I am traveling from Paris to Lauterbrunnen Switzerland on June 29th 2011(1 week away). I tried to get a price estimate a few weeks ago, and it looked like it was around $85 per person for 2nd class tickets at that time.
Details: Paris-Est>Interlaken Ost Via Basel. 5:33duration, 1change, depart 08:24 - Arrive 13:57 I still see this same route on sbb.ch - but the fare now shows a price of CHF177($210). Comparing what it looks like the standard fares are on seat61 it looks like the standard full fare price is only $150. Did I wait too long to get tickets? After many recommendations I was planning on just getting tickets after my arrival in France. Is this route too busy to do that for? What should I do?
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17439 posts
Discounted tickets into Switzerland, including the new "City-Hit" tickets that will be available July 1, are generally available 60 to 90 days in advance, and must be purchased more than 14 days in advance. Even before the 14-day limit, they may sell out. It looks like you are too late to get the discounted fare. You can still get tickets, as the trains are not sold out, but you will pay the full fare (139,60 euros from TGV-europe, or 184 CHF from SBB.ch.).
Posted by
OP
Minneapolis, MN, US
12 posts
So are you saying that I should buy the tickets now or wait till I get to Paris(3 days before departure)? I am in the US now.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17439 posts
There doesn't appear to be any advantage to buying them now from the US. But maybe someone else will have a better answer. Or maybe getting particular seats on the reserved TGV portion is a concern. You can check the expected occupancy of the trains (crowded, filling up, or not) on the SBB website, and use that to decide when to buy.