Reserving seats Kreuzlingen to Chiavenna Dec 26th

  • Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    3 December 2016 at 21:33:40 #810413

    Hello

    I am trying to look at options for us to travel on Dec 26th from Kreuzlingen to Chiavenna using our Swiss Travel Pass Flex and Family cards.

    The least number of connections is departing Kreuzlingen at 08.06 and arriving Chiavenna at 14.00 however this has a ‘Reservations essential’ symbol. How do I reserve 4 seats ( with 2 kids) on the SBB website? I ‘m mainly concerned that the Postbus section is reserved in case we arrived in St Moritz and the bus was full especially on Dec 26th.

    When I click on the Fare/Buy button it shows me all of the stations and then there is no option to select the Travel Pass Flex, only the Half fare card and no option for the free kids tickets on the Family Pass.

    Thanks in advance for any advice

    Tosha

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    Removed user
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    4 December 2016 at 3:48:56 #857300

    >> The least number of connections is departing Kreuzlingen at 08.06 and arriving Chiavenna at 14.00 however this has a ‘Reservations essential’ symbol. How do I reserve 4 seats ( with 2 kids) on the SBB website? I ‘m mainly concerned that the Postbus section is reserved in case we arrived in St Moritz and the bus was full especially on Dec 26th.

    Hi Tosha,

    That bus is the Palm Express. You can make reservations on the Palm Express page on the PostBus website

    http://www.postauto.ch/en/exc ursion-tips/palm-express

    On that page you will see a link to “Reserve online”. Reservations are free (and compulsory), and you will also need to reserve seats for your children. So where it says “Number of persons”, put “4”.

    I am a bit confused about your routing. You say you are travelling from Kreuzlingen to Chiavenna, but then you mention arriving in St Moritz and finding the bus is full. Does this mean you are travelling from Kreuzlingen to Chiavenna via St Moritz? That doesn’t match with a time of arrival in Chiavenna of 14:00. It also does not involve travelling on the Palm Express and does not require any compulsory reservations.

    The default route is Kreuzlingen-Zürich-Lugano-Chiavenna, arriving at 14:00, which seems to be what you intend to do. In that case, St Moritz doesn’t come into it. The sector of the Palm Express you would need to reserve would be from “Lugano, Stazione Nord” to “Chiavenna, Stazione – Ankunft”. (“Ankunft” just means “Arrival”) Departure time from Lugano is 12:05.

    You have 17 minutes connection time between arriving in Lugano and departing on the bus. Are you comfortable with finding the Palm Express bus stop, or would you like directions?

    By the way, for the best views, sit on the right if you can. Your seat reservations get you seats on the bus, but you can choose your own seat. The descent into Menaggio on Lake Como is particularly amazing!

    Alpenrose

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    4 December 2016 at 7:58:29 #857301

    Hi Tosha,

    The Swiss Family Card provides free traveling for the children, so you do not need tickets for them. You do need seat reservations for them if you choose a connection with compulsory reservations, but I’m quite sure you can avoid that. The regular buses from St. Moritz to Chiavenna do not require reservations. You can simply hop on.

    The SBB website is the domestic website: great for train/bus schedules, but it is not taking into account tourist passes when it comes to buying tickets. You do not need tickets though. It’s all covered by the Swiss Travel Pass Flex.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    4 December 2016 at 22:02:56 #857302

    Thankyou both!

    So I can either go via St Moritz or Lugano? We had thought the Maloja pass would be interesting but when I go to the Palm Express website and search St Moritz to Chiavenna on Dec 26th it says there are no connections so maybe it isn’t running?

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    5 December 2016 at 7:11:47 #857303

    >> So I can either go via St Moritz or Lugano?

    Yes, you can. See attached screen shots.

    Via Lugano

    :: Two changes (Zürich and Lugano)

    :: Via Lugano you get to experience lake views, including the beautiful descent into Menaggio and a trip along Lake Como.

    Via St Moritz

    :: Three changes (Zürich, Chur and St Moritz)

    :: Via St Moritz you get to experience a beautiful sector of the Glacier Express route between Chur and St Moritz, then the pretty village of Sils Maria and the Maloja Pass between St Moritz and Chiavenna.

    >>We had thought the Maloja pass would be interesting

    Yes it is – it is a forested pass with lovely views into the Bregaglia Valley as you descend. The stop “Promontogno, Posta” is also in a pretty village.

    >> but when I go to the Palm Express website and search St Moritz to Chiavenna on Dec 26th it says there are no connections so maybe it isn’t running?

    Yes, it is running on 26 December, leaving St Moritz at 12:20. That is the only departure for the day. (See screen shot.)

    But please note, as Arno said, you do not need to catch the Palm Express to get from St Moritz to Chiavenna. The main advantage offered by the Palm Express is that it provides a direct service between St Moritz and Lugano, avoiding the need for multiple changes. However, this is not relevant if you are only travelling from St Moritz to Chiavenna.

    If you are leaving Kreuzlingen at 8.06, you will arrive in St Moritz at 12:58 and can catch the #4 Bus to Chiavenna at 13:15. (See screen shot.)

    Bus #4 runs from St Moritz to Chiavenna at mostly hourly intervals throughout the day and doesn’t require reservations. It follows the same route as the Palm Express as far as Chiavenna, but services more intermediate stops. You might also need to change buses at the stop “Maloja, Posta”.

    Although it is not apparent from the timetable, when I took the #4 bus recently from St Moritz to Promontogno on my way to Soglio, we had to change buses at the stop “Maloja, Posta”. The second bus was also a #4 bus. This happened on the way back as well, and I saw the same thing happening with other #4 services. I don’t know whether that was just a short-term thing or whether it happens regularly. In any case, it is a quick change at the same bus stop – you don’t have to walk somewhere else to get the other bus. Just remember to retrieve your luggage 😉

    I hope this helps.

    Alpenrose

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    5 December 2016 at 7:28:06 #857304

    Alpenrose – you are incredible. Thank you so much for taking the time to explain this to me.

    I think we will go via St Moritz and with Bus #4, not the Palm Express as this gives us more options timing wise.

    To confirm – we don’t need to reserve for any of the journey from Kreuzlingen to Chiavenna as we have Swiss Travel Pass Flex’s?

    About to depart for the airport. Excited!

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    5 December 2016 at 12:02:30 #857305

    Indeed, you never have to reserve for public transport in Switzerland apart from a few specific tourist buses/trains. You can just hop on with your pass. Enjoy the ride!

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