Geneva to Paris by TGV Lyria and Rail Passes

Note differences between passes, both below and at https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/transportation/trains/switzerland-rail-passes. The infant will never need a ticket and kids aged 4-5 don't need tickets in Switzerland.

• Are you taking the train to Paris on the same day that you fly into Geneva? There's always a risk of missing a train if your flight is delayed.

• The TGV Lyria has a pass holder reservation price of $34 per person in 2nd class, each way, in addition to a 2-country Select pass. The number of places for pass holders is limited and you may not be able to book on short notice (though you can book now). When returning to Switzerland, it might be a faster connection to just book the TGV Lyria to Basel. Or you can book a domestic TGV to Strasbourg for $12 per person and make one extra train connection.

• Reserved, advance-discount TGV Lyria tickets are not refundable or changeable if you miss the train. If buying tickets, kids will get a small discount. Some discounts are currently available, if you're ready to commit to either direction of travel.

• The two-country Select pass covers four children aged 4-11. If you reach a route in Switzerland where the pass offers a discount, such as 25% off Interlaken-Muerren-Schilthorn, then the kids can get a regular Swiss child ticket instead at 50% of the adult ticket price.

• The Swiss Travel Pass and associated free Swiss Family Card covers all of your own legal children aged 6-15. They are free on all Swiss public transport when traveling with you, regardless of whether the adults are fully covered by the pass or buying a discounted ticket, such as 50% off Muerren-Schilthorn.

Thanks Laura,

But its still confusing now

Shall i buy Select Pass for France and Swiss? I will be only in Paris for a week. Then back to Swiss itinerary which is Paris - Lucerne - Wengen - Montreax - Geneve departure

Will it make better sense to buy Paris pass and then Swiss Travel Pass for 2 adults (Assuming kids will be free with STP) ?

TGV Lyria also has some 25% discount for kid under 12 + 4 family companion. Cost is 75E. But unfortunately it does not have print at home option. Otherwise my 75E would have recovered in the Geneva Paris trip itself. I could have utilized it for Paris-Lucerne as well.

Other discounts like 4 for 3 and Group of 5 don't seem to be working on the site.

Regards

Hate to say it, but you would be better off touring Switzerland first. Then you could buy nonrefundable advance purchase tickets at a good discount to Paris and back to Geneva. This does not work very well when arriving at Geneva and going straight to Paris, because if you flight is delayed, the nonrefundable tickets become worthless and you will have to buy expensive full fare tickets to get to Paris.

Edit. I am making some assumptions for my prices, namely that all 4 children are under 12 and the infant is under 4.

Semi-Flex tickets on June 22 from Geneva airport to Paris is 433 EUR for a late afternoon departure. Returning on June 28 to Basel you can get Lyria Non-Flex price of 260 EUR. From Basel activate Swiss pass and proceed to Luzern, then Muerren, then Montreux, then to Geneva airport for the flight home.

Delaying the trip to Paris for after seeing Switzerland results in some savings. Land, activate pass then go directly to Montreux, then to Muerren, then to Luzern, then to Basel where you already have 260 EUR Lyria Non-Flex tickets to Paris. Then have 255 EUR Lyria Non-Flex tickets from Paris to Geneva the evening before your flight home. So that saves about 180 EUR.

I am using EUR because I used the French TGV site for pricing. And if some of the kid's ages are 12 or over, the cost of Lyria Non-Flex tickets goes up by 10 EUR per kid 12 and over. Assumption is that the infant will ride in someone's lap. These prices are based on buying now, as the cheap tickets sell out, only higher priced tickets are left.