I plan on using the transportation system extensively during my 11 days in Switzerland. I will be there from 2/26-3/8/2009. The only problems I foresee are going into Basel to see some of the Fasnacht activities and going in and out of Bern, which has its Fasnacht on 2/26-2/28. I plan on purchasing a Swiss Pass. My question is: Do you think I will be ok just with the 2nd class pass? I can do on-line research to avoid trains requiring reservations. Do most of the trains even have 1st class or will I probably encounter just 2nd class trains (except for the ones going outside/coming into Switzerland)?
Posted by
dallas, tx, usa
1358 posts
?Last time we visited Switzerland, I bought the Swisspass and used it for a week.
We rented a room Andermatt and traveled out every day by rail.
The first day we traveled we sat near an American couple now living in Bern.
He asked me how much I paid for my pass. When I told him, he said that I could have bought point2point tickets for the legs I planned for less.
Research both methods of travel in detail to determine which will be cheaper. You may be using your pass only a few days.
Since then I have noticed as I travel in other European countries the p2p tickets are nearly always cheaper than the pass for a particular country. I no longer even consider the passes.
I therefore recommend your not using the Swisspass.
Posted by
OP
Parkton
46 posts
Thanks for the info. I am planning on staying in several cities and going out from each of the cities several times. I used Rick's map and got an approximation of how much p2p tickets would cost me. Of course those prices don't include some of the museums I plan to visit. Do you have any comments on my first/second class question?
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9109 posts
Go with second class. As you're traveling off-season there will be plenty of empty seats on most trains. Don't forget that the Swiss Pass gets you free entry to most all Museums.
Posted by
NYC area
2971 posts
Hi Robert,
Just wanted to agree with going 2nd class. We did this for 8 days (Swiss Pass) and we both found nothing wrong with 2nd class at all. It covered our cruise on Lake Luzern and more. This site should be of help.
Paul
Posted by
Rochelle, IL
263 posts
Robert,
Second class will be fine. It seems like most trains have both classes, be sure to be in the right one. Don't ride first class with a second class ticket. Train cars are marked with a 2 or 1 to indicate class. Some cars may be a 2 on one end and a 1 on the other. Be aware. Ticket costs are always an issue. The Swiss Card is convenient but expensive. They do sell a 1/2 price card for something like 99 franc for 30 days. I believe this is only sold at the stations. This gives you half price fares on most rail and boat voyages. For example, a boat trip on Lake Geneva may cost 58 franc, with the pass it is only 28. If you make enough trips, or a couple of long trips, you could save with the half fare card. I agree with the above postings about figuring out point to point, then making a decision. Check out the Swissrail site for information on point to point. My choice the last two times was to use the half fare card. I did save money, but all travel plans are different.
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
Just for clarification...if you have a 1st class ticket you are allowed to ride in either 1st or 2nd class compartments. If you have a 2nd class ticket you can ride either in 1st class (by paying the fare difference to the ticket inspector on the train) or you can ride in 2nd class.
If you mistakenly end up in a 1st class compartment when you only have a 2nd class ticket you will be asked to move.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
694 posts
Hi Robert, we travelled with a 8 days swiss pass last september. 2nd class was perfect for us, the pass gives you a lot of discount or free entry to lots of museums, boats, cities train, gondolas, etc. make sure you take that in consideration when you do your calculations. We did not make any reservations at all and we had no problem finding a seat. Have fun, Switzerland is heaven on earth!
Posted by
Zurich
65 posts
Hi, Robert. I also recommend 2nd class. All of the trains here have 1st and 2nd class cars and there are always more 2nd class. Reservations are not needed. The car classes (1 or 2) are clearly marked on the outside of the trains, and a sign in the station tells you which parts of the platform line up with the classes so you know where to wait. I don't know where you will be traveling in and out of, but from Zurich there are several trains per hour to Basel and Bern. You can check schedules at http://www.sbb.ch. Happy travels!
Posted by
Clarksburg, MD, USA
92 posts
We are planning a trip to Switzerland in May and wrestled with the same question as you. We ultimately decided to go with the Swiss Pass because in addition to being convenient, it offers discounts for museums, lake cruises, and private trains. We will be getting the 2nd class passes.
Penn
Posted by
Frankfort, KY, USA
24 posts
Hello.
We went to around Switzerland for several days last year with a multi-country eurorail pass. Due to our advanced age of 30(ish) we were not given the second class option and rode about in 1st. It was very nice and quiet. There were no screaming kids and most of the cars for our trips were totally empty.
1st is very nice. However, second class isn't bad. It's much better than just about any airline seat you can buy. It can be a bit louder and more crowded, but that's not really enough reason to justify additional costs.
We also had to show our pass to all the workers during the trip. I guess we looked like backpackers who were class poaching (their term for getting on in second and sneaking into 1st).
The only time we had second class tickets was for the Jung Frua train in Interlaken. That was cramped and not very fun. But the rest of the train rides were awesome. Have a great trip!