Swiss Travel - Cheapest Way

AndreaP

Hello!

Me and my husband will arrive in Zurich Airport on Nov, 26th, them we are going by train to Luzern and Zermatt (ate the same day) on Nov, 28th where we are going to stay until Dec, 1st (leaving Zermatt to Milan, Italy) by train too.

We are also interested in Express Door to Door Luggage service and we are planning to visit 3 mountains in Zermatt (Sunnegga, Matterhorn and Gornergrat).

What is the cheapest way to travel by train and explore these experiences/services? Does a 6 Day Swiss Travel Pass worths?

We are really trying to compare prices but not all discounts on admissions and services are avaiable or easy to find.

We appreciate you help!
Thx in advance

RolandP

Hello AndreaP

You are going from Zurich to Lucerne to Zermatt on the same day? Can you please let us know your day-by-day itinerary? yit us important to know in order to suggest ticket options.

The express door to door service is not available from Zurich Airport station.

Kind regards,
Roland

AndreaP

Hello!
We are going to arrive on Nov, 26th at Zurich Airport them go by train to Zurich HB, to go to the Wellenberg hotel in Zurich where we are going to stay until Nov, 28th. On Nov 28th we are planning to use the Express door-to-door Luggage Service from our hotel to Zermatt´s Ambiance hotel.
We are going from Zurich HB to Luzern on Nov, 28th to spend the day and in the afternoon we are going from Luzern to Zermatt. In Zermatt we are going to stay until Dec,1st when we are going by train to Milan. In Zermatt we are planning to visit Gornergrat, Sunnegga and Matterhorn.
We are looking for the cheapeast way to by train tickets, luggage service and mountain admissions but we are not sure if Swiss Travel Pass worths it or if there is other better way to buy all this tickets/services.
Your advice will be really helpfull. Thanks in advance.

RedBaron

AndreaP
The question here is

Swiss Half Fare Card with individual tickets vs.
4-day Swiss Travel Pass used between 28.Nov and 1. Dec. (there’s no 5-day variant, and nothing would justify a 6-day STP)

Both will allow a 50% discount on the expensive Zermatt mountain rides, so the STP means no real added value while staying in Zermatt. Also the sum of the (half fare) regular train ticket costs for Zurich - Zermatt and Zermatt - Domodossola (= part of Zermatt-Milan covered by Swiss tickets) would be less than the price difference between SHFC and STP.
So if “cheapest” is your priority, the SHFC rather seems like the way to go based on the details you’ve revealed so far. You’d also benefit from half fare prices on the first 2 days around Zurich.

Note that the luggage service will always be a separate charge (not included in any pass).

AndreaP

Thanks for all clarification!

What or when is the best time/place to buy SHFC? As soon as I got in Zurich Airport or should we buy it on line?

RedBaron

AndreaP
Basically, it doesn’t matter regarding price or (unlimited) availability, as long as we’re not talking about “saver” type tickets.
Occasionally, foreign visitors are reporting issues in this community if buying online via sbb.ch though, e.g. if their credit card doesn’t support the “3D Secure” security feature.

Although I never used it as resident, I’d rather recommend the sales office at the airport, which also could settle all the train tickets you mentioned above plus answer all remaining open questions. Just do not buy any Zermatt mountain ride tickets in advance, get them only on-site once you know the short-term local weather forecasts or even already have seen pictures from the summit webcams. Otherwise you risk seeing nothing but a very expensive thick fog up there.