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Travel to Switzerland from Netherlands

O

Hi Team,

We are a group of 5 people and planning to travel to switzerland from Netherlands on 2 April 2025 Evening.

Further, we have to come back to Netherlands on 6 April 2025.

Below are the journeys that I found suitable for us: 

I have the following questions:

  • I have residence card of netherlands (I am not the citizen) so I can purchase Interrail pass of Switzerland instead of Global pass?
  • If I am eligible for purchasing Interrails pass then how much days should I purchase or If global then how many days should I purchase?

Furthermore, please tell me how to best plan my journey such:

  • When to purchase ticket via rail planner application
  • When generating tickets, should I break my journey? or book the ticket for ultimate destination? 

 

Considering the fact that I read this on the link:

https://www.interrail.eu/en/interrail-passes/what-is-interrail/travel-your-own-country

 

Best answer by rvdborgt

If you have a residence card for the Netherlands, then you can buy a one country pass for Switzerland.

However, a one country pass for Switzerland is only valid in Switzerland and does not cover the journey to Switzerland and back. You'll need a global pass also to cover that.

How many travel days you need depends on how many days you plan to use trains. The 2 journeys you show will use 3 travel days in total. Are you also using trains between those 2 journeys?

If you buy a pass, then that is your ticket. You don't need to buy any other tickets for train that are covered by the pass. You may need reservations. For examples, for a couchette or a sleeper from Eindhoven to Basel. Reservations within Switzerland are not needed and are generally a waste of money.

You cannot buy anything in the rail planner app. The main function of that app is to manage the pass: e.g. add journeys and generate the ticket for the day.

To book a couchette or sleeper, check nightjet.com. Add Interrail as a discount.

To book a seat Interlaken-Utrecht, go to bahn.com. Select "Book seat only”.

In general, use this page as a guide for seat reservations:

https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm

Finally, don't count on being in Basel on time for the 6:28. But there are multiple journeys per hour to Montreux, so you can just get the next one. Check sbb.ch or the SBB Mobile app for timetables in Switzerland.

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    3 replies

    R
    Railmaster
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    • rvdborgt
    • Railmaster
    • 10502 replies
    • Answer
    • March 11, 2025

    If you have a residence card for the Netherlands, then you can buy a one country pass for Switzerland.

    However, a one country pass for Switzerland is only valid in Switzerland and does not cover the journey to Switzerland and back. You'll need a global pass also to cover that.

    How many travel days you need depends on how many days you plan to use trains. The 2 journeys you show will use 3 travel days in total. Are you also using trains between those 2 journeys?

    If you buy a pass, then that is your ticket. You don't need to buy any other tickets for train that are covered by the pass. You may need reservations. For examples, for a couchette or a sleeper from Eindhoven to Basel. Reservations within Switzerland are not needed and are generally a waste of money.

    You cannot buy anything in the rail planner app. The main function of that app is to manage the pass: e.g. add journeys and generate the ticket for the day.

    To book a couchette or sleeper, check nightjet.com. Add Interrail as a discount.

    To book a seat Interlaken-Utrecht, go to bahn.com. Select "Book seat only”.

    In general, use this page as a guide for seat reservations:

    https://www.seat61.com/interrail-and-eurail-reservations.htm

    Finally, don't count on being in Basel on time for the 6:28. But there are multiple journeys per hour to Montreux, so you can just get the next one. Check sbb.ch or the SBB Mobile app for timetables in Switzerland.

    Please ask questions in the community and not via a private message. That's the quickest way to get a response. I don't work for Eurail/Interrail.
    O
    • Osama
    • Author
    • Rail rookie
    • 1 reply
    • March 12, 2025

    Yes, I will be using trains between those two journey. As I need to travel to top of the Europe and Grindelweld first.

    Further, I am little bit confused because in the link and screenshot below it is stated that I can use one country pass for an outbound and inbound trip in my country:

    https://www.interrail.eu/en/interrail-passes/what-is-interrail/travel-your-own-country

    BrendanDB
    Full steam ahead
    Forum|alt.badge.img+7
    • BrendanDB
    • Full steam ahead
    • 1638 replies
    • March 12, 2025

    Inbound outbound days are only a thing with Global passes. It means you have the right to travel by train via an Interrail pass in your in the country where you are living, to get in and out of it.

    One country passes can only be used in one specific country and cannot be used outside of that country, inbound/outbound days don’t exist there.

    A one country pass, here for Switzerland, is only valid for Switzerland. It does not cover the journey to Switzerland and back.

    So for your concrete plans, a one country pas is completely useless.

    If you want to make your journey as mentioned above fully by train and with an Interrail pass, you'll need a global pass also to cover it since you’ll cross The Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland.

    If I’m not mistaken I count 4 travel days, so buy a 4 days in a month global pass (maybe 5 days if you plan other journeys you haven’t mentioned):

    • Rotterdam-Basel
    • Basel - Montreux
    • Montreux - Interlaken (-Jungfraujoch)
    • Interlaken - Rotterdam

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