Very last minute Swiss train help!
 

Hi! We are in Switzerland and are taking the golden pass train route from Interlakenhoheweg to Montreux in a few days. We have seat reservations on the 13:30ish train on July 5, but now that we are here and can purchase the actual train tickets we are still confused... The machines show an option for a ticket Interlaken to Montreux (or our final destination Vevey) via Zweissimen on that day, no time attached, no mention of golden pass or panoramic cars. Is that what we need? Thanks! Oh, and if anybody knows how to get tickets Vevey to Paris- the international options from Vevey or Lausanne don't include Paris, at least from Luzern!

How did you get seat reservations without a ticket? And in Switzerland there is NO "ish" anything in terms of train timings so how about being specific?

Hi bjamie,

Yes, what you describe is just what you need. The important things to get right are --

the route (via Zweisimmen & Gstaad)

the day (I believe Swiss train tickets are valid for a number of days according to the length of the trip, so don't worry if your exact date isn't stamped on the ticket).

the class (make sure you buy first-class tickets if your reserved seats are in a first-class section)

There are many trains that go over the same route, and even the trains designated as "Panoramic Express" or "Golden Pass" will have some regular wagons with normal seats and normal windows. So, for the travel ticket, it doesn't matter if the ticket says GP or not.

As long as your seat reservations say "GP," you'll be fine.

Tickets to Paris are much cheaper when bought ahead of time, around 90 days early. So, the earlier you can buy them, the better. Don't mess around with Luzern. Just buy the ticket from Vevey to Paris, and let them figure out how to route you. It may be that you cannot buy an international ticket from a machine, and you may have to go to the clerk for this. Or you can do it online if you can get access to a printer.

Have fun!

s

...or buy your Vevey - Paris ticket at the counter of Lucerne railway station.

You'd have to transfer at Geneve to get to Paris from Vevey.

Don't know what you mean about international options but also suggest you just go to a ticket counter.

Vevey - Paris by train is a bit faster if you change at Lausanne (and not Geneva) to a Paris bound TGV.

Thanks! I think we got it squared away- weird that there is no schedule information on the machines when you buy your ticket!

Schedule information: http://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html