[Removed user]

25 November 2019 at 6:46:41 #824534

We plan to travel in Switzerland at the end of May 2020. We will be using the Glacier Express, the Golden Pass and the Berina Express so are looking at the 8 day pass. As we want to reserve good seats for the Golden Rail, we would like to book as early as possible. When can we book and would first class be a good option as we are doing so much train travel?

Effortlessly learn from the questions and answers in the forum. Receive a daily e-mail with new discussions. Sign up

[Removed user]

25 November 2019 at 7:15:31 #925608

Hello Brendan Fran and Welcome to MySwissAlps,

Nice to hear you’re planning a trip through Switzerland!

As for the panoramic trains you’re planning to take, they are covered by the Swiss Travel Pass which you’re considering to get, so you would only have to purchase the (mandatory) seat reservations.
You can purchase the seat reservations and the Swiss Travel Pass in whichever order, as you simply need to hold both when travelling. Please check:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass, make sure to check the “Where it’s valid” section, incl. map
– http://www.myswissalps.com/gl acierexpress/packages
– http://www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass/packages
– http://www.myswissalps.com/be rninaexpress/packages

The first class Swiss Travel Pass can be a wonderful treat for visitors, whereas most Swiss people tend to travel 2nd class, as it’s quite comfortable and you can always purchase journey upgrades from 2nd to 1st class. Again, please make sure you check below links:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/practical/2nd1stcl ass
– http://www.sbb.ch/en/travelca rds-and-tickets/tickets-for-switzerland/class-upgrade.html

Hope this provides you with the expected input. Feel free to get back to us anytime.

Enjoy planning your trip.

Best,
Steph

[rockoyster]

25 November 2019 at 10:16:47 #925609

In May you won’t have any trouble getting good seats on the Golden Pass (not Rail).

I went from Zweisimmen to Montreux 1st Class Belle Époque in late September. There were 8 people in the carriage and only two reserved seats.

You can make reservations for the Golden Pass Line (http://www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass) including seat selection at bit.ly/2kaq6Rf. Click the “e” for English language top right of the page. (where it says “Sprachwahl: d i f e”). Then change the class of travel, date of travel and start/end points to suit. Reservations are not compulsory but are recommended on the Zweisimmen to Montreux leg (which is where the Panoramic and Belle Époque trains operate) during peak tourist season.

Just make sure you buy the Swiss Travel Pass before you arrive so you don’t end up in a queue at the SBB shop at the airport.

Do yourself a favour and get the SBB Mobile app (bit.ly/2ICIUHi) for checking train, bus, boat and cable way timetables.

If you are travelling with a 2nd Class Swiss Travel Pass but want to travel 1st Class on any particular trip you can buy a Class upgrade at any SBB station or using the SBB Mobile App or here bit.ly/2rZEIXh. You need to buy a route specific upgrade.

If you buy on line you need to nominate a Half-fare Card reduction to get the correct price (using either website of SBB app). An upgrade will cost half the difference between 1st and 2nd class full-fares.