Lugano to Zermatt using Swiss Travel Pass
A traveler named Rodrigosj is planning a trip through Switzerland in May and wants to use the Swiss Travel Pass for train rides. They’re looking for the best route from Lugano to Zermatt, as the SBB website suggests paths that lead back to Milan, which doesn’t seem ideal for their plans.
- Consider taking the scenic route via Andermatt, which includes parts of the Gotthard Panorama Express and Glacier Express.
- When traveling from Lugano to Zermatt, check the SBB timetable for options with changes but beautiful views, taking about 5 hours and 28 minutes.
- You only need reservations for the Glacier Express; all other trains on the same route do not require reservations and can be accessed with the Swiss Travel Pass.
AI-generated summary-
Hello
I am planning my trip through Switzerland in May / 2018.
I plan to do all train rides using the Swiss Travel Pass.
I’m researching about Lugano’s trip to Zermatt on SBB’s website, but there are a lot of quicker sections going back to Milan.
I looked at the validity area map for the Swiss Travel Pass on the SBB website, and the route covered by the pass would be passing through Locarno and Domodossola.
However, this little route appears in the results of searches on SBB’s website and application.
I wonder if this would really be the only way to get from Lugano to Zermatt with the Swiss Travel Pass.
Thanks a lot!
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Hi Rodrigosj,
If you’re not in a hurry, you could go via Andermatt. You basically take then a part of the Gotthard Panorama Express and the Glacier Express route.
Hi Rodrigos.
This coming September 18, my wife and I will travel by trainl from Lugano to Zermatt. Check out the SBB timetable. We will book the 09.26am or 10.26am departure from Lugano to Zermatt, although there are 4 changes, this route is very scenic. Total time is 5h 28min.
Route is: lugano to Giubiasco, to Locarno, to Domodossola, to Brig, to Zermatt.
This route is quicker than going back through Milan.
( ( For your information: We will fly into Milan airport and transfer to Lugano for 2/3 days. Then to Zermatt by train. Then the Glacier express to St Moritz and Bernina Express to Tirano and back to Lugano.
Let me know if this suggestion helps.
Regards.
Aidan and Yvonne.
>> the route covered by the pass would be passing through Locarno and Domodossola.
I agree with Aidan and Yvonne that this route is very scenic, and it includes the Centovalli scenic train between Locarno and Domodossola.
If departure times fit in with your plans, you could also incorporate a scenic trip by PostBus over the Simplon Pass between Domodossola and Brig, instead of travelling underneath it in a railway tunnel.
Should you be interested, I have written a trip report (including photos, and travelling in the opposite direction), which you can find under the heading Saas-Fee to Locarno on the following page:
http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/trip-report-late-august-to-mid-october-2016
Alpenrose
If you use part of the glacier express, do you need a reservation? If yes, how much is the cost?
I looked at the glacier express website and there are only a few times. I’m not sure, but I think the special train is what requires you to make the reservation with the extra payment for this one.
It is that, in the research that I did, and having found a route from Lugano to Zermatt with passage in Andermatt, the stretch that goes there (Andermatt) does not coincide with the glacier express site schedules.
In this way, I believe that this train that I think of taking (I’m interested in arriving in Zermatt as soon as possible), just follow the glacier express line, but it would not be the train that requires the reservation.
I hope I am right about this as I do not mind the better train that need to pay extra for the reservation.
For me, the window view will be the same, and I’m interested in arriving earlier in Zermatt and spending less (if possible, just using the Swiss Travel Pass).
Please, if anyone knows more about it, let me know if that’s what I’m thinking.
Hi bhaverhals and welcome to MySwissAlps!
You can find a link here to make reservations on the Glacier Express train.
Hi Rodrigosj,
Yes, you only need reservations on the Glacier Express panoramic train – noted as GEX on the Swiss railways timetable when you search for your trip route.
There are only 1-3 departures per day depending on the season for the GEX. All other trains are normal regional Swiss trains that follow the same route (no reservations required, just hop on with your Swiss Travel Pass).
Thank you Lucas!
Thank you Chantal!
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