[Yeldus]

27 August 2021 at 7:01:10 #826064

Hello,

I have an 8 day Swiss Travel Pass. I would like to reserve a seat on Golden Pass Panoramic train from Montreux to Zweisimmen. How to find out the type of train and how to reserve a seat? Timetables don’t specify the type of trains.

Is it correct that VIP seats won’t be available until 2022?

After Zweisimmen, I have to travel to Bern. Can I stay on the Golden Pass and get off in Spiez to catch the train to Bern?

Thank you!

Yelda

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[Anna]

27 August 2021 at 10:36:25 #936350

Hi Yelda,

You can book your Golden Pass seat reservation online here. If that that doesn’t work, you can make your booking and seat selection directly on the MOB website which is listed at the bottom of this page: http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass/tickets

As far as I know, at the moment it is not possible to book the VIP seats in advance. However, a fee can be paid to staff on the train on the day of travel if such a carriage is available on the train used.

The Golden Pass line is a series of trains as explained here: http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass/gettingthere. In Zweisimmen, all passengers will have to switch to a different train that continues to Interlaken and Lucerne. So if you are heading to Bern, from Zweisimmen you can travel on the regular train via Spiez. Please consult the SBB timetable for the correct connection.

Let us know if you need further information.

Regards,

Anna

[Annika]

28 August 2021 at 8:17:45 #936351

Hi Yelda!

In addition to Anna’s perfect information: unfortunately the current status of the VIP seats isn’t very clear. Part of the Golden Pass leg is being adjusted at the moment, in order to create an ongoing connection between Interlaken and Montreux without a change of trains in Zweisimmen. This will become effective from December 2022, if all goes well. But it does effect the trains being used at the moment and the availability of such seats. As Anna mentioned, you can best ask for VIP seats once you’re there.

Fun fact: a “prestige class” with extra large panoramic windows and rotating seats for the Interlaken-Montreux leg is being prepared! You can read about if here if you’re interested: mob.ch/activity/goldenpass-express/?lang=en.

[Yeldus]

28 August 2021 at 16:42:40 #936352

Hello Anna,

Thank you for the information. I went to MOB site and bought a new Golden Pass ticket with seat. I couldn’t use my Swiss Travel Pass and just reserve a seat. Then I realized that the time I picked 9:50, was for “Belle Epoque” train not the “Panoramic” train that I wanted. The ticket was “not exchangeable” and I couldn’t exchange it for a later “Panoramic” train. I also learned that “RailEurope” where I had bought my STP doesn’t reserve seats and the pass “is not refundable”. The lessons I learned that I will share with others to help them:

1. Tickets/seats bought at MOB are not exchangeable

2. Be careful when you pick departure time: some departure times are specific to the train type. Some departure times are with “Belle Epoque” trains, not “Panoramic” trains.

3. RailEurope is not a good site to buy Swiss Travel Pass because you can’t reserve seats and tickets are not refundable(perhaps because of 10% discount they offered).

Yelda

[Yeldus]

28 August 2021 at 16:45:23 #936353

Hello Annika,

Thank you for the information. The new trains with great windows and seats will be available in 2022. I guess I have to go back to enjoy them.

Yelda

[Anna]

28 August 2021 at 17:12:48 #936354

Hi Yelda,

Oh, I would love to travel in a Belle Epoch train. But no worries, the Belle Epoch and the Panoramic trains travel on the same route. The main difference between the two is the style or design of the carriages. While the Panoramic trains are modern, the Belle Epoch trains feature a classic design reminiscent of the Orient Express from the past with carved wooden decoration, fabric seats etc.

Thanks for sharing those useful tips.

Regards,

Anna

[Heart_Voyage]

29 August 2021 at 4:35:24 #936355

Thank you for all the tips. I am taking Golden Pass on September 8th between Interlaken to Montreux. And I plan to buy seat reservations from Happy Rail for 17 CHF per seat (I bought my STP from Happy Rail site). However, I can’t find any PE train from Interlaken – Montreux, and only between Zweisimmen – Montreux. Am I missing something here?

And how soon should I buy seat reservations for Golden Pass and Glacier Express. Is it ok if I buy seat reservations a couple days before?

Thank you.

Thy

[Arno]

29 August 2021 at 6:42:54 #936356

Hi Thy,

Zweisimmen to Montreux is the section with trains that have panoramic windows, so that’s correct. The other section is regular trains and no reservation is required there.

You can buy seat reservations even an hour before departure if you do it at a staffed train station, but of course chances increase that the train is booked out, of only single seats are left for example.

[Heart_Voyage]

29 August 2021 at 13:36:55 #936357

Thanks Arno.

[Annika]

29 August 2021 at 14:28:35 #936358

Hi Yelda! Reservering seats with a Swiss Travel Pass can best be done through the retailer mentioned at http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass/tickets. You’ll only pay for the seat there, as the journey itself is covered by your Swiss Travel Pass. But it’s no problem. As Anna explained you’ll just travel in a train with an interior that’s slightly different (beautiful and authentic!). How to identify both train types in the timetable is explained under the “Timetable” section at http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass/gettingthere.

The Swiss Travel Pass can be bought from many retailers: https://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass/price. In principle it’s not refundable through any of them. This also goes for many other Swiss rail products such as tickets. You also encountered this at the MOB website. There may be exceptions to this rule, for example with special promotions, or when COVID first hit and unexpected cancellations occurred. A 15% cancellation fee is an average quote. RailEurope normally applies similar policies. I’m not sure which product(s) you bought there, but indeed, if you used a promotion rate, the specific cancellation terms might have been different.

Note that you don’t have to get rail passes and seat reservations through the same retailer. They’re different products and can be bought from several retailers (also see the explanation at http://www.myswissalps.com/train/reservations/howtouse).

In any case, I hope you’re all set for a beautiful journey now :-)!

[Yeldus]

29 August 2021 at 17:46:20 #936359

Annika,

Thank you for the links and information. I will be better informed next time.

I went to the site: http://www.myswissalps.com/train/reservations/howtouse

but I couldn’t figure out how to buy just “seats” if you already have a Swiss Travel Pass. Perhaps someone can give more specific information.

Yelda

[Anna]

30 August 2021 at 10:56:18 #936360

Hi Yelda.

If you wish to book a seat on the Golden Pass, you can use this link: http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass/tickets

Seat reservations on regular trains are not required.

Regards,

Anna