Bern to Milan with BLS Coupons & Other Questions.

[reb0118]

My colleague & his wife are planning a rail trip from Falkirk to Rome for this April. They will both hold FIP Cards and International Coupons for Railway Staff for the following systems:-

France (SNCF); Italy (FS); and Bern, Lötschberg, & Simplonbahn (BLS).

In addition he alone will hold a coupon for:-

Switzerland (SBB) and Swiss Private Railways (SP).

I am looking for advice from the Forum that I have advised them correctly in regard to getting a reasonable route in terms of time and money.

A rough route plan follows. They will start with catching the Caledonian Sleeper to London before picking up the Eurostar to Paris. A quick change to the TGV Lyria to Geneva to connect with an IC to Bern (Overnight)

Next day from Bern via Domodossola to Milan (Overnight)

Next day Milan to Rome (Two nights) then flight back to Scotland.

My questions are as follows:-

1) Am I correct in assuming that SNCF coupons are valid on TGV Lyria services to Geneva with the appropriate reservation/supplement?

2) BLS Coupons are valid on all services from Bern to Domodossola without supplement regardless of operator?

3) What additional charge would be required to travel on the direct EC service from Bern to Milan?

4) FS coupons are not valid on Eurostar Italia services but a 50% reduction is available on the leisure fare with an FIP card?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[158801]

Hi,

1) My understanding is "no". You pay a FIP fare irrespective of whether you have a coupon or not. This is sometimes more than the publicly available "advance fare" However, with the FIP fare you get refunds / flexibility. An SNCF coupon would be valid to a French destination giving you free travel (plus a reservation fee) to somewhere like Bellgarde. You would then need a ticket / reservation from Bellgarde to Geneva (assuming the train stops there)

2) ATOC's site shows SBB coupons as valid on these routes as well but makes no mention that BLS coupons are valid on SBB trains or vice versa. We did this journey last year and travelled with BLS on BLS coupons - just to be safe.

3) A reservation fee (about 5 Euros the last time I travelled). The ticket costs depends upon the answer to 2). If BLS coupons are valid on SBB trains then no ticket. If they are not you would need a single from Bern to Domodossola.

4) A "Global" fare applies which is something not related to....anything. A Global FIP fare in Spain was once £5 for 5 hours. I am using High Speed in Italy soon and paying £20 for 1 hour. Sometimes, as in 1) it's cheaper to buy a publicly available advance fare.

We did Rome a few years ago and did Paris to Mulhouse (free with coupons).
Next day Mulhouse to Milan via Basel and Arth Goldau (Gottard Pass line via Lugano). Free travel for employee throughout and free travel for spouse from from Mulhouse to Basel and from Chiasso to Milan. 50% on Basel to Chiasso.
The next day we did slow trains (free to both) from Milan to Rome (with a change at Bologna).

The above is my understanding but someone wlse may have more accurate info.

 

[Gerald Fiennes]

1) Am I correct in assuming that SNCF coupons are valid on TGV Lyria services to Geneva with the appropriate reservation/supplement?

No: for journeys to Geneva, you have to have an FIP fare which is quite pricey. But the coupon is valid Paris-Bellegarde (at which all Geneva trains stop) and you can either get out there and travel on a local train (will arrive typically one hour behind the Lyria), ask the conductor nicely if you can stay (has worked for me a few times) or buy an FIP fare just from Bellegarde - Geneva (still quite pricey).

2) BLS Coupons are valid on all services from Bern to Domodossola without supplement regardless of operator?

Yes: SBB effectively took over the IC service from Brig to Bern from BLS about 10 years ago, but coupons of both are valid.

3) What additional charge would be required to travel on the direct EC service from Bern to Milan?

As previously reported, about CHF14. The charge is actually only required for travel from Domodossola to Milano C. In CH, there is no supplement for an FIP coupon. Surprisingly, staff at SBB ticket offices are not really aware of what type of ticket for this, in my experience (having done it twice), so you might have a small debate with them.

4) FS coupons are not valid on Eurostar Italia services but a 50% reduction is available on the leisure fare with an FIP card?

Yes, that's right. This makes the ES-Italia trains a little pricey, but they are much nicer than any local train you might contemplate using!

 

[dutchflyer]

@2. In Europe its not normally a point who runs the trains, but who owns the rails. In this case i think its BLS Bern-Brig and SBB onward to Domodossola. You can avoid any surcharge by getting off in Domod. and using the next local FS train. Travel untill there is sonsidered as domestic Swiss

 

[reb0118]

Thank you for all your helpful replies. My friend will not be going on this trip at present due to budgetary constraints. (You've got too feel sorry for these poor drivers). He's off to Poland instead. (Stettin & Poznan). You get a lot more bang for your buck in Poland.

That said, I was off to Switzerland two weeks ago & can confirm all the above info.. NB SNCF coupons are valid on TGVs to Geneva - the reservation/supplement was £16.75.

Thanks again for information.