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The good news: it really is easy to use; |
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The better news: we've abstracted the most important information from the book Switzerland and Beyond to explain how the system works and how to use it. |
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Cost Effective Travel in Switzerland |
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To/From the Airport |
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Baggage |
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Reservations |
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Traveling by Car |
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Switzerland's Scenic Trains |
t's often cheaper to use cars in Europe if
there are more than two in you party. Swiss rail passes and mountain transport make this
generality less true in Switzerland.
The Swisspass is a good buy for most and the saver pass makes it an even better deal for couples. If you're a family, kids under 17 will travel on their parents' passes -- for free if the passes are purchased in the US, for only CHF20 (for everyone) if bought in Switzerland.
If, as we hope, you include the mountains in your visit passes can save even more against the price of a car. Mountain transport is quite expensive. The Swisspass will get you as far 'up' as Mürren, Grindelwald and Zermatt at no additional charge, and you'll get a 25% discount for travel above these points. (And you won't pay to park your car.)
You can find the "best" ticket/pass deal for your trip if you're willing to compute the cost of your planned individual trips and compare that to the various passes. Usually we find the Swiss Pass is economical and convenient and don't bother with the math. And particularly since we enjoy time in the mountains and on the lakes we find public transport far more economical than driving. When we have a need for a car for convenience sake we rent one for a day or two ... booking ahead from the US to save money.
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To/From The Airport
There's little need to overnight near the airport for a trip back to the US since transatlantic departures frequently leave at 11 am or later. Few sites in Switzerland are beyond three train hours of the airports, including mountain villages. Baggage Checking
The baggage service is impeccably reliable. If you're staying at a resort in one of the smaller mountain towns your hotel may arrange for the porter to pick up your bags when they arrive. We often send our bags up to the airport the night before departure. "Fly/Gepäck" offers through baggage service from US gateway to final Swiss destination, on any airline, for CHF20 per bag. Call Swissair and purchase the (green) tag(s) to attach to your luggage. On outbound trips the service is available only if you're leaving on Swissair. Reservations?
For the RailfanSwitzerland On Your Own - A Paradise Full of Trains If you're not already a railroad enthusiast, Switzer Land is the best place to start a new hobby. And if you are, then you'll know this article by George Drury will be of interest. Use the marvelous rail system to visit Heidi Land, Wine Land, Cheese Land, and more! and The Railfan Guide to Switzerland - Drury - Whether new to enjoying railroads or an old hand, this guide is invaluable in getting the most out of your time on and around Switzerland's railroads. Where you'll find information on Don't forget to check out: Complete Index of Articles on Switzerland Our Favorites Trip Tips and Tools Copyright © 1996-2001 E.J.
Gehrlein Traveling
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on't, please, decide how you'll travel about
Switzerland until you've seriously considered what may be the best public transportation
system in the world. It's worth a trip to Switzerland just to experience how excellent,
and fun, public transport can be. 
rains, boats, cables and buses are
the easy and cost-effective way to get around Switzerland. Schedules are reliable and
connection times as short as two minutes (yes, 2!) are legal and reliable. Popular
connections are often on the same platform. Geneva and Zurich airport train stations offer
excellent service to city center, and to all Swiss (and many International) destinations.
nd if you're unsure of how easy it
will be for you to learn to use a system unfamiliar to you, there's good news ... and
better news:
ürich and Geneva airports have full-service train stations. Many of
the trains are through services to far-away destinations so you may not even have to
change trains along the way. Both have four to seven trains per hour to the main downtown
station during the better part of the day. The fare to downtown is around $5, and the trip
takes about 10 minutes. Both airports have excellent signage to help you find your
way. In 22 minutes from arrival of the plane at the jetway in Zürich to sitting
impatiently on the train waiting for departure, we've gone through passport control,
retrieved a checked bag, exited customs, bought two Swiss Passes, at another counter
bought the Swiss timetable books, and made another stop to check three bags. Geneva is
similar. (Ed recently did it in 18 minutes in Frankfurt, an airport with which he's not as
familiar ... public transport in northern Europe is like that!) 
ith the exception of some 