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Online booking agents
Useful websites to consult are:
Flight tickets can also be arranged through the Switzerland Travel Centre, the commercial arm of the national tourist office. Go to www.stc.co.uk.
Getting Around
Switzerland’s integrated public transport network is legendary. The term ‘user-friendly’ could have been coined with Swiss railways in mind, for trains are almost religiously punctual, clean and comfortable. Timetables are devised in conjunction with those of the postbus service which operates on routes not covered by trains. In some areas private or regional bus operators have taken over former postbus routes, but virtually every valley in the country can be reached by some form of public transport. At the end of each chapter in this guide, outline details of access by bus or train are given.
The Saint Bernard Express, a good example of local transport
A number of different travel passes are available, each of which offers value for money when travelling around the country (see www.swisstravelsystem.com). The most popular is the Swiss Pass which gives free unlimited travel on 4, 8, 15, 22 or 30 consecutive days on virtually every train, boat and bus in Switzerland. It can also be used to gain discounts of at least 25% on most cable cars and funiculars. The Swiss Flexi Pass gives the same advantages as the Swiss Pass, but on 3, 4, 5 or 6 days within a month. These two passes can be purchased from major railway stations within the country on production of a foreign passport, or from the Switzerland Travel Centre in London (www.stc.co.uk). Two or more people travelling together (up to a maximum of five) qualify for a 15% discount on the cost of the Swiss Pass and Swiss Flexi Pass.