Seat reservations on Swiss scenic trains
A traveler named Asaldanha is planning a two-week 'Grand Train Tour' in October across 10 towns in Switzerland. They are struggling to secure seat reservations for scenic trains like the Glacier Express, which are fully booked, and are seeking advice on how to adapt their itinerary while using their Swiss Travel Pass effectively.
- Check for seat availability frequently for popular scenic trains, as cancellations do occur.
- Reservations are obligatory for certain trains even with a Swiss Travel Pass, like the Glacier Express and Bernina Express.
- Consider alternative routes using regional trains if scenic trains are fully booked; these can still offer beautiful views.
- When traveling from Tirano to Lugano, only a ticket to Chiasso is needed if you can't get the Bernina Express bus reservation.
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I have been planning a “Grand Train Tour” for two weeks in October, and am now wondering if I’ve made a huge miscalculation. Having planned out the routes, booked accommodation in 10 towns, and purchased 15-day Swiss Rail passes, I have started looking at seat reservations. But a first attempt to do this on SBB for the Glacier Express seems to indicate there are no seats available, not just on the day I planned to travel but on any day in that week. I haven’t looked at the other routes yet because I find the process of making reservations online when you already have a rail pass somewhat baffling. I realize there are probably regional commuter trains I can take but that’s really not what I was planning. I’d been led to believe October was a low season, and now I’m wondering if I need to rewind my plans. Any advice from experienced Swiss travelers would be greatly appreciated.
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Hello Asaldanha,
Yes, that’s right October is considered low season here in Switzerland. That said, this year the scenic train rides have been extremely popular.
Great to hear you have secured your Swiss Travel Pass. It’s so practical and convenient, one less thing to worry about too.
As you have discovered, some of the scenic train journeys require obligatory seat reservations even though you have your ‘travel ticket’ (or rail pass) already. The Glacier Express is one of them. You can read all about it and progress with the seat reservation in the below link (the seat reservation is not via SBB). I hope you manage to secure a reservation for your chosen date.
Which other scenic train ride are you planning on traveling on?
Kind regards,
Yolanda
I have booked accommodation already, after mapping out trains and times, such that I planned the following:
Voralpen Express (St. Gallens-Interlaken) on 4/10
GoldenPass Express (Interlaken-Montreux) on 6/10
Glacier Express (Zermatt-St Moritz) on 10/10
Bernina Express (St Moritz-Lugano) on 11/10
Gotthard Express (Lugano-Luzern) on 13/10
Bernina and Glacier are fully booked according to sbb/rhb websites, or as near as I can make out. If Bernina is fully booked – it says there are 35 seats available, but the website does allow you to select any of them – is it even possible to get to Tirano and on to Lugano from St Mortiz on regional trains?
Very discouraging. Seems like one should book the trains before accommodation and flights, rather than the reverse like I have done.
Hello again Asalanha,
With the Bernina Express section Tirano to Lugano, this is by bus and yes a reservation is necessary. If this is indeed full, you can still take another route. Research via the SBB timetable and your options will be displayed accordingly.
Similarly, if seat reservations are indeed booked out for Lugano to St.Moritz, you can for sure travel by the regional trains and still enjoy the scenery. Scroll to “Regular trains versus Bernina Express” for more information.
You may want to contact RHB, in case there is a glitch in the system, especially if you are seeing seats as available.
Tel. +41 81 288 65 65
Fax +41 81 288 61 05
railservice@rhb.chThe Gotthard Panorama Express will need seat reservations, our handy link here:
GoldenPass Express, reservations are generally not necessary but if you are wanting to travel in the VIP seats or Prestige class, then reservations are required. More details below:
For the Voralpen Express, reservations not necessary. Of course, if you feel like a peace of mind, seat reservations can be purchased.
Sorry, you are feeling a little frustrated, if seat reservations can not be secured (I understand you had hopes) all the routes can all still be thoroughly enjoyed via the regular trains.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
Thanks Yolanda. Feeling preety stupid right now – if I had just checked seat availability before planning this trip, I would have immediately realized it wasn’t doable.
Any recommendation for alternatives to the bus part of the Bernina Express from Tirano to Lugano?
No, no please don’t.
Keep tabs on the seat reservations, cancellations do happen and more seats could be released. You never know. As mentioned, you can still enjoy the scenery via the regular trains.
For Tirano to Lugano: One option is to take a train to Milan or Monza and then take a connecting train to Lugano. Use the SBB timetable to plan accordingly. You will only need to buy a ticket to the Swiss border, as thereon your Swiss Travel Pass will take you to Lugano. In your case, most likely a ticket to Chiasso as Chiasso will be your arrival point in Switzerland from Italy.
For tickets and travel to/from Italy, take a look here: https://www.myswissalps.com/traintickets/italy
Kind regards,
Yolanda
I’m going to try calling RHB voice since their online system is broken and/or incomprehensible, but as an alternative to BEX can I ask your opinion on which you’d favor in terms of scenery: (a) regional trains from St Moritz to Tirano to Monza/Chiasso to Lugano, or (b) the Palm Express bus from St.Moritz to Lugano? Thanks so much for your continued advice.
Hi Asaldanha,
Just a thought, would it be an option for you to stay overnight in Tirano and then perhaps there is availability for the bus section the next day? As this is the road block you are experiencing – train section is fine for reservation but not the bus?
Back to your question. The description of the Palm Express route sounds amazing but for me personally, I am not a bus person – I get too travel sick so I would opt with your option (a).
Kind regards,
Yolanda
I thought of that, but there are apparently no BEX bus seats available from Tirano to Lugano any day in the next two months. The train via Monza is much longer at over 6hrs than the (free) bus at just under 4hrs but I may follow your advice since the train skirts Como.
I am so sorry this happened to you. We were almost in the same boat. We are in Switzerland now (booked in February) and the Bernina Express was on my bucket list for last 10 years. Our now former travel agent advised us we could not book reservations until 60 days out, which would’ve been early July. For some reason, I started looking at the website in June and discovered that I most certainly could book reservations WAY in advance. There were exactly 8 seats left across the 5 days we were going to be in Switzerland! I will say that the seats availability changed somewhat over the few days before I booked, so definitely keep checking back.
Hi Asaldanha,
I just carried out a quick search on the bus section Tirano to Lugano. There appears to be seats available on the 15th October, then the 17th October onwards.
Yes, that’s a long commute. Perhaps, another option, take the bus to Varenna (from Tirano) then the ferry to Como. It could be something different.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
Hi Asaldanha,
I am in the same boat you are. I planned my whole trip in September around taking the Glacier Express on a Saturday and was equally surprised that the train was booked up so quickly for off season. All I could get was 4 separated seats for our family on the 9:52 Sunday train, and I grabbed them. I just checked and now they show 43 seats available for Sunday and even 38 for Saturday, after I totally rearranged my whole itinerary so I could take the Sunday train instead of the Saturday one! There is just about an entire car available for the 7:52 am Sunday train now. I am wondering if they have the ability to add cars as the train sells out. If our family wants to sit together, I think I will have to cancel the 9:52 reservations and purchase the 7:52 ones. They do offer low-cost cancellation insurance when you make your reservation, so I paid for that along with my ticket reservations. I just sent an email to info@glacierexpress.ch to see what my option are. Although it is stressful not to be able to secure definite plans in advance, I would suggest you keep checking the Glacier Express site, see what opens up and stay as flexible as you can so you don’t lose your mind.
They definitely CAN add additional carriages during the pre-departure days that tickets are on sale. I have seen additional cars added to a couple of my panoramic trains for my trip starting next week. I saw them added after I purchased my own reservation. I was lucky enough to get the reservation I needed on all my trains by booking early (Swiss time) on the first day the reservation systems allowed them. Then I saw them sold out as I monitored later. Then I saw additional cars added allowing more reservations. I’m sure if the demand is there and staffing and carriage availability permits, they add to the existing train.
Appreciate the shared information and advice. I’ve decided not to change hotels reservations, and just make the best of it on the days I planned. Much as I was looking forward to the panoramic trains, its after all the scenery and not the trains themselves that matter. The non-PE regional trains seem to take the same route as the PE trains, just with more changes, and with the exception of the unique BEX bus from Tirano to Lugano. Yolanda has kindly given me several attractive alternate options – thanks – and I’ve already reserved the Palm Express as a fallback. I’m continuing to monitor daily the GEX and BEX reservation sites for new openings, as you guys have recommended.
I did get seat reservations for the Gotthard Panorama Express, from Lugano to Fluelen. Are there other trains that I should consider trying to get reservations on, considering how busy this October seems to be? Voralpen, Golden Pass?
A side note to my initial post… I purchased the cancelation insurance for my Glacier Express reservations before I fully understood the details and have found it will not help me if I want to exchange tickets for better seats. It only covers me if there are certain medical emergencies, which is useless for me since I already purchased travel insurance. Should have read the fine print! I just wanted to make sure no one else makes the same mistake. The Glacier Express reservations are non-refundable, so please choose your reservations carefully and make your reservations as soon as you able to do on the website!
Hi Asaldanha,
The Golden Pass Express from Interlaken to Montreux is quite a popular train. Reservation is not required but recommended. You can find details here: http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass/tickets
Regards,
Anna
Thanks. I managed to book seats on the Interlaken>Montreux leg, but “There are no connections available” on *any* train on the Zentralbahn – INTERLAKEN-LUZERN DIREKT site on 8 October. Just to see if its another web site issue, I checked for 8 November and 8 December – same result, zero connections available. I think I may now have spent longer on these seat reservation websites than I’ll spend actually traveling in Switzerland 🙂
There is a prominent Notice Message on the Zentralbahn website – shop.luzern.com/en/stories/luzern-interlaken-express website:
“Due to construction work, the Lucerne – Interlaken Express will not run on a regular basis between 2 October and 9 December 2023between Lucerne and Interlaken Ost, replacement buses will be used. It is not possible to make a booking for this period.”
Hi Asaldanha,
According to SBB, there will be service a disruption along the panoramic route between Interlaken Ost and Lucerne from 2 October to 10 December, 2023. Due to planned construction work between Giswil and Meiringen, there would be no direct service between Interlaken Ost to Lucerne and you would need to change in Giswil/ Meiringen. Please double check the timetable for updated schedules.
Regards,
Anna
I did see that but wasn’t sure what it meant practically. Does one take the train to Giswill, then find a bus to Meirengen and resume on the train, or bypass this route and take a train via Bern, or?
Hi Asaldanha,
Essentially due to the engineering work it will not be possible to travel the whole route by train. Correct, the section mentioned by Anna will require that you take a bus. Don’t worry, you won’t need to find it per se, it will be there ‘waiting’ for you. All will be clearly organised and sign posted.
So actually you can travel most of the route by train and one part by the replacement bus.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
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