Europe Trains Guide Forum
General discussion => Train fares and tariffs => Topic started by: samsam on February 10, 2014, 02:34:09 pm
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What a great web forum!
Will be based in Geneva for one and a half month since this May. Want to travel around Switzerland and France major cities during the weekends.
So I realised that France is not on the list for Select Pass, otherwise would really love to visit more countries.
I'm thinking about Switzerland-France 10days in 2months pass.
I dont have concrete plans yet but will definitely have one day from Basel to Geneva, and one day from Geneva to Paris to connect my arrival and departure flights. Also, a return trip from Geneva to Groningen, the Netherlands
Could anyone please advise should I go for the pass or just buy individual tickets eg Supersaver Tickets??? or both (eg individual tickets for my connect trains to my flights and to Groningen) Thanks a trillion! Sorry for any ambiguity in my schedule. Just would love some advice of any kind. :D
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Could anyone please advise should I go for the pass or just buy individual tickets eg Supersaver Tickets?
Answer depends on destinations (beside Basel, Paris and Groningen you've mentioned) you plan to visit and your age (because France+Switzerland 10 days during 2 months Eurail youth pass is 385 euro (meaning travel day value is 38,5 euro), while same adult pass is already 549 euro (54,9 euro daily value)).
Now let's compare it with the journeys you intend to take. Trip from Geneve to Basel can cost you as low as 36,6 CHF (app. 30 euro) one way (return is twice that), so if you want to travel Geneva-Basel-Geneva in one travel day using one of the days from your 10 day pass will be cheaper, but if you travel Geneva-Basel and Basel-Geneva during different days - discounted SuperSaver tickets are cheaper.
Obviously SuperSaver tickets price depends on distance, so when choosing between pass vs. point-to-point just think about how far in Switzerland you want to travel and whether journeys will be daytrips there and back or you prefer to stay somewhere overnight. As rule, for long there & back trip during one day pass might work better, but with shorter trips done on separate days supersavers will win.
With Paris to Geneve it's possible to travel for as low as 35 euro one way or 60 euro return. So here discounted tickets bit any your pass in any case (especially since for the pass holders it will be necessary to purchase additional seat reservation, meaning +10 euro per trip). While with Geneve-Groningen route where you'll have to change trains multiple times & no "direct" discounted ticket available pass will for sure bit discounted tickets, even if it's 54,9 euro daily pass value