[Anonymous]

8 August 2022 at 22:47:30 #828011

Hello,

I purchased TGV Lyria tickets from Paris to Zurich (Hb) for a late September trip through SNCF a few months ago at 95EUR each. I received an email notification from SNCF that that train will not stop in Zurich due to track maintenance. No other information was offered other than recommending I reschedule or get a refund for my tickets.

When I look up that same train/date it now shows the stop in Basel and having to change trains and getting into Zurich 17minutes later than the original journey. We now might prefer to take the earlier train (due to time of day/lighting for photographs) but that is now 145EUR. SNCF do not make any accommodations for costs, I presume, if they let us know about the train schedule change and the price has now gone up?

Also, the station name is now different on the SNCF site. Our original reservation was going to Zuerich Hb, and the train now stops (with connection @ Basel) at Zuerich Altstetten. However, when I look at the sbb.ch site, it looks like the connecting train from Basel (InterRegio (IR) 36) still goes to Zürich HB. Which site should be trusted in terms of which station the train will stop in Zurich? (The station location is important, as the area we wanted to take photos was in walking distance of the Zurich Hb station).

Thank you!

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[User]

Reply 1 of 5 • 8 August 2022 at 23:32:38 #945359

I posted information about this around two months ago.

There is a reduced service between Basel and Zurich due to refurbishment work in the high speed tunnel that was built to give extra capacity on the Basel – Olten section of the SBB network, which is used by trains going from Basel to Zurich and Luzern.

Once you arrive at Basel, IGNORE any need for reservations for the rest of the trip to Zurich, as there will still be plenty of Basel – Zurich trains which are free to board as long as you retain your ticket to Zurich.

Trains can run between Basel and Zurich by two different routes, but there is not too much time difference.

Basel – Olten – Zurich = usually 1 hour

Basel – Stein Sackingen – Brugg – Zurich = 1 hour 15 minutes

Note that the route via Brugg is more scenic.

The reason that TGVs are stopping at Basel is because they do not form an integral part fo the Swiss national network so are given a lower priority. Internal Swiss trains for Swiss travellers are, not surprisingly, given priority when looking to reduce the overall number of trains running.

The SNCF web site showing Zurich Altstetten is probably a symptom of modern-day ‘computers knows everything’. But in the real, human world there are plenty of trains between Basel and Zurich HB running straight into Zurich HB

I can help further if you can state date and time of your original booking

[Anna]

Reply 2 of 5 • 9 August 2022 at 14:39:56 #945360

Hi zimmuo,

Zurich HB and Zurich Alstetten are indeed 2 different stations. Zurich HB is the main station: https://www.myswissalps.com/zurich/travel.

And you are right, the IR36 train calls at Zurich Alstetten and Zurich HB. So you can remain on the train until you reach the main station.

Regards,

Anna

[User]

Reply 3 of 5 • 9 August 2022 at 15:38:01 #945361

Thank you both for your help!

@1960man, the original booking was Lyria #9215 Paris 14:22 > Zurich18:26 on Sept 25th. Thank you in advance for your additional assistance! Is there any way to tell by looking at the booking which path the train will be taking? Ex. on the existing schedule, the Basel to Zurich leg is 1h12m and states direction Zurich Flughafen. Can I judge by the trip time of it being over an hour that it is taking the Brugg route?

[Anna]

Reply 4 of 5 • 9 August 2022 at 17:11:43 #945362

Hi zimmuo,

Here’s the screenshot from the SBB timetable, of the TGV Lyria connection from Paris to Zurich on 25th Sept. This connection includes a change in Basel. In Basel you will need to switch to the IR36 train which goes via Brugg, Zurich Alstetten and Zurich HB, terminating at Zurich Airport.

Regards,

Anna

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[User]

Reply 5 of 5 • 9 August 2022 at 22:57:40 #945363

The first available train will be the 17.37 via Brugg due into Zurich HB at 18.49

As I mentioned before this is a train via Brugg which takes the scenic ‘Bozberg’ route through the Jura mountains, so is more scenic than the route the TGV would normally take.