Planning a trip for 21 days to Switzerland and Italy. Want to go on the Glacier express as well as the Bernina Express. Do I need both the Euro pass and the swiss pass?
Answer
Planning to visit Switzerland and Italy.
Best answer by BrendanDB
It's not Euro pass, but Eurail pass.
Eurail is only for trains, but the global pass covers almost all trains in Europe (exceptions for some touristic railways, that are only discounted) . You also have one country passes, only valid in one country. But just for the trains
The Swiss Travel Pass is valid only in Switzerland, but for all public transport (also tram and busses, as musea are included).
Which one you choose is up to you.
So depending on what you're route is going to look like, what you'lld like to visit you'll have to calculate yourself what will seems to most benificial.
Tip: on every express route (Bernina, Glacier) there are also reservation free regional trains every hour, doing the route without extra cost. Enabling you to stop where you want.
+8It's not Euro pass, but Eurail pass.
Eurail is only for trains, but the global pass covers almost all trains in Europe (exceptions for some touristic railways, that are only discounted) . You also have one country passes, only valid in one country. But just for the trains
The Swiss Travel Pass is valid only in Switzerland, but for all public transport (also tram and busses, as musea are included).
Which one you choose is up to you.
So depending on what you're route is going to look like, what you'lld like to visit you'll have to calculate yourself what will seems to most benificial.
Tip: on every express route (Bernina, Glacier) there are also reservation free regional trains every hour, doing the route without extra cost. Enabling you to stop where you want.
Thank you so much for a quick response. My confusion was whether to buy separate train passes for each country. I had already checked into the Swiss Travel pass and was about to purchase it for our party of 5. But we also are travelling extensively in Italy where the confusion came. I am still not clear whether to by the global pass and use it in both the countries. The swiss pass in around $500/person and we pay extra for reservations. Not sure if the global pass will allow the same freedom in both countries.
Thank you so much for your tip for the Bernina and Glacier trains. I was not aware that the regional trains do the same route. If that is the case then why do people jump extra hoops to take the Bernina or Glacier express. Any insight will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you so much for a quick response. My confusion was whether to buy separate train passes for each country. I had already checked into the Swiss Travel pass and was about to purchase it for our party of 5. But we also are travelling extensively in Italy where the confusion came. I am still not clear whether to by the global pass and use it in both the countries. The swiss pass in around $500/person and we pay extra for reservations. Not sure if the global pass will allow the same freedom in both countries.
Thank you so much for your tip for the Bernina and Glacier trains. I was not aware that the regional trains do the same route. If that is the case then why do people jump extra hoops to take the Bernina or Glacier express. Any insight will be greatly appreciated.
Because they are tourist traps.
To be fair they are a good product with panoramic carriages with on-board dining (not included in fare and at typically Swiss expensive prices) and a running commentary of sights and history, etc.
they are also very popular, I was there in May this year and all the Glacier Express trains were full while the regional trains I used were so quiet I was sharing coaches with only half a dozen others. The regional trains also have one extra benefit, the windows all pull down so you can take photos without any glare.
Apart from the tourist trains there is no need to pay for reservations on Swiss trains. In Italy you will need to pay on the faster IC (€3) and Freccearossa trains (€13)
+8Thank you so much for a quick response. My confusion was whether to buy separate train passes for each country. I had already checked into the Swiss Travel pass and was about to purchase it for our party of 5. But we also are travelling extensively in Italy where the confusion came. I am still not clear whether to by the global pass and use it in both the countries. The swiss pass in around $500/person and we pay extra for reservations. Not sure if the global pass will allow the same freedom in both countries.
Thank you so much for your tip for the Bernina and Glacier trains. I was not aware that the regional trains do the same route. If that is the case then why do people jump extra hoops to take the Bernina or Glacier express. Any insight will be greatly appreciated.
If you’ll mainly transport yourself with trains in both Switzerland and Italy, I’lld stick to a Eurail global pass.
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