Seat reservations on Swiss trains

  • Swanny
    Participant
    4 posts
    4 September 2018 at 1:24:41 #818217

    Hello

    Traveling in the coming weeks (through Switzerland and have Swiss Travel passes. We thought it might be appropriate to schedule seat reservations on a few of our legs and having trouble with various pages, including SBB. We are not sure if that means there are no availabilities. We were looking from Luzern to Interlaken Ost and no availabilities in 1st. Does that mean it doesn’t take reservations or maybe already filled? Do you need reservations from Interlaken to Zermatt? And also going to Lugano via St. Moritz and can’t find availabilities Have I started too late?

    Thanks for any suggestions or comments

    Marc

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    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    4 September 2018 at 6:35:47 #895578

    Hi Marc and welcome to MySwissAlps!

    Train reservations are not needed except on a few scenic trains. Some routes do offer them but I’d never made any in several years in Switzerland. Read more here: http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/reservations

    You can check on the timetable to see if a train offers reservations: http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable – when you search a route and click on the departure train you want, there will be an R on the list of symbols if reservations are possible.

    If you want to play it safe and not make reservations, pick a train with low expected occupancy on the timetable: ie avoid trains with 3 red figures under the occupancy rate (in 2nd class / 1st class us very rarely busy).

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    5 September 2018 at 1:55:53 #895579

    Hi Lucas-

    <<“Train reservations are not needed except on a few scenic trains. Some routes do offer them but I’d never made any in several years in Switzerland.”>>

    Indeed, in 35 years of travel in Switzerland, I have never made them inside Switzerland. And, often, they are not available. I have reserved on trains to/from Vienna, Hannover, and Milano, but they were not needed on the trains to/from Milano.

    On international trains in Switzerland…those crossing borders into or out of Switzerland…. they are generally available. Also, often on major intercity routes.

    And, they are nice if groups of 4 or more would like to sit together. I’ve only rarely been in that circumstance; perhaps you have not been there often, either.

    On the routes mentioned, I’d not be surprised if reservations are available.

    Swanny did not mention dates, so I cannot check the timetable on the specific days desired. I picked one at random.

    I checked Luzern to IO on September 18 at 1000 and reservations are available.

    I do recall one time when 4 of us sat together on a 1st class car in …probably…Luzern. We got on as the train arrived.. Shortly after we sat together, a group of 4 Americans with a good deal of luggage came aboard and claimed…correctly.. that we were in their reserved seat numbers. There were no reservation slips in the holders above the windows, however. We looked at their tickets and said thath they were in the wrong car. They dd not want to believe us, but finally got of and angrily talked to a the train agent on theplatform outside our window. We watched as he checked their tickets and sent them to another car. 😉

    Slowpoke

    Swanny
    Participant
    4 posts
    5 September 2018 at 13:06:50 #895580

    Hello Lucas and Slowpoke

    Thank you so much for your information. That is very reassuring. I was thinking we were entering a slower season and afraid that cars might be tight and after splurging for 1st class tickets, we might get squeezed out. I recall Traveling in the past where four of us were asked to move also because someone had reservations. And by that time the car was full so was forced to move which wasn’t so bad, but rather inconvenient. So one concern would be this, we travel on September 26 from Zermatt to Lugano via Andermatt (Glacier Express route) and several places say that reservations required. The departure is 8:52 and I just cannot find any available seat reservations. Does that mean it is filled or is it necessary?

    i really appreciate both of your prior responses and comments

    Thanks so much!!

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    5 September 2018 at 14:42:49 #895581

    Ooops-I forgot to mention that the special named scenic trains, such as the Glacier Express, do need reservations. Your first post did not mention them. They fill up early, too.

    There will be other “regular” trains on those identical routes.

    http://www.myswissalps.com/ac tivities/scenictrips/t rain

    Slowpoke

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    5 September 2018 at 15:05:30 #895582

    Yes, the special scenic trains that Slowpoke require reservations – which can be made through Rockoyster’s link for each specific train (on packages tab).

    All other trains in Switzerland do not require reservations.

    Swanny
    Participant
    4 posts
    5 September 2018 at 21:11:31 #895583

    Again, thank you so much Lucas and slow poke. I have the SBB application and that’s how I’m looking at train schedules. I will continue to look at more trains to go from Zermatt to Andermatt that may not be the glacier express per se and see how they lined up with trains out of there towards Lugano. Forgive me, but what is the “rockoyster” link? That might be helpful to look at that.

    Again much appreciation for your input!!

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    6 September 2018 at 5:59:39 #895584

    H i Swanny-

    I think Lucas was thinking of another link and used the wrong name.

    I work from a desktop or laptop, so I don’t know how the screen looks in the SBB App, except for the simplest information..

    Sorry,

    Slowpoke

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    6 September 2018 at 6:30:45 #895585

    Hmm yes. I must have been doing too much multi-tasking yesterday!

    Slowpoke’s link.:)

    http://www.myswissalps.com/ac tivities/scenictrips/t rain

    Click the train you are interested in and then the packages tab.

    Swanny
    Participant
    4 posts
    6 September 2018 at 16:20:06 #895586

    Thanks much Gentlemen

    Got it. Also found another page that must be independent with significant lower cost. Wondering if I should go with it or Rail Europe? Probably will take the latter as it the company we got our rail passes.

    Once again, thanks and looking forward to the visit!!

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    7 September 2018 at 6:35:28 #895587

    Hi Swanny,

    It is up to you of course, but we recommend HappyRail for ticket and reservation purchases; so don’t worry about using them for the reservation to save some money.

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    7 September 2018 at 8:34:26 #895588

    Hi Swanny-

    Lucas beat me toit.

    I’ve used HappyRail.com, and have been pleased by the excellent service, and good prices.

    I’d certainly look there first.

    Slowpoke

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