Traveling on a city to city ticket. If your trip requires a transfer of trains can you spend time in the transfer city or must you take the next available train to your destination? Example the train from Luzern to Thun requires a change of trains in Olten. Are you required to continue your trip on the next available train to your destination or can you explore Otlen and continue your trip on a later train that same day.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Jane, Swiss train tickets (unlike those in some other countries) are valid on any train. The ticket has a date on it (usually the date of purchase, unless you specifically ask for another date), and it is valid on any train on that date. You must travel by the route specified, but you can catch any train, and spend as much time as you like in the places you have to change trains.
Except, if you go from Luzern to Thun, you don't always change trains in Olten. Sometimes you change trains in Bern. Personally, if I was to spend an hour or two, I would choose Bern over Olten.
You can look up times and prices on the Swiss Federal Railways site: http://www.sbb.ch/en This site always finds the quickest route.
Luzern to Thun costs CHF 50 via Olten or Bern (2nd class, full price).
But but, if you specify "via Interlaken", this is shorter, but it takes longer (2½ hours versus 1½-2). Cost CHF 44. This route includes the scenic line over the Brünig pass. I would recommend you go by this route. If you want a stop off on this route, chose Brienz.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
I can't say for sure about Switzerland, but I can tell you what it would be in Germany. You should still find out for sure about Switzerland. Add: Thank you, Chris. He posted his response while I was writing mine.
In Germany, if you are traveling on a "standard", full fare ticket from one city to another via a third city (like Luzern to Thun via Olten) the ticket is valid all day on that route. You can get off at a station; the only requirement would be that you finish the travel by midnight.
If you were traveling on a discounted, advance purchase ticket, and the second train is a long distance train (ie, ICE/IC/EC) you can only travel on the train specified on the ticket. However, you can specify a fixed time stop at the via station. If the second train is a regional train, you can use any other regional train on the route as long as you finish your travel by 10 AM the following day.
Posted by
OP
marinette
13 posts
Thanks to Chris and Lee for that timely advice it will help in our planning.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32757 posts
Anybody who has seen me write about trains to Luzern will know that I absolutely agree with Chris F to choose the Brunig Pass / Interlaken route.
In the last couple of years all the standard train stock on the Zentralbahn portion from Luzern to Interlaken Ost (mandatory change to the standard gauge from the metre gauge with rack (cogwheel) at Interlaken Ost) has been replaced with very modern air conditioned panoramic trains which have no narrow corridor between carriages so you can walk through with no obstructions. They are excellent trains.