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Train reservations Switzerland to Italy - how?

Posted by (Walla Walla, WA) on

Hello,
I am trying to book 2 seats between Brig, Switzerland and Venice traveling on August 28th, but I'm having a go of it. We have a 2 country select pass (Switzerland and Italy). When I use Rick Steves site (ricksteves.mytraintravel.com) the only option is to get by mail, and I don't have time to get them by mail. I found on another site (?) that I could print them, but it was an option for an entire ticket, not just reservations. It seems most sites say "buy tickets and reservations" then just sell tickets, with no option to just make a reservation.

Am I doing something wrong, or should I just get them when i get to Europe? And, can I even book these tickets in Europe from another country, or do i have to get them in Brig?

I got the Rail Planner app which supposedly we can make reservations from but we have no luck using it; it bonks out every time i try to enter 2 travelers instead of 1 and I have to start the app over to get any info. I tried for a single person and it just says 0 of 0 trips (no info available).

Any tips, or even advice to just get them when we get there, or to cancel Italy all together (kidding)?

Posted by
8889 posts

Sarah, Is this one train or two? Brig to Venice is normally two trains, changing at Milan. Try booking each train separately.

As you are discovering, normal tickets do not require a reservation, they include everything. Buying a reservation separately is an obscure option only needed by the small minority of travellers who are tourists from outside Europe and who have bought a Eurail pass. The train companies don't go out of their way to cater for this small not very profitable minority.
If you still can't book your reservations, I would contact the company who sold you this pass, it is their responsibility to sell you reservations.

Posted by
3812 posts

I'm sure There is a way to book seats from Milano Centrale to one of the 2 stations in Venezia. Don't know about SBB.ch, sorry.

On trenitalia.com/tcom-en, pick a train from the search results page, then select "Other fares" and then "Global Pass".

It will cost you 10 € per person. You'll have to do it each time you are going to use an high speed train. Now you know the reason nobody uses those passes in Italy. A discounted ticket for the same train, purchased on trenitalia.com is cheaper than a pass day plus the 10 € reservation fee.

Posted by
16895 posts

Trenitalia.com can also book Brig to Milan using the same steps that Dario describes. However, before making payment, verify that the reservation will be "ticketless" or print-at-home. You won't be able to pick it up in an Italian station.

You can also make the reservation(s) at your first train station at the same time that you have the pass activated, or probably at any point while there. You don't have to be in Brig. If you're leaving home soon, do whichever seems most convenient so you don't stress further.

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