ac1

I just purchased 1st class point to point train tickets in Switzerland and am not getting helpful information from Eurail whether reservations are needed. They said reservations are not required in Switzerland, but some trains on the swiss rail site say "please reserve". Eurail charges a wopping $50 just for a reservation. Or I've been told one can reserve at the train station for alot less?? Or maybe this isn't neccessary at all?? I ask because I've been left without a seat before (although that was Italy).
Thanks!

DeeDee

When we were in Switzerland last month, we did not use reservations at all and always found a seat, no problem. That was in 2nd class. I believe you will find reservations are even less necessary in 1st class.

That said, it really depends when you are traveling and where your beginning and destination locations are. Post your date(s) of travel and start/destination points and you will get great advice on this forum. But, don't reserve ahead of time, as $50 is outrageous! In Europe, reservations are much less.

bob_brown

Just which train within Switzerland operated by the SBB says you need a reservation?

The TGV, or the train that becomes one in France, may require them.

The Cisalpino might, but it is an Italian train. I rode it and found I needed a seat reservation on a Sunday.
I had one, so I had a seat.

Just don't buy reservations through Rail Europe.
I would buy no point to point tickets through that outfit until I had checked the natiional rail sites first.

Melnq8

In 6+ trips to Switzerland we've never once made a train reservation and we've never had a problem finding a seat. We always buy 2nd class Swiss Pass tickets, so I'd think 1st class tickets wouldn't be a problem at all.

I think reservations might be suggested for some scenic trains during the high season, but that's about it.

ac1

Thank you. You've all been very helpful and convinced me certainly not to book a reservation through Rail Europe!
'Please reserve' was listed after an
IC train from Zurich to Kandersteg on
a Sunday in August. I'm also taking
a train from Zermatt to Geneva on
a Friday in August. Unless someone knows
something specifically about these trains I'll not fuss about reserving.
Thanks again

PalQ

I've ridden first class on Swiss trains for years and never did not see empty seats in that class - second class yes. Don't bother about reservations as they would be a waste of time and money. Now the $50 for a reservation thru RailEurope - please explain how you got that figure. For the IC train you were talking about RE would charge you $11 per seat, a $15 handling fee for all reservations, 1 or 20, and $15 mailing fee (this one not charged by some of their agents, like BETS (800-441-2387; in a few situations, such as popular night trains or TGVs in peak periods, reservations are advised before getting to Europe; BETS are experts at these) - thus for one reservation it would be $41, but the $15 fees are charged only one, so the per reservation fee drops the more reservations are made. That said reservations are much cheaper in Europe as you don't pay the $15 handling fee or mail fee. You'd probably pay a few Swiss francs to reserve in Switzerland. You can usually make reservations from any European train station, though if you do it outside the country you may pay a slightly higher fee. Again in your case just forget about it. the only Swiss trains you need to reserve are the official Glacier Express type trains that require reservations; Cisalpino trains when used inside Switzerland don't require reservations but if you take them to Italy they do. For train with observation 'dome' cars in 1st class you also may want to reserve into order to observe. There is actually no need to purchase Swiss tickets outside of Switzerland as, unlike other countries, you'll rarely wait for than a few moments in line to buy tickets in Switzerland and you don't pay RE's mailing fee.

suze

I've only traveled on point-to-point tickets I bought at train stations in Switzerland just before using them.

The only time I made a reservation was for a wagon-lit cabin on an overnight train to Venice, and even that was just a couple days ahead of time.

suze

Just curious... Do you have to pay more to buy tickets ahead of time? Does this cost more than buying them from a train station in Switzerland?

BTilke

To give an example of when reservations would have been handy...my mother and I had tickets (2nd class) for the train from Basel to Lugano. We arrived at the station fairly early and as the first ones on board, we had our pick of seats (the train originated in Lugano and you could board about 20 minutes before it left). By the time it was almost ready to pull out, the car was nearly completely full. At the last minute, a backpacking couple boarded and made straight for our seats...they had reserved them (their were no yellow tags above the seats indicating they were reserved). So we had to take what was left, which meant no window seats until Luzern.
Traveling in second class without reservations is not the way I usually travel...most of the time I travel first class with reservations (and I have needed them on a couple of trains from Basel to Brussels that filled up along the way, even in first).

BTilke

Oops, I meant the train originated in Basel.

Queenie

I am unsure when in August you are traveling, but be aware that August 1 is a national holiday throughout Switzerland. Travel will be heavy the days before & after.

Also, August 13 is Street Parade in Zurich. Over 1 million people are expected, so trains may be loaded.

bob_brown

Hmm. the Sunday train between Bern and Spiez, a route you must travel to Kandersteg, can be crowded.

You might want to get a seat reservation to make sure you have a place to sit.
I ridden that route from Bern to Interlaken, and I know from experience that on Sundays it can be full of people.
That is the only time other than on the Cisalpino, also on a Sunday, that I felt I needed a seat reservation.
Had I not had one on the Cisalpino leaving Stuttgart, I would have been scrambling to find a seat.

Usually the crowd on the trains begins to thin some at Thun and Spiez, but Sunday afternoons can be a little full.

You can buy the reservation in the station as far as I know.

If you want seats and tickets ahead of time, the good folks at the sBB will sent them to you DHL for about the same price that RE will send them.

I have ordered tickets in advance when I had a tricky connection. Like this year I had a Swiss Card, which meant my ride from Schaffhausen to Lauterbrunnen was included in the cost of the ticket, but I had to have paid tickets from Munich to Schaffhausen via Stuttgart.

The train from Bern to Spiez was fairly full, but not overwhelmed to the point people were standing.

The big reason for wanting a seat reservation is that the non smoking cars fill first. There is usually room in the smoking cars, but oh my, I don't want to be there at all, ever.
So I think of the reservation as insurance.

PalQ

Suze: whether tickets cost more in advance than onsite is hard to predict and has lots to do with the value of the dollar )talking about buying them thru RailEurope rather than in Switzerland in this example. Last year pt-pt Swiss tickets were actually cheaper thru RailEurope than at station, this year RE revised fares up so that they are almost exactly the same right now - but RE's mailing fee makes them more expensive. But Swiss pass thru RailEurope are now significantly cheaper than those bought at stations in Switzerland - i've compared and is so right now - same for Swiss Card and Swiss Transfer. Last year single tickets for Germany were a bit cheaper thru RailEurope than at Germany (though those for two or more travelers were cheaper in Germany as 2nd and on passengers traveling together get 50% off - not so with RailEurope tickets (50% off walk up policy is being eliminated Dec 12, 2005 by the German Railways however). So always check both sources and compare.

Ashes

I have a question about this as well. A friend and I are flying into Geneva and need to catch a train to Zermatt. We have the Swiss rail pass, but were considering getting seat reservations. Anyone do this trip or have any advice about whether or not reservations would be needed? Thanks!

PalQ

Ridden many Swiss trains for years and never did not find empty seats in first class - and rarely not in 2nd class, though groups of schoolkids and hiking groups can swarm aboard 2nd class and for a few stations create a mob scene. Not sure you can even reserve Brig-Zermatt portion unless on the Glacier Express trains. www.sbb.ch may have relvant info but reserving with a railpass always seems impossible online - only when buying ticket with reservation included.