I have many questions before I actually click on the 'checkout' button to buy a 4-day Swiss Pass. Is the pass also a plastic card?
How do you buy the train ticket once you have the pass linked to your SBB account?
For instance, I want to go from Basel to Interlaken, Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen, Lauterbrunnen to Wengen in the same day, with a lunch stop in Interlaken. Is that 3 tickets? I presume I'm doing this online, but what if there's no internet in the mountains or on the first train? Can I buy tickets for certain times on the day before I want to go to these destinations? What if I'm eating lunch and miss the train, can I just get on another train? What if I select the wrong starting point (for instance, Basel has 'Basel SBB, Basel Bad BF, Basel Bahnhof SBB, etc and I am leaving from the train near to the France SNCF train track on the border with Basel?) How do I select the direction .Basel to Interlaken has different directions listed in the SBB app.
Can someone please, please give me an example of how they got to the mountains. I'm ending up in Wengen from Basel.
Posted by
Paris
7300 posts
With a valid Swiss Travel Pass you do not need any tickets, except for most cable cars and touristic mountain railways.
For all of your examples, you just hop on the train and take a free seat in the class corresponding to your pass.
For rides that do require a tickets (e.g. Wengen to Männlichen, Mürren to Schilthorn...), you can buy a discounted ticket at the departure station. But for Basel to Wengen, you are 100% covered.
Posted by
Green Bay
21144 posts
When you have an active Swiss Travel Pass, you don't buy any tickets, you just get on the train. When the conductor comes buy, you just show him/her your pass. You should have your passport handy in case they want proof of identity (and non-Swiss passport holder), although none ever asked to see mine. A hard copy pass was always a coupon type book like an old fashioned airline ticket. Nowadays, you can get it loaded on your phone. If you have not already specified the validity dates for the pass, you will have to get it activated before your first trip.
Yes, you can take any train on a day of validity. Stop for a nice long lunch then head back to the station to get the next train.
At Basel, the direction of the trains is marked on the main departure board in the station. Just proceed to that track. If you are taking a direct train to Interlaken, that will be shown on the departure board. Interlaken Ost is the end of the line.
Posted by
San Diego, California
5604 posts
Are you buying the four-day consecutive STP? If so, you don't buy tickets, you don't validate, you just board whatever train you want, and the STP covers your travel from the cities up to Wengen and Murren.
If you buy the pass online in advance, you will have both paper and online copies. Put the online copy in your Apple wallet, so you can use it without wi-fi.
(If you have a Half-Fare Pass you buy tickets.)
Download the SBB app. It's very friendly, and has the train #, platform #, and train final destination. I think you'll find the Swiss trains to be very efficient and easy to use.
Safe travels!
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33820 posts
if you expect to be by the French tracks at Basel (gl. 31-35) (usually 31) then you are at Basel SBB. I take you are arriving from France? You need to head over to the main station. Your destination will eventually be Interlaken West or Interlaken Ost. West (German for west) is at the west end of the town; there is where the Unterseen district is (had a nice dinner there once), and where the MMMigros supermarket complex is including a cafe/restaurant. Also the McDonalds isn't far. The Interlaken West station is where the lake boats on Lake Thun start.
Interlaken Ost (Ost is German for east) is at the other end of town, and where all trains from all directions to Interlaken end or begin their journey. The mainline standard gauge trains from all over Switzerland arrive first at West and then 3 minutes later end at Ost. The narrow gauge trains from Lucerne and Meiringen and Brienz end at Ost. The narrow gauge trains up to Lauterbrunnen start at the same station. The lake boats on Lake Brienz start at Interlaken Ost station. There is a Coop supermarket complex across the car park (watch out for arriving and departing buses which use the car park as their bus station). The Coop also has a cafe/restaurant similar to the one at the MMMigros.
Take the train (this is all explained in Rick Steves' book) from Interlaken Ost to Lauterbrunnen. Be sure to get on the clearly marked correct half of the train because it divides part way. At Lauterbrunnen follow the clear signs to the train to Wengen. et off at the first stop, Wengen.
Posted by
OP
Denver
24 posts
I am so very grateful for all the replies. I was getting so confused that I wouldn't have internet or I'd have to buy a ticket at a machine. This sounds so, so convenient. No wonder everybody was saying buy a Swiss Pass! I haven't used Apple Wallet but since I have an iPhone and I'm going thru Verizon's international plan, it should be no problem. I haven't used a train for a long, long time and this is our first time in Switzerland.
I have one other question: since I am going to arrive in Zurich and go to France right away (Mulhouse for 2 nights), how do I buy a point to point ticket from Zurich airport to Basel without activating my Swiss Pass?
Posted by
Chicago
3125 posts
The Swiss Travel Pass really does make traveling super easy. My first trip to Europe was last year to Switzerland. If I can manage the trains, you will be just fine. 😊 And don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. The SBB/train employees are so nice and helpful and speak English. They are used to tourists who don’t know what they are doing. 😊
Sounds like you need a ticket from the airport to Mulhouse. It might be easiest if you ask for help. We didn’t start our Pass right away and had to buy a ticket from the airport to Basel. We had a little trouble with the ticket machine (user error) and so we just asked for help. There were plenty of SBB employees by the ticket machines. They also have a ticket counter with people to help.
Download the SBB app at home and practice with it so you are familiar with it. Even with the Pass, you need to check the times, track #, and where to stand on the platform. I also had Verizon’s international plan and my phone worked just as it does in the US. Check the website, I think there is one setting you have to change on your phone when you arrive in Zurich.
You’ll be fine. Switzerland is so easy, that I’m going back in June by myself. And I’m not worried at all.
Posted by
OP
Denver
24 posts
😊 Thanks.
Posted by
5 posts
We bought a three day flex pass for each of us. How do you activate it ? Before the Trip? Via the SBB app?
Thanks
Harry
Posted by
Chicago
3125 posts
Harry, i haven't used the flex pass, but i think this website will help answer your question:
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
I have one other question: since I am going to arrive in Zurich and go to France right away (Mulhouse for 2 nights), how do I buy a point to point ticket from Zurich airport to Basel without activating my Swiss Pass?<
There's a train ticket office right at the airport. Just buy your ticket there. You can use machines if you wish, but it's easier to deal with an actual person, particularly when you're jet lagged. They can not only sell you the ticket, but tell you the schedule and track to go to for the train.