How to purchase Will Tell Exp tickets online ?

We are traveling from the US to Switzerland Sept 2016 and want to buy tickets or reserve seats on on William Tell Express for Sept 12, 2016, we have discovered on this site and all others checked that we can not buy tickets online. We are also trying to buy Swiss Travel Passes but the entire purchase is based on ticket availability for the William Tell Express, if we buy a Swiss Travel pass and can not use it on a Panaramic journey the Pass is of little value for our trip. Seams like such a shame not to be able to see it seats are even available????

Hi roscar54, welcome to MySwissAlps!

Reservations are only required if you prefer the special tourist package. However, you can always board any train and boat on the Wilhelm Tell Express route, so your pass will certainly be of value. Please see myswissalps.com/ wilhelmtellexpress/ tickets for details.

Please see myswissalps.com/swisst ravelpass/price for where to buy the Swiss Travel Passes.

Apparently you recommend that seats are reserved but how can you do this?

Hi Fuentejeff, welcome to MySwissAlps!

See the first link in my previous post please. It is explained there.

Your link states that it is recommended that you reserve your seats but fails to tell how one can actually do this. I already have a Swiss Pass for my travel period and have made seat reservations on the Panoramic, Glacier and Bernina trains but the Wilhelm Tell is defeating me. If I simply turn up on a day in August what is the likelihood that I will be able to get on board?

Hi Fuentejeff,

Here's a quote from that page: "Update May 14, 2016: online reservation is not possible at this time. This applies to all retailers we know of. You can book your reservations at staffed Swiss rail stations, or travel without reservations as explained here under "Regular trains and boats versus the official Wilhelm Tell Express"."

If you don't see that text there might be a technical issue on your end. Can you see it?

By the way, I assume you have a Swiss Travel Pass (not a Swiss Pass). If so, the entire trip is free, unless you want to have the special package with reservations. This is not required.

Arno, thanks for your input, I agree with you 100%, I too can reserve Glazier and Bernina Exp tickets but no such luck with William Tell which do to logistics is our pick. In my case the value of the Swiss Travel Pass is greatly reduced if I can not use it for a 1st Class trip on the Standard or Tourist Package William Tell Express t (we must upgrade to 1st class using a 2nd class Swiss Travel Pass which is not a problem), however like you we can not reserve a ticket so if we show up on our desired date and seats are not available we have wasted a good portion of the value of the Swiss Travel Pass. Swiss Travel should be able to come up with a better solution or plan or stop marketing the William Tell trip as a Travel Pass benefit????

Hi roscar54,

I think you misunderstood. The Swiss Travel Pass covers the entire Wilhelm Tell Express route (train + boat), either 1st or 2nd class. It's entirely free and there's nothing else to book. You can always board the train and boat; they do not get booked out.

You only need to buy the additional tourist package if you want to. It adds a "luxurious feel" to the trip (a lunch and reserved seat), but again, this is optional and not required. As explained on the page, the package cannot be bought online, so you should buy it once you're in Switzerland, at any staffed train station.

As of today, there's a $60 discount on the 1st class Swiss Travel Pass: myswissalps.com/forum/ topic/60-discount-on-1st-class-swiss-travel-pass.