[Sparkyenos]

10 May 2020 at 13:53:59 #825543

Hopefully this trip can take place in Sept. 2021.

We will be buying the Swiss Travel Pass Flex 15 day pass. We might do the second class ticket. I was wondering if we buy the 2nd class ticket can we upgrade on our three special trains:

1. Day trip–St. Moritz to Tirano roundtrip –Bernini Express

2. St. Moritz–Zermatt–Glacier Express

3. Golden Pass Train–Montreux–Zweisimmen; Zweisimmen–Interlaken Ost

I wanted to upgrade to first class on these 3 days———how much would the upgrade cost?

Thank you

Kathleen Enos

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[Removed user]

10 May 2020 at 22:53:13 #932393

If you are thinking of travelling 1st class, consider doing it for the whole trip. Other ‘regulars’ on this forum will probably disagree, but I remain unconvinced of the benefit of upgrading to 1st class for specific journeys, especially as the three upgrades might bring you close to paying the same as the 1st class pass.

[Removed user]

10 May 2020 at 23:06:26 #932394

For the Bernina railway trip (not Bernini) , if you are just going from St Moritz, you can get any train on the line. Get one early in the morning and you may well get plenty of room in 2nd class, plus yoou could get off at an intermediate station and enjoy the mountains for a while.

[Removed user]

11 May 2020 at 4:20:58 #932395

Hello Kathleen,

There is absolutely the option of upgrading from 2nd class to 1st class. Find the corresponding link below, as well as an overview of the differences of the classes. You can calculate the price there.
– http://www.sbb.ch/en/travelcards-and-tickets/tickets-for-switzerland/class-upgrade.html
– http://www.myswissalps.com/train/practical/2nd1stclass

Please also find input about the mentioned destinations and activities you’re planning to do below:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/stmoritz
– http://www.myswissalps.com/berninaexpress
– http://www.myswissalps.com/zermatt
– http://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress
– http://www.myswissalps.com/zermatt
– http://www.myswissalps.com/montreux
– http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass
– http://www.myswissalps.com/interlaken

– http://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass

Please note that for the Bernina and the Glacier Express you need a seat reservation, check the links for details. For the Golden Pass a reservation is recommended between Zweisimmen and Montreux.

Best,
Steph

[Sparkyenos]

11 May 2020 at 7:49:07 #932396

This is definitely a work in progress———I think a couple of our traveling group wants to spend the extra money and enjoy first class throughout this trip———-will be thinking about this

Thanks

[Removed user]

11 May 2020 at 19:29:08 #932397

I always travel first class in Switzerland – it has a certain civilised feeling, although newly-built coaches with less plush seating (yes, even Swiss railways are essentially broke…) than yesteryear are now outnumbering the old super comfortable 1st class. You still usually get more room though (2+1 across rather than 2+2 and bigger gap between seat cushions).

[Pickergal]

11 May 2020 at 23:39:41 #932398

Sparkyenos,

I know it is expensive to travel first class but we never regretted it. 95% of the time, our luggage traveled on the seat next to us. Every boat trip we took, and we took a lot, we automatically sat on the top deck with our first class tickets. I’m sure there would be some financial savings to upgrade only selected trips but for me, the hassle outweighs the financial incentive. Just my two cents. Enjoy planning your trip!

[Removed user]

13 May 2020 at 22:37:47 #932399

Absolutely agree

[Removed user]

15 May 2020 at 6:08:23 #932400

We travelled first class in Switzerland and thought it was fabulous. We even upgraded to the Excellence class for the glacier express and thought it was a wonderful experience that I would highly recommend it.

The difference between first and second class is the quality of the seating, bigger seats, less seats in 1st class, less people in 1st class, quieter in 1st class (no school kids), cleaner in 1st class, bigger windows, no worries about getting a seat and bags are closer to you.

[Slowpoke]

15 May 2020 at 10:24:41 #932401

Hi Kathleen –

As I read the thread, I get a trace of a feeling from the various comments that second class is perhaps not very nice.

I’d like to present a different perspective.

http://www.myswissalps.com/train/practical/2nd1stclass

Because I travel with a half fare card because of my personal travel patterns, I can choose either first class or second class. I travel in both. For shorter trips, I routinely use second class. If it is the time of day when school kids, en masse, are traveling, I choose first class. On lake boats I find second class to be adequate, but travel first class about half the time, especially on Lake Lucern, for the better access to good photography and, on a lonerg trip, for the restaurant.

This forum has many travelers with different abilities to pay. That must be considered in a recommendations. Moreover, both the Swiss and the Dutch are known for being careful with their spending. 😉

So, it will be more concerned to make clear that second class is OK, than to promote the use of first class. It definitely is. If you are concerned about the control of costs, go for second class, and are willing to work at it, and upgrade a few special times. If you want the benefits noted, especially if you have a group that wants to sit together, ( more easily arranged due to lower occupancy in first class ), and if cost is not your highest priority, then first class is an automatic choice. It is definitely more pleasant.

Since you have traveled in Switzerland before, you probably have noticed the differences between the two classes. I wrote this simply because I detected a hint that second class was perhaps not an acceptable option. In Switzerland, at least, it definitely is completely acceptable.

Slowpoke