Golden Pass schedules and cost?

My wife and I are traveling to Switzerland the first week of May. We are planning to purchase 8-day Swiss Travel Passes to cover our transportation during that time. One leg of our journey takes us from Montreux to Lauterbrunnen, so we'd like to take the Golden Pass train line and enjoy the scenery. However, I'm very confused by the variety of info online about making reservations for this trip. Hopefully someone here can help.

1. When I look at any of the various sites that show timetables for travel from Montreux to Interlaken, I see a handful of itineraries offered with various transfer and times, but nothing to indicate which (if any) of them is the Golden Pass train. Are GP train schedules and tickets found elsewhere, or are these all GP trains, or is there a way to know which one to select?

2. Do we need reservations for taking the GP? Do we need to pay extra if we have Swiss Travel passes?

3. The front-facing VIP seats look incredible. Is it possible to reserve them, and if so, what's the procedure?

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

-Dave M

Hi dmoser22,

1. The Golden Pass line is a route, more than a specific train. Any train will be fine to enjoy the views. There are various train types though, especially between Montreux and Zweisimmen, so if you prefer one over the other you can view the schedules through the timetable or the link on the Golden Pass page. The official Golden Pass website is a bit hard to navigate so here's the direct link to their PDF document. VIP seats are only available in the "Golden Pass Panoramic" trains.

2./3. You don't need reservations, expect for the VIP seats. Please see here. You don't need a ticket either, because you will travel with the Swiss Travel Pass.

The Swiss Travel Pass can be purchased online.

Have a good trip!