland and point to point tickets for Austria. The advantage of the Swiss Travel Pass is that it includes the full Glacier Express route, unlike the Eurail Select Pass. Also it provides discounts on more mountain peaks. But you'll have to do the math to be sure. The below pages help you out:

• myswissalps.com/ eurailselectpass
• myswissalps.com/ swisstravelpass
• myswissalps.com/ traintickets/austria
• myswissalps.com/train/ ticketspasses/practica l/ chooserailpass

Some additional comments:

• There is a night train to Zürich, but if you have time to travel in day time you can enjoy the scenery in Austria (don't travel via Germany).
• I'd recommend to skip "Interlaken city". There's not much to see in Interlaken. There is a lot to see in the region though: myswissalps.com/ interlaken/activities.

Dear Arno,

Thank you so much for your reply and informing me there is nothing much in Interlaken city. I will take your advice, and try to move to nearby places for one day. Any specific recommendations?

i have two other queries.

1. If I book a night train from Vienna to Buchs (May 11th night), (EN 466 train)if I do the reservation, it automatically involves a sleeper coach or I have to opt/tick for couchettes/private sleepers for an extra cost when I book in OBB website. If I don't opt for sleepers/couchettes in second class, the seats are reclining or any other type?

2. If I want to know the golden train time table, it is directing to common SBB website.(From Lucerne to Interlaken). Are there other trains also along with Golden train in that route?

Regards,

Dr Nisarga

Hello Dr Nisarga,

Recommendations for what to do near Interlaken are in the last link of my previous post. Note that in May not all cable cars will operate, so be sure to check the timetables for your preferred trips. Also the high elevation trails will not be accessible yet, but easy walks in lower terrain like Lauterbrunnen - Stechelberg and Grütschalp - Mürren are perfectly doable, and recommended if the weather is fine.

1. There are seats too, but I don't know the features.

2. The Golden Pass is a route. Any train from Lucerne to Interlaken will be fine, and they all take the same route. You can find schedules in the timetable or through the link under "More on other websites" on myswissalps.com/ goldenpass/ gettingthere.

>> 1. If I book a night train from Vienna to Buchs (May 11th night), (EN 466 train)if I do the reservation, it automatically involves a sleeper coach or I have to opt/tick for couchettes/private sleepers for an extra cost when I book in OBB website. If I don't opt for sleepers/couchettes in second class, the seats are reclining or any other type?

Hi Dr Nisarga,

I've travelled between Vienna and Zürich quite a few times, but never on a night train, so this information is what I found on the ÖBB website rather than from any personal experience.

The train you are considering, EN466, departing Wien Hauptbahnhof (Vienna Main Station) at 21:25 is described in the timetable as "EN" (i.e. "EuroNight" trains), a description of which is here:

www.oebb.at/en/leistun gen-und-services/im-zug/euronight-reisekategorien_

It also offers "Comfortticket" (also spelled "Komfort-Ticket"), described here:

www.oebb.at/en/angebot e-ermaessigungen/komfort -ticket

When you click on "Ticket and prices" in the ÖBB timetable listing for EN466, you have the option to choose a basic fare or the "Komfort-Ticket EuroNight".

Then you choose either a seat reservation, a couchette or a sleeper cabin, each of which is priced differently (see attached picture) and offers options to choose your seat (click on CHANGE SEAT), couchette (select Couchette and click on CHANGE COMPARTMENT TYPE) or sleeper type (select Sleeper Cabin and click on ENTER JOURNEY DETAILS).

ÖBB timetable

fahrplan.oebb.at/bin/q uery.exe/en

You might find more useful information on the site of The Man in Seat 61

www.seat61.com/

Hope you find this helpful.

Alpenrose

Dear Alpenrose,

It was really helpful information. The pictures were really useful. Thank you so much!

Regards,

Dr Nisarga

You're welcome! Have a good trip.