Have tried getting info on train travel and although have found timetables just can't get cost of fares. Plus if overnight train and I know there are several stops, then at what stage would you have to get off that night train and change trains - very confused with what's on websites. Would appreciate any help. Thanks in advance Christine
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9110 posts
Play around with the Swiss Rail site:
It will give you fares and list station stops. You should be able to books tickets as well.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Christine, you can easily see the train schedule from Venice to the Interlaken Ost train station on the German train website (www.bahn.de). You can also see it on the Swiss train website (www.sbb.ch/en) or the Italian train website (www.trenitalia.com). What you won't see is the fare. The train websites generally don't show the fares when the run is international.
The best website routing can be found on www.bahn.de for this run. The typical run with 2-3 train changes will take 6.5hrs-7.0hrs. The Italian train website has gone a bit strange with their routing so I would avoid this site for this run.
The best routing will have you change trains is Milan and Spiez. The best run departs at 7:50am. For a fare, I estimate $113 for 2nd class. Trenitalia showed me a fare of 48Euro from Venice to Domodossola (Italian/Swiss border area) and the Swiss train site showed me a fare of 51CHF from Domodossola to Interlaken Ost. About $113.
You can easily by tickets for this run in the Venice train station to Interlaken Ost. But, you had better have the train and run information writtern down to hand to the agent.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Here's another nice hint. To get your intital supply of Swiss Francs, you can do this at the Spiez train station where you will change trains. You have 12 minutes before your next train. The Spiez train station is not that large so you run around the other side of the station and there's an ATM there. You can have your Swiss Francs in 90 seconds and be back in plenty of time for your next train. Been there done exactly that. Note also that the Swiss trains do run on time.
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9110 posts
The train websites generally don't show the fares when the run is international.
Most train sites do indeed display fares for international trains. According to the Swiss Rail site the exact fare from Venice to Interlaken is 138CHF for the standard fare, and 102CHF for the restricted fare. Unfortunately, for this journey it's not possible to print the ticket out at home, and Swiss Rail charges a whopping 90CHF to ship to Australia! So its obviously best to purchase these tickets in Venice or anywhere else in Italy.
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Michael is correct. I do see this fare on www.sbb.ch. It wasn't showing it earlier but now I see it. Lesson learned.