Reservations for Swiss regular/panoramic trains?

  • Art2164
    Participant
    28 posts
    10 May 2023 at 21:49:52 #829819

    First, I would like to thank ALL the moderators of MySwissAlps.com for ALL your helpful advice. My wife and I could not have planned our Switzerland trip without your helpful advice and also the advice of other contributors on the site (ie: 1960Man). Thank you all. After our trip was postponed in 2020, we are finally set for our trip of a lifetime and our first visit to Switzerland in September 2023. Our flights & hotel stays are all booked. We plan to purchase the 15-Day Swiss Travel Pass soon (2nd-class). Our brief itinerary is below…

    *My final question is whether or not to make ‘Seat Reservations’ on the *Panoramic Trains* or just go with the flexibility of the available Regional Trains instead. I’m looking for the Pros & Cons of the listed *Panoramic Trains*. I’ve listed some of my pros & cons below. Feel free to expand on these.

    After 6-days in Austria (Sept 6-11), we’ll arrive in Zurich in late morning (Sept 12 – via Innsbruck train).

    1 Night in Zurich

    ~ Regional Train: Zurich to Luzern

    2 Nights in Luzern

    THOUGHTS on *Gotthard Panoramic Express* (Boat: Luzern to Fluelen / Train: Fluelen to Lugano)

    * I’m thinking instead of taking the Treno Gottardo train so we can visit the castles in Bellinzona before heading to Lugano.

    1 Night in Lugano

    THOUGHTS on *Bernina Express* (Bus: Lugano to Tirano / Train: Tirano to St.Moritz) – can we book just the bus & take a regional train from Tirano to St. Moritz)?

    1 Night in St. Moritz

    THOUGHTS on *Glacier Express* (Train: St. Moritz to Zermatt)

    2 Nights in Zermatt

    ~ Regional Train: Zermatt to Interlaken/ Lauterbrunnen/ Wengen

    5 nights in Wengen

    THOUGHTS on *Golden Pass Express* (Train: Wengen/ Lauterbrunnen/ Interlaken to Montreux)

    2 Nights in Montreux

    ~ Regional Train to Lausanne/ Geneva

    1 Night in Geneva

    Morning: flight home

    * PROs & CONs (on taking Panoramic trains vs Regional trains) – 2nd Class

    PROs:

    ~ Views: Panoramic Windows (floor to ceiling)

    ~ Itinerary & Seat Reservations: knowing this is what we’re doing/ seats reserved.

    ~ Claim: “We rode on the (Glacier/ Bernina Exp) Panoramic Train.”

    CONs:

    ~ Added cost for ‘seat reservations.’

    ~ Need to book in advance.

    ~ When booking seats, we don’t know which direction we’re facing.

    ~ Once booked, you can’t move from seat (regardless of view)

    ~ Flexibility – we can’t stay longer at some stops and skip others.

    ~ Panoramic windows, fixed glass, cannot open, picture glare.

    ~ The panoramic cars are touristy, they’re more crowded than regional trains.

    ~ Both the Regional & Panoramic trains run on the same tracks (same views)

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    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    10 May 2023 at 22:48:31 #954309

    PROs & CONs (on taking Panoramic trains vs Regional trains) – 2nd Class

    PROs:

    ~ Views: Panoramic Windows (floor to ceiling)

    First of all ‘panoramic’ windows are generally shoulder to ceiling, not floor to ceiling. Then, in my opinion it is a bit of a myth that the ‘up to ceiling’ windows give you much more extensive views than normal windows; it is rare for a spectacular sight to be right above your head and it is not easy to keep your head upwards for hours on end. Many spectacular views are below the train which can be seen for a normal large Swiss train window.

    ~ Itinerary & Seat Reservations: knowing this is what we’re doing/ seats reserved.

    In my opinion, this is outweighed by the flexibility of ‘normal’ trains

    ~ Claim: “We rode on the (Glacier/ Bernina Exp) Panoramic Train.”

    Hardly valid – it does not matter how or which spectacular view you saw in Switzreland – surely?

    CONs:

    ~ Added cost for ‘seat reservations.’

    ~ Need to book in advance.

    ~ When booking seats, we don’t know which direction we’re facing.

    ~ Once booked, you can’t move from seat (regardless of view)

    ~ Flexibility – we can’t stay longer at some stops and skip others.

    ~ Panoramic windows, fixed glass, cannot open, picture glare.

    ~ The panoramic cars are touristy, they’re more crowded than regional trains.

    ~ Both the Regional & Panoramic trains run on the same tracks (same views)

    I strongly agree with all these cons

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    10 May 2023 at 22:54:53 #954310

    *Gotthard Panoramic Express*

    I believe the Gotthard Panorama express to be largely obsolete. The frequency and flexibility of the Treno Gottardo service renders the GPE hardly necessary, especially give that you can board any boat you wish on the Vierwaldstadtersee

    *Bernina Express*

    There are many trains a day Tirano – St Moritz and you can hop off at some really spectacular places if using the regional train from Tirano to St. Moritz

    *Glacier Express* (Train: St. Moritz to Zermatt)

    Regional trains fine if you don’t have very large or heavy baggage

    Yolanda
    Moderator
    2223 posts
    11 May 2023 at 14:12:38 #954311

    Hello Art2164,

    Thank you for your kind words. That’s great you have pretty much everything organised and planned for your trip!

    In case you needed some purchase options for your Swiss Travel Pass, you can take a look here: https://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass/price

    For train reservations in Switzerland – generally are not required on regular train routes. Of course, some routes are busier than others. A useful tip is when you are researching train times via the timetable, you can normally see if a particular route is going to be busy. See the attachment, of the 3 little figures, if one or two are displayed red, then you can expect this journey to be busy. If you are traveling on this journey and would like to guarantee a seat, then you could make a reservation to secure a seat(s).

    Some of the scenic/panoramic train routes do require reservations, they are mandatory . Per your plans, for the following you would need to reserve seat(s):

    1. Bernina Express: https://www.myswissalps.com/berninaexpress/tickets

    2. Gotthard Panorama Express: https://www.myswissalps.com/gotthardpanoramaexpress/tickets

    3. Glacier Express: https://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress/tickets

    4. The GoldenPass Express, generally not necessary, though in peak season, they do recommend. If you are traveling in Prestige class, a reservation will be necessary. https://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass/tickets

    If you would like to read more on reservations, you can do so here: https://www.myswissalps.com/train/reservations

    All your pros and cons are valid. I can see you are quite excited about your trip here, especially as it was postponed too. Sometimes it’s nice to spoil yourself on holidays and ‘splurge’ on treating yourselves which one would definitely experience with the panoramic trains. The extra room, the little extras – air conditioning, catering, comfortable seats. While onboard, route information by connecting your phone or tablet. In the case of the Glacier Express: it’s one direct train without the need to change trains several times, which would be required on regional trains.

    That said, regular trains here are all very doable, comfortable and can be thoroughly enjoyed too. Most of us travel this way 😉

    Good luck deciding, you will have great time either way.

    Kind regards,

    Yolanda

    Olga
    Participant
    346 posts
    12 May 2023 at 7:27:38 #954312

    Hi Art2164,

    My opinion is more or less the opposite of 1960man’s. I’ve traveled in Swiss regional trains and panoramic trains a lot, and I still consider the rides in panoramic trains to be true highlights. I just like the comfort, the ease, and the food/snacks ;-). And I personally wouldn’t like to do the Glacier Express in one day by regional trains. You’d have to change several times.

    As for the Gotthard Panorama Express: if you’re interested in the route, its history, and the engineering, I’d recommend the actual Gotthard Panorama Express train over the Treno Gottardo. You’ll get a booklet full of info, a personal guide/train conductor announcing the highlights, and a light show in the Gotthard Tunnel. Plus, you’ll have a smooth transition between the boat and the train in Flüelen.

    Especially if you’re a first-time visitor, my advice would be to grab the opportunity and experience at least one of the panoramic trains.

    Have fun!

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    12 May 2023 at 11:48:27 #954313

    Your opinion is of course valid – everything is down to personal preference of course.

    Regarding the Gotthard – some tourists may well prefer not to have a light show in the tunnel, or may find a personal guide intrusive.

    For those people, and of course anyone for whom the schedule of the GPE is inconvenient, one can travel on the very up to date Treno Gottardo trains and simply use one of the many internet resources describing the route and history of the Gotthard railway, for example:

    wow.re/the-gotthard-railway-the-north-south-european-link/

    Anna
    Moderator
    6274 posts
    12 May 2023 at 18:00:24 #954314

    Hi Art2164,

    Personally I think panoramic trains are ideal for tourists and visitors to Switzerland. It’s fairly easy and comfortable to travel on regular trains but if you’re not familiar with the transportation system in general, planning your journey can be a little overwhelming and stressful. On the other hand panoramic trains are usually more straightforward, getting you from point A to B directly, and also include extra features and services.

    Regards,

    Anna

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