Will my luggage REALLY get there when I do?
 

We are leaving tomorrow from Chicago flying into Zurich then taking the train to Zermatt. Does anyone have advise about keeping the luggage "with us" or checking straight through from Chicago to Zermatt. Quite simply, my question is DOES THAT REALLY WORK?????

kristinekarol

Can offer you my experience with 4 friends who did exactly that in March: 1 from Atlanta to Zermatt via Zurch and 3 from Newark to Zermatt via Geneva.

All suitcases made it, but those that came through Geneva took almost 24 hours after landing to turn up in Zermatt (this was on a very busy day though).

Hope this helps,
Andre

I've never done that, but I've never heard anything but praise for that system. If there is anywhere in the world where such a thing can happen efficiently it is in Switzerland.
I'll be anxious to hear from people who have done this.

Oh actually that 1 person flew from Orlando to Atlanta, then on to Zurich. He checked his luggage through the whole way and it made it fine and faster than the other suitcases from Newark.

Hope this helps,
Andre

Hi kristinekarol,

Well it used to work perfectly; I've done it lots of times, both checking from my US airport and from all over Switzerland to another spot in Switzerland. Used to be that the cases would either arrive on the same train that I arrived on, or just a few hours later.

Now, however, the SBB (Swiss railroad) has a new 48-hour policy. When I checked my bag (from Saanen to Meilen) in May, I fully expected the SBB to continue to dazzle me beyond my expectations and their guarantee. Unfortunately, it did take the full 48 hours, and I had the pleasure of wearing dirty clothes on day 2 to pick up my bag. So be warned. It does work, but it may actually take the full 48 hours that is their new guarantee.

s

Actually, for Fly Rail luggage, the stated intervals are much faster. These are the ones in Zermatt for example:

http://www.rail.ch/pv/files/check-in/zermatt_e.pdf

However, even though the luggage travelling via Geneva (morning landing) should have made it the very same day and the luggage from Zurich could have come a day later, the exact opposite was true.

In a nutshell, take a change of underwear or 2 and you should be fine. I would recommend this for any plane trip where you check luggage though.

Hope this helps,
Andre

Hi Again,

Yup, hope it works as the Zermatt website says. Here's another site (for domestic baggage service) that says cases checked by 7 pm will arrive by 9 am on the "day after next." http://www.rail.ch/pv/baggage_e.htm.

I checked my case at about 4.30 pm in Saanen, and it arrived on the day after next, about 9 am, in Meilen.

Perhaps the luggage service personnel put a priority on cases from the airports???

So, yes, I think you CAN use the service, just be prepared for the worst possible case . . .

Let me know if I can help further.

s

s,

Yes, they definitely have a priority service for the fly rail stuff: those suitcases have green tags vs. the normal white ones for domestic service.

As a matter of fact, I sent my skis and suitcase domestically from Zurich airport to Zermatt and was given the option of purchasing the green priority service tags for a slightly higher price (I think it cost 5 CHF extra). I took it and my stuff was waiting for me in Zermatt about 24 hours later (didn't check any earlier so don't know how fast it made it).

On the way back, I simply took the normal service and the luggage showed up at Zurich airport within 24 hours as well.

Hope this helps,
Andre

thank you for the advise, since I'm lost without my "stuff" I think I'll drag my own suitcase from train to train!

Andre,

Ahhh. So that's it. Maybe I'll ask for the green priority tag the next time I want to avoid schlepping my bag through 3 or 4 changes. Thanks for the head's up!

kristinekarol, knowing about the priority for airport bags, I'd be much more inclined to continue to do this. There are quite a few train changes to go to Zermatt (as I recall), and one's bags seem to get heavier with jet lag, etc!

s

Having just returned from vacation traveling solo & using trains in Switzerland, I HIGHLY recommend taking (maximum size) 22" rolling suitcase. I had steppped up to a 24" for the first time this trip, plus only did a couple simple train transfers but it was too big and too heavy. I will go back to my 22" in the future.

Plan B- You might consider taking a good size carry-on with your most important "stuff" and try sending your larger bag direct. There were signs all over the train stations about this service. Which doesn't prove it works, but if anyone can do it... the Swiss can!

It depends on the time between connections. If you are going to have to race from plane to plane or plane to train, you might make it but chances are your luggage won't.