Simple, Cozy Swiss Hotels And Passes for Rail Travel

Travelers looking for lodging off the tourist track in Switzerland may want to consider staying at one of the hotels in the E&G; Hotel group. This chain has some 200 inexpensive properties--small hotels, guest houses and mountain lodges--in 169 rural areas of Switzerland. E&G; stands for “einfach und gemutlich” in German, which means “simple and cozy.”

Prices range about $50-$130 for a double room. Breakfast, included in the price, may be continental or a full buffet-style meal. Some places have full-scale restaurants and others have dining facilities for guests only. Not all of the accommodations have private bathrooms. A complimentary 84-page E&G; Hotel guide is available from the Swiss National Tourist Office, 222 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 1570, El Segundo 90245, (310) 335-5980. Reservations may be made through travel agents, or by writing or faxing the lodging itself. About half of the lodgings can be booked through Interhome, the chain’s representative in the United States, at (201) 882-6864. The guide includes specifics on each property, including prices, amenities, phone and fax numbers, and color pictures.

One of the best ways to travel in Switzerland is with the Swisscard, which offers round-trip rail travel between arrival points--at Swiss borders or the Geneva or Zurich airports--and destinations throughout the country. In 1993, the one-month Swisscard will be available for $118 first-class and $96 second-class, up from the 1992 rates of $109 and $79. Travelers can also buy bus and lake-boat tickets for 50% off regular rates.

There’s also a Swiss Flexi Pass, offered by Swissrail, that provides three days of unlimited rail travel during any three days of a 15-day period, plus free boat travel on some lakes. The 1993 rates will be $222 first-class and $148 second-class; current prices are $199 and $129.

Unlimited rail travel for consecutive-day passes is also available. In 1993, the eight-day pass will cost $266 first-class and $186 second-class (currently $239 and $159). The 15-day pass is priced at $312 and $214 (now $289 and $189), and the one-month pass will be sold for $430 and $296 (presently $389 and $269).

The passes are not activated until their first use, but they expire six months from their date of purchase. Travelers planning to visit Switzerland in early 1993 should buy the passes in 1992 at the lower rate. The passes must be purchased in the United States from travel agents or Rail Europe at (800) 345-1990.