As SBB train leader for our group of 10 (5 couples) all with Half-Fare card, I've seen Super Saver fares for some of the exact trips we need to take together that are significantly less than using the 30% group booking discount.
My concern is that there may not be enough seats at the Super Saver rate for all of us. I know that we'd have to book in 2 batches, e.g. 4 and 6 people, since only 9 can be booked at once. What are our chances that all of us could get the Super Saver rate
Availability will be based on how many they have already sold. There’s no way to know that.
If you are able to buy 9 super savers at a time, why not try to do that. And then get the 10th. If you are not able to get a 10th super saver, that still seems like a better deal than your group discount.
EDITED: And if you try to buy the super savers and see that you are only to buy say 2, then you can pass on that and go with the group discount.
Just want to make sure you are aware that the super saver tickets are for a specific train and time. You have to take that train to get the discount.
The saver day pass, you can take any train at any time on the day your ticket is valid.
https://www.sbb.ch/en/travelcards-and-tickets/tickets-for-switzerland/supersaver-tickets.html
And both these tickets can now be purchased 6 months in advance. It used to be 60 days, but that recently changed.
@Carrie
We do have specific trains in mind based on fewest connections and most convenient times. For example, when we leave Luzern our hotel has a noon checkout and from there to Wengen there is a 12:06 train via Meiringen that arrives 20 minutes before check-in time to our airbnb.
We do have specific trains in mind based on fewest connections and
most convenient times.
Ok, great!! was just making sure you knew. I would definitely check for the super savers for the routes you can commit to a specific train. I’d check for them now as the prices may go up. Good luck getting them!!
As a Swiss I would like to point out that on certain services if travelling as group you are required to inform the travel company and in some cases make reservations. A failure to do so could result in you not being allowed to board the train or being put off at the first stop. Check the terms and conditions for your intend routes.
"My concern is that there may not be enough seats at the Super Saver rate for all of us."
Be aware that when buying tickets you are not buying seats. Tickets do not come with a reservation. Availability of supersaver tickets has nothing to do with the number of seats on a train, just with how many tickets the railway expects to sell.
Also, when doing Luzern - Wengen do buy a Luzern - Wengen ticket, not. Luzern - Interlaken and separate tickets to Wengen.
Thanks to all who've replied. My brain is crispy thanks to the math calculations required to book as a group, which would be easier except not all journeys we need have the group option available, or booking as many super saver fares as allowed, and using our half-fare cards to book the remainder.
FWIW we are looking at 1st class: Basel-Luzern, Luzern-Wengen via Meiringen, Wengen- ZRH.
FWIW we are looking at 1st class
I’m a big fan of first class in Switzerland. Fewer crowds and more room for luggage.
Were you able to buy the tickets? Or are you still working on it?
@Carrie
Not yet. SBB repopulates fields which makes it difficult to change parameters whether I am logged in or not. I have beseeched DH to open his laptop so we can work side by side to see about Super Saver and group rates. If I can snag 8 SS fares (the max I was able to input), paying Half-Fare for the remaining 2 in our group could be economically advantageous dividing the grand total among us all.
We probably won't get to this today due to our plans, but bright and early tomorrow we will!!
Update:
Leg # 2 from Luzern to Wengen via Meiringen.
I was able to book 8 Supersavers and 2 point to points for pp cost of CHF 34.55 1st class average among our 10
DH got stuck on booking 7 Supersavers from Leg #3: Wengen to ZRH when he attempted to pay by his cc- SBB screen went blank! Booking didn't go through.
No group fares showed this morning for those trips nor the Basel-Luzern journey.
To be continued......
BJB
Thanks for the update. Great price on the Luzern to Wengen trip!!
Good luck on the rest!!
Update #2
Still no group fare available for our Wengen to ZRH leg. However, I did manage to book 9 SuperSaver tickets at CHF37.80 1st class!
One to go (for my DH) so still logged in, I tried to book it as a point to point but 1st class was now CHF88. Yikes.
Went to his laptop, didn't log in, et voila! was able to get him a 1st class SS ticket for our journey at the same price as the other 9.
One last trip to book- Basel to Luzern....
Finished!
Just a caution about using your log-in to SBB. Prices were higher for me logged in than being a "guest" or booking as group leader for the 10 of us.
Booked SuperSaver from Basel-Luzern at CHF 9 pp 1st class. I was able to get all 10 tickets in one reservation!
My original estimation for our 3 train trips in Switzerland before the schedule for September was released was CHF 85 pp 1st class w/ Half-Fare cards. Happy to come in at almost CHF 4 under budget!!
You did it!!! I hope your travel companions appreciate all the work that went into getting the discounted tickets.
Thanks for letting us know how it worked out as this will be so helpful to others looking to book tickets for groups. I guess I’m pretty lucky that I usually only have to worry about buying tickets for myself. 😊
Have a great trip!!
