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glacier express : do we need reservation for journey from Brig to Zermatt

glacier express : do we need reservation for journey from Brig to Zermatt

Old Jun 24th, 2013, 02:49 PM
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glacier express : do we need reservation for journey from Brig to Zermatt

Hi,
We will be staying in interlaken and planning for a day trip to zermatt for matterhorn.
We plan to reach brig from interlaken and then take glacier express from Brig to Zermatt. Do we need reservation for this part of glacier express?
thanks
chandan
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Old Jun 25th, 2013, 05:13 AM
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I am far from an expert but I see no one has responded. We did the Brig-Zermatt section in August 2009. We were coming off a train from Milan and only had 10 minutes to buy our tickets at the Brig station and switch tracks. Someone told us to just get on the GE and buy our tickets on the train, which we did. Very easy.

I believe the GE website suggests summers can be crowded though.
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Old Jun 25th, 2013, 05:22 AM
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There would be only ONE reason IMO for you to take the GE from Brig to Zermatt as opposed to a regular train on the same segment: the First Class panorama cars. They have much MUCH larger windows. The scenery is fabulous but then again I've seen it before, several times. IMO it is not worth the money or trouble but to each their own.
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Old Jun 25th, 2013, 08:24 AM
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If you plan a day trip, you will probably start in the morning. Forget therefore any Glacier Express (arriving at Brig from St. Moritz in the afternoon). Buy just a Interlaken - Zermatt ticket (unless you have a Swiss Pass or another valid regional Pass) and change trains at Visp (NOT at Brig!), like most people.
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Old Jun 25th, 2013, 08:39 AM
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Changing at Visp however instead of Brig can mean at times an already full or rather full train since nearly everyone gets on a Brig as neckervd says - yes just take the local trains with a Swiss Pass just hop on (and doing that type of travel plus in Berner Oberland strongly consider a pass of some type. With a pass the GE supplement also costs a bit of money - the scenery is exactly the same, obviously, and you miss commentary but for ease just take the locals (on the back of some GE trains they also attach local cars at Brig - cars need no reservations.

For lots of great stuff on Swiss trains, etc I always spotlight these IMO fantastic sources - www.swisstravelsystem.com; http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html; www.ricksteves.com.

If going to Zermatt just to limpse the Matterhorn check ubiquitous weather reports in hotel lobbeys on your hotel TV or posted around towns to see if Matterhorn ain't in fog or clouds that day - hop on any clear day to go.
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Old Jun 25th, 2013, 09:35 AM
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Agree regarding boarding at Visp...the very short segment Brig-Visp really doesn't have much scenery to remember; the better stuff starts as you ascend from Visp.
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Old Jun 25th, 2013, 11:44 AM
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Brig to Visp is alongside the main line down the Rhone Valley but yes at Visp the narrow-gauge line to Zermatt loops off south and heads up a lovely Alpine valley all the way to Zermatt, end of the line - this portion to me is as pretty as any segment of the GE route - local trains take the exact same route. One thing to worry about is that on a few occasions in recent years landslides have blocked the railway, at times for a days.
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Old Jun 26th, 2013, 02:33 PM
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I believe the GE website suggests summers can be crowded though>

Yes indeedy - I've seen many full GE trains because they often are filled with tour groups - book far ahead if you want the official GE.
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Old Jun 30th, 2013, 08:19 AM
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Count 7 hrs from I'laken up to Zermatt, if you absolutely want to travel by Glacier Express. Change at Andermatt.
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