My family will be traveling from Paris to Murren in August on the same day. I've purchased point to point tickets for the TGV from Paris to Basel. I've bought a Swiss Flexi Pass and plan to use it for the Basel to Interlaken to Lauturbrennan to Murren part of the day. Ideally I'd be able to validate the pass in Paris so that we could make a tight connection in Basel, rather than having to wait in line at the train station there and have to take a later train. Has anyone validated a Swiss Pass in Paris, at either the train station or one of the SCNF boutiques? Even the ETBD folks have given me conflicting answers to my question, so hopefully one of you travel experts can help me. Thank you!
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9099 posts
I'm not certain if you can validate a Swiss Pass in Paris, but it won't be a hassle to validate it in Basel. Lines shouldn't be a problem, and direct trains to Interlaken run every 30 minutes or so. Even if you can validate it Paris, you will still have to wait in a line.
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
You can also just go ahead and write in your dates of travel on your swiss pass along with your passport number. If your train connections are tight and you don't have time to stop at the counter along the way to validate then you can just officially validate the pass when you get to Muerren.
I know it says not to write on the pass anywhere, but I've done this the last two times when traveling in Switzerland and the ticket counters look at it and smile and go on their way. Actually it was the ticket taker on our initial Swiss leg of the train that told us to do that. There were no problems.
Posted by
OP
Seattle, WA, United States
96 posts
Thanks all for such quick answers. Good to know that there are many fall back options! Steve, is the international desk at the train station in Paris (we'll be leaving from Gare d'Est) or at one of the boutiques? We've bought and paid for the TGV tickets and will be going to the station to pick up the tickets (with the same credit card). Or maybe we can accomplish both those things at one of the boutiques day before our travel day and just go straight to the train on the day of departure?