SBB fares

[edited] Yes, SBB train prices should be the same any day of the year for the given route, although there is some seasonal pricing in the Berner Oberland, for instance, which is technically a separate railway, as is the Bernina Express. A ticket that's a little more expensive may actually cover a few more miles in the course of its various connections. Within one day, you can make stops along the prescribed route and that's especially easy at the suggested connection points.

The Panorama cars help you to see better out both sides of the train from one seat, versus regular cars on other departures often have space to change seats and the possibility to open windows (which panorama cars don't). The panorama cars require a seat reservation; see https://www.rhb.ch/en/panoramic-trains/bernina-express#info. If you book that, you probably wouldn't bother to add your own stops.

For normal tickets there is a fixed price. CHF 81, 2nd class full fare, or CHF 40.50 with a Half Price Card. That fare is fixed for the whole of 2019 (not sure if it will go up in December, it does not go up every year). That ticket is valid on any train on the date shown on the ticket.

I got these prices from the SBB website: https://www.sbb.ch/en
That is by the direct route, if you choose a longer route it will cost more.

On the trains at less popular times (the ones running mostly empty) they offer "Supersaver tickets" in limited numbers, which are only valid on the train listed on the ticket, and must be bought in advance online. This is why you are seeing lower prices for some trains.
Supersaver tickets are also sold in full fare and half fare versions.

Info and purchase of these Supersaver tickets here: https://www.sbb.ch/en/travelcards-and-tickets/tickets-for-switzerland/supersaver-tickets.html

Chris F., I'm catching on! Thank God, you say. ;) I knew I had heard that there were "supersaver" SBB fares which I had assumed, wrongly, related to an purchasing some specific time frame in advance.

@Chris, I just looked at your link to the super saver rate. I need tickets for mid October. It says they are unavailable. I would assume its too early to purchase. Is there a specific timeframe in which I should look? I sure would love to get that PE train at 8:30am
@Laura, So the PE train has larger windows even in 2nd class?

If you travel on the actual Bernina Express, there will be a seat reservation fee of 16 CHF per seat (if my memory serves). Travel regular trains to avoid that. May need to change trains in St Moritz, but they should always be the same price. If you take the regular trains, yes, you can stop off along the way during that day.

Note that some of the routes shown at SBB are via Landquart and the Vereina Base Tunnel, and they are more expensive and require 3 connections. You really do not want to go that way as the route via Filisur is more scenic. That route goes over the famous Landwasser Viaduct ( on all the Swiss travel posters) and a series of spiral tunnels, then a relatively short high tunnel on the way to St Moritz.

Price should be 63 CHF per person. You could save a little by buying a Saver Day Pass up to 60 days in advance, but you would be committed to traveling that particular day. For instance, for July 4, the cost is 63 CHF, but you could buy a Saver Day Pass now for 52 CHF. You could then travel all over Switzerland on July 4 for 52 CHF, but it is nonrefundable. The Saver day Pass goes on sale 60 days before the travel date, and gradually increases in price as you get closer to that day. 52 CHF is the lowest price without a Half Fare Card, and it is always higher on Saturdays and Sundays no matter how far out you go.

Edit - The 81 CHF price Chris F quoted is the price going via the Vereina Base Tunnel. It costs more because it is longer kilometerwise.

@ Sam, so there are two different saver tickets? One is a day pass which allows all day travel, and the other is a saver ticket based on a low volume time of day (8:30am) It is saying starting at 63CHF, if I proceed in the transaction, would I then be charged for a seat reservation in 2nd class?

I actually will only be in Switzerland 2 days (Fly into Zurich 10/17 and train to Chur, 10/18 Chur to Tirano) So I am traveling on very specific days.

Thanks all

63 CHF is the everyday price going via Filisur on the Albula railroad. There may be "Super Saver" tickets available that are train specific and no stopovers allowed and nonrefundable. There is also the "Saver Day Pass" that is also nonrefundable and day specific, but you can travel anywhere in Switzerland on that day, so you could do stopovers or even side trips that day.
https://www.sbb.ch/en/travelcards-and-tickets/tickets-for-switzerland/1-day-travelpass/saver-day-pass.html

What day are you looking at?

The Seat61 website has instructions on buying Bernina Express tickets for much less than the fares I am seeing in this thread. I have not attempted to do it, but it's worth looking at what he says, especially since you need two tickets.

If you look at the rail map you can see the various routes.

https://www.sbb.ch/content/dam/sbb/de/pdf/freizeit-ferien/ferien-kurztrips-schweiz/internationale-gaeste/sts-geltungsbereich.pdf

The route via Klosters and the deep tunnel involves backtracking to Landquart from Chur, so it is longer and thus costs more. You want the route more to the west, via Thusis and Tiefencastel, both because it is shorter, AND it crosses over the famed Landwasser Viaduct.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landwasser_Viaduct

The train at 8:32 is the Bernina Express, so in addition to the 63 EUR ticket, you will need a seat reservation for 16 EUR.
The 8:58 gives 3 ways of going at 3 different prices depending on the connections you take.
The 9:01 gives 3 ways as well via the Vereina base Tunnel.

Thanks for all the input, feel free to add anything more! Good thing I have a few months before I make a decision. It's not so much that I want to pinch every penny, but if I can look for the best values, I can travel more. Also, the last time I was in Switzerland I took a couple of the scenic train rides. They were beautiful but they were getting so much snow that visibility wasn't the greatest. I felt a bit annoyed that I spent so much on the tickets. I want to be wiser on this trip. That said, I adore Switzerland, and I anticipate at least a few more trips!

The seat61 method is interesting, like hidden city ticketing in reverse. Buy a Super Sparpreis Europa ticket at www.bahn.com from Singen, Germany to Tirano, Italy for the night before your travel date. Should be able to get one for 29.90 EUR per person. Specify a 6 hour stopover in Zurich and it will put you on an early morning train to Chur and connect to the 8:32 Bernina Express to Tirano. Unlike airlines, you can book a ticket with 2 changes and not have to take the first 2 legs. Nobody is checking that you make the first 2 legs, and they don't care. You still have to go to www.rhb.ch and buy your seat reservations.

@ acraven, pretty cool find. @Sam, So for me since I'll be starting in Chur, I will actually be skipping the first 3 trains. It is a pretty appealing option. I just checked it out and the only minor tricky thing is that it doesn't show the PE under products, but when I look for an 8:32 departure from Chur, it does show a panoramic train, so that works. The way I understand this, once I purchase the ticket, unless I miss my train, there is no way this can backfire. Initially, I thought it is sort of a crummy thing to do, because we're taking a seat from someone on those first three trains, but since there is no seat reservation, unlimited people can be on those trains, in theory, anyway. I'm also guessing that SBB knows this is being done because Seat61 is not exactly a secret. I could actually buy the tickets now, though I'm not sure I could purchase the seat reservation.

For the day before, upon arrival at Zurich airport, we'll buy the tickets to Chur. I won't prepurchase so I wouldn't know the exact time. From looking at the SBB site right now, it looks like saver rates can be available day of except they have to be purchased via a phone app. Wonder if Zurich airport would have wifi??

You could do this to include the train ticket from Zurich to Chur and the Bernina Express the following day, all on one 29.90 EUR ticket (or 59.80 for 2).

I am going to assume you are on the Swiss flight from Chicago that arrives at 10:30 am on the 17th.

At Deutsche Bahn, buy the Singen to Tirano ticket for 11:32 am on 10/17 with an 18 hour stopover in Chur for 29.90 EUR per person. Ticket routing will be:
IC 483 dep Singen(Hohentwiel) 11:32, arr Zurich Hbf 12:23
IC 569 dep Zurich Hbf 12:37, arr Chur 13:52
Following day, D 951 dep Chur 8:32, arr Tirano 12:49

So when you arrive at Zurich airport, you buy ticket for the next train to Zurich Hbf and wait for the 12:37 train to Chur. 2 hours should be plenty of time to get through immigration, get luggage walk to the airport train station and get the next train to Zurich Hbf. They go every few minutes and take 9 to 13 minutes to get there, costing 6.80 CHF per person. Then you take the 12:37 to Chur.

Even if you get delayed, your ticket MAY still be good to Chur. You will have to ask at the station. It may be considered a Super Saver Ticket and only valid for that departure. I don't know. If that is the case, you just buy a ticket to Chur. Anyway you are no worse off than your original plan. Ticket on the Bernina Express will still be valid.

If you are arriving at Zurich airport at a different time, just adjust the Singen departure time and the stopover time in Chur accordingly.

Sam, my dad being from Sheboygan, WI, always says, GB Packer fans are smart! I was thinking about putting my first ticket from the airport into the mix, and then thought, that I didn't want to commit to a specific time. But, alas, you are absolutely correct. If I miss the train at Zurich airport no harm done.

You came pretty close, haha, I'm arriving at 10:30am from MSP via Kennedy.

So before I do this, and again, there is hardly a downside, since its 30euro/each, any possible pitfalls? It sounds like the ticket will be mailed, so there's that. And on the seat reservation, Seat61 says there is no way to know which way the train car is facing in order to pick the "best " seats, unless, Sam, you have knowledge of that, too? ;)

And I was going to post in Italy, but I may as well post here, for my other tickets:
Varenna to Le Spezia(Manarola)--train, prepurchase?
Le Spezia(Manarola) to Florence-train, prepurchase?
Florence to Siena--bus, buy day of?
Siena to Rome--bus, buy day of?
Rome to Naples(Sorrento)--fast train, prepurchase?
Naples(Sorrento)--fast train, prepurchase?

There are two of us, but still unless the savings is at least 30euro for the two of us, I like to retain flexibility.

Thanks!

Yes it is difficult to know which way they face, My suggestion, book 2 window seats across a table from each other.

For Varenna to Manarola, you only save 11 EUR per person buying a nonrefundable Super Economy ticket.
Manarola to Florence can be done with regional trains. always the same price and cannot sell out.

Rome to Naples and return, Looks like buying well in advance for Super Economy will save 31 EUR per person each way.

They will not tell you, but almost all Bernina Express direct trains also have non-panormic train cars attached to it, for which you do not need reservations.

As I learned last weekend, that is a bad idea if there is a hot summer afternoon in the Poschiavo valley (the non-panoramic cars are older and don't have AC, just forced air circulation).

If you want a more free day to explore, I suggest you buy a Saver Day Pass exactly 60-day before intended travel. They cost as little as CHF 59 on second class and give unlimited use of regular railways in Switzerland and some bits into Italy (Domodossola and Tirano)

Andre, love that idea. I wish it was per 24 hour period and not just til 5am. I want to be in Italy by about 1pm. If it were 24 hour period, I'd land in Zurich and spend the day traveling around, end up in Chur and then go to Tirano the next morning.

I saw that the first few cars didn't require reservations and was considering it. I'm going in October, so A/C would be less of a factor. I'm hoping it works out with the super cheap 29.9 euro ticket, and then I'd just spring for the seat reservation because, why not?!.

Here's some guidance for your other routes:

Note RE or RV (Regional and Regional Velocity) are the same price everyday and require no advance purchase. Trains can't sell out. If crowded, you may or may not get to sit (doesn't matter if you repurchased or not). If you buy ticket at station (you can purchase a few days out for the travel day, but no commitment for time), you must validate before you get on the train. If you buy on line, you pick a train and time, but your ticket is good to depart on any other regional train going same route for the 4 hours after the departure time booked. No need to validate as the departure time is considered validation. I like the flexibility of buying regional tickets day of or day before at station.

Varenna to Le Spezia(Manarola)--train, prepurchase? I looked at trains for tomorrow. Looks like the best bet is the regional train that leaves Verenna every 2 hours, 1 change in Milan to an Intercity train to LaSpezia Centrale, and only takes 4:44 minutes for journey. Buying today for tomorrow is 37 euros, You will save 10-15 Euros booking this journey in advance. Looks like another 4 minute train ride to Manarola. But you can book whole thing as one reservation.

Le Spezia(Manarola) to Florence-train, prepurchase? Regional -no advance purchase necessary

Florence to Siena--bus, buy day of? Not sure

Siena to Rome--bus, buy day of? Not sure

Rome to Naples(Sorrento)--fast train, prepurchase? Yes repurchase for cheapest from Rome to Naples.

Naples(Sorrento)--fast train, prepurchase? There is no fast train, only the circumvesuviana regional train.

Karen, thanks! I think my last ticket was meant to be Naples(Sorrento) to Rome, prepurchase. And that would be just the leg from Naples to Rome, I know that Sorrento to Naples is regional. It seems so easy when its all figured out.

Just as an update and FYI, I used the method described on Seat 61 for purchasing a ticket to use on Bernina Express. Basically, on the DB website you purchase a ticket that starts on the German border and route yourself to Chur for the Bernina Express. It is multiple train rides and you only need to use the Bernina leg. It is well described on the Seat 61 website. I will offer one significant caveat in regards to purchasing the ticket in this way. Since it crosses multiple borders, the ticket needs to be mailed. DB says the mail will take 7-10 days and Seat61 suggests allowing 2 weeks. I may just be unlucky, but its been over a month since I purchased the tickets. My credit card was charged on my purchase date and my DB account actually shows my ticket as purchased, but I have not received the tickets. Now it could be DB's fault, the German postal service's fault, USPS's fault or theft from my mailbox, who knows? What people need to know is that this is not so easily resolved. I contacted Seat61, and he said to get in touch with DB. I hope he modifies the website suggesting people allow a lot of time to get the tickets. I have emailed multiple DB email addresses including the address on my confirmation and have not received a response from DB. I called a U.S. DB phone number and was told that office only handles phone orders, and I need to call a German number. I don't have cell service for Europe and I am not excited about purchasing service for Germany since I'm not actually going to Germany. I'm not sure I want to call and pay by the minute because who knows how long I will hold. Right now, I'm thinking of contacting people in Germany that are acquaintances (awkward!) to see if they will make a phone call on my behalf. I also believe I have the option of cancelling the purchase, but since DB doesn't respond to any email inquiry it's hard to know how the process will work. I post this as a warning to others considering this purchase. I'm not greatly concerned, it is a smallish amount of money and one way or another it will be resolved. Again, I may just be "unlucky", but buyers that are not actually going to be in Germany where the tickets could be picked up at a DB office should just allow plenty of time to resolve the issue with the mail. I have plenty of time prior to my trip yet to get this resolved.

Why not call them with one of the internet products like Skype? You can call for a long time for very little money.

Nigel, that is a decent option and I will look into that if it becomes necessary. My father-in-law has some relatives in Germany that I may tap if this doesn't get resolved.

So it is getting even more interesting and frustrating. I posted on the DB facebook page that the tickets were purchased and not received. I got a response from the FB DB people that the tickets are mailed 14 days prior to the date of travel. This is very risky especially for someone that lives across the ocean and for a traveler that will never be in Germany. Further, the DB website says to expect the tickets to take about 8 business days from the date of purchase. Seat61 says to expect 2 weeks.

And then I actually got a response from my email to DB. I'm not sure if the facebook post triggered a response from the email, or if its just a coincidence. The response was to be patient and that it usually takes 8 days. Except, again, it has been 22 days.

I wish I knew at what point I should contact my credit card company to cancel the payment and try to purchase a saver ticket from SBB which at this point it could be too late. As it stands right now, I would highly discourage anyone from purchasing the tickets using the Seat 61 plan, or at least make the purchase quite in advance of the travel.