[Removed user]

30 May 2018 at 19:59:43 #816333

Hi!

I will be purchasing a Swiss Half Fare Card for August. I have exact dates for my trips from Montreux to Lucerne, and from there to Lugano. However, I have tried to book trips for both Goldenpass & Gotthard Panorama Express in the suggested websites (RailEurope and HappyRail), but they give me regular ticket results. I even went to the Goldenpass website, and all I can book is seats. Where can I buy the tickets?

Regards,

Luis

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[rockoyster]

31 May 2018 at 3:00:52 #886862

Hello Luis and Welcome to MySwissAlps,

You can’t buy tickets this far out but you can buy seat reservations.

You can buy tickets nearer your time of travel using the SBB Timetable (http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable) for the particular route.

For the Golden Pass Line (http://www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass) you can make reservations including seat selection up to 90 days out at bit.ly/2kaq6Rf. Just change the class of travel, date of travel and start/end points to suit. And click the “e” for English language top right of the page. (where it says “Sprachwahl: d i f e”).

For the Gotthard Panorama Express (http://www.myswissalps.com/go tthardpanoramaexpress) you can make reservations at bit.ly/2HHB2Ev. You need Flüelen to Lugano via Goschenen departing 14:10. You can’t make reservations on the boat leg of the journey.

[Arno]

31 May 2018 at 13:57:52 #886863

Hi Luis,

I’m not sure what happened at RailEurope’s site, but HappyRail allows you to book seats through https://www.happyrail. com/en/pass/europe/swi tzerland/passholder-fares-gotthard-panorama-express and https://www.happyrail. com/en/pass/europe/swi tzerland/passholder-fares-golden-pass, and discounted tickets through their homepage at https://www.happyrail. com/en (click the passenger icon and edit the settings for each passenger. Select the Swiss Half Fare Card in the “discount cards” box.). You would need a ticket for the 14:10 direct train from Fluelen to Lugano. The boat tickets Lucerne-Fluelen can be purchased on the spot.

[Removed user]

31 May 2018 at 17:03:25 #886864

Hi rockoyster and Arno,

Thanks for your replies and for welcoming me to the forum. I definitely want to reserve seats and travel in first class for these 2 trips. I understand that I need to purchase 3 things: 1) Swiss Half Fare Card, 2) Panorama Train tickets, and 3) reserve seats. I will take the Goldenpass on August 8th and the Gotthard Panorama Express on August 10th.

If I buy 1 and 3 now, when should I buy 2? Can I purchase the tickets when I get to Switzerland (early August)? Or, could everything be booked by then?

Regards,

Luis

[Arno]

31 May 2018 at 18:17:02 #886865

Hi Luis,

You’re welcome! You can buy the tickets now or on the day, they won’t sell out. The reservations are most important, they can sell out. The Swiss Half Fare Card can be printed at home, please see: http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isshalffarecard/price.

[rockoyster]

31 May 2018 at 20:37:04 #886866

You don’t need to have actually bought the Swiss Half Fare Card in order to make reservations which are the only thing that is time critical. Purchase of all three of your listed items are independent of each other just so long as you have one of each when you board the trains.

[Removed user]

31 May 2018 at 20:47:03 #886867

Thanks to both of you for your tips.

[Removed user]

1 June 2018 at 12:40:19 #886868

Hello again rockoyster and my other forum friends

I am in my last day in Switzerland- Lucerne was my base.

I wanted you to know that all the research and hard work I put in before I went and with all your advice on travel cards and passes and the Bernina Express and Gotthard Panorama Express it all worked out perfectly.

The Bernina Express was awesome. The Gotthard not so special except for the boat part from Fluelen to Lucerne, which was an awesome way to arrive in Lucerne. There was hardly anybody on the Gotthard because it is so impossible to get correct information about it. I had a whole carriage to myself and they wanted me to upgrade for 10 CHF but I wanted to stay where windows open for photos.

It was worth it to upgrade to first class for the boat as it gets you away from crowds.

Day trip to Rigi by paddlesteamer to Vitznau then cog railway to Rigi Klum then walk down to cable car to Weggis for boat return was highlight.

Lucerne is beautiful base.

[Removed user]

1 June 2018 at 12:42:10 #886869

Another tip is you must book the bus from Tirano to Lugano in advance as it was completely booked out by a large tour group

[rockoyster]

1 June 2018 at 21:12:03 #886870

Glad it all went well for you. Thanks for reporting back. 😎

[Removed user]

6 June 2018 at 15:27:25 #886871

Hello, there is great info here guys. Thank u all. I’m trying to reserve my seats for 6 people on Gotthard express n as people suggested I could do so without yet buying a travel pass. I have 2 young kids, 4 n 9 n old parents with me ( the whole family wanted to vacation together :))

please help me with these questions:

1. When I reserve seats, do I just pay n get a confirmation that seats are reserved without actually having a seat number etc.? I can’t find the drop down list to chose which train I’m booking seats on?

2. We are staying in Lucerne, n hence chose Gotthard as it seemed easy but I also saw that we could combine a part of glacier express with it too. Is it worth? Especially if we have to get off at Briggs n return to Lucerne for night? Or would it be too much with family?

3. I’m there for 6 days n 5 nights n would love to have a pass that gives me 5-6 days instead of paying for 8 days. Is there any way to do that?

thank u all for helping out people like me n making our trip planning easier.

[Removed user]

6 June 2018 at 18:33:20 #886872

Hi Kams and welcome to MySwissAlps!

1. Which site are you trying to reserve seats on? Have you tried here: https://www.myswissalp s.com/gotthardpanorama express/packages
2. Is your plan that day to return to Lucerne regardless of what train you take? Combining the two routes (explained here) will be a longer day for sure. Do you prefer to go to Lugano or Zermatt and how much time do you want to spend on trains that day?
3. An 8 day Swiss Travel Pass could be the cheapest option for you even though it seems wasteful. But the cost of tickets for 6 days of travel could be more expensive than just buying at an 8 day Swiss Travel Pass.

To know which pass is the best for your specific itinerary you need to plan out all trips you will make (train, bus, boat, cable car) and compare the prices for regular tickets to the rail pass price (and which routes/mountains are free or discounted). Once you have that information you can read our page here on how to choose the best rail pass. There is a spreadsheet there to help with the math. 🙂

[Removed user]

6 June 2018 at 18:47:05 #886873

Hello Lucas.. thanks for a quick n informational reply. I am using the link that u mentioned. I think I’m getting thrown off that they are not actually showing a seat number when making that reservation?

im planning on boat ride n then only part of the train journey until Airolo in Gotthard n then either return back to Luzern or debating to enjoy a part of glacier express? Though seems like too expensive to book for 6 people, even seat reservation, only for one leg of the journey?

here is what my tentative itinerary looks like. Please suggest changes or additions if u recommend any:

july 20: arrive Zürich via flight from Paris. Arriving around 8 pm. Planning to store most of the luggage at airport n carry only hand bags for our Swiss stay. Any idea how much time this process takes? Then leave for SCHAFFHAUSEN that evening. Stay night

july 21: enjoy Rhine falls n leave for wengen n arrive early evening there. Enjoy the town n relax. Stay overnight here

july 22: Jungfraujoch n tumbelleah falls. Can I use this day for anything else? stay wengen overnight

july 23: leave for lucern in morning n go to mt Titlis. Anything else I could do this day?

july 24: Gotthard express your till Airolo n back to Lucerne n enjoy the town

july 25: leave for Zürich, explore some n take evening flight to Italy.

you think this is ok? I know I have barely scratched the surface of all that there is to see but I have put together a very relaxed itinerary keeping in mind my young kids n old parents with arthritis. I would appreciate your input on how I could make this better n make the most of it.

[rockoyster]

6 June 2018 at 21:35:17 #886874

There is no reservation site which gives you the choice to select specific seats on the Gotthard Panorama Express. They try to sit you together based on size of party.

Given your plans I would just go on regular trains and avoid the reservation charges. I wouldn’t bother with the Glacier Express between Andermatt and Brig. That’s a very long way round to Lucerne and the least interesting part of the route.

On 22nd you perhaps mean Trummelbach Falls. Maybe see bit.ly/2HqR28H.

[Removed user]

6 June 2018 at 23:38:44 #886875

Thank u so much Lucas.

[Removed user]

7 June 2018 at 5:21:02 #886876

Your welcome Kams,

I think your plans works well – nice and relaxed. If you want to add anything on some days look at these links to see our suggestions:

• What to do in Wengen
• What to do in Lucerne
• The Swiss timetable will give you schedules to and from any destination.
• Rockoyster has the right idea, just take regional train and not the express panoramics due to the time and route you are looking at.

[Removed user]

7 June 2018 at 5:35:27 #886877

Thanks Rockoyester. You are suggesting not to do panoramic express because I’m doing only a small part of it? Would it be worth if I did the whole journey? Was just wanting an experience but if u think it’s a waste, i would rather find something else since I’m keeping an entire day for it?

[rockoyster]

7 June 2018 at 5:46:50 #886878

Hi Kams,

The boat ride is great. You can just take the boat to Flüelen and return to Lucerne from there or continue to Airolo following the Gotthard Panorama route (via Göschenen) but you will then have to double back on the same route.

If you want to do the actual GPE then I would go to Lugano or at least to Bellinzona then you can return by fast train via the Gotthard Base Tunnel.

The advantage of taking regular train is that you don’t need to pay for reservations and the timing is much more flexible.

At the end of the day it’s your choice.

[Removed user]

7 June 2018 at 7:46:55 #886879

Ok. That makes so much sense. Thanks again