Thank you for all of your reponses about our trip to Germany, Austria & Switzerland which I posted the other day. After your immediate answers, we have decided to focus on Switzerland in 8 days flying out of Zurich. My question: We get off the ship in Venice. If we want to travel from Venice to Switzerland, what kind of a train pass do we get? We plan to stay in Switzerland the entire time. I have heard about the Swiss Pass. Do we pay separately for the trip from Venice to Switzerland (which is pricey) and then go on with the Swiss pass? or do we buy a Eurorail pass? Hopefully this makes sense to you but certainly not to me. Thank you, Sally
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19092 posts
I'm sure there will be days in Switzerland where point-point tickets for where you are going are less than a day of a pass, so I'm sure you don't want a Swiss Pass for 7-or 8 days. There are websites (like this one) where you can look up the price of a Swiss Pass for the number of days you want, including the day you're traveling to Switzerland and the price of a Eurail pass for the same number of days. I really suspect that the cost of the Italy Pass will be enough less so as to cover a Trenitalia ticket from Venice to the Swiss border, but you have to do the math. Remember, express trains in Italy require a surcharge on top of a pass.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16190 posts
Sally, a Swiss pass works better within Switzerland than a 2-country pass. Depending on your plans, you may do best with a Flex Pass that covers 3 or 4 days of travel and give you 50% off everything else, including mountain lifts and boats. If you don't buy a pass you can still reduce the cost of travel into Switzerland with a reduced-fare ticket from Milan to Zürich-buy on the Swiss rail site www.rail.ch. If you buy a Swiss pass it covers from Chiasso (the border town) to your first night's destination. Here is a sample itinerary for Switzerland for someone who loves hiking, biking, and castles: Day 1: train from Venice to Luzern (via Milan). This would be the Zürich route I mentioned above; you just get off the train early, at Arth-Goldau. Overnight Luzern. Day 2: explore Luzern area by boat; maybe ride up Rigi and hike there. Overnight Luzern. Days 3-5: train via Golden Pass route to Berner Oberland. Overnight there 3 nights; choose Wengen, Mürren, or Gimmelwald. You can hike, bike the Lauterbrunnen Valley (or down from Mürren), etc. Day 6: train to Montreux to visit Chateau du Chillon; walk or bike the waterfront path along Lac Leman, etc. Overnight in nearby Vevey, or in Montreux itself. Day 7: train to Kandersteg (2 hour ride). Heve the rest of the awith turquoise water), or rent bikes and explore the nearly Gasterntal (a lovely undeveloped valley with restricted traffic.) Overnight Kandersteg or at the mountain inn up at the lake. www.oeschinensee.ch for photos Day 8: train back to Zürich (a 2-hour ride) in time for your flight. For this itinerary, a 4-day Flex Pass works well. Or you could spend the whole time in the Berner Oberland; I am sure many here would advocate for that. We prefer to move around and hike in different areas.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32711 posts
Oh Lola what a trip you offer. Can I go now please (oops cold)!! I really think that Lola offered is a most excellent idea. Others will say this and that - Switzerland whilst small is full of choices and opportunities at every turn. We have been back multiple times and are now exploring second and third string opportunities. We really liked recently the Callier chocolate factory tour and (because we go to cheese manufacturies everywhere) the Gruyere factory nearby. Oh I miss Switzerland. You are so lucky to be going.... Don't forget that the international code for Switzerland is CH ... for chocolate, of course.....