[Removed user]

15 July 2019 at 14:44:18 #822864

I booked Bernina Express seat reservations for St. Morits – Tirano – Lugano on Happy Rail, and I was assigned corridor seats for both connections. When I asked to be switched to window seats, I received an answer that all window seats are taken. However, when I just checked on RHB website, it seems that quite a few window seats are still available for booking.

I saw that another similar complaint was handled by a moderator here, so I just thought I’d post my case to get faster help regarding whether I should book now through RHB + request refund or wait until I hear further back from Happy Rail. I’m just worried the remaining window seats may sell out if I wait. Any help/insight will be greatly appreciated!

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[Arno]

15 July 2019 at 15:01:03 #917854

Hi Emily,

Thank you for joining MySwissAlps! I recommend to give HappyRail a call: http://www.myswissalps.com/ab outus/partners/happyra il (they are about to close, so retry tomorrow if you can’t get through). Explain what you found through RhB and ask what can be done. Normally seat availability is the same regardless of where you book. Perhaps they added a train carriage or bus later, perhaps it’s something else. Note that seat reservations are normally not refundable, again regardless of where you book. So you can book other seats but may not get the money back.

Please let us know what happens and if you need further help.

[Removed user]

15 July 2019 at 15:22:45 #917855

Hi Arno,

Thank you for your reply. I received an email from Happy Rail that neither change nor refund is possible. I tried calling the number you gave me +31 715 137 008, but I was connected to another company’s agent who told me that Happy Rail is a subsidiary of his company and that he could not help me with Happy Rail’s booking. I’m just disappointed that Happy Rail did not provide me with an opportunity to select my own seats even when RhB website shows multiple windows seats as available.

Given this is a panorama train/bus, I really want window seats, so I think I’ll just book again through RhB and hope that Happy Rail will be able to help me when I explain what happened again 🙁

[Arno]

15 July 2019 at 20:54:25 #917856

Hi Emily,

What’s your order number? Let me see what I can do.

[Removed user]

15 July 2019 at 22:10:55 #917857

Hi Arno,

My order number is GSOKMF. Thank you so much for your help!

[Removed user]

16 July 2019 at 2:00:39 #917858

Me too! Booked 2 seats reservation with happy rail and cant choose seats but paid a higher fees. Quite disappointed with the booking too! Not much help provided by happyrail.
Hope you have a better luck!

[Arno]

16 July 2019 at 13:59:01 #917859

Hi Emily,

I received a bit more information. Seats are always booked through a central system of the Swiss railways. That system tries to book window seats (unless the traveler has another preference), but if there are no window seats available at the time of booking, corridor seats will be reserved. Reservations can’t be changed in this central system (which I find far from optimal, but unfortunately that’s the way it still is, regardless of where you book). All one can do is book a new reservation, with the costs that come with it.

Which date and time are you traveling? Did you already book new reservations for window seats?

[Removed user]

16 July 2019 at 14:17:48 #917860

I just got another reply from Happy Rail that seat preferences can only be indicated prior to actual booking through emails and that the bookings cannot be changed or cancelled 🙁 I think it will be more straightforward/easier if customers can be warned about this on the website when they choose the specific routes they want. I also find it a bit unfair to be unable to choose my own seats at the time of booking especially because I paid CHF6 more in total, as Anna also mentioned 🙁

I am traveling on July 26, leaving on train at 9:39 from St. Moritz and then on bus from Tirano. I booked new reservations for window seats on RhB.

[Removed user]

16 July 2019 at 14:57:13 #917861

Hi Emily,
You managed to book window seats ? So nice…
Btw, I paid additional CHF10 x2. 🙁
Its expensive, as there is no refund, I dun want to pay additional to book again.
But it’s an 8 hours train ride with no window seats. 🙁

[Removed user]

16 July 2019 at 15:19:03 #917862

Hi Anna,

I did book new seats, but only on RhB website. Happy Rail just keeps saying that they do not guarantee seat selections and cannot cancel bookings because of conditions applied to them 🙁 Paying more only to get assigned to less favorable seats sucks, which is why I wish the website had warned me when I was booking. It’s also unfortunate that the seat availability was different from RhB website.

You paid a lot more than I did – maybe your trip is longer than mine! I hope you’ll still enjoy the trip

[Arno]

16 July 2019 at 18:27:16 #917863

Thanks to both for your feedback. It’s unfortunate, I agree. Some of this systems are not up to today’s standards yet; it’s a work in progress with sometimes undesired results.

Do enjoy your trips, the scenery is amazing!