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Switzerland
Accommodation Attitudes to Childern Basel Bern and the Mittelland Central Switzerland Eating Further Information Getting Around Getting There Graubunden - Grisons Health More Information The Arc Jurassien The Bernese Oberland The Northeast The Valais Ticino Western Switzerland - Suisse Romande When to Go Where to Go Where to Go and What to Do Zurich and Surroundings
Europe Switzerland Getting Around Public Transport
Switzerland has one of the best public transport systems in the world, as well as one of the most interesting, including Europe's oldest mountain railway (Vitznau-Rigi), and the steepest cog railway, (Alpnachstad to Pilatus-Kulm). More striking though is the fact that the network is efficient, clean and staffed by people who generally speak English as well as the Swiss languages.
The system offers a range of passes providing substantial discounts. These include:
- The Swiss Pass good for unlimited travel for 4, 8, 15, 21 days or a month across the entire network of trains, buses and boats, including the scenic routes and public transport in 36 cities. There are also discounts on some mountaintop excursions.
- A Flexi Pass is available from three to nine days within a month, the user choosing which days to activate it.
- A Swiss transfer ticket will take you to your holiday destination and back, a Swiss Card is an extension of this offering a discount of 50% on all further train, bus or boat travel.
Deals for families include:
- An add-on to the Swiss Half Fare Card costing SF20 and covering partners and children who then travel also for half price.
- Parents can also request a free Family Card which entitles their own children to travel free with them to the age of 16 and other children in the party to travel at half price.
Most regions offer regional passes, generally sold through tourist offices, with discounts if you already hold a general Swiss pass of one kind or another.
The passes are available through the Switzerland Travel Centre in London, on the web, or in European countries on toll free 00 800 100 200 300.
There are 12 specific routes which are promoted for tourism including:
- The Wilhelm Tell Express from Lucerne through the San Gotthard to Lugano or Locarno, the first section by paddle steamer
- The Glacier Express between Davos in the east and Zermatt in the southwest
- The Bernina/Heidi Express from say Chur down to Tirano in the southeast
- The Swiss Chocolate Train isa short trip from Montreux to Gruyeres, run in conjunction with Cailler/Nestle and including a factory visit and chocolate sampling.
Where there is no rail service postbuses interlink efficiently to offer access to more remote parts of the country, particularly mountain areas.
In cities all transport is linked by the same ticketing system so you can switch between trains, trams, buses or even boats and there is usually a cheap day pass offered.
Swiss Federal Railways (Schweizerische Bundesbahnen SBB)
Hochschulstrasse 6, 3030 Bern
+41 51 220 1111
Their web site is available in German
or English .
Note that outings by cable car can be stunningly expensive. Up the Junfraujoch for example is quoted as being around £50 a head.
By Car
Driving will get you to places even the public transport network won't. The downside is that the Swiss green policies mean that cars are being gradually eased out, with severe parking restrictions in towns and resorts which feel they need protection from them. Note that as you will almost certainly use the motorways at some point, you will need to buy an annual permit to do so, available at the border on arrival.
Note
This is still a country that operates closing time for lunch hours and Sundays, though in season resorts may open on Sundays.
© FamilyTravel 2006