I'm trying to plan a trip to the to the spa at Hotel Therme Vals in Vals, Switzerland. What is the best way to get from Munich to the spa using public transportation? What trains should I be taking and how do I go about making reservations for these trains? I do plan on purchasing a Eurail Pass, so I can visit some of the neighboring countries. Will I be able to use the Eurail Pass to get myself from Munich to Vals? Thanks for your help!
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19099 posts
According to the German Rail Website, there is no rail service to Vals, just a bus from Ilanz. The fastest route (12:34-18:09) I see uses an EC from Munich to St. Margrethen. You can reserve a seat on that train online from the Bahn (1st class, €5,50), but only as far as Lindau, or, I'm sure, all the way to St. Margrethen in Munich. Then there are regional trains from St. Margrethen to Chur and Chur to Ilanz. Regional trains don't have reserved seats. I would expect those trains to be covered by the rail pass. Lastly, there is a half hour bus from Ilanz to Vals. I don't think buses in Switzerland are covered by a rail pass. You will probably have to pay for that separately. There is also a connection from 9:31 to 16:09. It goes to Innsbruck by EC, to Sargans (CH) by Austrian RailJet, and to Chur by Swiss IC. You could reserve the EC online from the Bahn, but only to Kufstein, or all the way to Innsbruck in Munich. I'm not sure about reservations online for the next two trains, the RJ from Austrian Rail, and the IC from Swiss Rail. You could probably reserve them all in Munich.
Posted by
OP
Los Angeles
2 posts
Thank you so much. This is very helpful. One last question, would you recommend that I make all necessary reservations now or will it be OK to wait until I'm in Munich?
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16337 posts
The Postbus actually stops at Vals Therme as well as at the Post. If that is where you hotel/spa is, that will be very convenient. You can see the intermediate stops of the bus on the Swiss rail site, SBB.ch. When you put in "Vals" for your destination it will drop down a menu for you to pick which stop in the Vals area you want. Swiss Postbuses are covered by Swiss passes, but not by Eurail passes.