grand train tour fr lucerne

(1) It takes 2h45 to get from Geneva to Luzern by train. Single fare, 2nd class, without a pass is CHF 79. Return fare exactly double, CHF 158.
Times and prices for all trains in Switzerland can be found on: www.sbb.ch
But, if you would rather be in Luzern, why are you staying in Geneva?

(2) and (3) I do not know what "grand train tour" you are talking about, so I cannot answer your question.

Thank you for your reply Chris.
I plan to take the grand train tour here
http://ricksteves.raileurope.com/promotions/grand-train-tour-of-switzerland.html

It will be 4 days itinerary but I don't know what is included in the package and how does it works..

Anyway,thanks again for your reply..

Looks like the "Grand Train Tour" is merely a suggested itinerary using a 4-day Swiss Pass. You don't need to go to Luzern to start, you could start in Geneva just as well. Take a train to Montreux where you get the Golden Pass train to Luzern. It is not really a single train, you change at Zweisimminen and Interlaken Ost to get to Luzern. You don't necessarily need to take the named trains with reservation fees not included in the Swiss Pass. Regular trains do these routes as well, although you will have to change trains a few times. It also includes the the Glacier Express, Bernina Express, and William Tell Express. Seems a bit of overkill to me, but if you love sitting in trains and watching great scenery (if the weather cooperates), you're hitting them all.

I'm sorry but it is very hard to make sense of your post....

First of all the only package deal I see on you page you referenced is an eight day package, not four days! And secondly if you are based in Geneva, then you will not be able to do all the routes and return to Geneva each evening!!!

I would suggest you consider the following path as it is more or less in line with Itinerary 1 on the page you referenced:

Day 1: Geneva to Zermatt via Martigny - this takes about 3 hours 45 minutes so there is plenty of time to visit the Gornergrat, look around Zermatt etc as the guid suggests.

Day 2: Zermatt to St. Moritz with the Glacier Express

Day 3: St Moritz to Lugano and on to Lucerne - This is directly from the description you posted using the Bernina Express and the Wilhelm Tell Express

Day 4: Lucerne to Geneva - Again this is directly from the description you referenced, but ending in Geneva rather than Montreaux, using the Golden Pass route.

Hopefully this is the kind of thing you had in mind. As for room reservations, I really can't say... I will be doing much of the same route a month later and do not intend to make any bookings until a few days before hand, but then again I live locally.

Enjoy your trip.

Jim

Yes, looks like 5 suggested routes for making the most out of a 4-day Swiss pass. You would have to book your own hotels.
As none of the routes start or end in Geneva, you would have to adapt and make your own route. Both Sam and Jim's suggestions are sound. My own suggestion (not necessarily better or worse, just different).

• Day 1: Geneva to Zermatt (overnight). If weather nice up the Gornergratbahn.
• Day 2: Backtrack to Visp (main valley), then to Andermatt (part of the Glacier Express route), turn north to Goschenen and Luzern. If you have time, switch from train to boat for last section to Luzern (overnight).
• Day 3: Brünigbahn to Interlaken (first half of Golden Pass route). Up side valley to Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald and overnight there.
• Day 4: Backtrack to Interlaken, rest of Golden Pass route to Montreux. Back to Geneva (overnight).

Or, you can just look at a map and decide on your own route. If it was June, I would suggest including a postbus trip over one of the high alpine passes, but they are all usually blocked by snow until the end of May.

Most of us here advise against booking on RailEurope because they're just middlemen and resellers who add a surcharge to sell you something that you could just was easily buy on your own. Avoiding RailEurope never hurt anybody ;-) except perhaps RS company who seems to be promoting RE at every possible step of the way. I'm also assuming there's some added $$$ incentive to RS for promoting RE.

I would be interested to know how you reached the Grand Train Tour page, since excursions and packages are not supposed to be in the Rick Steves/Rail Europe co-branded shopping cart. We recommend making your own hotel bookings.

If you want a Swiss Travel Pass for delivery to a US address before you go, then you can order it through our cart. The pass for 4 consecutive days currently costs $268 per person in 2nd class and is also sold as an e-ticket, pre-validated for your 4-day travel window. They are also sold in Geneva airport and other train stations when you arrive.

Thanks for all your suggestion..last question,should i buy the 4 day swiss pass online or i can get it once i arrive in geneva airport or at the train station.