Seat reservation confusion for Lucerne to Montreux

  • Richa_n_khai
    Participant
    4 posts
    18 September 2018 at 13:08:29 #818417

    Hi all

    I am travelling to Switzerland first week of next month for 6 days…planning to go for golden pass train line from lucerne to Montreux.

    my query is:-

    1) what is the difference between panoramic and classic routes?

    2) as we are already holding the STP so is it necessary to do seat reservations and can the seat reservations be done on the previous day of travelling?

    3) I have read that the whole journey is divided into 3 stages

    ● lucerne to interlaken normal train

    ● interlaken to zwesimmen toy train

    ● zwesimmen to montreux classic (vintage) train

    So where can I do the bookings for this or is it covered with STP?

    Please please please help

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    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    18 September 2018 at 14:55:32 #896475

    Hi Richa,

    There is only one route. On the section from Zweisimmen to Montreux you can choose from a few train types. Please see our page http://www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass for all details about the Golden Pass route. You’ll find a route map there (click the Route tab), as well as information about reservations (click the Tickets tab).

    The Swiss Travel Pass covers the entire route, so you don’t need to buy tickets. If you want to reserve seats you will need to buy these separately.

    Enjoy the trip, just let us know if any questions remain.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    18 September 2018 at 23:46:20 #896476

    3) I have read that the whole journey is divided into 3 stages

    ● lucerne to interlaken normal train

    ● interlaken to zwesimmen toy train

    ● zwesimmen to montreux classic (vintage) train

    I don’t know where you read the above but it is bad information, especially the bit about ‘toy’ train which refers to the only part of the route which is a full size main line train! The whole route is a ‘normal’ Swiss railway, but the three parts are operated by different companies and are different track gauges.

    Luzern – Interlaken (not the true Golden Pass but rather the Brünig Pass) – red and white metre gauge trains operated by ZB

    Interlaken – Zweisimmen – main line type standard gauge train operated by BLS railway (the least ‘toy’ like of the three trains in fact!)

    Zweisimmen – Montreux – metre gauge train operated by the MOB railway (blue/black and cream livery) . The MOB operates different types of rolling stock (coaches)

    My standard saved text for threads about this route follows:

    Current tourist branding can be confusing

    The Luzern – Interlaken railway is actually the Brunig Pass (the true Goldenpass is just the MOB railway Zweisimmen – Montreux).

    The Luzern – Meiringen – Interlaken line is the Brünig pass line operated by Zentralbahn (ZB), which dubs the regular trains “Luzern – Interlaken Express’.

    A few facts about the Montreux – Zweisimmen railway – ie the MOB (Montreux-Oberland Bernois):

    The Golden Pass is historically only Montreux – Zweisimmen, only more recent marketing branding takes the ‘Goldenpass route’ east of Zweisimmen to Interlaken and beyond to Luzern.

    The Golden Pass is the touristic branding for the Montreux – Oberland Bernois (MOB) railway which runs from Montreux to Zweisimmen, but after a few years of favouring ‘Goldenpass services’, the company decided it was losing its tradition and has reverted to putting the Chemin de Fer Montreux – Oberland Bernois name on publicity and train coaches.

    MOB pioneered the Panoramic coach concept on Swiss trains, starting in 1976.

    There are now several versions of panoramic coaches in service, but MOB keeps changing its mind how to dub each service.

    It hardly matters anyway as most modern Swiss trains have large windows, even if not officially panoramic. The key element of a ‘panoramic’ coach is ‘toplight’ windows above your head but in practice very few of the major views from panoramic trains are directly above your head, so the view through the normal side part of windows is normally fine.

    I recommend using regional trains on the MOB (the real name for the Montreux – Zweisimmen railway). Again, this gives you the flexibility to get on a train at whichever time suits you.

    If you do do the MOB railway you can catch any train, there is no need to book, and in fact you could pick it up anywhere along the line if you fancy.

    Here is the timetable PDF for the MOB:

    http://www.fahrplanfelder.ch/ fileadmin/fap_pdf_fiel ds/2018/120.pdf

    Be sure to check this:

    Traveling on the Golden Pass route

    Golden Pass tickets and seat reservations

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    19 September 2018 at 11:04:29 #896477

    Hi 1960man,

    Your reply serves my query too.

    I understand that this golden pass train line from lucerne to Montreux is on my cards too. So, does this mean that in spite of three different companies that undertake this route, do we stay in the same train thoughout our journey? unless we want to get down at some station and catch another train as per our convenience and continue journey..?

    Thanks

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    19 September 2018 at 18:34:01 #896478

    Hi wadha,

    You’ll change trains twice on this trip (3 trains). It is explained on Arno’s link for the Golden Pass above.

    Cheers!

    Richa_n_khai
    Participant
    4 posts
    20 September 2018 at 5:42:34 #896479

    Thanks Arno Lucas Wadhwa and 1960man

    This is of grt help and very knowledgeable for the first time visitors like me…thank all for the prompt replies.

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