How to pre-book the GoldenPass Classic Train

  • AnneRoll
    Participant
    5 posts
    10 June 2018 at 14:22:26 #816557

    Hello All!

    I really really want to take the GoldenPass Classic train Zweisimmen to Montreux . I have been reading that not all services between these points are the actual nice Belle Epoque train, I have read that it might be under renovations and not working, I also know that it has to have a code beside it that says it’s the Belle Epoque train, but I can’t seem to find it when I try to book, so I’m wondering if it is me that is missing something, or if the train is not running on the day that I want to take it, which is July 1st!

    Many thanks for any information! Would love to book it today !

    Best

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    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    10 June 2018 at 21:32:40 #887897

    Hello Anne and Welcome to MySwissAlps,

    The SBB timetable is not showing MOB Belle Époque on 1 July although they are supposed to be returning to service on 30 June.

    You can make reservations including seat selection on the MOB trains 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”).

    l think the 12:25 is a Belle Époque but not 100% sure.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    11 June 2018 at 0:54:12 #887898

    Hi Anne,

    The Belle-Époque trains are normally scheduled to depart Zweisimmen at 11:05 and 16:25. As you are already aware, they are out of service to be renovated between 8 Jan and 29 Jun 2018, due to come back into service on 30 Jun 2018.

    However, although trains are running at those times on 1 Jul 2018, they are not identified in the SBB timetable as Belle-Époque trains, and are not coming up on the Golden Pass reservations site as reservable.

    I looked several months ahead in both the SBB timetable and the Golden Pass reservations site, and it is still the same.

    The 12:25 departure mentioned by rockoyster isn’t a Belle-Époque train, rather one that has the VIP seats in the first-class carriage at the front of the train. The VIP seats are already booked out on that train. However, there are some second-row VIP seats still available on the 18:25 departure that day.

    Your best chance of riding on a Belle-Époque train is probably to aim for the 11:05 or 16:25 departure from Zweisimmen to Montreux, but there are no guarantees, and reservations are not possible. It wouldn’t hurt to keep checking the reservation site between now and 1 Jul in case it changes. Rockoyster has given you the link.

    Alpenrose

    AnneRoll
    Participant
    5 posts
    11 June 2018 at 12:09:49 #887899

    Thank you both so much for the information! Just wanted to make sure I wasn’t somehow missing the MOB, but as you both said, it doesn’t seem like it is showing. I can’t actually find the 11:05 from Zweisimmen, I can only see 10:25 and 14:25! Just not sure what to book !!

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    11 June 2018 at 18:38:50 #887900

    Hi Anne,

    There is definitely an 11:05 on July 1 from Zweisimmen to Montreux. You are using the SBB timetable from Rockoyster? https://www.myswissalp s.com/timetable

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    11 June 2018 at 20:02:18 #887901

    The 11:05 appears as Regio 2217 in SBB timetable which accords with MOB printed timetable. But R2217 still not on MOB booking site. You could try emailing/contacting them.

    AnneRoll
    Participant
    5 posts
    11 June 2018 at 20:54:04 #887902

    Hello, thank you, I have written them an email earlier today, I hadn’t noticed their contact section (been looking at so many details and webpages at the same time!)

    Let’s see if they answer back, if not, I might try my luck for the 11:05 and see how it goes on the day! Or actually maybe the later one at 16:25h works better so I enjoy a bit more Interlaken! It’s a very short trip!

    AnneRoll
    Participant
    5 posts
    11 June 2018 at 21:03:38 #887903

    I had used it yes, and then was looking at another page (http://www.mob.ch/fr/procedur e-de-reservation-mob) when I responded to the post.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    11 June 2018 at 23:45:24 #887904

    Hi Anne,

    >> I can’t actually find the 11:05 from Zweisimmen

    The Golden Pass reservation site only shows trains on which seats can be reserved.

    On the currently available information, seats cannot be reserved on the 11:05 or 16:25 departures from Zweisimmen, which are usually the Belle-Époque trains. So that is why you don’t see them on the Golden Pass reservation site.

    We await with interest the outcome of your contact with the Golden Pass staff!

    If it turns out that the 11:05 and 16:25 trains will be Belle-Époque trains, and reservations will still not be possible, you could increase your chances of getting a good seat by getting to Zweisimmen ahead of everyone else.

    Most people connecting with the 16:25 train from Zweisimmen will be leaving Interlaken Ost on the 15:08, arriving Zweisimmen at 16:19. If you caught the earlier train from Interlaken Ost at 14:30, you would arrive at Zweisimmen at 15:57 and could board the Zweisimmen-Montreux train shortly before everyone else arrived.

    >> Or actually maybe the later one at 16:25h works better so I enjoy a bit more Interlaken!

    If you have spare time, I would not bother spending it in Interlaken if you had enough time to go up to Wengen or Mürren (and had not already been there). Where are you starting from on 1 July, and at what time? How does this day fit into your overall itinerary?

    Alpenrose

    AnneRoll
    Participant
    5 posts
    12 June 2018 at 7:25:06 #887905

    Hello . and thanks so much for your tips and very helpful reply, I just received an answer today and here it is for anyone else that might be interested in this subject….so unfortunately …

    Good Morning,

    Thank you for your e-mail.

    Unfortunately it is not possible to book Classic train before middle July because we don’t know yet if they will be ready.

    Thank you for your understanding.

    Best regards

    >>Where are you starting from on 1 July, and at what time? How does this day fit into your overall itinerary?

    We will spend the night in Interlaken on the 1st (coming from Lucerne after spending time on Mount Rigi).

    This is a short trip where we mostly wanted to take advantage of the trains, arrival in Zurich, we wanted to enjoy the boat from Lucerne to Vitznau and up to Rigi Kulm for the evening, then off to Interlaken the next day, overnight there and off to Montreux (specifically because I wanted to experience the Belle Epoque 🙁 …), where we actually found a little hotel up on Leysin-Feydey, about 45min train away, but a bit cheaper got us a nicer place then Montreux with a view of the mountains! We have been to Montreux once as we did the drive around Lake Geneva a few years back!

    So be it to say, I am a bit disappointed that it won’t be working, I know, regardless the sights will be stunning, but the interior of the Belle Epoque is right up my visual alley and was really looking forward to it!!!

    We were actually debated whether to do this route of the Glacier Express and the Belle Epoque train sealed the deal! Well now it’s too late as we booked the hotels! 🙂 !!!

    Thanks

    Anne!

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