Hello,

This is my third post regarding my upcoming Germany – Switzerland trip. I’ll be traveling from Lucerne to Montreux and want to take the Golden Pass train. I’d love some advice on whether I should reserve a seat in one of the Panorama cars and/or a VIP seat. I thought I saw a posting on Fodors some time ago regarding this same topic, but am now unable to locate it.

I have a First Class German-Swiss pass (5 trips in two months) and I know that there are small surcharges if I want a reserved seat and/or special car (I remember that much from that posting and from Rick Steves’ site). I’ve also website at http://www.goldenpass.ch/GPL/main.asp and find it a bit confusing regarding options.

So, please, oh kind, wise, Fodor posters’, what you think I should do.


Thanks.

I suggest a reservation if you want to be sure of window seats for everyone in your group.

Everybody wants to sit by the window on that train don't they?

Hi Bob,

Oh yes, everyone wants a window. At least the group only consists of me. Where/who should I call for a reservation? That's the part that's confusing.

I think you can reserve it at any train station when in Switzerland, you could even try to do it from Germany.

Will you be in Switzerland for a day or so before riding the train?

If so, you can get a seat.
I am surprised you cannot reserve a seat with the ticket purchase.

Of course I was in the country when I bought mine.

Definitely try for the panorama coach..bigger, MUCH bigger windows.

In terms of the VIP seats, some of the trains have VIP seats at the very front and the very rear of the train; the front seats, if you can get them, are even MORE spectacular.

You can make the reservations when you get to Switzerland.

I assume you have already looked at the GoldenPass site:

www.goldenpass.ch

The VIP seats go very quickly--when we tried to book them last summer, they were gone 2 1/2 months in advance. I would reserve well in advance--even just a 1st class seat (1st class was full on each leg of our trip last summer), using the GoldenPass web site--it is very easy and not too expensive.

We used VIP seats. I think there were 8 of them at front and 8 at back.

Yes, I had to pay the Raileurope reservation fee to do this from the US because I had to make the reservation many many months ahead.

We travelled from Montreux to Zweisimmen. Our car was nearly empty except for the VIP section. The train travelling the opposite direction was jam packed with a tour group.

I thought the prettiest part was between Montreux to Château-d'Oex. Also in your direction, the zig-zag descent to Montreux with the lake view will be pretty, if you can get the forward VIP seats.

We also did Lucern-Interlaken in another type of panoramic train. We did not even bother to make a reservation for this one. In the direction you travel, Lucern-Interlaken, I thought the right hand side (as you leave Lucern) had better view of lakes. The train turned around at Meiringen, so that side is also the Brienzer See side even though on the map it seems to be the other side.

Hi Everyone!

Thanks so much for all the information. Since I'm leaving for Berlin on April 26th, I'll take my chances and see if I can get a reserved VIP seat when I'm in Germany. At the very least, I'll try for a reserved first class seat in the Panorama car for the last leg of the trip.

Fodor's folks are the best!