Montreux-Zermatt: first vs second class, reservations + scenery?
A traveler named Mlfish is planning a trip from Montreux to Zermatt in late August 2024 and wants advice on whether to choose first or second class with a Half Fare Card. They are curious about the differences in train services, whether seat reservations are needed, and which side of the train offers better views during the journey.
Second class is comfortable but may be crowded in high season; consider upgrading to first class on the day if needed. Seat reservations aren't required for regional trains, and you can decide based on crowd levels. The best views from Montreux are on the right side, while from Visp to Zermatt, the left side has the best scenery. Make sure to check the timetable for crowded trains to help with your choice of class.
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I will be traveling from Montreux to Zermatt in late August 2024. I plan to use my Half Fare Card. First vs Second class – is it worth it? What are the differences? Are the services the same Montreux to Visp and Visp to Zermatt? Seat reservations? Do I need to make seat reservations? If so, how far in advance should I make them? Is one side of the train better to view scenery?
Thanks for your help!!!!!
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Hi Mlfish, and welcome to MySwissAlps!
For that trip, second class would be perfectly comfortable, but possibly crowded given it is high season. Upgrading to first class for the trip might be worthwhile in that case. You could decide on the day.
The SBB timetable will probably display how crowded each class in the train will be. You can find out more about this under the heading “How to check how busy your train will be” on the following page:
https://www.myswissalps.com/travel/public-transport/timetable/
Montreux to Visp and Visp to Zermatt will be on regional trains, and reservations are not possible.
I’m not quite sure what you mean about the services being the same between Montreux and Visp and between Visp and Zermatt. You do have to change trains at Visp, as the train from Visp to Zermatt is a narrow-gauge cogwheel train, designed to tackle the 1,000 metre climb up to Zermatt.
Leaving Montreux, the best views are on the right, as you travel along the lake and past Chillon Castle before travelling along the wide Rhône Valley.
Going up to Zermatt from Visp the best views are on the left in my opinion, but there is something to look out for on the right-hand side. About 40 minutes after leaving Visp, you can see the Randa rockfall on the right. It happened in 1991 and buried an 800-metre stretch of the railway line, which then had to be realigned around it. I travelled to Zermatt for the first time some months after it happened, and it made quite an impression on me.
Enjoy your trip to Zermatt, and I hope the weather is clear so you can see the Matterhorn!
Alpenrose
Hi Mlfish,
Just to add, seat reservations are generally not required here in Switzerland aside for some of the scenic/panoramic train rides. All explained in the attached link :
In regard to services on the train, would you perhaps be referring to on-board services – food and drinks, catering? These are generally only available on intercity or euro city trains. (More on train types: https://www.myswissalps.com/travel/train/types/)
As for 1st or 2nd class, I agree with Alpenrose, 2nd class is comfortable and fine. I’d decide on the day, if it’s anticipated to be busy, and preference that the carriage is a little quieter, larger seats it maybe worth upgrading to 1st class. Further details on 1st and 2nd class, the differences, is explained in the below link, plus how to upgrade if need be:
Kind regards,
Yolanda
Thank you Alpenrose. The information you provided was very helpful. We will look when we get the tickets to see how crowded they are before deciding 1sr or 2nd class. We will be staying in several towns on our trip and will either take an early morning train or mid/late day depending on what there is to do in each town. We will be in Montreux for 2 nights and Zermatt for 2 nights. While in Montreux, we hope to visit a few wineries. Are there any that you would recommend?
Thanks again – Michael
Thank you Yolanda – our primary reason for 1st over 2nd class would be size of the seats, seat configuration (sometimes 2nd class is 2X2 on both sides, where 1st class is 2X2 on one side and 1X1 on the other side. We will bring whatever snacks and drinks for the duration of the trip as the transfer is only 15 or so minutes when we switch trains.
We are spending 2 nights in Montreux (coming from Grindewald) and plan to visit some wineries. Are there any that you would recommend? We won’t have a car but can either take public transportation or perhaps even a tour.
Thanks again! Michael
Hi Michael,
You’ll be wanting to visit the Lavaux Vineyard Terraces :-). You can actually walk and enjoy the winery visits that way, if you wanted. Details on the walk here:
From Montreux, you could take the train to St. Saphorin, then a short walk to Rivaz. Here you’ll find Vinorama. You can also take a train directly to Rivaz, though a short hike would be nice so you can also enjoy the panoramic view of the lake from the vineyards. Do use the timetable link provided earlier so you can research times etc. Further along in Cully is Les Frères Dubois, which I have heard is very good.
Tours are readily available too. All can be researched in the attached link, you can use the filter and choose Culinary (wine).
With the wineries – just check the opening hours, as some of them have limited hours.
Enjoy!
Kind regards,
Yolanda
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