[N_payne]

14 August 2021 at 17:43:23 #826030

It looks like my husband and I will be able to carry through with our plans and travel from Vancouver, Canada in September. I’m trying to sort out the best option for our Swiss train travel.

Day 1 September 9th 2021. We are looking to book a scenic train from Tirano to Chur where we are spending the night. Are the panoramic cars necessary on the Bernina Express (windows don’t open) or just book on the train in another car as the windows open and we will be able to sit on the best side when we know the direction of the train? Is first class necessary?

Day 2. Travel from Chur to Zermatt and on a regional train, not the Glacier Express as we would like to arrive in Zermatt earlier but travel via Andermatt for the scenic portion

Day 3. Travel from Zermatt to Geneva for car rental pickup on the French side of the Geneva airport.

1. Would we need to purchase tickets in advance for the above itinerary and online now?

2. Would a saver option be better for the above?

Thank you for your assistance – it’s most appreciated.

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[Anna]

14 August 2021 at 19:57:58 #936214

Hi N Payne,

Welcome to MySwissAlps.

I think taking the Bernina Express from Tirano to Chur is a great way to experience the Swiss landscape if you are on a short trip. You can also take the regular train on the same route but the panoramic train is the only direct train from Tirano to Chur. If you want more space, get a 1st class ticket but I think 2nd class is quite sufficient. You can read more about the Bernina Express here including the differences between panoramic vs regular train: http://www.myswissalps.com/berninaexpress

To get from Chur to Zermatt without taking the Glacier Express, you can check for connections on the SBB timetable: http://www.myswissalps.com/timetable Please use the advance setting if you want to travel via Andermatt.

Based on your itinerary, I think a Saver Day Pass each for the Day 1 and Day 2 might be the most practical. You can find more details including online purchase here: http://www.myswissalps.com/saverdaypass

Regards,

Anna

[N_payne]

14 August 2021 at 20:16:41 #936215

Thank you!

[Annika]

16 August 2021 at 9:13:04 #936216

Hi N Payne!

So you’ll be traveling by train from Zermatt to Geneva on day 3? A regular non-discounted ticket would cost CHF 98, so for that day too you can use a Saver Day Pass.

Alternatively, consider a 3-day Swiss Travel Pass. It will cover all of your train journeys and it will provide discounts on mountain trips, if you’d like to make any near Chur or Zermatt. The Saver Day Pass doesn’t get you discounts on mountain trips. You can compare the passes using these pages:

• https://www.myswissalps.com/saverdaypass
• https://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass

This page explains how to calculate which pass is most economical: http://www.myswissalps.com/train/ticketspasses/practical/chooserailpass.

If you travel by Bernina Express, note that you’ll need additional seat reservations: http://www.myswissalps.com/berninaexpress/tickets.