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  • #1

    Help with Swiss Rail Tickets?

    Hi all,
    Am planning a trip to Verbier in July (*keeping fingers crossed*). Thinking of flying to Milan, and taking a train thereafter.

    However, it seems that tickets purchased from the Swissrail website can only be collected in Switzerland (which won't do cos I am planning to take a train directly from Milan after landing), or sent by courier outside Europe (for 90 euros!!! which also won't do since that is almost the cost of the return train ticket). I think the tickets can't be printed online cos of the Italian leg.

    Anyone knows how and where I might purchase a ticket in Singapore (from a travel agent perhaps)? The last time I took a rail trip through Switzerland and Austria was in university (err some time ago, before online tickets!) and I recall purchasing them from some travel agent here, but no recollection where.

    Thanks in advance for your help!
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  • #2
    Originally posted by sqprincess View Post
    Hi all,
    Am planning a trip to Verbier in July (*keeping fingers crossed*). Thinking of flying to Milan, and taking a train thereafter.

    However, it seems that tickets purchased from the Swissrail website can only be collected in Switzerland (which won't do cos I am planning to take a train directly from Milan after landing), or sent by courier outside Europe (for 90 euros!!! which also won't do since that is almost the cost of the return train ticket). I think the tickets can't be printed online cos of the Italian leg.

    Anyone knows how and where I might purchase a ticket in Singapore (from a travel agent perhaps)? The last time I took a rail trip through Switzerland and Austria was in university (err some time ago, before online tickets!) and I recall purchasing them from some travel agent here, but no recollection where.

    Thanks in advance for your help!
    Is your flight to Milan Malpensa MXP confirmed? Otherwise go through ZRH, it is more convenient, easier, and hassle-free compared to that joke of a airport that MXP is...

    If your MXP ticket is confirmed, then no choice, take the bus (oh god I hate this one so much) to Milano Centrale where you should reach by 10:00, and purchase your ticket for the whole journey (or at least till Martigny).The Eurocity EC 34 departs Milano Centrale at 12:28 and arrives at Sion at 14:49. You have 17 minutes at Sion station and remain on the same platform (Platform 3), where Interregio IR 1426 departs at for Martigny at 15:06. You will reach Martigny at 15:23. From Martigny, there are numerous trains to Lé Chable, the base station of Verbier. According to DB Deutsche Bahn, this connection exists once a day (twice but you'd be unlikely to make the earlier 8a.m train from Milano Centrale).


    If you can fly into Zürich (ZRH), you can take the hourly train from the underground station (Flughafen Zürich Bahnhof) to Visp, and onward to Martigny, Lé Chable and Verbier. The intra-Swiss method is less painful, and trains are much less crowded than the "international" one. If you speak English and English only, better go through Switzerland. Trust me, I've had massive hell (the queue is crazy long) and screwed up tickets from the Milano Centrale Trenitalia ticketing counters (simply because they couldn't understand me)...


    Data from the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB CFF FFS), Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), German Railways (DB Deutsche Bahn) and Italian train operator Trenitalia.







    Oh and before I forget, you can just buy your tickets at the train station in Italy/Switzerland...

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    • #3
      Typing this from a Swiss train station - neuchatel. Will ask for you (hopefully no language problems )!

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      • #4
        Try the Deutche Bahn website www.bahn.com. They seem to allow one to book tickets throughout Europe.

        Alternatively, SNCB, the Belgian site allows one to do the same. http://www.b-europe.com/Travel and the prices seem more attractive than those offered by DBahn.

        Good luck!

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        • #5
          The guys at the train station told me something I already knew : use www.tgv-Europe.com or just buy on the day.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by coffeeblack View Post
            Try the Deutche Bahn website www.bahn.com. They seem to allow one to book tickets throughout Europe.

            Alternatively, SNCB, the Belgian site allows one to do the same. http://www.b-europe.com/Travel and the prices seem more attractive than those offered by DBahn.

            Good luck!
            OH yah, forgot. Speaking of cheaper rail tickets, tickets at stations in Italy are almost always cheaper than those in Switzerland as they are subject to some government subsidy or something like that.

            There are many online sites to check out timetables, connectivities, and journey time. I personally avoid Trenitalia as their website's a mess.

            Try DB Deutsche Bahn, Swiss SBB CFF FFS or Austria's ÖBB. They provide clear-cut info to help you plan your journey.



            öbb.at | oebb.at
            bahn.de/international
            fahrplan.sbb.en

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            • #7
              Hi SQTalkers,
              Thanks so much for your help and various suggestions. I knew this was the right place to go to Looks like I be doing some research over the weekend!
              Cheers!

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              • #8
                Originally posted by sqprincess View Post
                Hi SQTalkers,
                Thanks so much for your help and various suggestions. I knew this was the right place to go to Looks like I be doing some research over the weekend!
                Cheers!
                No problem! Enjoy Switzerland

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