u/Dry-Wasabi-1138

Hi everyone,
I’m a bit confused and hoping someone who has traveled recently can clarify this.

When I check Google Maps, it shows “SG2 Havabus” from Taksim to Sabiha Gökçen Airport, which makes it seem like they’re the same service.

However, I’ve seen people mention:
SG2 costs around 126 TL
Havabus costs around 440 TL

So are SG2 and Havabus actually the same bus, or are they two different services that happen to use similar stops/routes?

Has anyone used this route recently? I’d really appreciate clarification before I rely on it.

Hey everyone,
I recently got a Schengen rejection from the Swiss Embassy (applied through VFS Lucknow). The refusal letter highlighted Reasons 2, 10, and 13 (justification for purpose/conditions of stay, and unreliable intention to leave before visa expiry). I’m 23 and single

I am planning to re-apply to the exact same embassy because I know "visa shopping" (applying to another country right after a rejection) is a major red flag since they all share the VIS database. However, since the Swiss embassy is known to be quite strict with re-applications, I wanted to double-check if sticking with them is the best strategy?

I want to make sure my new application completely addresses my past mistakes. I’d love your critique on my profile and corrections.

My First Application Mistakes maybe:

Employment & Sponsorship Overlap: I am employed at my father's company (he is the Director). In my previous cover letter, I mentioned this employment and stated that my father was my financial sponsor.

1. Sponsorship Confusion: I showed my father as a sponsor because I thought being young meant a sponsor would strengthen my case. But I actually have enough of my own savings to comfortably cover the €100/day rule with a buffer. (I attached both of our stamped 3-month statements, which might have confused them on who is actually paying).

2. Dead Flight Ticket: I used an Emirates "Hold Your Fare" 72-hour dummy ticket. It completely expired and got canceled before the embassy even picked up my file. The dates matched my itinerary perfectly, but the PNR was dead when they checked it.

3. Hotels: I booked "Pay at Property" options on Booking.com.

4. Itinerary: Kept it short and simple—7 days, just Zurich and Lucerne.

My Plan for the Re-application (Same Embassy):
Going Self-Funded: I will declare myself fully self-funded this time since my own bank balance is completely solid. I will drop my dad's sponsorship to avoid unnecessary confusion.

Fixing the Bookings: I will secure a verifiable flight itinerary that stays live throughout the processing period. For hotels: should I stick to fully refundable options but pay them upfront instead of choosing "pay at property"?

Proving Home Ties (SIPs): I have running mutual fund SIPs under my name. I didn't mention them in my first cover letter. I can download the online statements which show my name and home address, but I cannot get them physically stamped. Will including these un-stamped investment proofs help establish stronger ties to India?

The Itinerary: Is a 7-day trip focusing just on Zurich and Lucerne realistic to the Swiss embassy, or should I modify it slightly to make it look more organic?
Has anyone here successfully cracked a Swiss re-application after a rejection? How should I structure my new cover letter to address the previous rejection without sounding defensive?
Appreciate any tips!

Just wanted to share my experience and see if anyone has faced something similar.
Applied for a Switzerland tourist visa through VFS Lucknow.
Passport was returned in just 5 working days.
Unfortunately, the visa was rejected.

My profile:
23 years old
Single
Employed
Submitted Employment Letter and NOC
Travel history of 13+ countries, including Spain, UK, and USA

Documents submitted:
All documents as per the checklist
Detailed travel itinerary
4 nights in Zurich and 3 nights in Lucerne
Hotel bookings
Travel insurance
Flight reservation

One thing that may be relevant: I used an Emirates “Hold My Fare” booking that was not paid/ticketed.

The refusal letter cited the following grounds:

Point 2: The purpose and conditions of the intended stay were not sufficiently justified.

Point 3: The supporting documents submitted were not considered reliable enough to justify the purpose and conditions of the intended stay.

Point 13: There are reasonable doubts as to the reliability, authenticity, or credibility of the information and documents provided.

Has anyone received a similar refusal from Switzerland? Do you think the unpaid Emirates hold booking could have contributed to the decision, or is it more likely that the embassy was not convinced about the purpose of travel?

Any insights would be appreciated.

Can i know everyone’s experience with Schengen visa processing time? I applied from Lucknow on 9th June. 11th June the status changed to processing at embassy. EES still shows NOT OK. When can i expect it to be updated? Thanks for help

11/06/2026: Visa application reference number CHE/LKO/xxxx/xxxx/X is under process at Embassy of Switzerland in India.