# Up the mountains in September



## anteater (Oct 29, 2009)

Hi All,

I was just looking at sbb.ch for the fares and timetables on Swiss trains. However, it would not let me look at dates in September, saying they were not valid. Since it already July I can't imagine that I am too early.

Could it be possible that they do not take the scenic trains up in September (even from Interlaken to Wengen)?? Surely there is not that much snow then - probably less than in any other month.

If anyone has used the trains in September, please let me know as that is when we will be there.

Thanks.


----------



## camallison (Jul 15, 2009)

YES - they run in September. There may be snow on the tops of the Maenlichen (above Wengen) by then, but it doesn't stop the trains. If I remember correctly, a new winter timetable comes in around then. Remember to get a visitor (tourist) card from wherever you are staying - it gives you significant automatic discount on the trains.

Colin


----------



## anteater (Oct 29, 2009)

Thanks Colin,

Is this visitor card something quite separate from the Swiss Rail passes which cost a lot of money? 

Most of our stay is in the Locarno region where we will not be doing a lot of running around, but we want to go up to Wengen when we are near Interlaken. For this reason we are not getting an expensive rail pass as we can't see we'd save anything.

It is useful to know the winter timetable comes in so early!

Thanks a lot.


----------



## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

anteater said:


> Thanks Colin,
> 
> Is this visitor card something quite separate from the Swiss Rail passes which cost a lot of money?
> 
> ...


Yes the Visitor Card is totally different to Swiss Rail Cards. It was given to us when we booked it at Lazy Rancho in Interlaken and provided free bus travel around town, plus much more.

You can download the pdf brochure for Interlaken here

http://www.interlaken.ch/index.php?id=516&L=3


----------



## anteater (Oct 29, 2009)

Thanks very much, Zozzer!


----------



## camallison (Jul 15, 2009)

Sorry, been up to my ears in grandkids and so wasn't around to reply .... as Zozzer says, yes it is a different thing. Any hotel or campsite should give you a visitor card on arrival - sometimes just a card from their own firm with some form of indication that it is current. I stayed in Zurich for a couple of months (working) a few years ago and the hotel gave me a card. It got me 50% discount on many rail tickets and, when 2 of us travelled together one weekend, I bought a "group" ticket for SF10 to get to Luzerne - the normal return fare for one was SF35!!!! They do it as a form of "apology" for the high costs in Switzerland!!! That is, keep the tourists coming.

Colin


----------



## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

camallison said:


> Sorry, been up to my ears in grandkids and so wasn't around to reply .... as Zozzer says, yes it is a different thing. Any hotel or campsite should give you a visitor card on arrival - sometimes just a card from their own firm with some form of indication that it is current. I stayed in Zurich for a couple of months (working) a few years ago and the hotel gave me a card. It got me 50% discount on many rail tickets and, when 2 of us travelled together one weekend, I bought a "group" ticket for SF10 to get to Luzerne - the normal return fare for one was SF35!!!! They do it as a form of "apology" for the high costs in Switzerland!!! That is, keep the tourists coming.
> 
> Colin


Well if they are that embarressed about the high prices, they could throw in a free vignette too.


----------



## camallison (Jul 15, 2009)

Zozzer said:


> camallison said:
> 
> 
> > Sorry, been up to my ears in grandkids and so wasn't around to reply .... as Zozzer says, yes it is a different thing. Any hotel or campsite should give you a visitor card on arrival - sometimes just a card from their own firm with some form of indication that it is current. I stayed in Zurich for a couple of months (working) a few years ago and the hotel gave me a card. It got me 50% discount on many rail tickets and, when 2 of us travelled together one weekend, I bought a "group" ticket for SF10 to get to Luzerne - the normal return fare for one was SF35!!!! They do it as a form of "apology" for the high costs in Switzerland!!! That is, keep the tourists coming.
> ...


Different department! ..... but I take your point. The vignette was originally introduced to "tax" trucks transiting the country and wearing out the roads. Not sure why it was extended to all vehicles though.

Colin

PS - maybe the rail discount is to get us off the roads once in the country?


----------

