Riding the MOST EXPENSIVE transport network...
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- Опубликовано: 15 дек 2023
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Edited by: Kyle Robb
Thumbnail: Fouad Ghafoud
You picked the most expensive way to travel in Zermatt. There are many tickets that include all of this for a fraction of the price. It’s also not a public transport system but a private mountain railway. These mountain railways cost similar prices everywhere, USA ski passes in excess of 200 USD per day.
The public transport in Switzerland is expensive, but it’s still not as expensive as the UKs National rail network.
In the second day to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise you could have also just bought a ski pass for 90 CHF. It wouldn’t have taken you down to village in Italy, but the Gondel station that goes to the village is already in Italy as the border is on the glacier. There’s a small cafe there too so when we ski there in summer, we get lunch in Italy then ski back to Switzerland.
If you purchase the peak pass, which gives you unlimited on the Swiss side of all the gondolas and railways in Zermatt. It is CHF 174 for one day, 192 for two and 217 for three. The only thing you would have to pay for is the gondola ride down and back up when you’re in Cervina.
Thank you for this invaluable information. Far more valuable than anything said by the compilers of this video! They clearly should have bought a two day pass.
Wow! $271 CAD for a day pass. Do Swiss half fare cards apply to non-rail services like funicular and gondola?
@@jacktattersall9457 Generally yes. But as I keep on stressing, tourists visiting Switzerland should always buy a Swiss Travel pass.
@@jacktattersall9457 To some the half fare apply but you have to check each one individually.
Yes, it is cheaper with the half fare card. It's 131 CHF for one day. And also other travel cards like the Swiss Travel Pass get this discount. It's still a lot of money but it puts it in perspective.
Your sister is my favorite of your traveling companions. She's completely unfazed by the camera. And her enthusiasm is infectious. In a good way. Really fun video. Would love to know how you got those shots while paragliding. Thanks for another great video!💚
They just had their cameras on selfie sticks, no?
Every time I watch a video of someone trying to get to that restaurant at the top of the mountain, it's ALWAYS closed. 🤣
ق¹¹1😊
probably cause the staff spend 50% of their wages just getting up there xD
@@dbz9393 They propably go up for free, either paid for by the restaurant owner or by the municipality.
And you probably completely missed the joke :D
Zermatt caters to the rich. So it is expensive even for Switzerland. But what you get is a very beautiful, clean and well-developed area.
You get that in most places in Switzerland
Are the service workers in the area paid nicely? Or do they have to commute in everyday?
The Swiss had to recoup the initial construction costs somehow, right?
@@christopherbernhardt put bluntely, no. Most workers live in villages further down the valley where prices are more affordable. A lot of the workplaces in Zermatt are seasonal, so quite often companies provide a place to sleep for foreign workers, but I can't comment on the location or quality of those.
@@singapuu7643 I can, I go to Zermatt a few times a year since I'm a kid, and know plenty of seasonal workers there. They're paid well (starting at 25chf an hour minimum without counting tips) and 95% of them live in the village. Apartments are small but nice. Usually starting at 700chf / month for a studio but they usually opt to get a bigger apt and do colocation. Switzerland is expensive but if you work there, the salaries are mirroring the cost of living. Median Swiss salary is almost 7k CHF, 8k$.
Fun video! But as a Swiss American who goes to these places often, you can do this much cheaper than what you paid. If you are traveling by train in Switzerland, the train pass or half fare card gets large discounts. Also, you can ski at Zermatt for about ⅓ the price of a large ski area in the USA and all of those cable cars are included in the lift ticket (and even then it's one of the most expensive ski areas in Europe). And remember, Zermatt is one of the most expensive and touristy places in Europe. It's filled with tourists from USA, Japan, China, India, etc all summer long and the locals know they can charge a premium.
I off season is way cheaper, but there was only 1 restaurant open. I live in Valais, so I can go to Zermatt and return home the same day saving money in hotel and if I take a picnic with me I save money in food!!!
@@Alahyana exactly. I also have a house in Valais, and if we go to Zermatt it's only for the day and we usually just get food from the grocery store.
The absolute best feature is the mooing, cowbells and flugelhorn you hear on the airport tram at Zurich, letting you know you've entered the most amazing country on Earth!
So cool to see Siblings taking on new adventures around the world. Switzerland looks gorgeous and if you aren't doing it everyday, then I would say it is worth it. Keep up the great content Mike.
You have been pushing out amazing content including the bike series. I would love to see you do a Travels By Train series in Asia or Australia. Every Saturday is made better by your content. Thank you!
Sounds like a fun challenge. Good idea, Brendan!
well said
You should have got a travel pass if they still sell them. When I went it meant you could ride pretty much any cable car train etc for no additional price, and you got free entrance to a lot of museums etc, and the stuff that isn’t free got a pretty chunky discount
Agree. Came back from Switzerland a few months ago and the passes can help to defray the cost. In addition to the main Swiss Travel Pass, there's a bunch of regional passes and a half fare card. You do have to do the math to see if it's worthwhile , but it can help make things less expensive (Note I didn't say cheaper...it is Switzerland after all).
Two main reactions: 1) It is so endearing to see you and your sister just have fun together, and 2) it took me a moment to think of seven separate gondolas/cable cars I've been on never mind all in one vicinity. Thank you for another great, joyful video.
I was initially shocked by how much the Matherhorn Express was but looking at your footage I think it might very well be totally worth it. Awesome video.
Another Jess video! I've said before how much I love seeing you guys travel and adventure together and this episode just reinforces that feeling... I'm honestly not sure what I loved the most, the two of you just being big kids, Jess conquering her fear of heights, or her Lupe Fiasco reference right at the beginning... :)
Yes! Glad you caught that reference! 😂
It has to be the Lupe' reference.
@BucksCorner101 😉🤫😏
Glad to see Jess was okay with trying the paragliding, mostly. Glass floors are able to hold up a lot of weight (the CN tower glass floor claimed it could hold up several rhinos), so there’s no worries walking on them.
Absolutely breathtaking! Thank you so much for taking us along for the ride
As my father was Swiss I made several trips there with my parents over the years. Switzerland was never cheap, but the exchange rate has gone nuts in the last few years (35 years ago you could almost get two CHF per CAD, now it is almost the other way around!).
I was in Switzerland a few years ago on a tour for railfans, and we rode just about every train, gondola and riverboat they operated for two weeks. It was AWESOME!!
Yes, I was triggered by some of the scenes because my balance sucks. But I was also fascinated and enthralled by the scenery. You and Jess create such good videos. Thanks for taking us along.
As a "once in a lifetime" event it is well worth the money. Seeing the sights and experiencing the towns, meeting new people and visiting two countries in two days is just amazing. Although I don't know if I could do the parasailing, I don't have a fear of heights, but I do have a fear of falling. One of the jobs I've had in the past was working on a gondola and it took me about a week to get used to it and not worry so much about "falling".
As usual, another great video.
I don't know where you're going next, but I'll be there!
Mark
There are at least two other places where you can travel over the country border by cable cars:
1) from Aiguille du Midi, France to Punta Helbronner, Italy
2) from Ischgl, Austria to Ravaisch, Switzerland.
The latter one is probably open only in winter.
The Zugspitze cable cars takes you from Germany to Austria
@@markeschen Didn't know that one, thanks. 👍 And what's great is that all of these mentioned are crossing a different border.
There is a zipline between Portugal and Spain, where the time zone is also different, WET to CET.
Ischgl, Austria to Ravaisch (Samnaun), Switzerland is open in the high season in summer, too
Worth it! Thank you for taking us along!Jess, much respect for you conquering your fear of heights👏💪❤
I had the largest smile on my face during most of this video. Thank you for allowing those of us who can only dream of doing such things, to live vicariously through you.
What a surprise this is. After that epic bike race I thought you;d take a few weeks off. Instead you take us to Switzerland and some of the most incredible scenery you've ever captured. I loved the crystal gondola. Everything in Switzerland is expensive, but this unique tour was worth it.
Thank you! That was impressive!
Glad you liked it!
26:30 there is another place I know where you can do this (it is with chairlifts but I’ll let that count)
You can go from Samnaun (Switzerland) to Ischgel (Austria) using a Cable car, three chair lifts and one gondola.
I know how you feel being out of breath. Last summer we went to Rainbow Mountain in Peru. Its elevation is 17,060ft!
Its a crime that this video has 88k views. This was one of the best videos of the year for me personally!❤❤
I'm impressed your sister did that, I don't even know her and I was proud of her.
Pro Tip: In winter you pay a skiticket for a week (around 480CHF) and you can use as much transportation as you like for the whole week.
Good Point. But tourists travelling around Switzerland should buy a Swiss Travel Pass. This gives you free travel on all normal Swiss public transport and 50% off on the Swiss mountain lines shown in this video.
The prices are crazy, but as I was there before too, I can also say that it's totally worth it. But I can't believe there isn't a ticket for the whole day and all lifts included. Because in winter/ski season you buy your Ski pass and all, really all lifts/cable cars/gondolas ... are included for only a fraction of the price you had to pay.
I suspect you are right about there being a day pass for pedestrians. I have certainly bought them in other mountain resorts, both in summer and winter. More importantly, the compilers of this video could have bought a Swiss Travel Pass which gives free travel on all normal public transport, eg the train from the airport to Zermatt, plus 50% off on all the SWISS mountain lines featured on the video.
The purely mountain lines which you were travelling on were of course expensive, but the general public transport network liinking villages towns and cities is reasonably priced. And extremely frequent and reliable.... On the fares point over 400,000 Swiss residents have a General Abonnement which now costs 3,990 Franks per year. This 'GA' gives free rides on all public transport except the purely mountain lines. Well-advised tourists to Switzerland buy a Swiss Travel Pass for the duration of their stay'.This has the same validity as the GA and gives 50% off on fares on most mountain lines, including the lioes at Zermatt you travelled on. (NB a London-Brighton annual season now costs over £5,000.)
What an adventure!! Thanks for sharing it with us. So proud of Jess!!
I agree about your sister! She is such an upbeat & outgoing person, the perfect addition to every video she has been in!
The great thing about the transit system in Zermatt is that it serves as ski lifts during the winter. The Gornergrat railway is very popular as a ride up, ski down system where people get on and off at intermediate stops. I remember the signs at the top of the Klein Matterhorn cable car (now known as the Matterhorn Express) reminding visitors that they are at high altitude - fun to ski down from there.
Thank you for sharing this experience, it is indeed expensive but it felt like we were there with you. I was crying watching your video, as doing this with your sister was really special. I lost my sister this year and I wished I had the chance to travel with her to an equally inspiring location. Cherish every moment, and happy
travels. OMG yes, that glass panel is amazing, it reminded me of Tokyo Skytree.
I was in Switzerland this summer, and seeing this video gave me the same feelings I had when I was there. It's absolutely breathtaking. My mountain adventure was Jungfraujoch, which was also fairly pricey and very touristy but still worth every cent. I was glad I invested in the Swiss Travel Pass, it made getting around the country so much easier (and cheaper!).
The compilers of this video clearly had not bought a Swiss Travel Pass. They would have got 50% off all the lines featured in this video.
This trip was worth every single penny, just amazing.
Those views are stunning! The bikes going down looked fantastic! Thanks for taking us along. Nice to see your sister too. 😊
We missed Jess! Thank you for taking her on an adventure with you!
Gondolas, multiple dad jokes, Jess, and beautiful views. This is a particularly stacked Downie video.
This is one of my favourite videos in a while.
Your sister is fantastic. Include her more. I lost my sister a few years ago and I wish I had done more with her.
incredable places and views !!! And, it was great to see Jess again :)
I enjoyed that. We like sister-Jess! But I was struck by the glaciers. This was a regular place to visit during the summer when I was a kid in the 60s and 70s. And wow! Those glaciers have shrunk. The views from the peaks had a lot more back then, even during the summer.
I wonder if you could have saved some money with the Swiss half-fare card 🤔
As tourists they should have bought a Swiss Travel Pass. Free travel on all 'normal' public transport, and 50% reduction on purely tourist lines such as those featured in this video.
Always love seeing you two travel together!
One of my favourite series is you guys travelling together in BC.
The tickets are very expensive but also worth it when you consider the length and location of the ride.
For the price per ride, I think Canadian Rockies are actually more expensive.
This is why Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card is highly recommended for travelling in Switzerland.
Swiss Trave Pass offers unlimited travel on trains, cable cars, buses AND boats in most of Switzerland and 50% off tourist-heavy places like Zermatt for various periods from 3 to 15 days for a set price.
Half Fare Card is 50% off everything for a whole month.
Unfortunately it doesn't include the 3 gondolas on the Italy side obviously, but it still includes the glacier crossing.
Extremely fun video. Years ago we skied both Italy and Switzerland in the same day. We actually got to ski with the Italian ski racing team for a while. It was one of the most enjoyable moments of my life. The facilities back then were not nearly as much, but then the price of a ski pass was only around $45 (which was very expensive back then).
Get your Halbtax if you're going to Zermatt! The price should be well worth it for the 50% discount on trains and most gondolas.
Edit: the lack of snow cover compared to past years is really concerning 😟
It was really windy in November - December. This Winter there is/was more snow in the mountains compared to the last one.
The price to get from Zermatt to Italy is more than my flight to Honolulu in February, but you got the better deal. I'd pay a $1000 USD for the full experience, so I think you got a deal. BTW- please share how you filmed everything, especially the paraglider.
I love your sister's personality! She seems like she would be a blast to have as a travel buddy. Great video!
The paragliding looks amazing! Tho I can understand how it may turn the stomach Jess! 🤢 you did so well!
That glass floored gondola was super cool, and sneaky! You were about to ask for your money back and then *boom* there's the glacier right beneath your feet 😂
😂 you know exactly how we felt!
If the pilots took their time and simply cruised, it would not have had that effect, but time is money, so they do they “thrilling” spirals to lose altitude and shave minutes off every flight. Same goes for tandem parachuting.🤙
Absolutrely brilliant video! Switzerland is not known as a budget-basement destination, so thanks for taking us on a journey most of us could never afford.
But Scott you surely have heard of the Swiss Travel Pass which gives free travel on all public transport in Switzerland except the high mountain lines. On those lines you usually get 50% off.
32:36 I think that was a great price for so many amazing views and experiences!
Mike you did absolutely amazing on this video - really made me want to go to Switzerland! Looking forward to more!
This was such a great adventure.. but for me, more than that... to see a brother and sister share such a (and challenging) experience .. cherish that. I so wish I had that with my brother.
I love to see you bring Jess along on your adventures. With all the cable cars and other modes of transport, this one looked amazing!!
The Glacier Express from Zermatt to St Moritz would I have done too. It is very scenic.
Happy Hoildays Mike ,Jess and to your extended families, Thank you for sharing this epic adventure with us. Great to see such beautiful bond with brother and sister.❤🇬🇾🇺🇲
What an amazing experience with your sister. I always enjoy your videos so much.
Thank you so much!
Taking your family along to share your adventures makes your content stand out. I just hope Jess didn't give you too much of a hard time because the restaurant was closed off camera.
Thank you for sharing your adventures. After a tough few weeks this video genuinely made me smile from ear to ear.
Can’t wait to be with you on next adventure.
Love, Love, Love this video. I think this is the best one yet. You took advantage of every mode of transportation there was available. My dream trip! ❤❤❤
Brought back good times. Stayed in Cervinia and skied to Zermatt. Caught last Cable car out of Zermatt and skied back to Italy at night. Solid cloud cover coming back below us, Just the moonlit mountain peaks visible. A once in a lifetime view. But then we skied into the clouds, total white out conditions,
By far one of the best you have done.
And having your sister again makes it more
Special. Intact ithink sis should be in more of your
Travels she make it fun.
We’ll be safe and see you on the next adventure.
With sister maybe
G'morning! Saving this for the big screen, highlight of the weekend. Enjoyed your recent series despite my previous reservations, so keep them coming!
Great video Mike, and with Jess along too for all those rides !! Fantastic scenery too :)
Mike I only discovered you from my brother telling me about a few years ago .
This trip with your sister was awesome !!! Totally enjoyed 100% !!!
It's on my "bucket" list :):):)
This was wholesome and truly gorgeous content! The special reveal was amazing! I would love to see your sister join more travels, she's so enthusiastic and fun. Thanks for a great time 👍
Thanks Mike, really enjoyed this 1. Apart from the paragliding which on it's own is an understandable price as your paying the person who took you and for the use and up keep of the chute, the price you paid to use the different forms of transport go into their up keep so many more people will be able to enjoy them. All the best from England and a very Happy New Year to you and your family.
Have to say that watching this video and seeing you and your sister have this experience together makes me really happy. The total cost for the day seems pretty reasonable considering how much was covered. (and how many people can actually say they went paragliding in the Swiss Alps). Pretty cool.
I was ready to send them a strong worded. Email about that glass not being transparent. I was more surprised than what used 2 where. When it all came clear 🤣👍🇬🇧 .
Mike. Your videos are always first class and more entertaining than anything on tv. As a train and gondola enthusiast I so appreciate your variety of vlogs. Many props to the editing and location scouting. Look forward to the next video and your perspective
17:39 I have to correct you on this. THE best way to go to Italy has to be from Chamonix, France. Take the cable car to the top of Aiguille du Midi. Then take the Panoramic Mont Blanc cable car high over the Mer de Glacier to Pointe Helbronner Italy.
Seeing how there’s 1) a solid transportation system in place, 2) that you’ve gone a long way, 3) it appears to be a one-off trip (likely will be proven to be wrong) and 4) the trips helped your sister kind of get above her fear of heights…it’s definitely worth it. Thanks for sharing!
Mike your Sister is your literal twin! ao glad you brought her along with you hope you had time to get a souvenier in Italy to show you were there awesome vlog!
I marvel the love between the siblings! Best companions ever. They are so genuinely exited. Like kids in a good sense.
Is it pricey? Sure! But that was an experience you can't get ANYWHERE else. So, yeah: worth it!
I've been on the trains before actually, quite a pleasant experience and since my brother, his friends and I were using a friends pass I think. They basically let us on the more luxurious trains when we were going back to our hotel. What's nice is that my brother ordered wine one time and when he want to pay it on the train, the train steward (I think that's who they are since he brought him the wine) went "Merry Christmas" and basically gave it to him for free. Of course by the time we went home the view was dark but alas, I loved my time on that train.
This reminds me very much of summer vacations spent hiking the Swiss/French/Italian alps with my family. Brings a smile to my face=)
Another great way to enjoy Zermatt and the alps in general is to go for some longer hikes. More often than not you can take the lift/heist/gondola/cablecar up, and then hike down.
i literally laughed out loud when the floor revealed itself. that was awesome!
Right?!
What an amazing adventure. It took my breath away just watching. I'm so glad that you got to share it with your sister.
Thank you for the amazing content, Really do love watching what you do, especially the trains. Have a great festive period.
In that area it’s absolutely worth the price..you never have to do everything there. As long as you get the Chance to pick something and get to enjoy the moment it’s worth every second, I hope I get to go back to the country again and appreciate it more than my 20 yr old naive self did back in 2005
the compilers of this video could have bought a Swiss Travel Pass which gives free travel on all normal public transport in Switzerland, eg the train from the airport to Zermatt, plus 50% off on all the SWISS mountain lines featured on the video.
Worth every single penny! What a beautiful place
I have taken these cable cars and trains many times over the years to climb the surrounding mountains, it is expensive but if you plan to take a couple of the expensive rides then you can buy a Swiss half pass which gives you 50% off all cable cars and trains
Tourists should buy a Swiss Travel Pass for the days they are in Switzerland. it has the same validity as the General Abonnement.
What a great adventure the views were incredible glad your sister went with you. Have a wonderful Christmas
What a great Christmas Present for this old codger! I've long had Switzerland on my bucket list but, given my circumstances, I doubt if I will achieve this one. Thanks so much for sharing the joy you experienced with your sister Jess, the incredible scenery and excellent presentation. Looking forward to seeing where you go next.....could it be to visit me and my friends here in Melbourne? Cheers from me and have a happy and safe Christmas.🙂😉🙂
Hi Mike, love coming along with you on your adventures ... another must ride cable car in Switzerland is the “CabriO” cable car located in Stanserhorn, near Lucerne , it is the only cable car in the world featuring two decks with an open upper deck. We rode this , which also include a funicular railway, back in July this year, cheers, Garry from DownUnder
You are so fortunate to be able to go to all of the places and we are fortunate that you share your adventures 😊. Thank you.
Your videos never disappoint... this was awesome.... thank you so much and Merry Christmas !
Thank you! You too!
Ahh you visiting my country was just a question of time 😊
Love how much fun you had!
I really hope you do more videos with your sister in the future because I love your energy together! ❤️ This is probably my favorite Downie video ever!
Your sis brings a welcome good vibe to the channel!! Family time is good time. Awesome vid as usual.
Omg I wish you know how much I enjoy this video . Just to see how close and fun you and your sister are, you guys took my breath away😍 siblings 4ever
What a totally awesome adventure ! So glad you both took the paragliding too. 👍🍁🤙
I am speechless! Thanks Mike!❤🎉 and Merry Christmas!🎅🎁🎄👼
What a great adventure. Thank you for taking us along. Keep 'em comin.
I did the clear floor thing at the CN Tower in Toronto, and I had a headache in the beginning because my brain and my eyes couldn’t comprehend walking on “nothing”. I wonder how my brain would react if that clear floor was in a moving gondola 😅🤯
WOW.. Just WOW !!! Thank you for the video Downie..
You bet
Your sister was very VERY brave doing that at the end 😲 There would be nooo way i would've done that! I prefer my feet on some solid ground with heights. Bravo tho Jess 🥂