This page was last updated by Arno on 21 February 2026.
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Travel classes in Switzerland summarized

  • 2nd class in Swiss trains, buses, and boats is clean and comfortable.
  • 1st class offers more space and softer seats, and is usually quieter.
  • Buses, cable cars, and mountain trains have 2nd class only.
  • The Glacier Express and GoldenPass Express offer premium classes, even more luxurious than 1st class.
  • If you have a 2nd-class rail pass, you can buy an upgrade ticket for a journey in 1st class.

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1st class versus 2nd class: the differences

2nd class seats are the standard way to travel in Switzerland. Swiss trains are comfortable and clean, so 2nd class is perfectly fine.

1st class is about 75% more expensive. For that, you get more spacious and more comfortable seats as well as larger windows. On average, there are fewer travelers in 1st class.

On various long-distance trains, 1st class passengers have the option to have a meal served at their place. On some other trains, meal services are available to 2nd class passengers too, but the options may be more limited than in 1st class.

2nd class coach on a BLS train.
A 2nd class coach on a regional BLS train, with 4 seats in a row.
A 2nd class coach on a regional BLS train, with 4 seats in a row.
Interior of 1st class coach on a BLS train.
The interior of a 1st class coach on a regional Swiss BLS train.
The interior of a 1st class coach on a regional Swiss BLS train.

Is 1st class worth it on Swiss trains?

I often travel in 2nd class in Switzerland. But in some situations, I think it’s worth paying more for 1st class. Examples:

  • You plan long journeys for which comfort is important.
  • You prefer quiet coaches with fewer passengers, especially during morning and evening rush hour.
  • You travel on popular routes in high season.

You can check the expected occupancy in both 1st and 2nd class for your journey in the timetable. This can help you decide to make a specific ride in 1st or 2nd class.

Interior of a 2nd class coach of an SBB train at Interlaken.
The 2nd class coaches of most Swiss trains have 4 seats in a row.
The 2nd class coaches of most Swiss trains have 4 seats in a row.
1st class interior of the GoldenPass Express.
A 1st class carriage of the GoldenPass Express between Interlaken and Montreux, with 3 seats in a row.
A 1st class carriage of the GoldenPass Express between Interlaken and Montreux, with 3 seats in a row.
2nd class interior of the GoldenPass Express.
The 2nd class interior of the GoldenPass Express between Interlaken and Montreux, with 4 seats in a row.
The 2nd class interior of the GoldenPass Express between Interlaken and Montreux, with 4 seats in a row.

Premium classes: more luxurious than 1st class

A few famous panoramic trains have an additional premium class:

  • The GoldenPass Express trains between Interlaken and Montreux offer Prestige class sections with large, adjustable leather seats, an elevated floor for even better views, huge windows, and optional catering packages.
  • Some Glacier Express trains have an Excellence Class carriage. You’ll enjoy large, reclining window seats here. A luxury 5-course lunch, drinks, and snacks are included, and a personal concierge takes care of you. The Excellence Class is very popular and often sells out many months in advance.
Views of the Simmen Valley from a GoldenPass Express Prestige coach.
The luxurious Prestige class coach on board the GoldenPass Express, passing the Simmen Valley.
The luxurious Prestige class coach on board the GoldenPass Express, passing the Simmen Valley.

Availability of 1st class on trains and other transport modes

  • 1st class is available on nearly all trains.
  • Mountain (cogwheel) trains usually only offer 2nd class seats.
  • Buses, urban transport such as trams, and mountain transport such as cable cars also offer just one class.
  • Boats mostly have 1st and 2nd class sections.
Upper 1st class and lower 2nd class deck on boat Lake Biel
The boats at Switzerland’s lakes often have a 2nd class lower deck and a 1st class upper deck.
The boats at Switzerland’s lakes often have a 2nd class lower deck and a 1st class upper deck.
Wengernalpbahn train at Kleine Scheidegg.
Most Swiss mountain trains, such as this cogwheel train at Kleine Scheidegg, have 2nd class seats only.
Most Swiss mountain trains, such as this cogwheel train at Kleine Scheidegg, have 2nd class seats only.
A Swiss postbus on the square of the Brig train station.
The postbuses and other Swiss buses don’t have 1st class seats.
The postbuses and other Swiss buses don’t have 1st class seats.
Tram at the Centralbahnplatz across from the Basel train station.
Swiss trams have 2nd class seats only.
Swiss trams have 2nd class seats only.

Traveling in 1st class with a 2nd class pass or ticket

Class upgrade

Do you own a 2nd class pass or ticket, and do you want to travel in 1st class on occasional trips? You can buy an “upgrade ticket” (in German: “Klassenwechsel”) online or at a railway station. With this, you pay for the difference between the 1st and 2nd class price of any route.

Upgrade tickets are 50% discounted for holders of a Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Travel Pass Flex, or Swiss Half Fare Card.

Saver Class Upgrade

For some routes, a discounted “Saver Class Upgrade” is available. Availability and the exact discount vary. Saver Class Upgrades can only be purchased in the SBB app and are only valid for specific trains and departure times. They can’t be refunded.

What happens if you sit in 1st class without a 1st class pass or ticket

With a 2nd class pass or ticket, you’re only allowed to sit in 2nd class. If a ticket controller notices you’re in 1st class without the appropriate pass or ticket, several things can happen. If you’re lucky, you’re just referred to 2nd class. But you can be fined too, which can cost CHF 70 or more.

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How to recognize 1st and 2nd class

Class indications in and on the train

The exterior of rail cars and the doors have a “1” or “2” on it. On 1st class cars, you’ll often see a yellow horizontal bar as well.

The same numbers are used inside the train. Depending on the type of coach this will be on doors, on ceilings, above the windows and/or on each individual seat.

1st class seat on an MGB train between Visp and Zermatt.
In some trains, such as this regional train to Zermatt, 1st and 2nd class are indicated on the seats’ headrests.
In some trains, such as this regional train to Zermatt, 1st and 2nd class are indicated on the seats’ headrests.
Entrance of a 2nd class coach on the GoldenPass Express between Interlaken and Montreux.
The entrance of a 2nd class coach on the GoldenPass Express between Interlaken and Montreux.
The entrance of a 2nd class coach on the GoldenPass Express between Interlaken and Montreux.
1st and 2nd class indication at the doors of an MGB train at Fiesch.
On many Swiss trains, 1st class is indicated by the number and an additional yellow stripe.
On many Swiss trains, 1st class is indicated by the number and an additional yellow stripe.

Class indications on the stations and platforms

Digital signs at the rail stations and platforms often indicate at which part (“sector”) of the platform you can expect 1st and 2nd class carriages to stop.

A display at the Spiez railway station announcing where 1st and 2nd class coaches will arrive.
This display at the Spiez train station shows where on the platform 2nd and 1st class coaches will arrive.
This display at the Spiez train station shows where on the platform 2nd and 1st class coaches will arrive.
Train to Basel at Interlaken Ost, with a display showing where on the platform 2nd and 1st class coaches can be found.
A train to Basel at Interlaken Ost, with a display showing where on the platform 2nd and 1st class coaches can be found.
A train to Basel at Interlaken Ost, with a display showing where on the platform 2nd and 1st class coaches can be found.

Class indications on your ticket or pass

On train tickets, rail passes, and seat reservations, 1st or 2nd class is clearly indicated. Where exactly depends on the product.

Mountain transport often has one class only. So there may be no class indication on your ticket for a mountain route.

Return tickets with rail pass discount from Saanenmöser to Saanerslochgrat.
1st or 2nd class is not indicated on this mountain ticket for the gondolas to Saanerslochgrat.
1st or 2nd class is not indicated on this mountain ticket for the gondolas to Saanerslochgrat.
Class indication on a digital Swiss Travel Pass.
1st or 2nd class is indicated on your travel pass or ticket, such as this Swiss Travel Pass PDF.
1st or 2nd class is indicated on your travel pass or ticket, such as this Swiss Travel Pass PDF.
Indication of the travel class on a Glacier Express reservation PDF.
A Glacier Express seat reservation, with a confirmation of the class you’ll travel in.
A Glacier Express seat reservation, with a confirmation of the class you’ll travel in.

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Arno
Page author: ArnoI have visited Switzerland countless times since 1997. I've explored most of the country, but find myself staying in the Bernese Oberland and Graubünden most frequently. The alps and the rail network remain very impressive, even after all these years.