Two couples plan to travel to seven major cities in Switzerland, Italy, and Spain over 21 days and spend about 2-3 days in each city. The Swiss travel pass seems to be the sure thing for Switzerland, but what pass do you recommend for both the longer travel between the other big cities AND the intra-city public train/trolley travel? Would we buy a Eurail pass to also cover the local trips in Cinque Terre or in and around Naples and the same for Barcelona, Seville, and Madrid? We are flying from Naples to Barcelona. Thanks for any advice.
Posted by
Cloud
273 posts
I would get just the Swiss Travel Pass (a luxury item) or Swiss Half Fare Card. You don't need a EURAIL pass in Italy as the fare is not expensive. Then in Spain you still have to buy reservations for long distance trains if you have EURAIL pass e.g. Barcelona to Madrid
Madrid to Seville.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32224 posts
I agree with the previous post that one of the Swiss passes would probably be a good idea for your trips in Switzerland. However, you'll have to do some number crunching to figure out which of the passes will provide the best benefits based on the places you'll be travelling to. I had to format an Excel spreadsheet for one of my trips to Switzerland, in order to figure out the best pass options.
A rail pass is rarely a cost effective option for Italy as fares are often very inexpensive, especially for Regionale trains. When using a pass, you would need to pay out-of-pocket for the compulsory reservations on the express trains (Freccia, Intercity). Even with a rail pass, if you're caught without a valid reservation for the train you're riding on, you'll be subject to hefty fines which will be collected on the spot! Reservations are specific to train, date and departure time. Using a pass also limits your travel options to some extent as I don't believe passes are accepted on the other high speed train operator, Italo Treno.
It's possible to save money with advance purchase Super Economy or Economy tickets for the express trains, as they offer good discounts. However there are only limited numbers of these for each departure. Once the Super Economy sell out, Economy are offered and once those sell out, only Base fare (full price) are available. Note that the discounted tickets come with some conditions.
If you decide to purchase P-P tickets for the Regionale trains from the ticket kiosks or ticket booths, note that you must validate these prior to boarding the train on the day of travel or again, hefty fines collected on the spot. If you purchase Regionale tickets online, these don't have to be validated but must be used within a specific time based on the departure time of the train you booked.
If you buy tickets for the Metro in cities or buses elsewhere, these must be validated too. Multi-day transportation passes (ie.in Rome) only have to be validated when used for the first time.
I haven't looked at the details of the Spain portion of your trip, but I suspect that advance purchase tickets will be a good option there too. The high speed trains in Spain also require reservations as I recall.
Posted by
Washington DC
27233 posts
I'll be the one to say it: Seven cities in three countries over just 21 days is a very aggressive schedule for an independent trip. I wouldn't like it even on a bus tour, but at least when you're on a tour you have door-to-door transportation and a lot is organized for you. I think 4 nights (that's only 3 full sightseeing days and some odd hours) is the minimum you need in Barcelona and Seville. I'd say the same for Madrid if you're interested in its art museums. I don't know whether Rome is on your itinerary, but it probably requires even more time for the typical traveler. I fear you're going to be rushing from sight to sight rather than relaxing and enjoying things.
I think you'll find all your major cities sell a 1-day transit pass, and possibly others of longer duration. They may not be money-savers for you, because the best way to appreciate a European city is on your feet--within physical limitations, of course. The passes can normally be purchased from easy-to-use vending machines in subway stations (in cities with subways) as well as other locations, often including tobacco shops. I've learned that I do better by just buying individual tickets (except for the vaporetti in Venice, which are extraordinarily expensive), but I like to pick up a couple of tickets to have with me so I don't have to go looking for a place to buy one when I decide it's time to hop on the subway or a bus. The individual tickets can be surprisingly inexpensive. Rome's are 1.50 euros and Naples' are even cheaper.
Be aware that the Swiss Travel Pass provides only a discount on some of the high-mountain transportation, so it may not be the best choice for you, depending on how you plan to spend your time in that country. Most visitors spend as much time in the mountains as they can, some skipping all the cities except Lucerne.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32929 posts
The trains between Naples and Sorrento, which also stop at Pompeii and Herculaneum - the Circumvesuviana - does not accept passes.