Australian family on holidays

Zueloatteall82

Hi
We are an Australian family of 5 adults travelling in Switzerland for 3 weeks with an elderly mother in a wheelchair.
My mother can walk on and off the train plus she can walk to her seat so we don’t need a ramp.
I have been struggling with the different types of train fare on Swiss rail and would appreciate some advice.
Here are the trains we would like to book.
June 21
Geneva to Luzern
I can see a train that departs at 12.59pm with no stops
June 26
Luzern to Zermatt
11am train with 2 stops but the connections are very short so I’m not sure if we will make the connections.
July 3
St. Moritz to Montreux
11am train with 2 stops but the connections are short again and I don’t want to have to run with luggage and a mother in a wheelchair.
After looking at the different discount passes, I think the best option would be the half pass card for 1 month.
Can I buy the half pass card when we arrive in Geneva on July 21?
I would appreciate any other advice.
Thanking you in advance.
Chrissy

Danhiel

Zueloatteall82 Hi

Did you also see the Swiss Travel Pass Flex 3 days in 1 month?

https://www.sbb.ch/en/tickets-offers/tickets/guests-abroad/swiss-travel-pass.html

I think that it could be better for you as the Half Fare Card.

Zueloatteall82

Thanks Danhiel
The 3 day Swiss Flex pass is almost the same price if I buy the half pass card.
We may end up doing a few more shorter train trips from our destinations so I think the half pass card may be better.
Geneva to Luzern is CHF84
Luzern to Zermatt is CHF122
St Moritz to Montreux is CHF142
Total CHF 384
With half pass card 384/2 =174 + 120 (half pass card for 1 month)
Total CHF 294
The 3 day pass flex is CHF279
Can I buy the half pass card at the train station when we arrive in Geneva on June 21?
Kind regards
Chrissy

Danhiel

Zueloatteall82 Sorry, I don’t know if you can buy this card at the train station. Perhaps someone else could answer this question?

Krist

You can buy the Half Fare Card in Switzerland, not problem. Also trains here are mass transit. Taking the train here to get around is like taking the train to get around Sydney or Melbourne. You buy a ticket, get on and find a seat. Trains run every half hour or every hour, so if you miss a connection you just take the next one. Don’t overthink this…

Krist

The Half Fare Card btw, also gives you half price on mountain railways, lake cruises etc, so you may get more value out of it than you initially thought.

RedBaron

G’day, howyagoin

Regarding your concerns with the station transfer times with your mum, if looking up connections on the sbb.ch website, click on settings, scroll down a bit and set “longer interchange time” to twice. Then have another go and check the differences with the connections.
Also, by clicking on the “transfer” section in the connection details page, a map will be displayed which will give you some rough idea about the platform situation. Including the locations of ramps, escalators and elevators (where available) if zooming in to the max. magnification.