[Ozswstrv]

7 July 2018 at 4:30:33 #817131

Hi Everyone

We are a family of 4 2 adults and 2 children (aged 11 & 14)

We are planning on traveling doing the following from the 17-29th September.

What are our best options in getting the best value for money regarding a rail pass. We understand that the swiss travel pass is better value.

Tirano in Italy to Chur in Switzerland is covered correct? as we will be getting the bernina express.

What about travel in France? We really only are doing a few stops in France, maybe its better to just buy the tickets separately?

Any advise is very much apprciated

Monday 17th September

Milan to Tirano

Tuesday 18th September

Tirano to Chur via Bernina Express

Wednesday 19th September

Chur to Zermatt via Glacier Express

Thursday 20th September

Zermatt to Lauterbrunnen (Kandersteg route)

23rd September

Lauterbrunnen – Bern

Monday 24th September

Panoramic train – Bern – Montreux via Golden pass

Tuesday 25th September

Montreux – Annecy (Spending 2 nights in Anncey)

Thursday 27th September

Anncey to Lyon (Spending 2 nights in Lyon)

Saturday 29th September

Lyon to Paris (Spending 5 days)

Kind Regards

Matt

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[Removed user]

7 July 2018 at 9:07:07 #890458

Hi Matt and welcome to MySwissAlps!

The Swiss Travel Pass is often the best value but not always. It really depends on your final itinerary.

The only way to know which pass is the best value is to do finalize each days trip plans, find costs for each trip and compare that to the Swiss Travel Pass (https://www.myswissalp s.com/swisstrvelpass) and/or another pass (https://www.myswissalp s.com/train/ticketspas ses).

We have a page devoted to helping you with that math (including a spreadsheet) here: https://www.myswissalp s.com/train/ticketspas ses/practical/choosera ilpass

I would very much assume the Swiss Travel Pass for 15 days would work best for you on this trip. The children would travel free with you (just add-on the free Swiss Family Card at time of purchase). https://www.myswissalp s.com/swissfamilycard

I agree, that point to point tickets are often the best way to go for just a couple trips within another country:

• https://www.myswissalp s.com/traintickets/fra nce
• https://www.myswissalp s.com/traintickets/ita ly

[Ozswstrv]

7 July 2018 at 12:57:18 #890459

Hi Lucas,

Many thanks for the reply, much appriciated indeed.

We should not need the 15 day swiss pass as se aré only in the country for 8 days.I guess se could Getafe godo value with the pass on other activities in switzerland.

Kind regards

Matt

[Removed user]

7 July 2018 at 15:21:41 #890460

Ah yes, France for a few days.

Well the 8 day version then should work perfectly. 🙂

[Ozswstrv]

12 July 2018 at 6:15:06 #890461

Lucas,

Thank you so much for the advise.

Just a quick question.

When I am trying to book Zermatt to Lauterbrunnen. Under the Discount cards. I don’t see how we can say we have a swiss pass. I can only see the attached?

Any tips on what I need to do?

Kind Regards

Matt

Attachments:

1. 

   e76e717e-cdb2-4072-a8f4-343a0b629b12.png
   

[Removed user]

12 July 2018 at 6:40:18 #890462

>> When I am trying to book Zermatt to Lauterbrunnen. Under the Discount cards. I don’t see how we can say we have a swiss pass.

You don’t need to book anything for a trip from Zermatt to Lauterbrunnen with a Swiss Travel Pass. Your pass is your ticket – just hop on and go.

Alpenrose

[Ozswstrv]

12 July 2018 at 6:49:07 #890463

Oh wow fantastic, thank you for the quick response. Thank you ever so much, that has eased my mind so much. Thank you Alpenrose666

I just have one question regarding my original post.

Booking a seat on the golden pass from Bern to Montreux. I don’t see Bern on the drop down menu.

Could you please advise.

[Removed user]

12 July 2018 at 7:09:09 #890464

>> Booking a seat on the golden pass from Bern to Montreux. I don’t see Bern on the drop down menu.

Bern is not on the Golden Pass route.

The Golden Pass route is in three sectors as follows:

• Luzern-Interlaken Ost via the Brünig Pass (called Luzern-Interlaken Express in the Swiss Timetable)

• Interlaken Ost to Zweisimmen (sometimes with a transfer at Spiez)

• Zweisimmen to Montreux (sector on which trains have panoramic windows, shown as MOB Panoramic in the timetable; regional trains with ordinary windows also run on the same route.)

You can make separate reservations for each sector, but they are optional.

As you are a party of 4, and travelling in September, I would make reservations on the Luzern-Interlaken Ost and Zweisimmen-Montreux sectors. That will ensure you can be seated together and get window seats.

Between Luzern and Interlaken Ost, sitting on the right gives you the best views. Between Zweisimmen and Montreux I think you get equally good views from both sides, but I might have a slight preference for the right.

You can make your reservations on this site:

reservations.mob.ch/re servation/reservation/ reservation/reservatio n/reservation/reservat ion/reservation/reserv ation/reservation/rese rvation/f?p=151:1:43744303417671 98::NO:::

Change the language at the top right of the page if necessary.

Alpenrose

[Removed user]

12 July 2018 at 7:18:17 #890465

>> Zermatt to Lauterbrunnen

I notice your screenshot displays the default/fastest route between Zermatt and Lauterbrunnen.

This route is faster because you travel under the mountains in the Lötschberg-Basistunnel, missing out on the best scenery.

If you have time to take the more scenic Lötschberg-Bergstrecke (mountain route), put “via Kandersteg” into your timetable search. That journey will take you an hour longer, but the mountain scenery is lovely.

Alpenrose

[Ozswstrv]

13 July 2018 at 2:58:35 #890466

Hi Alpenrose,

Thanks again for the great info. Maybe the time we have is not enough and too much train travel involved, because we would have already traveled on the bernina and glacier in the pervious 3 days. Getting from Bern to Montreux, it seems will be a bit of a pain, esp with a family of 4 with suitcases etc.

To give you an idea here are our plans in Switzerland are

Day 1 Tirano to Chur in the bernina express (staying 1 night in Chur)

Day 2 Chur to Zermatt Glacier express (stating 1 night in Zermatt)

Hoping we can get in the Matterhorn experience in before we get a train to Lauterbrunnen. Do you think its possible to take a cable car up and back before say 3PM?

Day 3 Zermatt to lauterburnnen (staying 3 nights)

Day 6 We had planned to leave Lauterburnnen for Bern (staying 1 night)

Day 7 We had planned to leave Bern to Montreux (staying 1 night)

We had planned on going from Montreux to Annecy

As you can see lots of rail travel involved

Can anyone offer an alternative from Lauterbrennen to Annecy that would be less travel than Lauterbrunned > Bern > Montreux > Annecy. We have 2 nights to play with.

I’m very much open to suggestions.

Regards

Matt

[Ozswstrv]

13 July 2018 at 3:56:45 #890467

Hi Alpenrose666,

Thanks for the major tip on the train from Zermatt to Lauterburren. I had a look and I did put in via Kandersteg It gives 2 options R direction Fiesch (4 changes) and R direction Visp (3 changes)

Apart form the changes what’s the difference in scenery like?

Kind Regards

Matt

[Removed user]

13 July 2018 at 8:29:33 #890468

The trains to Lauterbrunnen would go on the same route – you just have an extra change on one option. You can click on the train on the timetable and it expands and shows you the towns in travels through. It would be virtually the same.

The Visp option includes a bus to Ausserberg from Visp so an extra connection but the route time overall is shorter.

When do you arrive in Zermatt after the Glacier Express? You want to then head up Gornergrat or Klein Matterhorn? You’ll have time if you have an early departure from Chur. Gornergrat station is right across from Zermatt train station so it is easy to start that trip right away.

https://www.myswissalp s.com/gornergrat
https://www.myswissalp s.com/kleinmatterhorn

The timetable https://www.myswissalp s.com/timetable gives you the quickest options between Lauterbrunnen and Annecy. Do you have two day to get there or two days in Annecy?

[Ozswstrv]

13 July 2018 at 9:18:30 #890469

Lucas,

Thanks for the reply. Yes we are getting the glacier express from Chur to Zermatt.We don’t arrive in Zermatt until 10PM at night and we will get the train the next day to Lauterbrunnen. We will get a late train there, maybe 3/4pm or something.

We will spend 3 days there.

Lauterbrunnen to Annecy.

We leave lauterbrunnen on the 23rd and are due in Annecy on the 25th

it was supposed to be Bern on the 23 and Montreux on the 24th, but now looking for an alternative.

[Removed user]

13 July 2018 at 10:38:40 #890470

Ah ha. Got it.

Yes, you’ll have time for either mountain trip in the morning before departing for Lauterbrunnen.

There isn’t really a way to reduce your time getting to Annecy. Going via Bern and Fribourg/Montreux is the fastest routing whether you do it straight or over 2 days. An alternative is to go back to Visp and then to Martigny, Chamoninx and through France to Annecy.

I think Bern, Fribourg and Montreux are lovely towns to spend a night or more in on your way there.
https://www.myswissalp s.com/montreux
https://www.myswissalp s.com/bern

[Ozswstrv]

14 July 2018 at 5:54:31 #890471

Hi Lucas,

Thanks for the reply as always.

So to make things easier to get from Lauterbrunnen we just get a regional train from

Lauterbrunnen to Bern (Change at interlaken) stay 1 night in Bern

Bern to Montreux (We change at Visp)

Am I correct?

There dies not seem to be an easy way to get the golden pass without changing lots of times.

What is the scenery like on the lauterbrunnen > Bern > Bern to Montreux like?

Kind Regards’

Matt

[Ozswstrv]

14 July 2018 at 6:00:14 #890472

or would it be east to just do this

Lauterbrunnen > Bern

Bern > Luzern > montreux on the golden pass? or could we go

Berin > Spiez > Montreux on the golden pass?

This could be done in 1 day right? as we are staying the night in Montreux.

Regards

Matt

[Ozswstrv]

14 July 2018 at 11:05:39 #890473

Apologies for so many posts. Am I correct in saying that we should do the following if we want to take the golden pass

Bern to lucerne , then

Lucerne to Interlaken Ost, Interlaken Ost to Zweisimmen and Zweisimmen to Montreux.

Thanks to all again

Matt

[Arno]

14 July 2018 at 11:47:13 #890474

Hi Matt,

Yes, that last route is the full Golden Pass route as described here: http://www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass/gettingthere. That page also gives you a link to the timetable, allowing you to find travel times and further details for this trip and any other trip in Switzerland.

[Ozswstrv]

14 July 2018 at 12:23:54 #890475

Arno,

Tanks for the reply.

So do we need to take the full golden pass? We are looking to do it, but a compromise would be the most scenic parts. how can we achieve this , leaving Bern arriving Montreux in one day? Would really appreciate the advice.

Matt

[Arno]

14 July 2018 at 15:01:20 #890476

Hi Matt,

No, there is no need to do it all. If you prefer a shorter variant then take a train from Bern to Spiez and pick up the Golden Pass line to Zweisimmen and Montreux there.

[Ozswstrv]

17 July 2018 at 6:54:58 #890477

Hi Arno,

on SBB if I choose Bern to Spiez I get a few different choices.

Direction Sweismann

Direction Interlaken

Direction Brig

So are you saying that we only need to go from Bern to Spiez and we can get Golden pass from Speiz? or do we need to take a further train from Speiz to Sweizman and then the golden pass to Montreux?

Apologies for all the questions

Matt