MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial Should I cancel Sept Bernina/ Glacier Express trip
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Hello, I have two scenic trains booked for mid september through Happy Rail (Glacier Express and Bernina Express). I just recieved an email from HappyRail telling me they advise that I cancel my scenic train tickets for a fee of 75 . They said they don’t think international train travel will be allowed until at least October so I should consider cancelling. I have emailed them back to ask how long I can wait to cancel and still get a refund because I think it’s too early to cancel plans for September as of yet. I haven’t gotten a reply yet. How does everyone else feel about cancelling train plans now for a mid September trip? Any advice on if I should hold on to my reservations longer to see what happens or am I being a wishful thinker? As of now my flights with Lufthansa are still on – they have changed the size of the aircraft but still plan on my flight going. Any advice is appreciated.
Susan Predella
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Hi Susan,
I’m sorry you’ve been asked to cancel your train tickets for your trip in September.
While Swiss trains are again operating as usual since May 11, there are still some restrictions in place. These include restriction on passenger traffic and ban on dining cars and catering services on trains. This means scenic trains such as the Glacier Express and Bernina Express will not be operating until further notice. We don’t exactly know if these panoramic trains will resume operations in September. As of now, cross border and international travel is discouraged.
The Swiss Federal Council plan to lift more restrictions on June 8. Perhaps you might like to wait until then before you cancel your tickets. Also it would be best to contact Happy Rail direct and enquire about your options. As a reseller for Rhaetian Railway which operates the Glacier Express and Bernina Express., perhaps they are more well informed about the status of the panoramic trains.
You’ll find more updates and links about the coronavirus and its impact on travelling in Switzerland here: http://www.myswissalps.com/coronavirus/planning
Regards,
Anna
Hi Susan,
I checked with Happyrail and I think the advice you mentioned is from a generic e-mail they sent to all customers, and it’s aimed at international (multiple) border-crossing train travel. For trips within Switzerland, like the ones you have booked, I recommend to cancel much closer to the travel date, when you are 100% sure it won’t be possible. Right now, things are opening up, and it looks like those trips will be possible by then. There is no guarantee though. Whether or not your flight to Switzerland will be carried out is a different matter of course.
Feel free to post back here for more help, and keep an eye on our corona section where Anna linked to. Let’s hope for the best!
Thank you so much for your information. I hope things get back to normal soon so everyone can enjoy their trips!
Susan
Better to travel next year, watch out for a second spike of the virus, caveat emptor. Stay safe.
Hi Susan
I tend to agree with Arno. It is hard to predict what will be possible or even advisable by September. I have a trip planned for Switzerland in September as well and hope to go. I feel fairly confident that by wearing an N95 mask with a good fit and being diligent about hand sanitizing before touching my face that i can navigate the airports and planes fairly safely. Once in Switzerland my focus will be hiking around Wengen and Sils on mostly uncrowded trails. Hopefully the cable cars, hotels and restaurants will be open. We’ll see. I will probably decide in late August or early September. We may well be safer in Switzerland than the grocery store in Tennessee.
As to the possibility of a second spike of Covid 19 (or a third or fourth for that matter), I think it is hard to predict with any degree of certainty if that is to become an issue. The track record of the medical community on predictions has not been overly impressive to me, including the WHO, CDC, NIH, and others. If you are interested in a lengthy discussion of the pandemic you might check out the thread <<international Swiss travel opportunities>>.
Mark
Well maybe you could wear your lederhosen over your hazmat suit? But why pray would you go to those lengths for a holiday? As I said, with repect, why put your head into the lion’s mouth. Switzerland will be there next year.
Well for the same reason i drive a car even though there are 10s of thousands of fatalities a year and I eat in restaurants in winter when thousands die from influenza each year. As you may know many things have a risk/ benefit ratio. Within established parameters everyone may choose their level of comfort. Perhaps yours, like an ostrich, is more conservative than mine. Which is fine. I’ll decide on my comfort level when i have more up to date information in late August.
It’s true Switzerland will be there in a year or likely several hundred more. I may not.
BTW I doubt they make a lederhosen large enough to fit over a hazmat suit. Anyway I expect it would be quite hot on the Eiger Trail.
Although I haven’t yet made a decision, I don’t think I will be putting my head in any lion’s mouth. More like putting my finger in my cat’s mouth (she is quite gentle fortunately).
Following that unedifying illustration of sarcasm, I do hope that you have a long life and enjoy your holiday in Switzerland.
Speaking of sarcasm, I believe you first asked if I might wear lederhosen over a hazmat suit.(not particularly edifying)
And thank you for the “best wishes”.
As of now I plan to wait and see what the situation is at a later date and make a decision then. I’m not cancelling anything now.
I appreciate all the replies and advice. And thank you for my new “word of the day” (edifying). I look forward to using it at lunch with my mother today:)
Susan
Hi Susan, If you do go, enjoy. Another word you might care to use, at an appropriate time, is solopsism. I’m sure Mark will be aware of this term.
Hi Susan
I guess it’s fortunate doctorlol can help you with your vocabulary if not your original inquiry. Perhaps doctolol will continue giving us a new word daily to enlighten us less learned folks.
In reality the advise we gave is not so different.Aside from the hyperbole involving lions and hazmet suits, there is nothing wrong with doctorlol’s suggestion of delaying traveling to Switzerland if one so chooses. Arno and I just saw no downside to delaying the decision for a couple of months.Switzerland may decide for us. It could well be that Switzerland might close it’s international borders or close its hotels, restaurants, cog trains, or cable cars to areas frequented by tourists. If not you can decide what you are comfortable with using up to date information.
Although my specialty doesn’t directly treat Covid 19 patients, i have tried to stay abreast of developments in the pandemic. Certainly our knowledge has improved in many areas since January. But there are a number of critical questions still. Lots of conjecture but no hard data on actual prevalence or incidence of infection. The variance in inflammatory response and the role genetics plays is uncertain. Which antibodies should be tested for and if they convey immunity is unknown. Results of many placebo controlled treatments are pending. In short I expect our knowledge to improve dramatically over time. Personally I have been impressed by how inaccurate many of the predictions have been by those in positions of authority. Also the lack of consensus by the medical community (in the US at least) is evident. I believe if you put 5 of us doctors in a room you will get 6 different opinions. Anyway perhaps you and the rest of the world will be better prepared to make more informed decisions in August or September. We’ll see.
If you continue to follow threads on this forum you will see that regular contributors do disagree on subjects occasionally. Fortunately almost all are respectful and tolerant of others opinions.
Mark
Hi there,
I would like to give a quick reminder that staying friendly and respectful to each other is important, please also respect the forum rules (http://www.myswissalps.com/forum/rules). I am sure we all want this forum to stay a friendly and helpful place for everyone.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation, wish you a lovely day,
Ildiko
I agree completely
Hi Susan! As you may have seen, tourist trains will start running from June 8 if all goes well, and Switzerland plans to re-open its borders with neigboring countries and Schengen countries. If and when visitors from other countries are allowed is not decided yet, but this shows that the planning keeps changing and that it’s probably worth not to cancel yet. You’ll find the latest updates here: http://www.myswissalps.com/forum/topic/does-the-corona-virus-affect-trips-to-switzerland.
If there was a like button. I’d give you a thumbs up. Glacier Express starts again on 20th June, albeit with a reduced number of trains and redesigned interior to cope with restrictions. All group bookings were cancelled so need to be made again. New reservations do not incur cancellation charges.
Hi, I’m assuming by group bookings were cancelled and need to rebook that means large tour groups? I have a reservation for 5 people and have not received notification that my reservation was cancelled and needed to rebook. Very excited that there are some positive things happening.
Susan
Hi Susan,
A group of 5 should be fine. For larger groups, you should address your concern directly with the tour operator.
Regards,
Anna
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