[Removed user]

4 March 2018 at 10:29:45 #814610

Hi I’m trying to book a ticket from Basel to interlaken but every time I’ve gone to try and book the tickets there is always an error. Is this a ticket that I can only purchase at the station? I’ve manage to book my ticket from Milan to interlaken but can’t do my dads ticket from Basel. And can’t book the return ticket. Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated. Travel is the 1st April.

Thanks in advance =)

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[Slowpoke]

4 March 2018 at 11:36:17 #877696

Hi katnol89 –

I don’t know why you can’t book a return ticket to Milano. Are you using the SBB website?

However, once you are traveling inside Switzerland, on the trips you describe, no reservations are necessary. Very few people book seats. It is simply unnecessary. The trains are organized to have enough capacity. And, they are frequent enough that, if you miss a connection, another will be along shortly. Even on the secondary routes, you can expect one per hour. That is a general rule…with the exception of the various panoramic trains with famous names, such as the Glacier Express, and some parts of the the Golden Pass route.

http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain

I have attached a screen grab from the SBB timetable of the train from Basel to interlaken Ost at 0959 on April 1. By the way, there two trains per hour, generally at xx59 and xx31.

Look to the right of the entry. The little figures show expected occupancy. It is low.

Occupancy will be high during rush hours in and out of the main cities, but in traveling in Switzerland since 1980, I have only had to stand one time….during an afternoon rush hour train from Bern to Burgdorf for about 15 minutes.

For international travel to and from Switzerland, it is necessary to book seats for the parts outside Switzerland, so most people book for the whole trip….as from Milano to Interlaken Ost.

Slowpoke

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[Removed user]

4 March 2018 at 12:46:30 #877697

Hi katnol89 and welcome to MySwissAlps!

Yes, I would not be concerned about booking a ticket from Basel to Interlaken at all. But if you want one ahead of time you can check out these retailers as well.

[Slowpoke]

4 March 2018 at 15:04:05 #877698

Hi Lucas –

Any idea why she could not book her return to Milano?

Slowpoke

[Arno]

4 March 2018 at 15:18:46 #877699

Hi Katnol89,

For the return to Milano, please check the websites listed on http://www.myswissalps.com/tr aintickets/italy/price. The website http://www.trainline.eu/searc h usually works very well. Should work for Basel to Interlaken too by the way.

If it does not work for you, please post more details here, like travel date and time and where you are trying to book.

[Removed user]

4 March 2018 at 19:31:50 #877700

I’ve managed to book my train back, but still no luck on the Basel to interlaken trains. Would this be one that my dad can get at the station? He’s not a well seasoned traveller so want to make it all as easy as I can for him =)

[Removed user]

4 March 2018 at 19:54:01 #877701

Yes, If you have any trouble buying online for domestic Swiss travel just buy it at any station at any time (no need to wait until just before your train either).

[Slowpoke]

4 March 2018 at 19:56:05 #877702

<<“I’ve managed to book my train back, but still no luck on the Basel to

interlaken trains. Would this be one that my dad can get at the station?

He’s not a well seasoned traveller so want to make it all as easy as I

can for him =)”>>

Yes.

At the counter, in German, French, Italian or English.

Or, from a ticket machine in the same languages.

The counter would be simplest and easiest, and they are used to foreign travelers. They may have a short line of purchasers, so if he wants to try the machines, they are quite easy.

You start by choosing a language on a touch screen (English, French, German or Italian) . The first screen will offer tickets from Basel ( if that is where he is; it displays the current station name) and lets you pick from some typical destinations, or type in a name on a touch screen, which offers a narrowing list of choices as you type.

Then you pick first or second class ( second is quite all right) and it tells you the cost. You can pay with paper money or credit cards…their are slots for both. If you give it too much paper money, it will give you change. That is one way to get a few Swiss coins in his pocket.

Here is a not terribly useful description:

http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/railway-stations/products/sbb-ticket-machine.html

with a video of sorts linked on on that page. Unfortunately, it is in French. On the earlier version of the website, they used to have a step-by step illustration. Maybe one of the moderators knows how to find it:

api.video.swisstxt.ch/ html5/html5lib/v2.54/m wEmbedFrame.php/p/131/ uiconf_id/23476493/ent ry_id/0_nel3yeie?wid=_131&iframeembed=t rue&playerId=kaltura_p layer&entry_id=0_nel3y eie

Actually, the machines are quite easy for simple tickets such as Basel to Interlaken. (Make sure he knows if it is Interlaken Ost or Interlaken West). But, the counters are easier.

Slowpoke