I found a solution, thanks! I'm doing some admittedly last minute booking for a trip. I need some advice on the best rail pass to get. My itinerary for travel days is: Day 1: Arrive in Venice Day 3: Venice to Florence Day 5: Florence to Vernazza Day 7: Vernaza to Milan Day 9 : Milan to Zurich, Zurich to Lucerne* Day 10: Lucerne to Interlaken then Lauterbrunnen on GoldenPass Day 12: Lautrebrunnen to Geneva Day 13: Geneva to Paris Day 17: Paris to Brussels
Day 19: Brussels to Amsterdam Day 22: To Airport to flight home I might also do side trips to Versailles or Bruges. *A friend is meeting me in Zurich for this part of the trip and is departing from Paris. What would be the best option for her? Based on my research, a 10 day select pass should be good and then I also need to get extra reservations for some of the trains and the GoldenPass portion? But in terms of cost, I looked at the Italy portion of my trip and it costs slightly more than the Italy 4 day pass and that's before I factor in reservations and the Switzerland part of the journey. My arrival in Venice is Oct 8. Is it busy season in these places that a reservation is very important and should be done online before I arrive? Thanks very much for your help
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33549 posts
Is it too late for Minis? If you want the First Class treatment with the air conditioning on the Golden Pass or do you want to travel on a normal train with the same stops at the same speed with big windows easy to open for much less money and no reservations? This wasn't in the original question, but just to tighten up on stuff - can you actually see much when you only have one day in most places. That much moving around would give me a headache. Figure at least half a day to find your hotel / check in / settle / unpack / pack / settle up / get to the station ... each time. Then add actual finding platform, waiting for train and time on train(s) ...
Posted by
OP
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
5 posts
I'm not sure what the Minis thing means. For the Golden Pass the main thing I want is the panoramic view. If there are classes within that, second is fine. And yeah I know its a bit cramped. I think I will cut out Milan. For Switzerland, there are only a couple things I want to see in each of Lucerne and Geneva, thus the short stay.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19240 posts
Trenitalia Mini Offer, www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=38a304ae4f9ec210VgnVCM1000003f16f90aRCRD.
Posted by
OP
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
5 posts
What is the advantage of that over www.raileurope.ca? A quick look tells me it's about the same price (43 Euros and 60 CAD)
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17249 posts
Why not just meet your friend in Luzern? It will save you both some time. She can travel to Luzern from Paris in about the same time (4 hours 40 minutes) that it takes for the direct train to Zürich. She will change trains in Basel. You can travel to Luzern from Milan in less time (by about 10 minutes) than it takes to go to Zürich. You will change trains in Arth-Goldau.
Posted by
OP
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
5 posts
Sorry I wasn't clear. My friend is flying into Zurich and accompanying me along the trip until the end of the stay in Paris and then flying out of there.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17249 posts
Ok, I see. You'll want the direct train from Milan to Zürich then. Do you plan to meet her at the airport? Or at the Zurich train station? If the latter, "der Blaue Engel" makes a good meeting point: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eclogite/3704374342/ It is in the main hallway, on street level. Anyone can direct you and you can't miss it!
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19240 posts
You were asking about the best rail pass. How did raileurope.ca become part of the discussion. But, I added up the Mini fares for Venice to Florence to La Spezia to Monterosso (R/E doesn't show Vernazza) to Milan, and it was €68,40 ($95.21 CAD) vs $116 CAD for R/Eca.