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I have been reviewing the timetable from Wilderswil to Milano Centrale on 6 September next and only now have noticed there is a column which says “occupancy rate” and some red/black figures. What does this mean? Does it mean there is very little room on that train? Gina
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The 1 2 3 figures are fairly obvious.
My interpretation would be:
3: expect the service to be busy
2: the service would be reasonably well patronised
1: should be a good number of spare seats.
Enjoy your travels!
Hi Gina,
Gunzel is correct. Essentially just be worried about trains with 3 red figures – the train is expected to be very busy.
Thank you all. On previous advice I was going to purchase both the Half Fare Travelcard and the train tickets when I arrived at Zurich airport.
When I looked at the occupancy rates now it seems that the times I have chosen “high occupancy expected” on 2 sections. I have looked at the next time slot and the same seems to apply. I assume that this means it will be difficult to get a seat and I am at an age where I cannot stand for very long.
I was going to purchase online but I noticed that going through the process, there is no spot where you can request a seat reservation (to ensure you get a seat on those 2 sections). What do you suggest please. Gina
Hi Gina,
Reservations aren’t possible on many routes within Switzerland but they are on some. Have a look at the following link: https://www.myswissalp s.com/train/reservatio ns – which route / sections is this about?
Most likely, if there are no seats some will become free shortly as people are often commuting smaller distances. Also most people would give up their seat for people at an age where they can’t stand for long periods. 🙂
I shouldn’t worry too much – high occupancy in Switzerland is not the same as commuting in Japan (where ‘pushers’ are famously employed to get as many people onto trains as possible) or London, where you have to wait for 4 or 5 trains to go before a train arrives with space o it (I see it daily..).
Swiss rail journeys are mostly short
Thank you everyone. In September, I am travelling firstly to Wilderswil by train and a couple of days later back from Wilderswil to Milan Italy.
I have been a little uncertain about purchasing the Half Fare Travel Card and the train tickets on line in view of the occupancy rate showing “high occupancy” particularly on the leg to Italy. What would happen if I cannot catch that train because too full and I have purchased on line and am stuck for another day. Gina
Technically trains never fill up – you just stand until you find a seat when someone leaves.
You can certainly buy the Swiss Half Fare Card online http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isshalffarecard/price as you’ll want to get it anyway for your trip.
If you want to wait to buy the actual train ticket until you are there that won’t be a problem.
Which train connection are you looking at?
If you are looking at the train trip that has you connect from Spiez to Domodossola (arrive 09:50 and depart 10:12) I wouldn’t worry much.
It shows it is busy only to Kandersteg (30 minutes from Spiez) so worst-case maybe standing 30 minutes. But the train also starts in Spiez…so the train is empty when you board and you are arriving 22 minutes before *not running on 2 minutes before departure to find a full train. 🙂
Thank you Lucas. I would be travelling Interlaken Ost departing at 13.20 which gets into Spiez at 13.50 and then leaves again at 14.05 to get into Milano Centrale at 16.45. The total trip is over 3 hrs therefore my concern. (Does this route require me to change trains at Domodossola and if so is there enough time). I did mention I am in my 70s and travelling alone. Gina
On September 6, I see a 13:18 train leaving Wilderswil and getting to Milan at 16:37…Is that the one you mean? It has changes at Spiez only. The Timetable shows you where you have to change trains. http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
I don’t see a train leaving Interlaken Ost at 13:20. Which station are you leaving from that day?
Thank you Lucas. Yes that is the train. The timetable may have changed since I looked at it. I saw the change at Domodossola. If I have understood correctly, there are only a few minutes to catch the connection to Domodossola from where the train arrives at Spiez. Do you know if is far to walk from one station to the other please? Gina
The timetable shows you have 15 minutes at Spiez from platform 2 to 3 – what do you mean by changing from 1 station or the other though?
The 14.05 departure from Spiez is train EC57, a Basel – Milano international tilting train, so no change of trains in Domodossola. Note that seat reservation is obligatory for international journeys, which makes the query about the train being full moot.
Tracks 2 and 3 are the same platform at Spiez, so no need to use the subway – however there is an outside chance the platforms will be changed at the last minute for operational reasons – quite often happens at Spiez.
Thank you all very much. Gina
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