Supplement for Riding Scenic Train Routes in Switzerland?
 

We will be riding short stretches of the Golden Pass route in Switzerland (Spiez to Gstaad, and then later Gstaad to Montreux), using a Swiss Pass in second class. Some of the trains are designated "Golden Pass Scenic Route" on the schedule, and others are not. Is there a supplement to ride the designated "scenic train" in 2d class? Should we wait for the next train, which is not so designated? The Golden Pass train between Gstaad and Montreux fits our schedule better, and is faster (fewer stops), so I'd rather do that, but not sure if it's worth paying a supplement, if there is any.

Same queston for the Glacier Express trains between Brig and Zermatt.

Thanks!

I used a Golden Pass train last year with a day card, and there was no supplement. I don´t think it would work since these trains are also carrying a lot of just normal local traffic.

Not sure between Brig and Zermatt, but you should look at the MGB website for details.

Hi enzian,

I don't think you have to -- just look for a car without the big panoramic windows. There's usually at least one car for normal traffic. I've done this a bunch of times, only once used reservations and sat in the touristic car with big windows.

s

I think you need a simple reservation seat fee to ride in 2nd class Panoramic cars and not a supplement per se like on Glacier Express, whose supplement Zermatt-St Moritz is now about $35 i think.

I'm not sure the difference between Golden Pass Panoramic and Golden Pass Classic but it seems that the Classic may not have panoramic cars or if it does only in 1st class whilst the Panoramic has them in both classes.

and to be guaranteed a seat in panoramic cars yes i think reservations are suggested or perhaps required.

But of course there are regular trains every hour other than hours GP trains run and these take only 15 minutes longer Zweiss-Montreux and on some are even faster than the GP train.

And as high wall said they often attached cars for regional service to the GP trains. ditto Brig-Zermatt i understand - reservations and supplements required on GEx trains but local service Brig-Zermatt does not require them and these are in cars for local service and without the commentary, etc. of the official GEx cars.

It seems trains designated Golden Pass Scenic Route may be the Panoramic Cars and the others would be the older Classic GP trains.

The newer Panoramic trains in first class are known for their unique VIP seats where you can sit right over the driver i think - in the very front. But even other 1st class cars have unique swivel seats - quite unusual from any train i've been on. Not sure if these exist in 2nd class.

www.goldenpass.ch

You shouldn't need any supplement if you are riding in regular 2 C cars.

Those "supplements" on trains like the GE also bring the seat reservation as I recall.

Recently in Interlaken i asked the station about reservations for GP Observation cars and they told me none were required Interlaken-Lucerne or Interlaken-Zweisimmen but they were required Zweis-Montreux. Maybe they were wrong.

Thanks to all. It sounds like we can just get on the second class "regular" cars and we should be OK.

My main concern is the stretch between Gstaad and Montreux; we have tickets to watch the Swiss Open in the morning, and I don't know what time we'll be finished there and ready to head for Montreux, so I can't make a reservation. Or I guess I could reserve the one I think most likely, and forfiet the reservation fee if I'm wrong; it won't cost much for 3 of us. That would be the Golden Pass train passing through Gstaad at 14:47---I assume it is likely to be crowded? The SBB website says reservations are "empfohlen" but not required.

It turns out I don't need to worry about the Glacier Express I checked and the train we plan to take from Zermatt is a regular regional train.