[Komal]

10 August 2026 at 1:34:57 #2798213

Hello MySwissAlps Team,

Reading the daily emails from this forum has become part of my daily routine over the past few years. Through the wonderful trip reports and information shared here, I’ve fallen in love with Switzerland, especially its beautiful scenery and famously efficient public transportation.

We’re now getting ready for our first family trip to Switzerland, from September 18 to October 2. I’ll be purchasing a 15-day Swiss Travel Pass (2nd Class) along with a Swiss Family Card for my 12-year-old son. I picked those days to avoid peak summer crowds and see a bit of Fall Colors.

Our itinerary is:

• 6 nights in Grindelwald, exploring the scenic Bernese Oberland
• 3 nights in Bern, with flexible day trips, subject to weather
• 4 nights in Lugano or Locarno
• 1 night in Lucerne

I have a few questions:

1. Bernina Express: I’ll be traveling from Lugano to Tirano to Thusis and have already made a 1st Class seat reservation for the train portion. I plan to purchase the route-specific point-to-point Class Upgrade later. Do I need to purchase the upgrade for my son as well, or only for the adults?
2. Bern to Locarno via Domodossola: We’ll be traveling from Bern to Locarno via Domodossola on September 27. Do we need a reservation for the Domodossola–Locarno section?
3. Zurich Airport & EES: What has been the recent experience at Zurich Airport for entering and exiting Switzerland under the new EES system? Is there any indication of how long the process is currently taking for first-time travelers from North America?

I may have a few more questions as we get closer to the trip and finalize the remaining details.

Thank you in advance for your help!

💡 Save time and get daily forum questions & answers by e-mail

[Roger Sexton]

Reply 1 of 8 • 10 August 2026 at 8:22:52 #2798214

Hello again Komal

1. Bernina Express: I’ll be traveling from Lugano to Tirano to Thusis and have already made a 1st Class seat reservation for the train portion. I plan to purchase the route-specific point-to-point Class Upgrade later. Do I need to purchase the upgrade for my son as well, or only for the adults?

You will need three seat reservations on the Lugano to Tirano Bernina Express BUS.  Recent contributions to this forum suggest that the bus can get fully booked.   So, if you have not already done so, make those bus reservations as soon as possible.

https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/bernina-express/

On the Bernina Express TRAIN you will of course need three first class seat reservations,  But while your son does need a seat reservation, for him you do not need to pay for an ‘upgrade’

https://www.myswissalps.com/travel/train/classes/

2    Bern to Locarno via Domodossola: We’ll be traveling from Bern to Locarno via Domodossola on September 27. Do we need a reservation for the Domodossola–Locarno section?
September 27 is a Sunday.  Seat reservation is not compulsory for the Domodossola to Locarno section.  BUT the train is likely to be very busy, so I would strongly recommend seat reservations.

https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/centovalli-railway/

3   Zurich Airport & EES: What has been the recent experience at Zurich Airport for entering and exiting Switzerland under the new EES system? Is there any indication of how long the process is currently taking for first-time travelers from North America?
I am British resident in England.  Rather surprisingly there has been not much recent discussion in this forum about EES.

I arrived at Zurich Airport from London at about 15 00 on Thursday June 18.  (Passengers on all flights from outside ‘Schengen’  go to the same  ‘Arrivals Two’ area so it is immaterial that you are from North America and I am from Britain.)

Now, unlike a previous experience on December 22nd 2025, there was a large but well organised crowd waiting to be processed.  There was a ‘marshall’ organising the queues

Unlike what MAY be happening elsewhere, there was no automated ‘do-it-yourself’ system.  There were about ten staffed  booths which each had their own separate queue.  The staff (in Zurich police uniforms)  were polite, efficient and very thorough.  Unfortunately I was allocated to a slow moving queue, and it was just over 30 minutes before I was processed.  I had a brand new passport and I was processed in just over a minute.

I left on June 30th, going through passport control at about 07 30 for a flight due to take off at 10 05.  There was no queue.  I was processed in less than a minute.

My passport was not stamped in either direction.

Best wishes

Roger

[andrew]

Reply 2 of 8 • 10 August 2026 at 17:31:42 #2798227

Hi Komal,

You ask about recent experiences with EES.

Like Roger I am a British Subject resident in England and we are frequent visitors to Switzerland and have been for many years.

On our most recent visit we flew on 13th July to Zurich from Birmingham (BHX) landing at 11:45.

We were at Passport Control by 12:05 where the queue was quite long but, as Roger says, it was well regulated and moving slowly but steadily.

We were able to join the queue directly because we had visited in the winter and were already registered. If this is your first time with EES there are self service booths for registration on the left as you enter the hall and it takes only a few minutes, then you can join the queue if there is one.

We were on a train less than an hour after touching down on the runway.

On our return journey the Zurich Airport website recommended arriving no later than 14:40 for our scheduled flight departure at 17:10. We arrived a few minutes before that and were in the departure lounge less than an hour after stepping off the train.

At Passport control there was no queue whatsoever. I stopped only long enough to ask about stamping of my passport. “We don’t do that anymore.” was the reply.

The longest part of the whole thing was spent learning how to work the latest self-drop luggage procedure. Use your boarding card on your phone (or, as we prefer, ask your hotel to print it for you) to obtain your luggage labels and attach them to your luggage. Then advance to the conveyor belt where you scan your labels, place the bags on the belt and wander off to security or shops or whatever. You can choose between German or English instructions.

For those going to the UK flights usually depart from the ‘D’ departure lounges. The ‘D’ (or whatever) part is shown on the displays a long time before the actual gate number.

Finally, a hint if your gate number starts with a ‘D’. If you arrive there early ignore the gates and seating and walk right to the end where there’s an short escalator to gate D43. Up there it’s light and airy with good views of the airport. Details of all the gates are displayed so make sure you go back down to be early in the queue for your blue stamp. For those who don’t know about this procedure look out for the little ‘ice-cream’ stand with your flight number on it and even sometimes a member of staff to check your details and apply the stamp. Without that stamp you won’t be allowed to board.

I hope all that helps. Now I think I’ll go and lie down!

Andrew

[Komal]

Reply 3 of 8 • 11 August 2026 at 5:01:43 #2798229

Thank you so much, Roger, for taking the time to share such detailed and helpful information. Your firsthand experience, especially regarding the EES process at Zurich, the Bernina Express, and the Centovalli trains, is incredibly valuable and gives us much more confidence as we plan our trip.

I’ve made the three first-class seat reservations for the Bernina Express bus and trains. It’s also reassuring to know that, even if there may be some delay at the airport due to EES, the process appears to be organized and well managed.

On a separate note, I remember seeing one of your responses to a post in June 2026 where you mentioned, “….I am praying those dates are NOT at the end of September!” I was curious whether that comment was in reference to a specific route or destination, or if you meant travel in Switzerland in general. For context, here is the original post: https://www.myswissalps.com/community/thread/travel-passes-for-switzerland-germany-trip/

Thanks again
-Komal

[Komal]

Reply 4 of 8 • 11 August 2026 at 5:08:57 #2798230

Thank you so much, Andrew, for taking the time to share such a detailed account of your recent Zurich Airport experience. The information about EES, passport control, luggage drop, and especially the D-gate procedure is incredibly helpful and reassuring as we plan our trip.

Regarding Blue Stamp, I was under the impression that one of the purposes of the new EES system was to eliminate manual passport stamping, unless I’ve misunderstood how it works. I’ll be travelling from Toronto, Canada, so I believe our flight will likely depart from the E gates, based on recent flight data.

Really appreciate your generosity in sharing all these practical tips!

[Roger Sexton]

Reply 5 of 8 • 11 August 2026 at 7:05:24 #2798231

Hello again Komal

Thank you for your kind words in your reply three.

In my reply two to the thread started by Dixies Family I did indeed write
I am praying those dates are NOT at the end of September!)

The reason I wrote that comment has nothing to do with Switzerland.

If you look first at the Dixies Family’s ‘thread’ you will see that it includes two nights in MUNICH.   And in the journey from Wengen to Fussen (in southern Bavaria) discussed in my reply two, one leg of the journey, that from Zurich to Buchloe, will be on a very busy Zurich to Munich Eurocity train.

The explanation for my comment is the misnamed Munich ‘OKTOBERFEST’

This is a huge beer festival which takes place every year in Munich at the end of September.  Great for beer lovers….  But for everybody else….

Kind regards

Roger

[Komal]

Reply 6 of 8 • 11 August 2026 at 7:24:43 #2798232

Thanks again, Roger, for your prompt response. I feel relieved after reading your latest message,  I had been doubting the timing of our trip for quite some time.

Thanks
-Komal

[andrew]

Reply 7 of 8 • 11 August 2026 at 15:25:36 #2798257

Hi Komal,
The ‘Blue stamp’ business started during Covid.  I believe the British Authorities required the airlines to check the vaccination status of passengers entering the UK. Quite what the function is now I can’t say nor to which countries it applies. I can only speak from my experience as a British subject at the ‘D’ departure lounges. It’s many years since I departed from terminal E so I can’t say what happens there.
Other non-Schengen citizens/subjects may have different rules which the blue stamp on a boarding card now covers. As I reported, passport stamping is a thing of the past.
Hope it all goes well for you and you enjoy Switzerland – its lovely people, its wonderful scenery and its exceptionally good public transport system.
Andrew

[Komal]

Reply 8 of 8 • 11 August 2026 at 15:44:33 #2798258

Thank you Andrew for taking time and clarifying blue. Yeah I am sure , we will have great time in Switzerland and hope this will be just first of many trip to this beautiful Country.

regards
Komal