Gotthard Panorama Express with 2nd class railpass
A traveler is looking for help purchasing a Gotthard Panorama Express ticket for their trip from Luzern to Lugano using a 2nd Class Swiss Travel Pass. They need clarification on which reduction option to choose while booking their seats and how to proceed with their class upgrade.
- Select 'Own Ticket' for your 2nd class Swiss Travel Pass when booking the Gotthard Panorama Express.
- Only pay for the class upgrade if you want to move to 1st class, and choose 'Class upgrade' in the booking process.
- For a simpler journey, consider taking any lake boat from Luzern to Fluelen and connecting with the hourly 'Treno Gottardo' train.
AI-generated summary-
Hello,
I am hoping to get some clarification on how to purchase a Gotthard Panorama Express ticket. We will be traveling from Luzern to Lugano and have a 2nd Class Swiss Travel Pass that will be valid that day. I know that we only need to pay for the upgrade from 2nd to 1st class and the surcharge based off the info found here: http://www.myswissalps.com/gotthardpanoramaexpress/tickets
I went to reserve our seats and book the tickets via: http://www.gotthard-panorama-express.ch/
After selecting the seats, I need to determine what is the appropriate “Reduction”. The options are as follows:
- “Own Ticket”
- “By reservation only”
- “Nobody”
- “Half Price”
- “Junior Card”
- “Swiss Half Fare Card”
- “Swiss Travel Pass 1.Klasse”
Once you select an reduction, we are presented with two offer choices:
- Class upgrade: Luzern Bahnhofquai-Lugano
If you have a 2nd class ticket, you can travel in 1st class with a class upgrade for a specific route.
For a single journey, a round trip or a circular journey (petrol station / counter) within Switzerland in 1st class.
Reduced price for Half-Fare, GA, Children 6-16. - Route ticket: Luzern Bahnhofquai-Lugano
Ticket for a single journey or a round trip within Switzerland in 1st or 2nd cl.
Validity period: 1 calendar day until 05:00 the following day.
Reduced price for half-fare and children from 6 to 16 years old.
I know that
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Hi Smalls631, thanks for joining MySwissAlps!
I’m not familiar with the website you mention. Those options and descriptions aren’t overly clear. I think the problem is that it’s offered in German and Italian only, and you seem to use an automatically generated English translation, which would explain phrases like “For a single journey, a round trip or a circular journey (petrol station / counter) within Switzerland in 1st class.” I guess you should select “Own ticket”, as your 2nd class Swiss Travel Pass basically functions as a 2nd class ticket, and then “Class upgrade”. But to clear any confusion, you can best contact them directly.
The tourist-geared booking options at https://www.myswissalps.com/gotthardpanoramaexpress/tickets might be easier. Try this one for example: https://www.happyrail.com/en/pass/europe/switzerland/passholder-fares-gotthard-panorama-express. This allows you to select seat reservations for the train section (they’re not required for the boat section). Choose the connection Flüelen-Lugano using the drop-down box in the upper left corner and select “2nd class”, as you have a 2nd class Swiss Travel Pass. You’ll then pay for the appropriate seat reservation and class upgrade and that’s all you need.
Remember that, for a cheaper and simpler journey (no additional booking required), if you hold a STP 2nd class you can get any lake boat from Luzern to Fluelen, then one of the hourly ‘Treno Gottardo‘ regional trains that now run over the Gotthard railway.
Below is a ‘mythbuster’ for the Gotthard Panorama Express:
Gotthard Panorama Express (GPE) mythbuster
The GPE It is essentially irrelevant since the SOB railway took over the old Gotthard railway (ie the mountain route via Goeschenen – Airolo) passenger trains with the ‘Treno Gottardo’ service. The GPE was only established as a fill in after the opening of the Gotthard base tunnel when SBB gave up all but a glorified commuter passenger service on the old ‘mountain ‘ line. Any lake boat to Fluelen will connect with the hourly Treno Gottardo train on the Gotthard route.
My personal opinion on the Gotthard Panorama Express is that, whilst it might be a good ‘fit’ for organised tour parties, it is not worth the bother for independent travellers choosing their own itinerary, for the following reasons:
* The regular ‘regional’ service, which for a few years was only available on fairly spartan glorified commuter trains is now operated by the SOB company using its bang up to date ‘Traverso’ electric trains under the ‘Treno Gottardo’ banner
* The old Gotthard mountain route has rather lost its ‘romance’ since all the main international passenger and hug freight trains were diverted through the base tunnel. The ‘romance effect‘ of travelling on the old route was in part due to the fact that your train would interact with other trains on the line so that you might see a train way above you then a few minutes late it would pass by and then be below you, this doesn’t happen now with so few trains on the line
* Although there are two or three sets of spirals, the line is in valleys (nowadays shared with the concrete motorway) so you don’t see many high mountain peaks.
Hi Small 361,
If you have a 2nd class Swiss Travel Pass, all you need is a class upgrade to travel on the Gotthard Panorama Express. So you only need to fill out the class upgrade (Klassenwechsel) option. The route option is for those who needs a ticket as well.
Does this help? Let us know if you need more info.
Regards,
Anna
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