My wife and I are training from Paris to Murren in early September. We have purchased two Swiss Rail Passes (SRP) however I'm wondering what is the best way to book our trains? It appears the optimal route is Paris (likely via Strasbourg) and then several train changes to arrive in Murren. Do we book the whole trip through the Swiss Rail website (SBB) or just the train through Strasbourg (TGV) and then Bern separately using the French Rail website before using our SWP once we arrive in Switzerland?
If you have a Swiss Rail Pass you do not need to book anything in Switzerland. You already have what you need to travel on any public transit in the country.
So you only need to book Paris to Basel. You can do that on SNCF-connect, or on SBB. In both cases you will be on the same trains. There are direct trains from Paris Gare de Lyon, and others with a change of trains in Strasbourg from Paris Gare de l'Est.
But when booking, just select "Paris" as origin, and you will see both routes offered.
Then in Basel you just continue on the Swiss transport system...
WengenK, Thank you so much for your advice. Very much appreciated.
Gord Gilroy
WengenK,
For clarity... I have booked our SNCF tickets from Paris to Basel on September 4 departing Paris at the recommended time in the AM. Because we have Swiss Travel Passes, are you indeed saying we do not have to pre-book the balance of our train segments to arrive in Murren that afternoon? In other words: Is there generally room for unreserved passengers at this time of year.
Gord Gilroy
Trains are very frequent and nobody books reservations anymore than one would book a specific NYC subway train. You may luck out and have a convenient direct train to Interlaken Ost, other times connections in Bern or Spiez, or both, then Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen (trains every 30 minutes) then lift to Gruetschalp and connecting train to Muerren.
Thank you.
Paris to Zurich is a major TGV route which has its own named train, Lyria