Domodossola to Brig with Swiss Passes

Hello all,

We will be taking a train from Milan to Interlaken and I have seen from this forum and others that I need to book our seats on the EC train for the Milan to Domodossola part. However, I want to make sure that for that same EC train that continues from Domodossola to Brig, I do not need to book EC train seats in advance (for the Swiss part) and that my Swiss pass will cover this portion of the trip.

So if this is correct then I will buy a ticket from Milan to Domodossola with seat reservations and then be able to stay on that same EC train from Domodossola to Brig without getting off and without seat reservations as I have the Swiss pass. I have heard that trains in Switzerland do not need to be reserved in advance at all except for a select few. I want to make sure that this also applies to the EC train that connects Domodossola and Brig. So technically I can stay in the same seats as I had reserved for the Italy portion unless someone comes on and tells me that they have reserved seats in my spot. Will I be okay on traveling December 27th on the EC train in Switzerland (Domodossola to Brig) without trying to book specific seats ahead of time?

Another concern comes from checking the Swiss Pass validity map which has dashed lines on the route from Domodossola to Brig which seems to mean 50% off the train fare with Swiss pass instead of completely free. I have never seen this as being true from the forum posts I have read... Also, when I look at the sbb.ch website, it says that the EC train stops in Simplon which the train doesn't even seem to stop at from looking at the validity map (only buses).

I want to make sure that my Swiss pass will cover the Swiss part of that ride completely (not at 50% off) from Domodossola to Brig and that I can stay on that same EC train basically from Milan to Brig without needing to reserve any 2nd class seats for the Swiss part.

I hope all of this makes sense and hanks so so much in advance for any advice!

Hi teiteitei101,

Indeed most trains in Switzerland don't require seat reservations. As for the trains from Milan to Brig: some do require reservations, some don't. The timetable will show you what applies for your train.

You can buy a regular ticket from Milan to Domodossola, and your Swiss Pass will cover Domodossola to Brig. You can simply stay seated. Do make sure that your pass has been validated before you reach Domodossola.

The dashed lines you referred to are tunnels and fully covered (see the Swiss Pass map and explanation here). In your case it's the Simplon tunnel; trains do not stop there.

Enjoy the ride!