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Swiss Rail Pass thoughts???

Hello,

We arrive and will stay the nt in Zurich on the 28th of May. We will then spend four nts the 29th to 2nd of June in Wengen. We then plan to do the Gotthard Panorama express staying the nt of the 2nd in Lucerne and the 3rd in Lugano. On the 4th of June we will take the train from Lugano to Ravenna. Here are my thoughts:
Buy a Swiss Pass for 6days (with family pass we have a 15 yr old).

Buy a point to point for Lugano to Ravenna as Swiss Rail pass would not work for this.
Should this adequately cover us in the Bernese Oberland area? It seems that there are a few excursions we may pay for but at 50%?

Are we able to travel with one piece of luggage and a backpack on the trains?

Swiss rail passes are 25% off currently and I would like to book with the promotion.

Posted by
19637 posts

I don't believe there is a 6-day Flex pass for sale, at least during the period of the sale (until Dec 11). Next year, there may be different options available and perhaps lower prices, at least according to one of the RS reps who occasionally posts on this forum. You might get by with a 4-day, or even a 3-day. No sense using a pass-day when you arrive as it is only a relatively inexpensive local network ticket. Your last day from Lugano you can buy a through ticket from Lugano to Ravenna from Trenitalia 3 months ahead and get discounted Super Economy tickets. Lugano to Chiasso is a short trip, only 20 minutes, so no use using a pass-day for that section.

Posted by
4614 posts

I don't think there's a six-day pass. It's 3,4,8, or 15 days, either consecutive or flexible. Note that if you use the pass for a discount, that counts as a day of use. The STP covers rail up to Wengen and Murren. Higher than that, there are charges/discounts.

We returned from Switzerland this past Sept, and rode multiple trains. We put our carry-on luggage between the seats, and used a hook by the window for our backpacks. The trains had phone chargers- you'll need them, as you'll be taking lots of pix on the scenic routes.

The promotion is great, and the STP makes transit so easy. In Lucerne, the boat and cogwheel train to Mt. Rigi is completely covered, and is such a nice excursion.

Safe and wonderful travels in this beautiful country !

Posted by
2633 posts

There will be a 6-day pass for 2022, but because the 6-day pass is not being introduced until 2022, it is not available for the current 25% off. The prices for 2022 will be decreasing over the current full prices. Details and pricing can be found here:

https://www.myswissalps.com/forum/topic/changes-to-the-swiss-travel-system-passes-in-2022

So, if you compare the 6-day pass price for 2022 (CHF 359) to the 8-day pass price with the sale (CHF 314), it looks like the 8-day pass will be a better option for you.

For your travel from Lugano to Ravenna, the pass will cover you until the last stop in Switzerland, which is Chiasso. So, you’d need to buy a ticket from that last stop to Ravenna.

Posted by
16024 posts

If this were our trip I would get the 4-day Flex Pass for 243 CHF (sale price) for the adults, with a free Family Card for the teen. Then use it for travel from Zurich to Wengen, Wengen to Luzern, the Gotthard Panorama Express to Lugano, and one of the two full days you have at Wengen.

If you are planning on doing the famous Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg walk, riding the cablecar up, you could do it either on your arrival day in Wengen, or your departure day to Luzern, as the pass will already be activated for use those days. It is a good half-day excursion. Just remember that the pass will give you 50% off the lifts and train above Wengen, not full coverage. But your teen will still be free with the Family Card.

That leaves one day at Wengen uncovered, and I would use it to head over to Muerren (full price ticket 18 CHF each way for the adults) and do a hike there, or maybe even the Via Ferrara.

Your child will still be 15 next May, right?