MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial Golden Pass route 2018 – track work & reservations
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Hi
I will be traveling to Switzerland in May 2018 with my husband. We are planning on staying 3 nights in Lucerne, taking the Golden Pass train to Interlaken with 5 nights in Lauterbrunnen and then travelling again by Golden Pass train to Montreux for 3 nights. I read in a previous post that buses will replace the train for a section of the journey and that reservations cannot be made between Zweisimmen and Montreux. I am confused as to whether then you have to buy tickets upon arrival and then scamble for seats?? A major issue with luggage! We had planned on booking first class seats and our itinerary has been planned around the scenic rail journey. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
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Hi Ams and welcome to MySwissAlps!
Yes, there is a small section of track on the Golden Pass route (between Zweisimmen and Montreux) that is replaced by a bus. You do have to buy tickets for the trip (unless you have a rail pass?). But no reservations are possible on that section.
May isn’t quite peak season for train travel and I don’t imagine there will be a mad scramble of people for seats and luggage space – especially in 1st class. It is however a chance that will have to be taken with the lack of reservations unfortunately.
Hi, sorry to jump in on this post, but confused as when we purchased Swiss Travel Passes we understood that we had to book seats on the Zweisimmen-Montreux leg of the trip? We are not going till mid June, do you know if we will need to catch a bus for part of the route? Also I have looked on goldenpass.ch and unsure of the way the train is going as we were advised to get seats on the right hand side of train in direction of travel. Thanks so much.
Attachments:
Construction work ends 1 June so you are fine. See http://www.mystsnet.com/filea dmin/doc/01_News/Const ruction_works_MOB.pdf
On the trains in the picture you supplied I believe the right hand side of the train will be at the top of the carriage on the seat plan view. If that even makes sense!
Attached screenshot may help. Blue arrow above carriage show direction of travel.
Attachments:PHEW!!! Thanks so much, have a couple of changes as it is.
Do you know if we can upgrade 2nd class Swiss Travel Pass to 1st class just for this leg of journey as would like the Front seats, we have had conflicting information, thanks again 🙂
Thank you Lucas for your reply. Following more research, am I right that it is only the section from Zweisimmen to Montreux that has the panoramic carriages, hence the usual need for reservations, and not the entire route? If this is the case then is there another option for travel from Interlaken to Montreux, maybe more direct, that would be easier during this construction period. There is a route requiring 2 changes via Spiez and Visp. Is this route also scenic, especially coming into Montreux? It appears to also have a shorter travel time. In regards to a rail pass, I was just starting to look into the options when I discovered the track work issue.
You can upgrade from 2nd to 1st class on any Swiss train if you have a 2nd class STP.
It will cost half the difference between 1st and 2nd class full fare. Buy the upgrade on-line, including using the SBB Mobile app or at any station.
The seat reservation charge CHF15, I think, for the VIP seats is extra. Only certain departures of the Panoramic trains have the VIP seats.
The route via Spiez and Visp approaches Montreux via the Rhone Valley floor and is not all that scenic by comparison to the Golden Pass Line which descends from the mountains in to Montreux and provides a magnificent vista over the lake and to the distant Alps. The bus transfer should happen reasonably seamlessly.
If you decide to avoid the Golden Pass then consider going from Spiez to Brig via Kandersteg and then on to Visp. You will then travel on the Regio-Express Lötschberger train over the traditional, more than 100 year old mountain route, giving you a wonderful view along the impressive peaks and down into the Rhone Valley. The faster route has a long tunnel.
Once at Brig (or Visp) you aren’t all that far from Zermatt and the Matterhorn . . . . just saying. 😎
Hi Ams,
Yes, I’d still go for the Golden Pass…it is a small section by bus (10km or so) only.
Hi Yccaste,
You can make seat reservations here. You don’t have to upgrade the pass to 1st class before reservations. Whichever way you do it (online or at a station) just have it done before boarding. 🙂
Thanks again Lucas and also Rockoyster on your alternate suggestion. I am still keen on the Golden Pass and am not phased by the bus component. I know you said that May is not the busy time for train travel. We will be travelling on this leg at the very end of May, will that be more of an issue? Unfortunately our flights are already locked in. Will it still have the panoramic carriages? I still don’t fully understand why you could not reserve seats for the train section. Just wondered??
Thank you all so much, so much conflicting advice out there, but this website and you guys are always spot on with your information (managed to get the panoramic seats – needed to catch a later train but hey ho no big deal).
Do you know if there is a link to the Bernina Express 2nd class carraiges and direction of train? Tirano-Chur. Thank you.
>> Do you know if there is a link to the Bernina Express 2nd class carraiges and direction of train? Tirano-Chur.
The Bernina Express seating diagram will come up during the reservation process. You can get that far without having to go through with a reservation if you just want to have a look at it.
However, you can’t book a seat on a particular side of the train, or facing forwards/backwards, as the direction of travel of the carriage is not known in advance. When there are two of you, booking window seats facing each other is a good idea.
Here is the link for reservations:
http://www.rhb.ch/en/tickets-travelcards/bernina-express-booking/bernina-express
Alpenrose
PS This thread is starting to get confusing with the itineraries of two different people mixed up together!
I agree Alpenrose666. It is getting confusing! I hope you have an amazing trip Yccaste, but maybe next time start your own separate post rather than taking over someone elses.
Thank you to those who have helped me! It is a fantastic site with so many informed members.
Will do, sorry for any confusion:(
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