Benefits of a Swiss Pass

Q: My husband and I will be in Switzerland for a week in August. We will be travelling from Zurich to Lake Geneva. We are contemplating buying a Swiss Pass to travel to various destinations in the country. What is the best option and what is the difference between the Swiss Pass and the Flexi Pass? Where should we buy it? - Retha Wright

A: The Swiss Pass gives you unlimited travel throughout Switzerland by train, bus and boat. It is valid for a selected number of consecutive days - 4, 8, 15, 22 and one month. On the other hand, a Flexi Pass gives you the same advantages offered for 3, 4, 5 or 6 days which need not be consecutive during one month. Holders of either pass also get free public transport in 38 Swiss cities and a 50% discount on cable cars and mountain trains not included in the Swiss Travel System. The passes also give free admission to more than 450 museums and exhibits in Switzerland. Your choice depends on how you expect to holiday. If you will be travelling every day, then obviously it makes sense to buy a Swiss Pass. However, if you aim to travel on 3, 4 or 5 non-consecutive days during your stay, then the Flexi Pass may make more sense. There is not a huge difference in prices for a short stay such as yours. However, you need to know that most high speed, panoramic and night trains require a compulsory reservation, the cost of which is not included in the Pass price. The price for the Swiss Pass in second class is R1679 (four days) and R2438 (eight days) and R2941 (15 days). The Flexi Pass, valid over a month, costs R1615 (three days), R1957 (four days) and R2267 (five days). If you don't intend travelling that much, you may be interested in a Swiss Card. This gives you one roundtrip by rail from any airport or border to a single destination (in your case, Zurich - Geneva), and includes a 50% discount on all Swiss railways, lake steamers, postal buses, and excursions to mountaintops. It will cost you R1390 in second class. All the prices come from the www.raileurope.co.za. You can buy a Pass or Card on arrival in Switzerland, but it seems to be more cost-effective to buy it on the Raileurope internet site. (3/7/11)