GoldenPass Express – Prestige class with Swiss Travel Pass 1st class
Henry is planning a trip on the Golden Pass Express in late June. He has a first-class Swiss Travel Pass and wants to reserve seats in the Prestige Class but has questions about ticket purchases and seat reservations. He seeks clarity on how to buy tickets after reserving seats and why certain coach numbers are offered.
- Reserve your Prestige Class seats for CHF 20 and remember that your first-class Swiss Travel Pass acts as your ticket.
- You need to inform a train attendant if you want to rotate your Prestige Class seat to face each other.
- For the best views from Interlaken to Montreux, sit on the right side of the train.
AI-generated summary-
Sorry but I searched a bit and cannot find the information needed:
I have Swiss Travel Pass (first class) and I want to buy tickets and reserve seats for Golden Pass Express (Prestige class). My travel date is late June. When I wanted to reserve first class seats, I found that they are almost gone. I therefore want to sit at the Prestige class (currently it’s only half full).
In the Golden Pass Express website, it seems to only allow me to reserve Prestige class seats in June, and it says “For your travel date you can currently only book the reservation. The tickets can only be bought 1 day in advance.”.
- I suppose it makes sense because if I have already reserved the seats, I can buy the ticket any time without worrying that I don’t have a seat. So does it mean that I should just go ahead and pay CHF 20 each for reserving the Prestige seats now, and then one day before the actual travel, go to the website to buy the tickets?
- If yes to number 1 above, I tried to only buy tickets on the Golden Pass Express website for tomorrow but found that it only allows me to either reserve-alone, or reserve-and-buy (no option for buy-only). Since I already reserved, how can I just buy the tickets without having to pay the CHF 20 reservation fee again?
- This is just being curious. No matter whether I choose second, first or prestige class tickets, it always offers coach 10 and 20. Why is that?
Many thanks for any advice.
-
Henz:
1) If you want to travel in Prestige Class you need 1st class ticket (you have STP(https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-travel-pass/), so it’s done) + seat reservation (CHF 20) + Prestge Class suplement (CHF 29); finally you must pay CHF 49 and that’s all;
2) I don’t know what are you booked – if you paid CHF 20 for seat it seems to be seat in ordinary 1st or 2nd class and you cannot to change this for Prestige Class; you must pay CHF 49 again and you lose CHF 20 (because reservation is not refundable);
3) Some cars is intended for groups and tour operators.
Direct link to booking a Prestige Class:
https://shop.gpx.swiss/gpx_en/specials/daytrips/goldenpass-express-prestige/
Kamil
Hi Henry,
Welcome to MySwissAlps.
That’s great to hear that you will be traveling on the GoldenPass Express in Prestige class.
As you already have your Swiss Travel Pass 1st class (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-travel-pass/) you only need to purchase a seat reservation. No need to purchase a ticket, as your Swiss Travel Pass is your ‘ticket’. When you board, all you need to present is your seat reservation, Swiss Travel Pass (and probably a form of identification).
Our guide to a trip on the GoldenPass is all explained in the link below:
As for the coach numbers, my understanding is that coach 20 is generally for 2nd class reservations only and coach 10 is for 1st class and Prestige class reservations. Prestige class seats and 1st class seats are within the same coach but Prestige class is in a different section of the coach.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
Thanks everyone for the great advice! Yes, you are all correct. I got it wrong (must be too late last night). I looked at the website again and indeed you can reserve+pay_supplement at the same time for June for the Prestige class. As Yolanda pointed out, I have done that, I can just walk up to the train with my First Class Swiss Travel Pass as the ticket.
One more advice-seeking – it is correct that I should try to sit on the right hand side (on the direction of travel) from trains from Interlaken to Montreux?
Also I assume that for the 9:08 Interlaken to Montreux (see pic below), I no longer need to physically change train in Zweisimmen?
Thanks a million.
Attachments:
Henry – “GoldenPass Express” (but only this train) from December of 2022 is using an automatic wheels gauge change so you don’t change train in Zweisimmen. About side of train – during booking process you can choose train’s side where you want to seat. In prestige class and direction Interlaken -> Montreux, seat layout “1+1” (best for couples) normally will be on the right side (in car no 10) and on the left side (in car no 20). Some people claim that the better is right side (Lake Thun, Gstaad ramp), but the other claim that the left side is better (“mountain’s” southern side, view from high on the Geneve Lake).
Kamil
Hi Henry,
The GoldenPass Express is a direct train from Interlaken to Montreux so there will no switching trains in Zweisimmen.
From Interlaken to Montreux, sitting on the right side provides a slightly better view, but personally for me, it doesn’t make a huge difference.
Regards,
Anna
Thank you Kamil and Anna for the great advice! I will book my seat this week (will stick with the ‘right’ hand seats then). Excited and looking forward to the trip!
Hi Henry,
I think a seat on the right is a good idea too!
From Zweisimmen to Montreux, in terms of scenery in general, there are beautiful views on both sides of the train. I like to sit on the right though, as there are quite a few lovely chalet-style station buildings on this route, and most of them are on the right when travelling towards Montreux.
As regards the descent into Montreux (which took my breath away the first time I did it!) the train negotiates several switchbacks, so regardless of which side of the train you are on, you will be facing the lake at times.
Alpenrose
Thanks everyone’s help again. Really great!
Since everyone is so helpful, may I indulge in more questions please?
The seats are selling like hot cakes and I am traveling with my wife. The only seats left in what I believe is the front of the train are 16 and 25 in coach 10 (see picture below, which is not the actual train). I have now reserved them (hence I cannot show them anymore).
Can I check, if I want to, whether I can actually turn both seats the other way so that they face each other? I think they would still be at the two ends of the big window so no blocking of views? Furthermore, it may have the added advantage of having some space behind seat 16 to store our luggage? I know in part of the journey (from Interlaken to Zweisimmen) seat 16 may have the view of the driver ‘windscreen’ if facing the front but having the option to turn it 180 degrees would be the best of both worlds. Can I do that and also can I turn the seats myself or I have to ask the ticket conductor to do it please?
Many thanks for any advice in advance.
Attachments:
Henry – look at below photo:
https://www.vagonweb.cz/fotogalerie/foto/202303/20230624_121538.jpg
Seat no 16 is on the left and seat no 25 is on the right. I haven’t exact answer for your question, but in case of problems I would ask passenger on seat no 26 to change it for seat no 16. Propably it is solo traveler (and doesn’t know well about seat layout) so above change will be great solution for both of us. And no – driver’s view will be on section Zweisimmen-Montreux (loco will be in back of train). From Interlaken to Zweisimmen loco and additional 2nd class car will be in the front of train (and of course in front of seat no 16).
Kamil
Hi Henry,
We just uploaded a video on how to book a seat on the GoldenPass Express Prestige Class.
http://www.myswissalps.com/activity/goldenpass/ (click on content, then video)
Hope this is useful.
Regards,
Anna
Hi Henry,
Passengers can’t rotate the seats themselves, but the train attendants can do so on request.
It might even happen that they do this automatically when they see that those two seats were reserved with the one booking, but I can’t be sure of this.
Hope it works out for you!
Alpenrose
I thought that rotating the seats was one of the benefits of Prestige Class?
We have seats 25 and 26 reserved for our trip in October. I booked it months ago and seats were already gone then, they certainly don’t last long.
Hi DebH,
Yes, the rotating seats are indeed one of the benefits of travelling in Prestige Class.
The point of having rotating seats is that the seats can potentially always be facing the direction of travel.
However, in most cases, couples or groups of 4 travelling together will want to sit facing each other, even if half of them will have their backs to the direction of travel.
So there is the flexibility to rotate the seats to face whatever direction is best suited to the particular circumstances.
Passengers themselves can adjust their seats in other ways, such as (from what I have read) the footrest, back support and recline.
Alpenrose
Thankyou Alpenrose. I thought that was how the seats worked. We are so looking forward to the journey.
Hi Henry,
For safety reason, I think the seats can only be rotated on request to the train manager. So if you wish to rotate or swivel your seat, best get it done before the train begins its journey.
Regards,
Anna
Thanks for that Anna. I will make sure to work that out before we set off.
I did a quick Google and you are right in that they rotate on request.
Another question re Prestige Class if you don’t mind, which also applies to the Glacier and Bernina Panorama carriages. How hot do they get? I really suffer from being too hot, and I did read a couple of comments that due to all the glass they get very warm.
We are travelling in very late September to mid-October so I am hoping it won’t be too hot anyway, but just wondering how to dress for the panorama trains. Do they have air vents or air conditioning?
Hi DebH,
Yes, the train is fully air-conditioned in summer. The panoramic windows have shades you can pull down when it gets too sunny or warm.
Regards,
Anna
Thank you Anna, that is reassuring. I have suffered some very hot European trains on other trips, and we only ever travel in Autumn not summer, but air condioning will certainly help.
Do the other panoramic trains such as Bernina and Glacier Expresses have air con too?
Hi DebH,
Both the Bernina Express and the Glacier Express trains do have air conditioning.
If there are further questions, be grate if you could open up a new post as this one refers to the GoldenPass.
Thanks for your cooperation and understanding.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
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