How to buy train tickets in Switzerland
A traveler is planning a train trip from Interlaken to Zermatt, departing at 06:00. They have purchased Swiss Half Fare Cards and need help with buying tickets and reserving seats online. They plan to take the Glacier Express from Zermatt shortly after arriving.
- You can buy tickets online using the SBB Mobile App or the Swiss Train Timetable website.
- It's not necessary to reserve seats on regular Swiss trains.
- Consider the Saver Day Pass for unlimited travel on the day of your trip to save money.
- For the Glacier Express, seating arrangements can be tricky, so check the seating plan carefully when booking.
AI-generated summary-
We would like to travel from Interlaken to Zermat in by train that leaves at 06.00 hrs. This journey has 3 sections (2 changes), for one of which seat reservation can be done which we want to do. We purchased our Swiss Half Fare Cards. My question is how can I buy the tickets and reserve the seats online. I searched various websites including SBB and swissrailways, but couldn’t figure out how to. Can anyone help with the information please ? Thanks !
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First off there is no need to reserve seats on regular Swiss trains.
You can buy a ticket at a station the night before your travel or if you want to buy on-line you can do so using the Swiss Train Timetable (http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable) or using the SBB Mobile App which you can install on a smartphone.
Using the timetable just click on the red button at the right hand side. See attached. The fare with Swiss Half-fare Card should be CHF41.50. If you see a % sign to the left of the train number then cheaper SuperSaver tickets are available for that specific trip but are not interchangeable if your plans change.
Are you doing a day trip to Zermatt and back? If you go via fastest route via Visp consider at least in one direction going via Kandersteg. This is a bit slower than the fastest route which goes through a long tunnel but you will travel on the Regio-Express Lötschberger train over the traditional, more than 100 year old mountain route, giving you a wonderful view along the impressive peaks and down into the Rhone Valley.
You may be able to save some money if you can buy a Saver Day Pass (http://www.myswissalps.com/on edaytravelpass/details) for as low as CHF29 (with Swiss Half-Fare Card) which will cover any train travel you do on that day.
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Thank you for your reply. Actually we will take the first train at 06.00 from Interlaken (East or West) to Zermatt as we will then take the Glacier Express from Zermatt to St Moritz. Although there are two changes between Interlaken and Zermatt, we will arrive at Zermatt at 08.14 that would hopefully provide enough time to board Glacier Express that leaves Zermatt at 08.52.
That should work for you. Long day on trains! Hope you have time for a glimpse of the Matterhorn. Enjoy. 🤓
>> My question is how can I buy the tickets and reserve the seats online.
Buying tickets and making a reservation is done separately.
If reservations are possible for a particular sector, you can make them here:
http://www.sbb.ch/ticketshop/ b2c/adw.do?1993
(Change to English at the top of the page if necessary.)
Alpenrose
We will be taking the Glacier Express from Zermatt to St Moritz during the second week of April. Can anyone please advise which side of the train (moving in the direction from Zermatt to St Moritz) the sun will be for most part of the journey ?
Thanks !
<<“Can anyone please advise which side of the train (moving in the
direction from Zermatt to St Moritz) the sun will be for most part of
the journey ?”:>>
Hi srdebnath-
Check this link and study the information:
http://www.myswissalps.com/gl acierexpress
There is map on this page-
http://www.myswissalps.com/gl acierexpress/gettingth ere
The journey generally goes from West to East.
Sunrise in Zermatt in mid April is at about 0650:
http://www.timeanddate.com/su n/switzerland/zermatt?month=4&year=2018
Sunset in St Moritz:
http://www.timeanddate.com/su n/switzerland/st-moritz?month=4&year=2018
About 2000.
However, the mountains might interpose themselves between you and the sun at times. And, you will not always be going due east.
Why do you ask? Photography? One side is as good as the other, on average. You’ll shoot through windows that don’t open, however.
Slowpoke
Thank you. The reason I asked is my wife gets rash when exposed to sun and that’s why we would prefer seats on the side that is less exposed to sun for the entire journey.
The left hand side of the train would suit you best. The problem is that the seating plan does not show the direction of travel so you cannot alway guarantee which side you are on when making a reservation.
When we travelled last May we sat in seats 11/12 in 1st Class and that was on the right hand side of the train. Which theoretically means the top row of the seating plan is the left hand side of the train. But as I said, not guaranteed. Also the train goes into Chur and comes out again in the opposite direction when continuing to St Moritz. So you will change sides there I think but that is later in the day and probably won’t be a problem.
I’m not sure how high the probability of a full-on sunny day is in the middle of April.
I would get in and book soon. 2nd Class is already quite full in early April. 1st Class not so much. You can make reservations here shop.glacierexpress.ch /gex_en. The booking process will allocate you two seats coloured green. If you don’t like them you can deselect the automatic selection by clicking on them and selecting any free seats in there place.
Hi Rockoyster-
It has been years since I rode the Glacier Express.
I believe that there are quite large windows on the trains these days. Could they mean that the sun exposure will be substantial and significant on either side?
Also, for what it is worth, I know that regular trains without panoramic cars travel the same route. You can see the sights quite well, but not as dramatically as in the panoramic cars.
Slowpoke
Hi Slowpoke,
Indeed the side and roof windows in the panoramic carriages let in a lot of sun on a bright day.
On the south facing side of the GEX between Brig and Chur I wore a hat for the sun much of the way. It was like a greenhouse, kept under control, just, by the onboard air-conditioning. But it was a 29°C day when we travelled. Unlikely in April I think.
Hi, srdebnath
<<The reason I asked is my wife gets rash when exposed to sun…>>
Another option is to ride the regular train. It runs on the same route and enjoys the same scenery. It has no glass roof window and therefore no overhead sunshine. Seat reservation is not needed. You are free to change seat as well as carriage. You can pull down the window to take scenic photos without distortion of the glass.
Enjoy the nice Swiss train ride!
Thank you MaRock
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