Luggage sent by train in Switzerland
 

Anyone know if we can send it (1 sm/med case on wheels each) from Interlaken to Como and collect it next day?... How long does it take and what does it cost? Is it safe to leave overnight at Como station if necessary?

We've sent our luggage ahead of us several times but only to locations within Switzerland. It's a great service and saves the hassle of dragging your bags from train to train.

The SBB offers a fly-rail-baggage international service, but we've never tried it.

This site might help - click the "en" at the top of the page for English.

http://mct.sbb.ch/mct/en/reisemarkt/...ck-schweiz.htm

Good morning, have used the fly-rail baggage from Chicago to Grindelwald. It
involved the flite to Zurich, transfer at Zurich and again at Bern and arrived on the same train which we rode..
Hae used it a number of times within CH, but to assure that the bags would be at the destination upon our arrival would send the bags the afternoon before to our destination. In about 8 instances had not failed. Also sent two bags of hiking clothes from Zermatt to storage in Zurich for about 10 days while we went south to IT, again worked out very well. Richard of LaGrange Park, IL>.

You can NOT send any luggage to Como, as Como is in Italy, and the Italian Railways do not transport unaccompained luggage.

You could send your luggage to Chiasso, the border station, and pick it up there. As most trains stop for about 20 minutes there, it should be no problem to leave the train, get the luggage and hop on the train again. Luggage transport takes 2 days.

It costs CH10 per piece (about US$8) not including insurance, which I think is another CH10 per piece. It takes 2 days, so is not as convenient as it used to be, where 24 hours delivery was guaranteed. You would have to go 2 days without most of your luggage, which might not be feasible. Also, to be able to collect it at the delivery train station, you have to make sure that your train is stopping at Chiasso during the opening hours for their luggage room. These may be something like 8-12, then 2-5 each day, possibly closed on Sundays or shorter hours. (Long hours are not part of Swiss work ethic.)

It would be easier, IMO, to carry your own bags. The worst part is lugging them on and off the trains (usually there are 2-3 stairs), but not really a problem. If you go first class there is more room for luggage, and the cars are generally less crowded, but second class should be fine. I did this about a year ago when going to Como with my 75-year old parents and we managed fine (and I take a lot of luggage when travelling.)

If you are still interested in luggage delivery, take a look at
http://mct.sbb.ch/mct/en/reisemarkt/...ck-schweiz.htm

It is advertised in all the Swiss train stations, but my impression was it was only a withIN Switzerland thing. Is that correct?

Thanks to all of you for sharing your really helpful experiences/ideas. I called a toll free tourist office no. in Switzerland and they tell me there is now a FOUR DAY guarantee on luggage delivery!! So we'll scrap that idea - your info most helpful Cicerone... will consider that route alternatively we are seriously thinking of hiring a car and driving - less expensive for 4 of us and also less hassle with the luggage - HAS ANYONE DRIVEN FROM INTERLAKEN TO LUGANO? Would prefer to go either on the Gotthard Pass or the Simplon Pass for the scenery... how difficult is this (time/hairpin bends/traffic, etc) in July?

I am planning to arrive at the Geneva airport on a Saturday in July, hike parts of the Haute Route for the next 4 days, ending up in Zermatt late Wednesday, eventually flying out of ZRH Friday afternoon.

I would like to send a couple of bags either to Zermatt or if there isn't enough time to the Zurich airport train station. I don't know what time I have to be at the Geneva airport on Saturday to get them sent.

Does anybody know where I can find this information or where I can call? I saw something about a phone number earlier on the chain.

Thanks in advance.

Per the SBB website:

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Standard service: Within Switzerland we can deliver your luggage to, or pick it up from, any of 445 stations. Take your luggage to a station in Switzerland by 7 p.m. and collect it after 9 a.m. at your destination station two days later

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http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-service...itzerland.html

Hi all,

There is a same-day service, called Fast Baggage. If you check your bag/s before 09.00, you can pick them up after 18.00 the same day. The cost is 22 chf per bag.

The small print -- not all stations allow this service, so you have to make sure that your departure and arrival stations are on the list. Also, some stations close the baggage service at 18.00, so you would have to wait until the next day to pick up your bag/s.

s

International trains stop about 2 min at Chiasso railway station. Chiasso is linked to Como by the Como citybus, however; frequent departures.
Como people usually board their train to Switzerland at Chiasso, because there are much more trains departing from Chiasso than from Como.
If you have no railway ticket or Swiss Pass, the parcel service of Swiss Post may be the better solution:
http://www.post.ch/en/post-startseit...land-paket.htm

If you don't need your bags until 4 days after you arrive into Geneva, you have plenty of time to send them to Zermatt.

I assume you know that there is a train station in Geneva Airport and this is where you would send the bags from. You do not have to go into Geneva itself.

For Zermatt, the station you want is Zermatt ZSB.

You have several options:

<b>Fly/Rail baggage</b>: this service is great, and allows your bags to go <i>from your home airport directly to Zermatt</i>. You won’t touch them after you check them in at your home airport. This is not always available for flights from the US. See http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-service...l-baggage.html

<b>Fast Baggage</b> – mentioned above, this is the same day service. Zermatt and Zurich are part of this service. As you don’t need your bag next day, you may not need this service. Generally for 1 day service, you have to drop the bags off by 9 AM. If your flight does not arrive until after that, you can still use this service, but it will take more than 1 day and you will pay the same fee as 1 day service. See http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-service...t-baggage.html

<b>Baggage Switzerland</b>- this takes 2-3 days, and is about half the price of the Fast Baggage. Zermatt is part of this service. This may be the best choice for you. You can drop off the bags anytime between 8:30 AM and 6 PM. See http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-service...itzerland.html. Note that about a dozen hotels in Zermatt participate in a program whereby your bags will be delivered to the hotel, you don't have to collect them at the station. See the list on the website.

You can also buy insurance on the bags if you want.

I have only done parts of the Haut Route, but it is really lovely. Enjoy!

Zermatt ZSB means Zermatt - Sunnegga cablecar.
If you want to have sent your luggage by train, you must have a valid train ticket (or railpass).