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Mastering Swiss Travel Pass seat reservations: A detailed guide
What is a seat reservation?
A seat reservation is an additional ticket purchased along with your Swiss Travel Pass that guarantees you a seat on the train. A seat reservation ties you to a particular train on a particular date and time. As mentioned, most Swiss trains do not require seat reservations. You can simply board with your pass and take any available seat. Seat reservation applies primarily to panoramic trains like Glacier Express, Bernina Express, Gotthard Panorama Express, and a few others. These trains mandate such reservations owing to the additional services offered by them and their greater demand.
When to reserve seats with the Swiss Travel Pass?
- Mandatory reservation: You cannot board trains like Glacier Express, Bernina Express, Gotthard Panorama Express, & a few others without booking your seats beforehand.
- Optional reservation: Certain popular trains provide the option to reserve seats, even though they are not mandatory. You can choose to reserve them if you want or if you are traveling with a big group or during high tourist season. The cost of such reservations often starts at 5 CHF.
- Booking window: Seat reservations are available for booking 3 months before departure or sometimes earlier. Book as early as you can, as seats tend to sell out, especially during the peak tourist season.
Good to know
- Book early: Seat reservations can sell out fast, so we recommend booking as soon as the booking window is open.
- Documents: Carry a valid Swiss Travel Pass, Passport, and seat reservation tickets (if required) during your journey.
- Arrive early: To grab good seats, arrive early at the train station as trains work on a first-come first-served basis.
- Reservation-free journeys: Premium panoramic trains require a reservation. However, you can sometimes take a different train (which doesn't require reservation) on the same route as that of the panoramic trains. Look out for such trains on your desired route if you are budget-conscious.
- Optional reservation: Some Swiss trains provide the option to reserve seats, even though it is not necessary. The age of your travel group, duration, season, and train will decide if you need to make that reservation.
- Premium panoramic trains: These trains are a class apart and ideal for sightseeing but can be a bit pricy. However, the price makes up for the experience, owing to which many people visit Switzerland just for these scenic train rides. So be sure to experience it.
- Partial coverage: Check the pass coverage to see if a journey is included. In the rare instance where only a portion of the journey is covered by the pass, you must get individual tickets for the leg of the journey that is not covered.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to reserve a seat if I have a Swiss Travel Pass?
In most cases, no, you need not reserve a seat if you have a Swiss Travel Pass. You can board the train with just a valid pass. The few exceptions to this rule are panoramic trains and a few international trains covered by your Swiss Travel Pass.
What happens if I do not reserve a seat?
Most Swiss trains do not require reservations; which means you can board conveniently with just your pass and take any available seat. If there are no seats you can stand and commute. However, if a seat reservation is mandatory for a train, and you haven’t made one, the pass only wouldn’t suffice. You will be denied entry or fined.
Can I book a seat even if it is not mandatory?
Some Swiss trains do offer optional reservations. So you can book seats on them even if they are not necessary. But many trains do not have this option. However, seats are usually available or you will be able to find them soon as the journey progresses.
How can I find my seat on the train if I have reserved one?
On the seat reservation ticket, you will see the coach number, seat number, and the train's departure date and time. The platform of your train and the correct section of the platform where your coach will arrive will be mentioned on the train station displays. Your seat number will be displayed on the seats inside the train coaches.
What should I do if I missed a train for which I had reserved seats?
Seat reservations are applicable only for the train you booked. However, if have a valid pass, you can simply hop on the next train but in this case, the seat will not be reserved.
Do buses, boats, and cablecars included in the Swiss Travel Pass require reservations?
Like trains, you do not usually need to reserve seats for buses, and boats. Cable cars, funiculars, and cogwheel trains also do not require reservations. However, reservations may apply for special cruises like dinner cruises or special rides on cable cars like sunrise or sunset trips.
Can I select my seats during reservation or is it randomly assigned?
For panoramic trains, as you reserve seats, you will be shown the outline of the coach and you can select seats of your choice.
How do I use my Swiss Travel Pass?
Using the Swiss Travel Pass is very straightforward and quick. Find out more details on how to use the Swiss Travel Pass.
What are the scenic premium trains in Switzerland?
Many premium trains in Switzerland are taking luxury and scenic rides to a whole new level. Glacier Express and Bernina Express are extremely popular. Read more about such routes on the Swiss scenic routes page.