questions about Swiss transfer ticket. 1st, I believe I can go out of Zurich airport to Luzern, then another day go from Luzern to Lugano? correct? How far south of Lugano will the transfer get me? Also, is Lugano or Como better stopover for scenic family travel enroute to Florence. thanks, Elaine
The Swiss Transfer Ticket will get you to the Italian border. It is not valid in Italy.
According to this site, the Swiss Transfer Ticket is also valid on several lines in surrounding countries: Basel - EuroAirport (France), Martigny - Chamonix Mont Blanc (France), Brig - Domodossola (Italy) - Locarno via the Centovalli railway, Lugano - Chiavenna (Italy) - St. Moritz, Lugano - Tirano (Italy), Zernez - Malles (Italy), Buchs/Sargans - Liechtenstein - Feldkirch (Austria).
If you click on the map link on that site, it shows that the ticket is good beyond Lugano as far as Chiasso.
Chiasso is part of Switzerland, on the border with Italy. From the map it does not look like the Gueltingberich for the Transfer Ticket extends over the border from Chiasso; it does not extend to Como.
I don't know what the the status is now that Switzerland is in Schwengen, but before then a part of Basel Euro-Airport was consided a part of Switzerland, with customs going into it, as was the bus road into Basel, CH.
There are only a few rail lines, to Tirano, Domodossola, and Mt. Blanc, outside of Switzerland.