Has anyone actually tried this out? It looks amazing? If I read the website info correctly, I could bring my ski's to the airport in LA, drop them off and then pick them up at the train station in Zermatt! Please advise if you have done it and how you "booked it". Thanks

Haven't tried it going over (yet) but have done it twice coming back from Grindelwald to Boston - once with a few day layover in Zurich - and it worked perfectly. Just showed the baggage clerk at the train station in Grendelwald my plane ticket and paid the fee, which as I recall was about $15 or $20 equivalent, and well worth it.

Hello Again chaz,<BR><BR>I just want to note that you need to read the fine print on the “FROM Switzerland” service from raileurope; it notes that the service is NOT available with US airlines. You can send your bags from Zermatt to the Zurich airport, but you still have to get the bags from the basement train station, tote them upstairs, and check them into your US air carrier. It’s not at all difficult, and there are luggage carts you can take the whole way. You can check your bags very, very easily from almost any train station and don’t need raileurope to do it.<BR><BR>If you’re flying the Swiss carrier, you can check your bags from Zermatt to the US through them.<BR><BR>Again, have a blast!<BR><BR>s<BR>

<BR>I live in Switzerland, and just went to the Geneva airport yesterday to find out about this, as I am going to Zermatt in February with friends who are flying in from the US. This is what I learned:<BR><BR>1. You cannot check your skis/luggage thorough on the US-Switzerland portion because you have to go through immigration and customs at your arriving airport. You need to collect your own baggage and bring it through customs at the airport. However, once you have done this, you can bring your baggage downstairs to the train station area, and check them in at Swiss Rail baggage. They will then transport your skis and baggage to Zermatt. The cost is SFr 10 per piece. This is a nice option because you have to change trains at least twice when going from Zurich to Zermatt (some journeys require up to 4 changes). The bags may not make it on to your train, so you may have to go back tot he station in Zermatt after your arrival in Zermatt to collect your stuff. That is the one disadvantage I see; however I think we will do it to avoid having to change trains with so much stuff.<BR><BR>2. If you are flying Swiss Int'l Airlines, you may be able to check in your skis and baggage in the US and have them go through to Zermatt, although this seems unlikely to me as you still have the customs issues. You should call Swiss Air to confirm.<BR><BR>2. On your return, if you are flying Lufthansa to the US, the Lufthansa office at Geneva airport told me you can check you bags and skis in at Zermatt and they will be taken from the train to the plane. You will not have to see them again until you land in the US. The Lufthansa people said this service was not available to US carriers, or code shares between European carriers using US carriers. I am willing to believe them at this point, but will see when we actually leave Zermatt if this is as easy as they make it sound.<BR><BR>If you are not flying Swiss, Lufthansa or another European carrier, as the poster above indicates, you can check you bags through from the Zermatt rail station to the Zurich airport rail station, so you won't have to lug them around when changing trains on the way back. If you are returning by train the evening before a morning flight to the US, you may be able to check them at the airport that evening for your flight the next day. If you are flying Continental, you will not be able to do this, as the check-in counters for Continental are only open until 11:30 am each day. (I don't know about the check-in counters for any other US carriers at Zurich airport, check with your airline.) However, you can ask the Swiss Rail baggage people to hold your bags overnight, the charge is SFr 7 per piece. <BR>

Hello Folks,<BR><BR>Nancy, I wonder if this is a new requirement because of increased security? I **have** checked my luggage from the US to Grindelwald twice, and neither time did I have to claim my bags at the Zurich airport to go through customs. I just walked through. The customs documents are filled out in the US and attached to your bag in a clear green plastic tag. The customs folks take the green tag -- it was gone when I collected my bags in Grindelwald.<BR><BR>Anyway, unless they've changed things, you don't need to collect your bags at the airport.<BR><BR>s

So much confusion...<BR><BR>This link from the Swiss Railways gives you all the info you need:<BR>http://www.rail.ch/pv/fly_e.htm<BR><BR>In a nutshell:<BR><BR>- yes, the service WORKS!<BR><BR>- travelers from the US can always use it flying from the US TO Switzerland, but can only use it flying back if they are travelling with a non-US carrier (don't ask me why - it's always been this way, even before 9/11).<BR><BR>- luggage tags for the service TO Switzerland can be purchased either from Rail Europe or Swiss (the airline, that is) ticket offices.<BR><BR>Hope this helps,<BR>Andre

I specifically asked at the Lufthansa desk if my friends flying from Newark could check from Newark to Zermatt. I was told they could not, because they would have to go through customs. <BR><BR>Lufthansa did say that if my friends were flying Swiss Int'l Air, they could check them through from the US to Zermatt. <BR><BR>I am only relaying what I was told by Lufthansa at Geneva airport, and I can't swear that Lufthansa has all the correct answers, or whether Zurich airport has differnet rules (which would seem strange).

Thank all of you for your information, I will let you know what I learn after I call American Airlines and check with the Swiss tourism folks.<BR><BR>Thanks for your info again.<BR><BR>CHAZ