ahoyne9Leaving Saint Gallen this morning, I was excited to get a real taste of the Swiss transit system. It’s known for being punctual, fast, convenient—and yes, expensive.
No more relying on Paul to speak the local language or drive us around. Our first stop on the French-speaking side of Switzerland is Lausanne. This post is more about the Swiss train system than Lausanne itself, as we ended up here last minute when direct trains to Geneva were full and hotel options were limited.
Taking the train from Saint Gallen to Lausanne is a scenic and efficient journey. The distance between the two cities is about 230 kilometers (143 miles), and the travel time is around 3 hours and 30 minutes. Swiss Railways (SBB/CFF/FFS) operates hourly trains on this route, with tickets typically costing between CHF 90 and CHF 170 (about USD 100-190). You can choose from various classes and train types, including InterCity (IC) and RegioExpress (RE), making it a comfortable and convenient way to travel across Switzerland.
This brings me to the Swiss rail pass, an important option for tourists. The pass offers unlimited travel on consecutive days throughout the Swiss Travel System network, which includes trains, buses, and boats. It also covers premium panoramic trains (at a discount) and grants free entry to over 500 museums, along with discounted mountain excursions. The Swiss Travel Pass is available for durations of 3, 4, 6, 8, and 15 consecutive days.
You might be thinking, “Ah yes, Aaron, you definitely bought the rail pass to save money,” but no, I didn’t. Since I had no clear idea of our plans or when I’d leave Paul, and considering he had a car, it didn’t make sense for us.
To sum it up, I ended up spending CHF 630 over 10 days on all forms of public transit, including roundtrips to Innsbruck and Lyon. The Swiss Travel Pass doesn’t cover international trains, and I calculated that I would have spent around CHF 400 upfront for the pass. In the end, I spent only about 3 more Swiss Francs than I would have with the pass. While the pass might have been worth it for free museum entries, like the FIFA museum in Zurich, I didn’t fully take advantage of those perks.
There’s also the Swiss Half Fare Card, which costs CHF 130 and offers a 50% discount on most public transport for a month. If you’re planning to cover a lot of ground in Switzerland, it might make sense to buy the pass—just be sure to do your research.
Anyway, here are is a photo from Lausanne.
